Agenda and minutes

To note the names of apologies given and Deputy Members who are attending the meeting in place of appointed Members.

Apologies were received from Councillor Godfrey.

To receive any disclosure of interests from Members and Officers in matters to be discussed.

Note: Councillors are reminded of their obligations to declare disclosable pecuniary interests, and non disclosable pecuniary interests in accordance with legislation and the Council’s Code of Conduct.

If you require advice, please contact the appropriate Democratic Services Officer, prior to the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made.

The Chairperson announced that training for Committee members on Risk Management would take place on Wednesday 11 March 2020 at 6:30pm in the Walton Suite, Guildhall, Winchester.

RESOLVED:

            That the Audit and Governance Work Programme for 2019/20 be noted.

In reply to a Member’s question, the Strategic Director: Resources clarified that the item on ways to report on the post implementation review of projects would be reported to the next meeting of the Committee in June 2020.

RESOLVED:

            That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 9 January 2020 be approved and adopted.

To receive and note questions asked and statements made from members of the public on matters which fall within the remit of the Committee.

Mr Ian Tait asked questions on how the Council’s investment in the Heritable Bank had been resolved and also on Report AG0024 - Housing Revenue Account Risk and Viability in relation to the Section 106 financial contribution from the North Whiteley urban extension and how it could be delivered through the Housing Revenue Account for the offsite construction of 350 units of accommodation. 

Mr Suter and Mr Sutterford from EY introduced the Report.

Members raised questions or commented regarding the content of the Report and the representatives of EY and officers responded.

RESOLVED:

1.            That the report in respect of the Council’s Statement of Accounts for 2019/20 be noted.

2.            That the Audit Planning Report be noted.

Mr Suter from EY introduced the Report.

Members raised questions or commented regarding the content of the Report and the representatives of EY and officers responded.

RESOLVED:

That the Annual Audit Letter 2018/19 be accepted.

Mr Harvey and Ms Davies from Southern Internal Audit Partnership were in attendance for this item.

Members raised questions or commented regarding the content of the Report and Mr Harvey and the officers responded.

RESOLVED:

That the Internal Audit Plan for 2020/21 as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

Mr Harvey and Ms Davies from Southern Internal Audit Partnership were in attendance for this item.

RESOLVED:

That the Internal Audit Charter as set out in Appendix 1 of the Report be approved.

Members raised questions or commented regarding the content of the Report and the officers responded.

RESOLVED:

That the Annual Report attached as Appendix 1 to the Report be noted.

Mr Harvey and Ms Davies from Southern Internal Audit Partnership were in attendance for this item.

The Strategic Director: Resources updated the meeting that the number of overdue audit actions had now been reduced to 10 from 12 at the time of publication of the Report.  In addition, on Appendix 3 (page 163) on the Outstanding Code of Conduct Complaints, the complaint made on the 4 April 2019 had now been determined by the Standards (Determination) Sub Committee and a decision notice was being issued.

Members raised questions or commented regarding the content of the Report and Mr Harvey and the officers responded.

RESOLVED:

That the content of the Report and the progress against the Internal Audit management actions be noted.

The Housing Finance and Resources Manager and the Service Lead - New Home Delivery presented the Report

Members raised questions or commented regarding the content of the Report and the officers responded accordingly.

RESOLVED:

            That the Committee recommends retaining the existing New Build viability tests, including the scheme payback test of 35 years and that the comments raised about the New Build viability tests in preparation for the forthcoming New Build Development Strategy paper be noted.

Members raised questions or commented regarding the content of the Report and the officers responded accordingly.

At the invitation of the Chairperson, Councillor Cutler commented that previously the Local Code of Corporate Governance was included with the Annual Governance Statement.  The Code is now reported as a separate item which was before Committee for consideration.  The Annual Governance Statement which focusses on the actions taken by the council to implement the Code will be reported to the next meeting of the Committee.

Following debate, the Committee agreed methods to improve the future presentation of the Report as set out in resolutions 2 and 3 below.

RESOLVED:

1.            That the Local Code of Corporate Governance 2020 as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

2.            That future reports include a narrative within the covering report to highlight changes over the previous year’s version.

3.                  That the Corporate Governance Framework (Appendix 2) be expanded in future reports to show how the individual documents relating to evidence of good governance respond to the principles of the Code.

At the invitation of the Chairperson, Councillor Tod introduced the Report.

Following debate, Members of the Committee suggested methods to improve the process and procedure of dealing with complaints as set out in resolution 2 below.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the findings within the report and the steps that are being undertaken to improve the council’s management and response to complaints be noted.

2.         That the officers give consideration to further methods to improve the council’s management and response to complaints including further considering the content of equality impact assessments; analysis of the banding of responses at Stage one and Stage two of complaints as part of the performance data, including telephone calls that are dropped; and whether constituent’s complaints taken forward by Ward Councillors as case work could be captured by the Council’s complaints recording system.