Meeting documents
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PERFORMANCE SCRUTINY AND AUDIT COMMITTEE |
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Minutes of the meeting of the Performance Scrutiny and Audit Committee held on |
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6 September 1999 |
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PRESENT |
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Cllr D G Fieldhouse (in the Chair) |
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There were no declarations of interest made. |
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The Full Council, at its meeting on 12 July 1999 had agreed a Performance Review and Audit Committee be established to focus on performance review across the whole Council including satisfactory audit and financial control issues and to ensure a cost effective approach. These new arrangements would be reviewed in June 2000. The Council had requested that the Performance Review and Audit Committee meet to formulate its Terms of Reference with a report being made to the Local Democracy Panel at its meeting on 13 September 1999. These recommendations would be reported to the Policy and Resources Committee at its meeting on 20 September 1999. |
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The draft Terms of Reference with explanatory notes together with the Committee’s draft work programme were attached at Appendix 3 to the report for Members’ consideration. The Committee agreed with the wording of two of the three draft Terms of Reference. Members were of the opinion however that since this Committee would be responsible for monitoring and maintaining the Council’s corporate best value approach, the wording of that particular term of reference should more accurately reflect the role of the Committee. |
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Members noted that the Committee would be able to call for other information and reports as required and it was suggested that this Committee should also be able to call officers to attend its meetings as necessary in order to discuss any particular performance issues. |
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A Member sought an assurance from the Chairman that the external auditor’s management letter would be considered by this Committee in the first instance and not following consideration by the Policy and Resources Committee. The Chairman informed Members it was now the responsibility of the Performance Review and Audit Committee to consider audit and performance issues. Members were reminded that the audit management letter for 1998/99 would be discussed at the next meeting of this Committee on 9 November 1999. Another Member suggested therefore that it would be beneficial for Committee Members to have the opportunity to look at last year’s management letter for information. The Director of Corporate Services undertook to circulate this document to all Members of the Committee and suggested they might wish him to also arrange a “teach-in” to assist them in gaining a greater insight into the key issues which were the responsibility of this new Committee. He reported that this Authority was required to collect and produce performance indicators in accordance with the Audit Commission’s definition. These were compared against indicators produced by other similar local authorities (known as the Family 12 Group) and KPMG, the District Council’s external auditors were responsible for providing an independent assessment of these indicators. The Director of Corporate Services reported that a local authority could also choose to set up its own “benchmarks” where no appropriate performance indicators were already in existence. |
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Members then addressed the question of setting up a Briefing Group for this Committee. It was considered that the Briefing Group should comprise the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee together with one Member from one of the minority political groups. It was proposed by Cllr E H Collins and seconded by Cllr Mrs F G Bettison that Cllr P Morris be appointed as the representative of the minority political group on the Briefing Group. |
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Members then proceeded to discuss the question of how often meetings of this Committee should be held. It was considered that this Committee should meet once per cycle as the other Committees of the Council and that these meetings should commence at 7.00pm. |
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RECOMMENDED: That the Terms of Reference and work programme as set out below be approved: |
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Terms of Reference |
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(a) the key components of promoting internal control, monitoring audit performance and receiving internal and external audit reports as necessary |
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(b)Receiving the external auditor’s management letter each year and, following discussions with the external auditors, to agree and monitor the action plan. |
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Terms of Reference –Explanatory Notes |
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Term of Reference 1 |
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The approved performance measurement framework is attached, which includes a status report as at June 1999. It is suggested that a single performance digest of information be produced, say at six-monthly intervals, bringing together in one document the key indicators for the Council at level 3 of the framework. This could be circulated to all Members of the Council, thus giving the opportunity for points to be raised for consideration by the Committee. It would also provide a useful on-going reference for Members serving on service committees. |
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The Committee will also receive the level 2 corporate action plans for review. As now, the four main committees would still approve the corporate action plans each year. |
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It is suggested that the annual reports on the level 1 indicators and the three year output targets continue to be considered by Committees, reporting through to Policy and Resources Committee, as this sets the context for the Council’s strategy through the Strategic Plan. The Committee would be able to consider and input into these higher indicators and targets as part of consideration of the best value performance plan each year (see 2 below). |
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The Committee would also be able to call for other information and reports as required and to call officers to attend its meetings as necessary to discuss any particular performance issues |
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Any action or issues raised by the Committee will be dealt with in the following way: |
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Operational matters |
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This will be referred to the relevant Director who will consult as necessary (including those instances covered in item 5 on page E3 of Standing Orders) and take the appropriate action. |
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An Information Sheet will be issued within one month of the Committee’s meeting outlining the action taken by Directors on the issues raised. |
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The Briefing Group shall comprise the Chairman and Vice-Chairman together with one Member appointed from one of the minority political groups |
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Policy matters |
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The Director will investigate and produce a substantive response of the proposed action to be taken within four weeks of the meeting for consideration by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of this Committee. A report on action taken will be made to the next meeting of the Committee. |
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Further meetings of this Committee will be called as and when necessary. |
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Term of Reference 2 |
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There are Authority-wide (corporate) aspects of best value, which are currently within the remit of the Policy and Resources Committee. It is suggested that this Committee could undertake some of that detailed work, reporting by way of recommendation to the Policy and Resources Committee. |
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This does not conflict with the work of the Best Value Select Committee, which is undertaking the fundamental service reviews within the parameters set down by the five year review programme and the best value performance plan. |
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Term of Reference 3 |
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This work will obviously develop over time, enabling audit resources to be well focused to secure maximum improvements for the Authority, taking into account the other two work areas above and issues raised by the external auditor. |
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This would replace the special meetings of the Policy and Resources Committee focusing on performance review. |
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Annual Work Programme |
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RESOLVED: (i) That the next meeting of the Committee be held at 7.00pm on Tuesday, 9 November 1999 and thereafter approximately three weeks prior to scheduled Policy and Resources Committee meetings with further urgent meetings being held if required; and |
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(ii) that a “teach-in” for all Members of the Performance Review and Audit Committee be held at 7.00pm on Monday, 25 October 1999. |
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(The meeting commenced at 6.00pm and concluded at 7.00pm). |
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CHAIRMAN |
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The following officers were in attendance at the meeting: |
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Mr P F Ricketts
- Director of Corporate Services |