Agenda a Chofnodion

Apologies for absence were received from County Borough Councillors M. Fidler Jones and M. Powell.

Derbyn datganiadau o fuddiannau personol gan Aelodau, yn unol â gofynion y Cod Ymddygiad.

Nodwch:

1.     Mae gofyn i Aelodau ddatgan rhif a phwnc yr agendwm mae eu buddiant yn ymwneud ag ef a mynegi natur y buddiant personol hwnnw; a

2.   Lle bo Aelodau'n ymneilltuo o'r cyfarfod o ganlyniad i ddatgelu buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu, rhaid iddyn nhw roi gwybod i'r Cadeirydd pan fyddan nhw'n gadael.

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, the following declarations of interest were made:

·       County Borough Councillor S. Rees declared a personal interest in Item 4 – Internal Audit Finalised Audit Assignments – Community Infrastructure Levy. “I am Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, whereby developments which are liable for CIL are considered”

·       County Borough Councillor R. Yeo declared a personal interest in Item 4 – Internal Audit Finalised Audit Assignments – Community Infrastructure Levy. “I am a member of the Planning and Development Committee, whereby developments which are liable for CIL are considered”

·       County Borough Councillor G. Caple declared a personal interest in Item 4 – Internal Audit Finalised Audit Assignments – Community Infrastructure Levy. “I am a member of the Planning and Development Committee, whereby developments which are liable for CIL are considered”

·       County Borough Councillor G. Hughes declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Item 4 – Internal Audit Finalised Audit Assignments – Ysgol Nantgwyn. “I am on the Governing Body of Ysgol Nantgwyn. I believe my personal interest is not prejudicial because of the exemption set out in paragraph 12(2)(a)(iii) of the Code of Conduct”

·       County Borough Councillor G. Hughes declared a personal interest in Item 4 Internal Audit Finalised Audit Assignments – Community Infrastructure Levy. “I am a member of the Planning and Development Committee, whereby developments which are liable for CIL are considered”

·       County Borough Councillor J. Cullwick declared a personal interest in Item 4 – Internal Audit Finalised Audit Assignments – Ysgol Nantgwyn. “I am on the Governing Body of Ysgol Nantgwyn. I believe my personal interest is not prejudicial because of the exemption set out in paragraph 12(2)(a)(iii) of the Code of Conduct”

·       County Borough Councillor S. Powell declared a personal interest in Item 4 – Internal Audit Finalised Audit Assignments – Community Infrastructure Levy. “I am a member of the Planning and Development Committee, whereby developments which are liable for CIL are considered”

·       County Borough Councillor S. Powell declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Item 4 – Internal Audit Finalised Audit Assignments – Tonysguboriau Primary School. “My wife is a teacher at Tonysguboriau Primary School and I am on the Governing Body, therefore I will leave this meeting whilst the audit report is considered”

Derbyn cofnodion cyfarfod diwethaf y Pwyllgor Archwilio a gafodd ei gynnal ar 15 Gorffennaf 2018.

It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the XXXX as an accurate reflection of the meeting.

Ms H. Williams of the Wales Audit Office provided the Committee with an overview of the Management Letter for 2018-19 for Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Members were referred to Appendix 1 of the report, where findings and recommendations from the 2018-19 audit work were set out.

Members sought clarification in respect of the recommendation detailed at ‘Matter arising 3’ of the letter. Wales Audit Office confirmed that the Council had successfully met the challenging earlier closure of accounts deadline of 31^st July, 2 years earlier than required by the regulations. It was added that an audit deliverables document was piloted for the 2018/19 audit (that set out timescales for the Council to provide working papers to the Wales Audit Office) and lessons learned will be taken account in preparing for the 2019/20 audit to help further improve the efficiency of the audit.

Members were pleased with the positive update and following a number of questions, the Committee RESOLVED to acknowledge the update.

(Note: Having previously declared an interest (Minute No. 22), County Borough Councillor S. Powell left the meeting during the consideration of the Tonysguboriau Primary School 2019/20 audit report).

The Head of Regional Internal Audit Service introduced the report of the Director of Finance and Digital Services in respect of the audit assignments completed between 2^nd July 2019 and 31^st August 2019.

Members were asked to consider the followin­­g audit assignments:

·       Chief Executive – Community Infrastructure Levy 2018/19;

·       Finance and Digital Services – Performance Indicators 2019/20;

·       Community and Children’s Services – Supported Living 2018/19;

·       Community and Children’s Services – Youth Offending Service 2019/20;

·       Education and Inclusion Services – Post 16 Planning and Funding 2018/19;

·       Education and Inclusion Services – Ysgol Nantgwyn 2018/19;

·       Education and Inclusion Services – Tonysguboriau Primary School 2019/20;

·       Education and Inclusion Services – Rhigos Primary School 2019/20; and

·       Prosperity, Development and Frontline Services – Highways Capital Programme 2019/20.

In respect of the Audit report for Post 16 Planning and Funding 2018/19, Members expressed concern around the sample of six schools failing to complete their AM/PM registers correctly. Although Members acknowledged that the attendance requirements for sixth form pupils differ from that of lower school pupils, they felt that there should be a clear process in place to ensure that attendance is registered and maintained efficiently, in order to safeguard all pupils. Members were advised that the Director, Education and Inclusion Services would report the findings of the audit to the schools and that an effective registration process would be sought. Furthermore, assurance was given that Post 16 Planning and Funding 2019/20 was in the Audit Plan for Quarter 3 and that a new sample of schools would be subject to the audit.

Discussions ensued around the internal audit report for Ysgol Nantgwyn, with Members acknowledging the school’s pro-active request for assistance and a follow up review. The Head of Regional Internal Audit Service took the opportunity to speak of the newly developed self-evaluation toolkit for Comprehensive schools, which was discussed at the previous meeting of the Audit Committee. Members were pleased to learn that following approval by the Director, Education and Inclusion Services, Internal Audit had been asked to attend the next Secondary Headteachers meeting to introduce the concept of the self-evaluation process and a presentation would be provided to Head Teachers in October 2019. Furthermore, Internal Audit had been asked to provide a presentation to newly appointed Primary School Head Teachers on Friday 20^th September in respect of the role of Internal Audit and the self-evaluation checklist that is already in place for Primary schools. It was highlighted that this would put them in good stead for future internal audits. Members were pleased with the update and requested a follow up audit of Ysgol Nantgwyn to be presented to the Committee in six months’ time.

Members of the Committee were particularly pleased with the evidence of good practice set out within the Rhigos Primary School internal audit report and agreed for a letter  ...  view the full Cofnodion text for item 25.