Agenda item

The Service Director – Finance and Improvement Services presented the joint report of the Director of Finance & Digital Services and the Service Director, Democratic Services & Communication which served to provide Audit Committee with an update of progress on its ‘Support and Development’ action plan and also propose a programme of learning and development for the Committee.

The Service Director – Finance and Improvement Services reported that delivery on the action plan, to support the on-going development and effectiveness of the Committee’s work, which Members approved in November 2020, is progressing within the agreed timescales. Further updates such as those in line with the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act would be reported to Committee and added to the action plan following approval. It was considered that the action plan was very much a live document to be added to at appropriate intervals. Members were advised that further updates would be reported to Audit Committee for consideration and approval at mid-year and year-end intervals during 2021/22 subject to Committee’s consent.

The Service Director – Finance and Improvement Services also provided an update on the Audit Committee’s Support and Development action plan which has been informed through feedback from Members to Officers in December 2020 and January 2021 whereby the analysis of the information received informing the order of the draft action plan.

The Service Director – Finance and Improvement Services suggested that a Learning & Development item would be reported to Audit Committee on a quarterly basis with specific updates or 1-1 sessions as and when required and further training and support provided to existing and/or new Members post 2022 Elections. In conclusion, the Service Director acknowledged the Members’ Portal which would further support Members’ learning and development through a suite of e-learning modules and access to information such as the Audit Committee’s Learning and Development Plan.

A Member queried when the Audit Committee would assume the title of the ‘’Governance & Audit Committee’. The Director of Legal Services advised that changes to the Terms of Reference for the Committee will be undertaken from the 1^st April 2022 when the Committee will adopt responsibility for overseeing compliance of the Council’s complaints management processes. From the Council’s AGM the Audit Committee will reflect its new title of ‘Governance & Audit Committee’ with appropriate training to follow. The Director of Legal Services clarified that the process of dealing with maladministration of complaints will continue to sit with the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales with the Audit Committee overseeing compliance of the Council’s corporate complaints processes and monitoring how they are received and addressed.

The Service Director – Finance and Improvement Services suggested that Members may wish to revisit the questionnaire and look at other mechanisms to measure the effectiveness of the committee’s training, support and development in the future.

Following consideration of the report it was RESOLVED to:-

2.1 Receive mid-year and year-end updates during 2021/22 regarding the ‘Support and Development’ Action Plan; and

2.2  Approve the draft Learning and Development Plan for Audit Committee.