• Agenda item
  • Agenda item

    To receive a presentation from the Service Director – Finance & Improvement Services on Audit Committee Role and Functions

    Minutes:

    With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, the Service Director, Finance and Improvement Services and Head of Regional Internal Audit Service provided an overview of the role and functions of the Governance and Audit Committee, this being in line with the Committee’s Learning and Development Plan.

     

    The presentation outlined the role of Governance and Audit Committees, including their purpose, statutory basis and what characteristics good Committees should have, and set out the specific responsibilities of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Governance and Audit Committee as included within the Terms of Reference, and covering the following areas:

     

          Governance, risk and control

          Internal Audit

          External Audit

          Financial Reporting

          Accountability arrangements

          Council Performance Arrangements

          Complaints Handling

     

    Members were taken through each Terms of Reference area with specific information provided in respect of ‘some key assurance requirements’ and ‘information reported to the Governance and Audit Committee’, the latter setting out the information to be reported to the Committee to enable it to determine whether the necessary assurances are in place across the Terms of Reference.

     

    Members were invited to ask questions following the overview of each Terms of Reference section.

     

    For the Governance, Risk and Control section, a Member noted the future requirements for Governance and Audit Committee Membership to include an increased number of lay members and the challenge it will pose for lay members becoming part of the Committee linked to its wide remit. The Service Director, Finance and Improvement Services fed back the strong track record the Committee has in developing and supporting new and existing Members of the Committee as part of delivering its Terms of Reference and indicated that this approach will continue to be applied for newly appointed lay members. The Service Director added that the learning and development plan in place will inform this process and noted that a flexible approach will be needed to ensure new lay members are provided with appropriate, timely and on-going support.

     

    With regard to the External Audit section of the Terms of Reference, one Member requested clarity on the role of Audit Wales in measuring the performance of the Governance and Audit Committee. Mr Rees, Audit Wales, fed back that Audit Wales officers attend each meeting to observe and report updates to the Committee and the performance of the Committee is considered as part of Audit Wales’ annual risk assessment. The Head of Regional Internal Audit Service added that an annual self-assessment of the Governance and Audit Committee is undertaken and the Committee agrees an Annual Report that is presented to full Council setting out its work during the previous year.

     

    One Member questioned whether the information that is presented to Members relating to complaints would also include compliments received. The Service Director, Finance and Improvement Services confirmed that the updates will include both compliments and complaints with the aim of providing a full as picture as possible for Members to consider.

     

    The Chair thanked Officers for the presentation and Governance and Audit Committee RESOLVED to note the content of the presentation.