Agenda item

The Service Director of Performance and Improvement provided Members with an update on the implementation of proposals of improvements reported in the Audit Wales, Annual Audit Summary 2020 (AAS). The report sets out the important processes in parallel, with the Governance and Audit Committee in respect of the role of the Councils Scrutiny function which is noted on paragraph 3.6 and 3.7 of the report.

The Service Director of Performance and Improvement referred to the Terms of Reference of the Governance and Audit Committee, which enable Members to consider the reports of an external auditor and to seek assurance of the arrangements in place to monitor and evaluate progress. Members were reminded of the Committee’s ability to refer those matters where progress has been insufficient to the relevant Scrutiny Committee to consider in more detail.

The Service Director of Performance and Improvement referred to section four of the report, the Annual Audit Summary 2020 (AAS) previously reported to full Council. The Audit Summary 2020 (AAS) provided Members with proposals for improvement or recommendations from published reports that were specific to RCT, national reports, and the Welsh Government. The first progress updates were previously provided to the Governance and Audit and Scrutiny Committee. 

The report highlighted the progress updates as of November 2021.

The Service Director referred Members to Appendix 1 of the report which highlights two main areas; local reports, specifically relevant to RCT, as it sets out proposals for improvement in relation to statutory reporting responsibilities; but also refers to progress updates that have been reported this year to the relevant Scrutiny Committee in respect of the Care Inspectorate Wales and Estyn. Local reports have also covered the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act Wales (2015) where specific focus of the Audit Wales study will be considered in preparing for the Council Leisure Strategy 2022-27. Furthermore, Local reports have also considered the Financial Sustainability Assessment to the 2019/20 financial year published in March 2020; as shown on Appendix 1 further Financial Sustainability Assessment has been reported in November 2021 and first update of progress will be investigated in the next round of reporting.

The second area of Appendix 1 covers the national reports; thus far seven national reports have been undertaken in total, and the progress updates highlight how the Council is implementing proposals for improvement where relevant to RCT.

Members of the Governance and Audit Committee were provided with the opportunity to ask questions.

One Member sought clarification on the reason for the reduction in registered resources from 617 to 442 in Dewis Cymru. In response, the Service Director of Performance and Improvement stated as part of the Councils quarterly performance, and reporting arrangements local groups and third sector organisations collaboratively work with Dewis Cymru and it’s their responsibility to update their Website pages with relevant information; If they are not updated for 6 months intervals, they are removed.

The Chair requested further clarification on the timeline of future progress updates to the Committee. In response, the Service Director advised that following agreement by the Council from an Audit Wales perspective, these are built into the service planning and delivery arrangements. The Service Director explained that a different approach has been utilised this year in terms of tracking progress of the Audit Wales reports for a 12-month period after publication. Members were advised that the next progress update report will be at the end of the financial year subject to any outstanding matters that will need to be reported to the Governance and Audit Committee. 

The Chair thanked the Service Director of Performance and Improvement for the thorough report and responses provided to the questions posed by members. 

The Governance and Audit Committee RESOLVED:

-       To acknowledge the update.