Issue - meetings

To receive the Governance and Audit Annual Report 2022/2023 (report of the Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) enclosed.

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Governance (Monitoring Officer) which requested that the Governance and Audit Annual Report 2022/23 be received. 

The Chairmen of the Governance and Audit Committee for 2022/23 was invited to speak.

·       She commented that the report highlighted the importance of the work of the Governance and Audit Committee.  As always, internal audit work had been undertaken last year, and the Committee had been very proactive in following actions through.  The Committee had been committed and she was happy to be handing it over in a strong position to a strong chairman.

DECISION:

That the South Holland District Council Governance and Audit Annual Report be received.

To note the Governance and Audit Annual Report 2022/2023 prior to its presentation at Council (report of the Assistant Director - Governance (Monitoring Officer) enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Governance which asked the committee to note the Governance and Audit Annual Report 2022/2023 prior to its presentation at Council.

The Democratic Services Officer introduced the report and highlighted the following points:

• The Governance and Audit Committee was required to report annually to Council on its work activities undertaken during the previous municipal year;
• The Governance and Audit Annual Report 2022/2023 was at Appendix A and included the following aspects:
  • The role and function of the Governance and Audit Committee;
  • Committee membership for 2022/2023;
  • Meeting dates and summary of work undertaken;
  • Internal and external audit;
  • Governance;
  • Treasury and Accounts;
  • Risk Management; and
  • Training and Development;
• The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic had seen a pause in the creation of the report over the last few years however this had been reinstated and would be produced annually.

The Assistant Director – Governance made the following comments:

• Thanks were expressed to the Democratic Services Officer who had led on the production of the revised report format. The report format had been rolled-out across the partnership and would be a template for the production of the report in future years; and
• The presentation of the Governance and Audit Annual Report 2022/2023 to Full Council sought to raise the profile of the committee’s work with all members and enabled observations to be made.

Members considered the report and made the following comment:

• A member was keen to know whether the sign-off date for completed audited accounts had been fixed as this had slipped in the past. The member would seek assurance directly with the Deputy Leader.

AGREED:

That after consideration by the Governance and Audit Committee, the Governance and Audit Annual Report 2022/2023 be noted and recommended to Council.