Issue - meetings

To set out the Work Programme of the Governance and Audit Committee (report of the Democratic Services Manager enclosed).

Members considered the report of the Democratic Services Manager which set out the Work Programme of the Governance and Audit Committee.

The Democratic Services Officer introduced the report and updated the Committee on the following: 

• In respect of Appendix A, the following items had been rescheduled from the current meeting to meeting to be held on 14 March 2024:
  • Progress Report on Internal Audit Activity 2023/24; and
  • Unaudited Financial Statements including Annual Governance Statement 2022/23.
• Appendix B detailed the training record of the Committee: 
  • The ‘self-assessment exercise’, led by the Scrutiny and Policy Officer, was scheduled to take place on 14 March 2024 at 5pm.

Members considered the update and made the following comments:

• Members noted the busy agenda schedule for the 14 March 2024 meeting and requested that draft reports be circulated to all Governance and Audit Committee members in advance of agenda publication where possible.

• Members were aware that a survey would form part of the ‘self-assessment exercise’ on 14 March 2024 and asked that this be circulated to all Governance and Audit Committee members in advance of the session.

• Members referred to Appendix B and asked whether training undertaken prior to the current administration could be repeated, particularly in respect of Unaudited Financial Statements and Pensions.
  • The Democratic Services Officer responded that:
    • Unaudited Financial Statements training would be scheduled by PSPS Finance colleagues prior to the report coming forward to the Committee; and
    • Pensions training would be investigated.

o   The Assistant Director – Governance confirmed that internal training could be repeated.

AGREED:

That the Work Programme of the Governance and Audit Committee be noted.