BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL
OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (STEWARDSHIP) COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY (STEWARDSHIP) COMMITTEE HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, COUNCIL OFFICES, CORKS LANE, HADLEIGH ON TUESDAY, 18 MAY 2010
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1 - Election of Vice-Chairman
2 - Declaration of Interests
3 - Minutes
4 - Petitions
5 - Questions from Members
6 - External Audit Fee 2010/11
7 - Annual Internal Audit Report 2009/10
8 - Business Continuity Progress Report
9 - Annual Report on the Council's Procurement Strategy Action Plan (2008/2011)
10 - Work Plan
PRESENT: Mr D M Busby – Chairman
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Mr J R B Cave
Mr D G Grutchfield
Mr P J Holbrook
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Mr B Riley
Mr C A RobertsMr D M Walton
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Mr J C Brand and Mr H N Todd were unable to be present.
RESOLVED
That Mr J R B Cave be elected Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing year.
Mr D M Walton declared a personal interest in the item referred to in Minute No. 7 below by virtue of the fact that he is a Member of Sudbury Town Council but indicated that he was able to speak and vote on the matter concerned.
RESOLVED
That the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2010 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
Mr B Riley abstained from voting on the above resolution and asked for his abstention to be recorded in the Minutes.
None received.
None received.
The Director of Finance submitted a report (Paper K20) requesting the Committee to consider the External Auditor’s proposed Audit Fee for 2010/11 which was attached as an Appendix to the report.
Ms Zoe Thompson from the External Auditors (PKF) was in attendance at the meeting to present the Audit Fee letter for 2010/11 and to answer questions from Members.
During the course of the discussion Members expressed concern at the proposed fee particularly when compared to neighbouring authorities and requested further information to explain why our proposed fees are so high and what could be done to reduce them.
RESOLVED
(1) That the Director of Finance be requested to go back to PKF to determine why our proposed fees are higher than neighbouring/similar authorities.
(2) That the External Auditors be requested to explain to the Committee what could be done to reduce the proposed fee to £100,000.
(3) That the Director of Finance be requested to make strong representations to the new Government regarding the fees imposed on local authorities.
The Director of Finance submitted a report (Paper K21) providing the Head of Audit’s opinion on the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the Council’s internal control environment and a summary of audit work undertaken to formulate that opinion.
John Snell, Acting Audit Manager presented the report and together with Peter Frost, SCC Principal Audit Services Manager answered Members’ questions on it.
During the course of the discussion Members requested that the audit opinions and corresponding definitions be reviewed to provide greater clarity of meaning. It was also suggested that the Appendix, which summarises the audit findings, include the risk associated with areas identified as requiring improvement, in future reports.
RESOLVED
(1) That the position regarding internal audit work in 2009/10 and the conclusion that the Council’s overall internal control arrangements provide an acceptable level of assurance, as detailed in Appendix A to Paper K21, be noted.
(2) That this be reflected in the Annual Government Statement to be submitted to the Committee for approval at its next meeting.
The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper K22) updating the Committee on progress that has been made on business continuity management since August 2009.
RESOLVED
That the report be noted.
9 ANNUAL REPORT ON THE COUNCIL’S PROCUREMENT STRATEGY ACTION PLAN (2008/2011)
The Head of Contract and Asset Management presented the report of the Procurement Task Group (Paper K23) which provided an update on progress for the second year of the Action Plan included in the Council’s Procurement Strategy and Framework Document (2008/2011).
During the course of the discussion Members requested that future reports include the total procurement budget/figures for comparison purposes.
RESOLVED
(1) That the progress made against the actions in the original Action Plan, and the new targets introduced, be noted.
(2) That the original financial target of £150,000 savings over the period of the Strategy i.e. 2008-2011 be extended to £300,000, and that a ‘stretched’ target of £100,000 be included for 2010/11.
The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report (Paper K24) which provided details of the Committee’s anticipated work for 2010/11 including any items that may be the subject of call-in procedures.
Members noted that the Significant Business Risks Refresh Report, the External Audit and Inspections Report and the FEAG Annual Progress Report currently on the Work Plan for the 21 June 2010 meeting would be put back to August.
RESOLVED
That the Work Plan submitted as Paper K24 be noted together with the minor amendments referred to above.
The business of the meeting was concluded at 11.05 a.m.
Chairman
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