Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Louise Gaskill  and Councillors Harrison and Royle.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 20^th September 2017 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To determine during which items, if any, the public are to be excluded from the meeting.

That the public be excluded from the meeting for item 14 (minute 33 below) of the agenda since in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, if the public were present there would be a disclosure to them of exempt information.  The report was to be taken as the last item of business. 

To inform members of the progress report from the external auditors.

Mark Heap from the external auditors Grant Thornton presented the audit progress report for the year ending 31^st March 2018.

The report detailed the progress of the audit as at 22^nd December 2017 and outlined the key milestones in order for the Council to meet the audit deadline date of July 2018.  He confirmed the Council was well placed to meet this deadline.

Members were also provided with links to a digest of publications and topical issues.

IT WAS AGREED

That the report be noted.

To receive the External Auditors certification letter for Burnley Borough Council for the year ended 31^st March 2017.

Marianne Dixon from the external auditors Grant Thornton presented the certification letter for the Council’s Housing Benefit subsidy claim for the year ended 31^st March 2017.

The letter identified issues, some of which had been identified in previous years, and which the external auditors were obliged to highlight.  These would continue to be monitored during 2017/18.  Marianne confirmed that overall the errors of the claim were relatively insignificant and the claim had been qualified.

IT WAS AGREED

That the report be noted.

To update members on the arrangements made to date and the implications of the changes required for the Council ahead of the closure of the 2017/18 accounts. To seek approval for the accounting policies to be used in producing the Statement of Accounts and to set a date for a final accounts workshop for Audit Committee Members.

Members received an update on the arrangements to date and the implication of the changes required ahead of the closure of accounts and the production of the Statement of Accounts.

The Committee was informed that a provisional date of Wednesday 5^th July had been set for a final accounts workshop for all members.

IT WAS AGREED

(1)  That the report and the arrangements the Council was making in advance of the closure of accounts for the year 2017/18 be noted;

(2)  That approval be given to the proposed accounting policies to be followed in producing the Statement of Accounts as shown in appendix 1 to the report; and

(3)  That the provisional date of Wednesday 5^th July 2018 for the final accounts workshop be confirmed.

To consider the proposed arrangements to provide assurance for the Annual Governance Statement for 2017/18.

An updated copy of the Annual Governance Statement was circulated.

Members gave consideration to the proposed arrangements to provide assurance for the Annual Governance Statement for the financial year 2017/18.

The Statement would be in the same format as the previous year and be in line with CIPFA (Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy) and SOLACE (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) guidelines.

IT WAS AGREED

That the report be noted.

To receive details of the work undertaken by the Internal Audit for the period 1^st July to 30^th September 2017.

Members received for information details of the work undertaken by Internal Audit for the period 1^st July to 30^th September 2017.

IT WAS AGREED

That the report be noted.

To inform Members of the current fraud trends that affect the public sector.

Members considered a report on the current fraud trends that affect the public sector and the Council’s arrangements to deal with them.

The Committee was satisfied with the Council’s reaction to the risk of fraud.

IT WAS AGREED

That the report be noted.

To inform members of the requirements and progress on meeting the General Data Protection Regulation.

Members consider the requirements and progress of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the Council to be able to meet the implementation date of May 2018.

The regulation would directly replace the Data Protection Act 1998.  Key officers were aware of the GDPR and had been monitoring the development of the guidance and planning main elements of the responses.

IT WAS AGREED

That the report be noted.

To consider the Work Programme for the current year.

The work programme for the remainder of the 2017/18 Municipal Year was noted.

There were no members of the public present for the following item of business (minute 33)

Members received for information details of two complaints against members had been dealt with during the period August to December 2017 and noted the outcomes.