Venue: By Zoom. View directions
Contact: Wyn Richards 01597 826375
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Apologies To receive apologies for absence. Minutes: The Committee did not receive any apologies for absence. |
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Disclosures of Interest To receive any disclosures of interest by Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting. Minutes: There were no Declarations of Interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.
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To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the previous meeting held as follows: 13-06-2022
· Matters Arising
Minutes: The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the previous meeting, held on 13-06-2022, as a correct record.
Outcomes: · Head of Finance to present a report to the Committee once the work on reviewing insurances for Members and officers has been finalised.
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Treasury Management Quarter 1 Report PDF 254 KB To receive and consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation. Minutes: · Report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation – Treasury Management Quarter 1 Report.
Issues Discussed: · Report for the first quarter of the 2022-23 financial year. · Update on the capital position - the initial programme approved in March 2022 was £133m, currently reduced to £115m. There has been various reprofiling and grants received during the year. · £45m was expected to go out for GCRE but this is not going to happen this year so it has been removed from the capital programme. · Inflation is having a serious impact on the capital programme. Services are trying to manage the costs but it may be that they will need to trim down their programme or reduce works to be undertaken to fit within existing budgets. · There has been no borrowing taken out in the first quarter but some debt is maturing in the next quarter and dependent on the cash position it may be possible to repay those debts or secure additional borrowing. · The repayment of Nant Helen S106 deposit is continuing which is reducing under-borrowed position of the Council. It is expected that the majority of this will be repaid in this financial year. · Sundry debt has been included in the report for the first time – sets out the sundry debt at 11th July 2022. A further £1m owing from PTHB is not included in table. Total debt is around 21% of the annual generated income.
· Questions:
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SWAP Reports |
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Internal Audit Progress Report - Quarter 1 PDF 2 MB To receive and consider the report of the Assistant Director (Powys), SWAP. Minutes: · Report of the Assistant Director (Powys) SWAP – Internal Audit Progress Report – Quarter 1.
Issues Discussed: · Presentation provided in relation to the Highways Service – 6 areas of work undertaken. · The Chair asked the Assistant Director to elaborate as to why in view of the gravity of some of the findings in the Highways audits the overall rating of “Reasonable” had been applied which she felt was generous and it would have been expected that the overall rating would more likely be “Limited”. · The Chair suggested that the Committee meet to discuss a single item agenda on the Highways issues and following that the Working Group could take this work forward. · A range of Audit reports were commissioned by the Head of Service. Resource is in place to assist the Head of Service and an action plan is being formulated which can be presented to the Committee. The internal Improvement Board for Highways, Transport and Recycling is focussing on issues highlighted in relation to Highways but actions are limited as yet due to waiting for the results of the SWAP review and not wishing to impinge on the ongoing police investigation. · The overall opinion in the report is reasonable assurance.
· Questions:
Outcomes: · Report Noted. · Highways Presentation to be circulated to the Committee. · Highways issues – to be discussed at a single item meeting of the Committee to which the Head of Service and Project Manager can be invited. Following that the Working Group can take this work forward.
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To receive and consider the report of the Assistant Director (Powys) SWAP. Minutes: · Report of the Assistant Director (Powys) SWAP.
Issues Discussed: · The report is the Audit opinion on the levels of control within the Council for the year 2021-22. · 51 pieces of work were undertaken. Of those 7 were limited assurance audits, and 71% of the work provided a substantial or reasonable assurance. All the issues were considered at previous Governance and Audit Committees. · Project and programme management collectively was an issue and some of the governance and operational aspects of those. There is evidence of significant improvement in those areas. · The fraud risk is satisfactorily managed and actions in general have been implemented. · In general over the past two years SWAP have covered the Council’s corporate risks and this will continue. · On the balance of the work undertaken a Reasonable Opinion was provided for the year.
Outcomes: · Noted.
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Audit Wales Reports |
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Audit Wales - Audit Plans PDF 854 KB To receive and consider the:
· 2022 Audit Plan for Powys County Council; and · 2022 Audit Plan for the Powys Pension Fund Additional documents: Minutes: · 2022 Audit Plan for Powys County Council · 2022 Audit Plan for the Powys Pension Fund
Issues Discussed: · Powys County Council Accounts – Areas of risk highlighted for the audit work: · Management Override – this is an issue for all organisations both public and private. · Asset valuations – this risk does not relate to Powys alone but an aspect being considered across all bodies including sponsored bodies and the NHS. · Related parties information – some weaknesses have been identified in the previous process of recording related party information. · GCRE – the position as currently understood is being reported. · Many risks are similar across local authorities. · One specific piece of work for Powys is revisiting the improvement in scrutiny. · Work across Wales – ongoing risk and assurance work. · Thematic reviews to be undertaken – unscheduled care, digital. · Page 80 – one potential conflict of interest for a member of the Audit Wales Team, and the safeguards in place was brought to the attention of the Committee. · Powys Pension Fund – the Audit Wales work on the fund will not commence until October / November but bearing in mind the statutory deadline of 30th November.
· Questions:
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Audit Wales - Powys Annual Audit Summary PDF 226 KB To receive and consider the Audit Wales – Powys Annual Audit Summary. Additional documents: Minutes: · Audit Wales – Powys Annual Audit Summary
Issues Discussed:
Outcomes: · Noted.
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To receive and consider the report of the Head of Finance. Minutes: · Report of the Head of Finance – Price Inflation Variation and Volatility Pressures.
Issues Discussed: · Section 3 of the report considers some of the more specific indices and cost rises above the rate of general inflation. · The report sets out the understanding of the impact on the Council. Officers from across the Council have been drawn together to work collectively to monitor, share information, consider and address the issues as they arise. · Where providers are approaching the Council there is a sound process in place to assess the impact on an open book basis. Any request needs to be substantiated and evidenced in terms of impact on the company’s financial position. · The biggest impact is likely to be next year and the impact on next year’s budget plans is being assessed. · A robust virement process is in place and the financial position is updated on a quarterly basis. Specific reserves were established at the end of last year and some of those reserves are being drawn down. The overall position for the Council is projecting a deficit in addition to the use of specific reserves of around £1m based on the position in the first quarter. · Some of the pay awards are starting to be approved which will have a substantial impact on the budget both in the current year and for the future. · Officers and the Cabinet are reviewing the MTFS (Medium Term Financial Strategy) and that will be presented to the Council in September based on the revised assumptions.
The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation suggested that the paper could be shared with the wider membership of the Council He also asked if the Council has a team established to monitor energy use in buildings and limit energy use in buildings.
The Head of Finance indicated that energy use corporately is monitored so that work could help inform the overall position. Information has also been received from the national procurement framework on the impact of energy costs for these buildings.
· Questions:
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Committee Self Assessment and Action Plan To receive and consider the report of the Head of Finance. Minutes: · None – verbal update
Issues Discussed: · Key themes have been identified. · An action plan is being developed which will identify what actions has already been taken and future work to be undertaken. It is hoped the action plan can be considered by the Committee in September.
Outcomes: · Noted.
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Working Groups The Committee is requested to establish the following Working Groups:
· Capital Working Group · HTR (Highways, Transport and Recycling) Working Group · Internal Audit Report Working Group (review audit plan) · Representatives for HOWPS Working Group (Economy, Residents and Communities Scrutiny Committee.
The Committee determined at its meeting on 13-06-22 that there should be a minimum of 1 Lay member and 1 Councillor on each working group. In addition Working groups would be between 3 to 5 Members in total as a guide.
Minutes: The Committee was requested to establish the following Working Groups:
Capital Working Group: The following Members indicated an interest in the Working Group: County Councillors P Lewington, A Williams and Independent Member J Brautigam
Highways Transport and Recycling Working Group: The following Members indicated an interest in the Working Group: County Councillors G Breeze, G Ratcliffe, W Powell, P Lewington, A Williams Independent Members G Hall, J Brautigam and L Hamilton
Internal Audit Working Group: The following Members indicated an interest in the Working Group: County Councillors P Lewington, C Walsh and A Williams Independent Members J Brautigam and L Hamilton
HOWPS Working Group: The following Members indicated an interest in the Working Group: County Councillors G Ratcliffe, W Powell, A Williams Independent Members J Brautigam and G Hall
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(a) To consider the forward work programme (attached)
(b) To consider any items for inclusion on the forward work programme for discussion at the next meeting or a future meeting. Minutes: The Committee received the draft work programme.
The Committee suggested the inclusion of the following items on the Forward Work Programme:
· Programme of deep dives informed by risk and audit – invite Heads of Service to the meeting the Committee on a rolling basis. · GCRE – presentation from the CEO.
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