Cllr Robinson, as Cabinet Member for an
Efficient Council, presented report A.88, reminding members that
the audit function and Audit Committee were completely independent.
The two aspects comprised internal audit, undertaken by officers
and external audit, undertaken by the Audit Commission.
Over the past few years internal audit had at
one stage been delivered by external providers, but had then been
brought back in-house. Being a small authority, the Council had
limited funds and needed to look how to best deliver the audit
function better within its financial constraints. The Audit
Committee had recommended and the Cabinet had endorsed the proposal
before Full Council to join the South West Audit Partnership
(SWAP). It would enable the Council to work with others in a
partnership, whilst retaining two officers based in Coleford. This
would provide access to expertise alongside local knowledge and
resilience, for example regarding sickness absence. The Council
would be an equal member of the partnership, which would provide a
productive solution at no extra cost.
Cllr Robinson proposed and Cllr Easton
seconded the following amendment/addendum to the recommendation in
the report.
To authorise the Interim Head of Paid
Service toagree a
legal agreement on the basis of the details set out in this
Report
Cllr Shenoi saw no need to change a function
that was working well. He believed that the report contained some
inaccuracies regarding experience of previous auditors. He
mentioned a previous internal Audit Manager who had retired and a
later internal Audit Manager who had left. Internal audit was an
integral part of the Council’s work and needed to be in tune with
the organisation. He thought that the Council should only enter
partnerships if proven to be more efficient and he had not seen the
benefits of the SWAP partnership quantified in the report.
Cllr Riley, chairman of the Audit Committee
informed members that the Interim Risk and Assurance Manager would
be leaving the Council in October, hence the issue needing to be
addressed. He confirmed that two officers would work from Coleford.
The SWAP officers he had met during a recent peer review had
impressed him professionally and with their questioning.
Cllr Birch, vice chairman of the Audit
Committee, explained that the committee had discussed the proposal
in detail. He had been cynical about partnerships in the past, but
believed that the Council should endorse the proposal in view of
the interim manager leaving.
Cllr Hogan, a member of the Audit Committee,
accepted Cllr Shenoi’s concerns regarding the circumstances
surrounding the departure of the previous Audit Manager.
However he believed that the Council would
have ownership of audit under the proposal. The Council could not
afford to pay for the depth of expertise the partnership would
offer, and he hoped members would approve the recommendation.
Cllr Dormer, a member of the Audit Committee,
believed that the Council would be an equal partner in this
relatively small partnership and he would not like to see the
Council without an internal Audit Manager. He supported the
proposal.
Cllr Robinson confirmed for Cllr Molyneux that
all the other partners would also have two representatives on the
joint committee and one officer on the management board of the
partnership.
Cllr Stephens called for the motion to be
put.
RESOLVED –
a)
To approve the proposal to join the South West Audit
Partnership, so that from 1 September 2009 SWAP act as the
Council’s Head of Internal Audit, and deliver the Council’s
Internal Audit service
b)
To authorise the Interim Head of Paid Service
toagree a legal
agreement on the basis of the details set out in this
Report
c)
To nominate two members to sit on the SWAP Joint
Committee
d)
To agree that the Group Manager – Finance should serve as the
Council’s representative on the Partnership Management
Board
For (39) - Marrilyn Smart, David Easton, Carole Allaway Martin,
Frankie Evans, Dennis Dormer, Roger Yeates, Jane Horne, Len Lawton,
Peter Ede, Georgina Bensted, James Bevan, Gabriella Kirkpatrick,
Alan Preest, Derek Biddle, Andrew Gardiner, Maria Edey, Dave East,
Norman Stephens, Alastair Fraser, Arthur Thomas, Grace Bensted,
Heather Dalziel, Roy Birch, Clive Brain, David Thomson, Bruce
Hogan, Lynn Sterry, Max Coborn, Graham Morgan, Di Martin, Philip
Burford, Terry Hale, Terry Glastonbury, Denis Riley, Patrick
Molyneux, Diana Edwards, Brian Robinson, Peter Amos, Richard
Long
Against (1) - Venk Shenoi
Abstain (0)
The Chairman then invited nominations for the two representatives
on SWAP the joint committee.
Cllr Stephens asked if the representatives had to be members of the
Audit Committee. The Council’s Solicitor advised that this was not
essential.
Cllr Fraser asked what qualifications those representatives should
have. Cllr Robinson answered that any member would be suitable, but
would need to have an interest, support excellence in delivery and
value for money.
Cllr Stephens proposed and Cllr Grace Bensted seconded the
motion.
That
the Council’s two representatives on the South West Audit
Partnership Joint Committee be the chairman and vice chairman of
the Audit Committee.
After discussion of the need to vote on current nominations members
agreed to vote on the motion.
RESOLVED - That the Council’s two representatives
on the South West Audit Partnership Joint Committee be the chairman
and vice chairman of the Audit Committee.
For (40) - Marrilyn Smart, David Easton, Carole Allaway Martin,
Frankie Evans, Venk Shenoi, Dennis Dormer, Roger Yeates, Jane
Horne, Len Lawton, Peter Ede, Georgina Bensted, James Bevan,
Gabriella Kirkpatrick, Alan Preest, Derek Biddle, Andrew Gardiner,
Maria Edey, Dave East, Norman Stephens, Alastair Fraser, Arthur
Thomas, Grace Bensted, Heather Dalziel, Roy Birch, Clive Brain,
David Thomson, Bruce Hogan, Lynn Sterry, Max Coborn, Graham Morgan,
Di Martin, Philip Burford, Terry Hale, Terry Glastonbury, Denis
Riley, Patrick Molyneux, Diana Edwards, Brian Robinson, Peter Amos,
Richard Long
Against (0)
Abstain (0)
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