Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor A Barry Cabinet Portfolio Member.

Members are reminded of their personal responsibility to declare any personal and prejudicial interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992 relating to Council Tax, the Local Government Act 2000, the Council’s Constitution and the Members Code of Conduct

Note:

(a)  Members are reminded that they must identify the item number and subject matter that their interest relates to and signify the nature of the personal interest and

(b)  Where Members withdraw from a Meeting as a consequence of the disclosure of a prejudicial interest they must notify the Chair when they leave

No Declarations of Interest were made.

The Minutes of the Meeting held 18 July 2022 were received for Information.

Arising under Minute Number 118 - Councillor A Barry Cabinet Portfolio Member  - Apologies for absence.

To receive the reports of Audit Wales

Springing Forward – Strategic Asset Management – Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council

The Chair welcomed Lisa Emerson Asset Management Principal Officer and Ian Phillips Audit Wales to the Meeting.

Lisa Emerson referred the Committee to the ‘Springing Forward – Strategic Asset Management’ report.

Ian Phillips then led the Committee in detail through the Audit Wales report.

The following questions were then raised on the report and were responded to in detail by the Officers:

·       Is there a ‘Best Practice’ Guide – Are all 22 Local Councils included – How do we learn from looking at the other 21

·       The impact of Covid – Has the impact and the assessment of assets been managed - How are Audit Wales looking at this – Due to the effect of Covid not all staff are in Offices

·       Recommendations in the report – How can the Committee be involved – Implementation of recommendations in a timely fashion

·       Timings – To look at longer term Strategies – How does the Asset Management Plan fit into this – How long until the plan is final – How reliable is the plan if not final

·       How does this align with the other Strategies and Policies

·       Since the Act is in place assurance needed that MTCBC are achieving and to ensure that the Committee is up to date

·       Managing the Plan –Ensuring that the current approach is meeting the needs of residents – e.g opening of offices – Is the current approach correct and is it working

·       Important to know that actions and the Governance structure is in place

·       Benchmarking against other Local Authorities- When is this being done

·       Health and Safety – Expected standards

The Chair then thanked Lisa Emerson and Ian Phillips for the update to the Committee.

Springing Forward – Strategic Workforce Management - Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council

The Chair welcomed Hannah Brown Human Resources and Jeff Brown Audit Wales to the Meeting.

Hannah Brown referred the Committee to the ‘Springing Forward – Strategic Workforce Management’ report.

Jeff Brown then led the Committee in detail through the Audit Wales report.

The following questions were then raised on the report and were responded to in detail by the Officers:

·       How does the performance of MTCBC compare with other Local Authorities – How is this performance characterised

·       Post Covid – The way the world of work is changing – How has the work force been affected through Covid – Retention / Recruitment / Loss of Staff – Agile working

·       Managing the recommendations

·       Consistency of approach – Key roles – Succession planning – Is everyone applying it

The Chair then thanked Hannah Brown and Jeff Brown for the update to the Committee.

To consider the report of the Head of Regional Internal Audit Service

Lisa Cumpston Audit Manager Regional Internal Audit Service referred the Committee to the ‘Governance and Audit Committee Forward Work Programme 2022/23’ report and advised that it was subject to change and amendment and that in relation to Paragraph 4.2 – Item 8, this item may be delayed.

The Chair referred to Counter Fraud being an item at a future Meeting together with the need for Training for Committee Members in relation to areas such as Self Assessment and Final Accounts.

A Member then requested training in relation to the Local Government Election Wales Act.

The Chair then requested that Officers look at this together with the Terms of Reference and to ensure all areas are covered in the Work Plan.

A Committee Member then referred to the need to audit major Capital Works and asked for consideration to be given to look at expenditure on Capital schemes and to assess the outcomes.  To look at issue apart from finance such as the development brief and outcomes and to ensure the scheme delivers what the Authority needs and to fit the longer term strategy.

Another Member the asked of there was another Committee where Capital Works were monitored.

The Chair then referred to the possibility of overlapping of work undertaken by the Scrutiny Committees but that Committee Members should still raise any issues.

The Chair also referred to a Joint Governance and Audit, Joint Scrutiny Committee Meeting that would be convened to discuss budgets and Members would be advised of the date when this joint Committee was arranged.

To receive copies of published Internal Audit reports for Members information

Lisa Cumpston Audit Manager Regional Internal Audit Service referred the Committee to the ‘Issued Internal Audit Reports’ report and responded to questions raised on Goetre Primary School Follow Up.

No reports were referred for consideration in more detail.

To receive an update from the Chair

The Chair referred to the Hybrid Meeting and thanked Democratic Services for facilitating the Meeting.

The Chair also referred to the benefit of Action Tracker notes and looked to the Officers to look at this.

The Chair advised that there was no business deemed urgent.