Agenda and minutes

Audit Committee - Monday 17 June 2024 5.30 pm

Venue: Conference Room 1, Beech Hurst, Weyhill Road, Andover

Contact: Sally Prior - 01264 368000  Email: sprior@testvalley.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

66.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Brooks, Hughes and Leech.

67.

Public Participation

Minutes:

There was no public participation.

68.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

69.

Urgent Items

Minutes:

There were no urgent items to be considered.

70.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 95 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2024.

Minutes:

Councillor Hasselmann proposed and Councillor Kohli seconded the motion that the minutes of the previous meeting were an accurate record.  Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried.

 

Resolved:

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2024 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

71.

External Audit Update pdf icon PDF 78 KB

To present Ernst & Young’s Audit Planning Report for the 2023/24 Statement of Accounts.

(Ernst & Young)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council’s external auditors, Ernst & Young, presented their Audit Planning Report, which set out their planned approach to the 2023/24 Statement of Accounts audit and provided a brief update on the national backlog of audits for earlier financial years.

 

The following recommendation was proposed by Councillor Borg-Neal and seconded by Councillor Hasselmann.  Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

 

Resolved:

1.  That Ernst & Young’s Audit Planning Report, as shown in the Annex to the report, be noted.

2.  That the planned materiality and reporting levels, as set out on page 26 of the Annex to the report, be approved.

72.

Internal Audit Annual Report 2023/24 and Progress Report 2024/25 pdf icon PDF 98 KB

To consider the Internal Audit Annual Report for 2023/24 and Progress Report 2024/25.

(Jan Balfour, Internal Audit Manager)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Internal Audit Manager introduced the new Senior Auditor to the Committee.

The report of the Internal Audit Manager gave an opinion on the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the Council’s internal control environment and a summary of the audit work from which the opinion is derived for the financial year ending 31 March 2024.  It also provided Internal Audit coverage, findings and performance for audit work undertaken in 2024/25 to 31 May 2024 and gave an assurance opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the Council’s internal control framework for those areas reviewed.

The following recommendation was proposed by Councillor Borg-Neal and seconded by Councillor Hasselmann.  Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

 

Resolved:

1.  That the Internal Audit Annual Report 2023/24, shown in Annex 1 to the report, which provides the assurance opinion at 31 March 2024 on the system of internal control and the conclusion that the Council employs an effective Internal Audit, be endorsed.

2.  That the Internal Audit Progress report to 31 May 2024, shown in Annex 2 to the report, be noted.

 

73.

Audit Committee Work Programme pdf icon PDF 64 KB

To consider the work programme of the Audit Committee for the coming year.

(Carl Whatley, Head of Finance and Revenues)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The following amendments were approved to the Work Programme:

 

·  External Audit Update – Audit Plan for 2023/24 not 2024/25

·  Inclusion of feedback to the Complaints Annual Report in December

 

The following recommendation was proposed by Councillor Borg-Neal and seconded by Councillor Hasselmann.  Upon being put to the vote, the motion was carried.

 

Resolved:

That the work programme for the Audit Committee, as set out in the Annex to the report, with amendments, be approved.