Minutes of meeting
Renfrewshire Council · 19 January 2026
Back to Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board — 19 January 2026 and its agenda
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Minute of Meeting Audit, Risk and Scrutiny Board Date Time Venue Monday, 19 January 2026 15:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN Present: Councillor Jennifer Adam, Councillor Andy Doig, Councillor Gillian Graham, Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, Councillor Robert Innes, Councillor James MacLaren, Councillor Janis McDonald, Councillor Will Mylet, Councillor Ben Smith Chair Councillor Andy Doig, Convener, presided. In Attendance A MacArthur, Director of Finance & Resources; L McIntyre, Head of Policy & Partnerships, A Walter, Connected Communities Manager and L Fingland, Service Planning & Policy Development Manager (all Chief Executive’s); G McLaughlin, Head of Education (Strategy & Improvement), M Gilligan, Social Work Manager Operations Promise Lead and M McCargo, Children’s Services Manager (all Children’s Services); G Hutton, Head of Operations & Service Development; C Dalrymple, Head of Facilities & Properties Services and G Darbyshire, Senior Service Development Manager (all Environment, Housing & Infrastructure); M Conaghan, Head of Corporate Governance, R Cree, Head of People & Organisational Development, P Murray, Head of Digital, Transformation & Customer Services, K Campbell, Chief Auditor, E Shields, Strategic Service Delivery Manager, M McKillop, Interim Assistant Chief Auditor, C Fraser, Security & Compliance Manager, P Feeney, Architecture & Technology Manager, C MacDonald, Senior Committee Services Officer and J Barron, Committee Services Officer (all Finance & Resources); and M Tokeley, Operations and Estates Director (OneRen). Also in Attendance A Kolodziej, Associate Director (Azets). Webcasting of Meeting Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Convener intimated that this meeting of the Board would be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council's internet site.
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Declaration of Interest There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to commencement of the meeting. Transparency Statement Councillor McDonald declared a connection to item 4 by reason she was a board member of OneRen. However, she indicated thats he had applied the objective test and did not consider she had an interest to declare. 1 Summary of Internal Audit Reports for period 01 October to 31 December 2025 There was submitted a report by the Chief Auditor relative to the requirement in terms of the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS) that Internal Audit communicated the results of each engagement to the Board. The appendix to the report provided a summary of the Internal Audit findings for the period 1 October to 31 December 2025. DECIDED: That the summary of Internal Audit reports finalised during the period 1 October to 31 December 2025 be noted. 2 Internal Audit and Counter Fraud Progress and Performance for Period to 31 December 2025 There was submitted a report by the Chief Auditor relative to Internal Audit and Counter Fraud performance between 1 April and 31 December 2025 in terms of the delivery of the Audit Plan for the year and outlining actual performance against targets set by the Director of Finance & Resources. DECIDED: That the Internal Audit and Counter Fraud Team progress and performance between 1 April to 31 December 2025 be noted. 3 Audit Scotland Report - The 2023/24 Audit of Glasgow City Council Senior Officer Exit Packages There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to an overview of the Accounts Commission report in respect of the 2023/24 audit of Glasgow City Council Senior Officer Exit packages. The report also set out Renfrewshire Council’s current position. DECIDED: That the contents of the report be noted.
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4 Audit Scotland Report – Spotlight on Culture and Leisure Services There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to an overview of the findings of the Accounts Commission spotlight report on Culture & Leisure Services. The report also set out Renfrewshire Council’s current position. DECIDED: That the contents of the report be noted. 5 Audit Scotland Cyber Incident Findings: Comhairle nan Eilean Siar There was submitted a report by the Head of Digital, Transformation and Customer Services relative to Audit Scotland’s report following a cyber-attack on Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. DECIDED: (a) That the contents of the report be noted; (b) That it be noted that there had been previous cyber security updates provided to the Board in relation to the Council’s defence in depth and defence in breadth security architecture; (c) That it be noted that further, more detailed, cyber security updates would be provided to the Corporate Management Team in response to the findings; and (d) That the criticality of business continuity arrangements, and the need for these to be regularly reviewed by the relevant service and corporate owners be noted. 6 Audit Scotland Briefing: Improving Care Experience – Delivering ‘The Promise’ There was submitted a report by the Director of Children’s Services relative to Audit Scotland’s national report entitled ‘Improving care Experience - Delivering The Promise’. The report summarised the current situation of the implementation of ‘The Promise’ in Scotland and the challenges it faced. The Convener proposed that a report be brought back to a future meeting of the Board in relation to ‘The Promise’ within Renfrewshire. This was agreed unanimously DECIDED: (a) That the content of the Audit Scotland report and the implications for 'The Promise' within Renfrewshire Council be noted; and (b) That a report be brought back to a future meeting of this Board in relation to 'The Promise' within Renfrewshire.
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7 2024/25 Complaints Handling Performance There was submitted a report by the Chief Executive relative to the annual complaints report 2024/25. The report provided information on complaints closed and performance on key indicators and highlighted improvements made to the complaints handling procedure to ensure that complaints were handled well, and the organisation learned from them and improved service delivery, where appropriate. A performance scorecard was included within the appendix to the report to provide additional data for 2024/25 performance against Scottish Public Service Ombudsman indicators. DECIDED: That the content of the report be noted. 8 Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) Annual Report 2024/25 There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman's (SPSO) Annual Report 2024/25. The report noted that of the 52 complaints determined during the period, one went to investigation stage and a copy of the SPSO investigation report relative to this case was attached as an appendix to the report. DECIDED: (a) That the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Annual Report 2024/25 be noted; and (b) That it be noted that 52 complaints relative to Renfrewshire Council were determined by the SPSO in 2024/25 and that none went to public investigation. 9 Audit, Risk & Scrutiny Annual Programme of Reviews 2025/26 There was submitted a report by the Director of Finance & Resources relative to the Annual Programme for the Audit, Risk & Scrutiny Board for 2025/26. The report and attached appendix detailed the Review topics and outlined the possible timescales. DECIDED: That the phased implementation plan for 2025/26, attached as an appendix to the report, be agreed. Sederunt Councillor Hughes left the meeting prior to consideration of the following item of business.
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Exclusion of Press and Public The Board resolved that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that if members of the press and public were present, there would be disclosure to the of exempt information as defined in paragraph 4 of Part I of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. 10 Summary of Internal Audit Investigation Reports for the period 01 October 2025 to 31 December 2025 There was submitted a report by the Chief Auditor relative to the requirement in terms of the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS) that Internal Audit reported on the findings and conclusions of audit engagements to the Board. The appendix to the report provided a summary of the findings of the internal audit investigations. The Convener proposed that a follow-up report on the items discussed be brought back to a future meeting. This was agreed unanimously. DECIDED: (a) That the summary of Internal Audit Investigation Reports finalised during the period 1 October to 31 December 2025 be noted; and (b) That a follow-up report on the items discussed be brought back to a future meeting.