Item 3 - DRAFT Minute of Audit Committee - 4 December 2024 v2
West Dunbartonshire Council · 19 February 2025
Back to Audit Committee — 19 February 2025 and its agenda
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AUDIT COMMITTEE At a Meeting of the Audit Committee held in the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton on Wednesday, 4 December 2024 at 2.00 p.m. Present: Provost Karen Murray Conaghan and Councillors Ian Dickson, Fiona Hennebry, Martin Rooney, Gordon Scanlan, Claire Steel and Sophie Traynor. Attending: Peter Hessett, Chief Executive; Laurence Slavin, Chief Officer – Resources; Amanda Graham, Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities; Andi Priestman, Shared Service Manager – Audit and Fraud and Lynn Straker, Committee Officer. Apologies: Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Victoria Rogers, Chief Officer – People and Technology and Julie Slavin, Chief Finance Officer – Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and Gail Macfarlane, Chief Officer – Roads and Neighbourhood. Councillor Gordon Scanlan in the Chair DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST It was noted that there were no declarations of interest in any of the items of business on the agenda. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Minutes of Meeting of the Audit Committee held on 4 September 2024 were submitted and approved as a correct record. OPEN FORUM The Committee noted that no open forum questions had been submitted by members of the public. 2024/25 INTERNAL AUDIT ANNUAL STRATEGY AND PLAN A report was submitted by the Chief Officer – Resources advising of the planned programme of work for the Internal Audit Section for the year 2024/25.
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After discussion and having heard the Shared Service Manager – Audit and Fraud in further explanation, the Committee agreed to approve the 2024/25 Audit Plan. INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN 2023/24 – PROGRESS TO 6 NOVEMBER 2024 A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Resources advising Members of progress to 6 November 2024, against the Internal Audit Plan for 2023/24. The report also advises Members of recently issued Internal Audit reports and action plans and of the status of implementation progress relating to action plans from previously issued Internal Audit reports. After discussion and having heard the Shared Service Manager – Audit and Fraud; the Chief Officer – Resources and the Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the contents of this report. NATIONAL FRAUD INITIATIVE 2022/23 EXERCISE A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Resources informing Members of the Audit Scotland Report “National Fraud Initiative 2022/23” published in August 2024 and to provide an overview of the key messages and recommendations raised in the report and how these issues are being addressed by the Council. After discussion and having heard the Shared Service Manager – Audit and Fraud and the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the contents of this report and agreed that a further update report is submitted to the September 2025 Audit Committee outlining the Council’s progress with the 2024-2025 exercise. PUBLIC INTEREST DISCLOSURES AND OTHER INTERNAL AUDIT INVESTIGATIONS 27 JANUARY TO 31 OCTOBER 2024 A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Resources advising of the outcome of investigations into allegations and disclosures in line with public interest disclosure and business irregularities policies, received by Internal Audit between 27 January and 31 October 2024. After discussion and having heard the Service Manager – Audit and Fraud and the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the content of this report. 2023/24 TREASURY MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REPORT A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Resources advising of the operation of the treasury function and its activities in 2023/24 and requesting that the Audit
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Committee remits the report to the full Council for their approval. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Resources in further explanation, the Committee agreed:- (1) to note the contents of the 2023/24 Annual Treasury Management Report; and (2) to remit the 2023/24 Annual Treasury Management Report to full Council for approval. Note: Provost Karen Murray Conaghan left the meeting during consideration of this item. SCOTTISH PUBLIC SERVICES OMBUDSMAN COMPLAINTS REPORT 2023-24 A report was submitted by Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities presenting the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) report on Complaints Handling by West Dunbartonshire Council for the year 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024. After discussion and having heard the Chief Officer – Citizen, Culture and Facilities in further explanation and in answer to Members’ questions, the Committee agreed to note the contents of the report and the ongoing commitment at a service and strategic level to monitor complaints and ensure compliance with Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) timelines. The meeting closed at 3.00 p.m.