A&S Minutes
North Ayrshire Council · 28 August 2025
Back to Audit and Scrutiny Committee — 28 August 2025 and its agenda
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Audit and Scrutiny Committee 29 May 2025 At a Meeting of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee of North Ayrshire Council at 10.00 a.m. involving participation by remote electronic means and physical attendance within the Council Chambers, Irvine. Present (Physical Participation) John Bell, Donald Reid, Eleanor Collier, Cameron Inglis and Tom Marshall. Present (Remote Participation) Davina McTiernan and Donald L. Reid. In Attendance (Physical Participation) D. Hammond, Executive Director (Communities and Housing); E. Currie, Principal Manager (Finance) (Health and Social Care Partnership); T. Reaney, Head of Service (Neighbourhood Services) (Place); M. Boyd, Head of Service, D. Forbes, Senior Manager (Strategic Business Partner), J. McCallum, Senior Manager (Audit, Fraud, Safety and Risk) and S. Paisley, Senior Manager (Transformation) (Finance); F. Walker, Head of Service (People and ICT); A. Craig, Head of Service, M. Sugden, Communications Officer (Public Relations) and C. Stewart, Committee Services Officer (Democratic Services) (Corporate Services). In Attendance (Remote Participation) C. Hatton, Chief Executive. Also in Attendance (Physical Participation) D. Jamieson, Audit Scotland. Chair Councillor Bell in the Chair. Apologies John Sweeney. 1. Declarations of Interest There were no declarations of interest by Members in terms of Standing Order 11 and Section 5 of the Code of Conduct for Councillors. 2. Minutes The Minutes of the Meeting of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee held on 13 March 2025 were confirmed and the Minutes signed in accordance with Paragraph 7 (1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. 3. Update on purple bin lids Submitted report by the Executive Director (Place) providing an update on the actions taken to resolve the issues experienced with purple bin lid defects.
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Officers were heard in response to Members’ questions. Noted. 4. Code of Corporate Governance Statement 2025/26 Submitted report by the Head of Service (Democratic) seeking approval of the Code of Governance Statement 2025/26. The Code of Corporate Governance Statement 2025/26 was attached at Appendix 1 to the report. Officers were heard in response to Members’ questions. The Committee agreed to (a) approve the Code of Corporate Governance Statement 2024/25, as detailed at Appendix 1 to the report; and (b) otherwise note the content of the report and associated Appendix. 5. Audit Scotland: North Ayrshire Council Best Value Thematic Management Report: Transformation Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the findings of the recent Audit Scotland report on how councils are redesigning and delivering more efficient services to achieve planned outcomes. D Jamieson, Audit Scotland addressed the committee in terms of the Audit Scotland report, its findings and recommendations. Officers and D. Jamieson were heard in response to Members’ questions. Noted. 6. 2023/24 External Audit Action Plan Update Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the updated actions identified in the 2023/24 External Audit Action Plan. Appendix 1 to the report provided an update on the management actions taken to date including updated target dates for any outstanding items. Officers were heard in response to Members’ questions. The Committee noted that a briefing note would be prepared by the Head of Service (People & ICT) and issued to Members on the trends of sickness and absence rates of the Council over the last 5 years (including the pre-pandemic year). 7. Annual Governance Statement 2024/25 Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the Council’s Annual Governance Statement for 2024/25 which will be included within the draft Annual Accounts. The draft Annual Governance Statement was attached at Appendix 1 to the report. Officers were heard in response to Members’ questions.
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The Committee agreed to approve the draft Annual Governance Statement as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report. 8. Accounting Policies 2024/25 Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) seeking approval of the accounting policies which will be adopted in the preparation of the Council’s Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2025. The accounting policies were attached at Appendix 1 to the report. The Committee agreed to approve the accounting policies as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report. 9. Strategic Risk Register 2025/26 Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the Council’s agreed Strategic Risk Register for 2025/26. The Strategic Risk Register Report 2025/26, with detailed actions, was provided at Appendix 1 to the report. Officers were heard in response to Members’ questions. Noted. 10. Internal Audit Annual Report 2024/25 Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the work of Internal Audit during 2024/25 and providing an opinion on the governance, risk management and internal control environment of the Council. The Annual Report 2024/25, together with a statement on internal controls, was detailed at Appendix 1 to the report. The Committee agreed to note (a) the content of the annual report detailed at Appendix 1 to the report; and (b) the opinion of the Senior Manager on the Council’s governance, risk management and internal control environment. 11. Corporate Fraud Team Annual Report 2024/25 Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the work of the Corporate Fraud Team during 2024/25, including the number of referrals for investigation and the outcomes of those investigations. Participation in International Fraud Awareness Week and the National Fraud Initiative was also highlighted. Noted. 12. Internal Audit and Corporate Fraud Action Plans: Quarter 4 Update Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the progress made by Council Services in implementing the agreed actions from Internal Audit and Corporate Fraud reports as at 31 March 2025. Noted.
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13. Internal Audit Reports Issued Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the findings of Internal Audit work completed since March 2025. The findings from four audit assignments were detailed at Appendix 1 to the report, together with the respective executive summaries and action plans. Noted. 14. Standing Item of Business: Consideration of future business for Scrutiny Members were invited to consider potential items of scrutiny business for future meetings. In relation to a request by Councillor Marshall and having heard the Head of Democratic Services, it was noted that a report on GLOW and clarification on the extent to which it was used in the schools community in North Ayrshire, including security aspects thereof, would be reported to a future meeting of the Committee, for Members’ information. It was noted that in relation to a request for information, at the previous meeting of the Committee, on the impact of sickness absence levels on the overtime budget of services and loss of service, this information had been provided by the Head of Service (Finance) in an email circulated to Members on 4 April 2025. 15. Urgent Items There were no urgent items. The meeting ended at 11.30 a.m. The full meeting proceedings can be viewed at https://north-ayrshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home
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Audit and Scrutiny Committee 19 June 2025 At a Special Meeting of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee of North Ayrshire Council at 2.00 p.m. involving participation by remote electronic means and physical attendance within the Council Chambers, Irvine. Present (Physical Participation) John Bell, Donald Reid, Matthew McLean, Davina McTiernan and John Sweeney. Also Present Todd Ferguson and Tony Gurney. Present (Remote Participation) Eleanor Collier, Cameron Inglis, Tom Marshall and Donald L. Reid. In Attendance (Physical Participation) T. Reaney, Head of Service (Neighbourhood Services) (Place); A. Craig, Head of Service, J. Hutcheson, Senior Communications Officer (Media and Internal Communications), C. Stewart, Committee Services Officer and H. Young, Senior Committee Services Officer (Democratic Services) (Corporate Services). Chair Councillor Bell in the Chair. 1. Declarations of Interest There were no declarations of interest by Members in terms of Standing Order 11 and Section 5 of the Code of Conduct for Councillors. 2. Call-In: Implementation of the National 20mph Speed Limit Strategy Submitted report by the Head of Service (Democratic) on a call-in request received in respect of a decision taken by Cabinet on 3 June 2025 on the proposed implementation of the National 20mph Speed Limit Strategy within North Ayrshire (Implementation plans were attached at Appendix 1 to the report). The original Cabinet report was attached at Appendix 1 to the report. Appendix 2 to the report contained a briefing note provided by the Head of Service (Neighbourhood Services) in response to the matters raised in the call-in request form. The Cabinet on 3 June 2025 agreed to (a) note the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for 20mph in Urban areas; and (b) approve the implementation of 20mph speed limits on appropriate roads as detailed in the implementation plans attached at Appendix 1 to the report. Subsequently, a call-in request was received from Councillors Todd Ferguson, Gallacher and Stalker in the following terms:- Reason for Call-In
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“The Scottish Government’s National 20mph Strategy is aspirational in tone but experimental in scope. While well-intentioned, its widespread implementation lacks sufficient evidence of efficacy, especially on roads already exhibiting average speeds below 25mph. This policy, if adopted without amendment, risks diluting police and Council resources, adversely affecting public transport efficiency, and imposing unjustifiable burdens on the public purse—contrary to the financial prudence owed to North Ayrshire’s taxpayers. The Strategy also raises legitimate legal and democratic concerns regarding adequacy of consultation, particularly among working residents, rural communities, and small business owners who will bear the practical consequences of slower road speeds and delayed logistics. As a matter of public administration, the Council must guard against overreach in regulatory intervention without evidence-based justification and must uphold the principle of proportionality, particularly when imposing restrictions on public freedoms.” Desired Outcome “The Conservative Group respectfully calls upon Cabinet to: 1. Suspend the blanket implementation of the 20mph speed limit across all roads identified in Appendix 1, pending the outcome of a full review of cost- effectiveness, enforceability, and public consultation. 2. Commission an independent impact assessment, consistent with principles of Best Value as defined in the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, before any further capital expenditure is incurred. 3. Adopt a targeted and proportionate approach, taking into account the feedback from the public consultation referenced above and elected members, with 20mph zones restricted to locations supported by empirical safety data—such as near schools, care facilities, or recorded accident blackspots.” The Head of Democratic Services summarised the procedure for considering the call-in request in terms of Standing Orders and referred to the Cabinet decision. Thereafter, the Members who had requested the call-in were invited to speak and Councillor Ferguson addressed the Committee in support of the call-in request. The Chair then invited Councillor Gurney, as the Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy, to address the meeting. Councillor Gurney explained the reasoning for the Cabinet decision and referred to a briefing note from the Head of Service (Neighbourhood Services) provided at Appendix 2 to the report. He was also heard in answer to Members’ questions. The Head of Service (Neighbourhood Services) was then heard in relation to the report presented to Cabinet and on issues raised by the call-in, reference being made to the briefing note at Appendix 2 to the report, as well as in answer to Members’ questions.
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Councillor Donald L. Reid, seconded by Councillor McTiernan, moved that the Committee agree not to support the call-in request and that the decision of Cabinet should stand. As an amendment Councillor Inglis, seconded by Councillor Marshall, moved that the Committee agree to accept the terms of the call-in request and refer the matter to the Cabinet for further consideration. Thereafter, on a division and a roll call vote, there voted for the amendment, Councillors Inglis, Marshall and McLean (3) and for the motion, Councillors Bell, Reid, Collier, McTiernan, Donald L. Reid and Sweeney (6). The motion was declared carried. Accordingly, the Committee agreed (a) not to support the call-in request; and (b) that the decision of Cabinet should stand. The meeting ended at 3.20 p.m.