2 - 240829 A&S Minute (Final)
North Ayrshire Council · 31 October 2024
Back to Audit and Scrutiny Committee — 31 October 2024 and its agenda
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Audit and Scrutiny Committee 29 August 2024 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, Matthew McLean, *Davina McTiernan and Donald L. Reid. *Attended later in the meeting. Present (Remote Participation) Tom Marshall. In Attendance (Physical Participation) C. Hatton, Chief Executive; D. Hammond, Executive Director (Communities and Housing); L. Cree, Head of Service (Sustainability, Transport and Corporate Property); A. McClelland, Head of Service (Education); P. Doak, Head of Service (Finance and Transformation) (Health and Social Care Partnership); M. Boyd, Head of Service, D. Forbes, Senior Manager (Strategic Business Partner), J. McCallum, Senior Manager, G. McMaster, Fraud Investigator (Audit, Fraud, Safety and Risk) (Finance); F. Walker, Head of Service and J. Smillie, Senior Manager (People Services) (People and ICT); and A. Craig, Head of Service, C. Stewart, Committee Services Officer and H. Clancy, Senior Committee Services Officer (Democratic) (Corporate Services). 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 30 May 2024 were confirmed and the Minutes signed in accordance with Paragraph 7 (1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
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3. Internal Audit Reports Issued Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) on the findings of Internal Audit work completed between May and July 2024. The Internal control reviews which have been completed in respect of the areas detailed were attached as Appendix 1 to the report. Officers were heard in response to Members’ questions and the Committee agreed to note the outcomes from the Internal Audit work completed as set out in the report and detailed in Appendix 1 to the report. Note: Councillor McTiernan entered the meeting during consideration of the above item. 4. Internal Audit and Corporate Fraud Action Plans: Quarter 1 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 30 June 2024. The Committee agreed to note the current position with the implementation of Internal Audit and Corporate Fraud actions. 5. Best Value Thematic Work in North Ayrshire Council 2023-24 Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) requesting the Committee to note the Best Value Thematic Work reports for 2023/24 and to consider a verbal report by the external auditor. The Improvement Action Plan was attached at Appendix 1 to the report. Members considered the verbal report provided by the external auditor and officers were heard in response to Members’ questions. The Committee agreed to (a) note the findings of the external auditor’s Best Value Thematic Work report; and (b) note the Improvement Action Plan outlined in Appendix 1 to the Report. 6. Climate Change Target & Associated Policies Submitted report by the Executive Director (Place) on the Council’s progress of the Sustainable North Ayrshire Strategy (2024-27). Officers were heard in response to Members’ questions and agreed to bring a further report back to a future Committee on what was incorporated in terms of carbon emissions (i.e. Council estate assets including office rationalisation, KA Leisure, Council housing and fleet operations), and the wider work which was ongoing across the Council concerning wider (indirect) emissions, commonly known as Scope 3 emissions and how best to capture this. The Committee noted the report and agreed that a further report be brought to a future Committee on what was incorporated in terms of carbon emissions (i.e. Council estate assets including office rationalisation, KA Leisure, Council housing
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and fleet operations), and the wider work which was ongoing across the Council concerning wider (indirect) emissions, commonly known as Scope 3 emissions and how best to capture this. 7. 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 from Councillor Marshall, the Committee agreed to receive a report to a future meeting on statistical data in respect of staffing levels and costs of the Council, by Department, over the last 3 years. 8. Urgent Items There were no urgent items. 9. Exclusion of the Public – Para 1 The Committee resolved in terms of Section 50(A)4 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, to exclude from the Meeting the press and the public for the following items of business on the grounds indicated in terms of Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A of the Act. 10. Investigation Reports Issued Submitted report by the Head of Service (Finance) on investigation reports finalised since the last meeting. Following questions and discussion, the Committee agreed to note the outcomes from the investigations carried out. The meeting ended at 11.25 a.m.