Agenda and minutes

To receive verbally from members any disclosures which they are required to make in accordance with the Council’s code of conduct or in pursuance of Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.  This is in addition to the need for such disclosure to be also given when the relevant matter is reached on the Agenda.

No interests were declared at this stage.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Finance Audit & Performance Committee held on 30 April 2012, copy attached.

On the motion of Mr Moore, seconded by Mrs Camamile it was

RESOLVED – the minutes of the meeting held on 30 April 2012 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

CW Audit will give a brief introductory presentation before presenting the Internal Audit Plan. 

Mark Watkins of CW Audit Services gave a brief introduction into the history and personnel of the organisation.

Following this Tim Ridout of CW Audit gave an overview of the audit plan and asked the Committee for their input into the areas to be assessed.    

Report of Chief Executive attached.

Mr R Mayne entered the meeting at 7.06pm

The Committee were presented with the Council’s end of year position in relation to performance indicators, service improvement plans and corporate risks.

It was suggested that indicators incurring a red risk be split between those which had a red status because the target date had slipped but the project was subsequently completed and those which had either not started or were being carried forward to the following year.  In the latter case, further explanations would be required by Members.

RESOLVED – the report be noted.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate Direction) attached.

Members were updated on the current position in regard to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.  All the districts and precepts in Leicestershire are working together to produce a countywide scheme and it is hoped that this will be in place by October to give the finance department time to incorporate the findings into the budgets for the next financial year.  It was agreed that regular updates on this project would be brought to the Committee. 

RESOLVED – the report be noted and the next meeting of the Finance, Audit and Performance Committee be postponed to 20 August to allow time for the updated position on this item to be presented.  

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate Direction) attached.

Members were presented with the prudential indicators and treasury management strategy for 2012 to 2015.

RESOLVED – the report be noted.

Report of Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate Direction) attached.

The Committee were informed of the Treasury Management activity during 2011/12.

RESOLVED – the report be noted.

The Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate Direction) will give a brief presentation on business rates retention.

The Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate Direction) gave a presentation on the working and implications of the new Business Rate Retention scheme.  It was agreed that the changes would have serious implications to the Council’s financial position and Members agreed that regular updates needed to be brought to this Committee.

The meeting scheduled for 23 July 2012 be now held on 20 August 2012 to give time for updates on both the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and the Business Rate Retention Scheme to be presented to the Committee.