Agenda and draft minutes

Audit of Accounts, Audit & Standards Committee
Thursday, 27th August, 2020 7.30 pm

Venue: Zoom - Online. View directions

Contact: Hannah Criddle

Items
No.	Item
14.	Apologies for Absence and Substitutions Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Michael Hardware, Shannon Jezzard, Frances Mason and Russell Perrin. Councillor Tony Edwards attended as a substitute for Councillor Frances Mason.
15.	Declarations of Interest Councillors’ declarations of interest (if any) in relation to any matters on the agenda. Minutes: Councillor Simon Carter declared a pecuniary interest in agenda item 8 as a as a remunerated Council appointed director of HTS (Property and Environment) Ltd.
16.	Minutes PDF 52 KB Minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2020. Minutes: RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2020 are agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
17.	Matters Arising Minutes: None.
18.	Written Questions and Petitions Minutes: None.
19.	Non Contentious Business Minutes: None.
20.	Committee Work Plan PDF 72 KB Minutes: The Committee received its current work plan. Sarah Marsh, Internal Audit Manager, advised the committee that the Progress Report had been omitted from the work plan by mistake and would be considered at the November committee. RESOLVED that the work plan is noted.
21.	Period 8 Internal Audit Activity Report 2020/21 PDF 63 KB Additional documents: App A - IA (Har) Plan Monitoring 2021 (August 2020) , item 21. PDF 52 KB App B - Harlow Code of Corporate Governance , item 21. PDF 727 KB App C - Harlow Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy , item 21. PDF 184 KB App D - Internal Audit Charter (Har) August 20 , item 21. PDF 131 KB App E - Tracker for ASC 29-07-20 , item 21. PDF 117 KB Minutes: The Committee received a report on the activity of the Internal Audit service. The Committee also received the revised Code of Corporate Governance, Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy and Internal Audit Charter. RESOLVED that the Committee: A Approved the revised Code of Corporate Governance (attached as Appendix B to the report) B Approved the revised Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy (attached as Appendix C to the report) C Approved the Internal Audit Charter (attached as Appendix D to the report).
22.	Review of Audit & Standards Committee Effectiveness and Terms of Reference PDF 68 KB Additional documents: Appendix A - Current Harlow Audit Committee ToR , item 22. PDF 46 KB Appendix B - Audit Committee good practice self assessment updated 2020 , item 22. PDF 89 KB Appendix C - summary of skills and knowledge anlaysis , item 22. PDF 46 KB Minutes: The Committee received a report on the review of the effectiveness of the Committee and its terms of reference. RESOLVED that the Committee: A Agreed no changes are required to its Terms of Reference. B Considered the results of the review of effectiveness of the Audit Committee and note progress against last year’s action.
23.	Annual Governance Statement 2019/20 PDF 64 KB Additional documents: Appendix A - Harlow 19 20 AGS (draft) , item 23. PDF 97 KB Minutes: The Committee received the Annual Governance Statement for 2019/20. RESOLVED that the Committee: A Reviewed and approved the Council’s Annual Governance Statement for 2019/20 (attached as Appendix A to the report).
24.	References from other Committees Any references arising from meetings held after the publication of this agenda will be circulated separately. Minutes: None.
25.	Matters of Urgent Business To deal with any matters of an urgent nature. Minutes: None.