Issue - meetings

That the report be noted.

The Internal Audit Manager introduced the results from the Committee’s self-assessment to feed into preparation for the Annual Governance Statement 2014/15.  He thanked the Committee members for completing the questionnaires, the results of which were summarised in the appendix to the report along with the averages and range of scores given.  Members were reminded that the exercise also helped to inform any future training requirements and were encouraged to pass any suggestions to the Internal Audit Manager.

In comparison with the 2014 results, scores had mainly improved with the exception of risk management where there had been a slight decrease.  The Internal Audit Manager referred to the lowest score achieved for the value for money question, and highlighted the additional audit work being undertaken and reference to value for money in the Annual Audit Letter by Wales Audit Office.

Councillor Haydn Bateman queried reference in the report to partnership working arrangements with other Audit Committees.  The Internal Audit Manager explained that this applied to councils with joint governance arrangements, which was not the case in Flintshire.

Following his earlier comments, Mr. Paul Williams reiterated the need to understand key performance indicator outcomes in certain areas through the introduction of an assurance mapping system.

The Internal Audit Manager explained the background to this issue which had been raised at a governance seminar to which he and Mr. Williams had attended.  He went on to say that the system would show where assurance was being supplied for each risk in the Improvement Plan and gave a commitment that this would be progressed in 2015.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.