Meeting Details

Audit and Scrutiny Committee
24 Feb 2021 - 09:30 to 12:45
  • Documents
  • Attendance
  • Visitors
  • Declarations of Interests
  • Webcast

Documents

Agenda

Public Items
1. Sederunt
2. Declaration of Group Decisions and Members Interests *
2.

In terms of Standing Order 20 and the Councillors' Code of Conduct, there were no declarations from Group Leaders or Spokespersons in regard to any prior decisions taken on how Members will vote on any item on the agenda or any declarations of Member's Interests in respect of any item on the agenda.

 

 

3.

The minute of the meeting of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee on 14 October 2020 was submitted and approved.

 

4. Written Questions **
4.

The Committee noted that no written questions has been submitted.

 

Report by Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development)

 

5.

A report by the Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development) outlined the planned audit activity for the remainder of the financial year 2020/21, noting the steps being taken to reduce the possibility of a 'limitation of scope' in respect of the annual assurance opinion to be provided by the Internal Audit Manager on governance, risk management and the system of internal control.

 

Following consideration the Committee agreed to note the planned programme of audit activity to be completed in the incoming period in respect of 2020/21 financial year, such programme being designed with the intention, if feasible, of being able to provide the standard internal audit assurances for inclusion with the annual accounts.

 

Report by Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development)

 

6.

A report by the Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development) provided the Committee with an update on the work of the Internal Audit Section.

 

Following consideration the Committee noted the contents of the report.

 

Report by Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development)

 

7.

A report by the Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development) provided the Committee with information on the outcomes from the National Fraud Initiative (NFI) exercise for 2018/19; in particular, to give a local context to the national results published within a recent Audit Scotland overview report.

 

Following consideration the Committee agreed to note:

 

i) the outcomes from the National Fraud Initiative from both a national and local context, recognising that the exercise has preventative, detective and corrective elements which seek to minimise the impact of fraud and other irregularity on the public purse; and 
   
ii) that the Council remains alert to the possibility of fraud and endeavours to mitigate this through the application of effective internal controls within the systems and processes it operates.
   

Report by Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development)

 

8.

A report by the Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development) invited the Committee to review and approve the updated Internal Audit Charter (terms of reference) document.

 

Following consideration the Committee approved the updated version of the Internal Audit Charter/terms of reference.

 

9. Question Time ***

Consider any oral question on matters delegated to the Committee in terms of the Council's Scheme of Administration. 

 

9.

Under reference to paragraph 11 of the minute of the meeting Audit and Scrutiny Committee on 14 October 2020, Councillor Alexander sought an update on the decommissioning of the runway at Kinloss Barracks.

 

In response, Councillor Gatt advised that he was not aware of progress with the decommissioning but advised that he would write to RAF Lossiemouth to get an update and any update received would be circulated to all Members.

 

The Chief Executive, further responded and said he would also contact the MOD for an update.

 

Summary of Audit and Scrutiny Committee functions:

Audit Functions - Consider reports from the Council's internal auditor & Audit Scotland concerning Council Functions.

Scrutiny Functions - Scrutinising the policies of the Council and their effectiveness in meeting the action plans of the Council as set out in the Corporate Development Plan and evaluating the actions of Committees in implementing the action plans set out in the Corporate Development Plan.

Performance Monitoring - To receive reports on the performance of and trends within all of the Council’s services in terms of service standards and performance information.

Standards - To ensure that the highest standards of probity and public accountability are demonstrated.

 

 

Chair
1.
The meeting was chaired by Councillor Donald Gatt.
Private Items

Attendance

Name
No other member attendance information has been recorded for the meeting.
NameReason for Sending Apology
Councillor Sonya Warren 
NameReason for Absence
No absentee information has been recorded for the meeting.

Declarations of Interests

Member NameItem Ref.DetailsNature of DeclarationAction
No declarations of interest have been entered for this meeting.

Visitors

Also in attendance at the above meeting were the Chief Executive, Head of Governance, Strategy and Performance, Internal Audit Manager and Tracey Sutherland, Committee Services Manager.

 

Webcast



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