To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr Phillip Ashurst, Non-Executive Director NHS Herefordshire (PCT).

To receive details any details of Members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Committee.

There were no named substitutes.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

There were no declarations of interest made.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 January 2011.

RESOLVED:   That the Minutes of the meeting held on 17 January 2011 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Note:          The Chairman invited the audit services team to attend the Audit and Governance meeting and thanked the staff on behalf of the committee for all their hard work.  The Director of Resources endorsed the Chairman’s comments and thanked the audit services team for their hard work and support.

The purpose of the Interim Assurance Report is to update Members on the work status and bring to their attention any key internal control issues.

The Chief Internal Auditor updated the Committee on the report of 17 January 2011 and advised that issues in five areas had now been closed and were outlined at Appendix 1 to the report.  Following the Chairman’s briefing meeting item 5.8 would also be closed, leaving one remaining area of risk management.  The Committee was advised that improvements had been made in risk management and risk management would continue to be reviewed under the new provisions for audit services.

The Committee were referred to page 13, appendix 2 of the agenda and advised that five of the resolutions had been left open.

·         Item 90, review of procurement – was still ongoing.

·         Item 113, audit strategy and audit charter, deleted.

·         Items 116 – 117, corporate risk register and risk recommendations implementation. 

It was noted that the Deputy Chief Executive recognised that the Committee were not satisfied with risk management as it currently had not been embedded throughout the Council.  The Committee felt that the new Audit and Governance Committee under the new administration should consider risk management as a matter of priority.  It was noted that as part of the tender for the new audit company, risk management would be a high priority.

The Committee were referred to page 17, appendix 3 of the agenda, fundamental audit area and were advised that all fundamental areas were very good and audit opinions were improving.  The Chief Internal Auditor referred to Members’ allowances and stated that three audits had been carried out, which had been satisfactory, good and satisfactory and that he was confident that everything was in order.  With reference to the car parking audit that had previously been an unsatisfactory audit, work had been carried out to bring this area up to standard, which had been achieved.  This audit inspection would now be closed down at the end of March.

RESOLVED That: the report be noted.

The purpose of this report is to update the Committee on the Audit Services and Counter Fraud tender.

Not for publication, this report discloses information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

This item is exempt by virtue of paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding the information).

The Committee considered the audit services and counter fraud tender report.

RESOLVED That: the report be noted.