NOTICE OF MEETING

Despatch date:                  13 June 2008   


Enquiries to:                      Diane Moulson   

Tel:                                   01270 537026

Fax:                                  01270 537605

E-mail:                              agendas@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk 

Chair :                               Councillor A C Johnson  

Tel:                                   01270 628901

Fax:                                  01270 628204

E-mail:                              cllr.andrew.johnson@crewe-nantwich.gov.uk   

To:       Members of the Audit Committee – for attendance 

            (Councillors H Curran, C Goff, S Hogben, A Johnson (Chair), J Lewis)

            Chief Executive, Executive Directors, Strategic Managers

Other recipients of the agenda, Local Press and Radio

Notes for Members of the Public

The Borough Council welcomes and encourages members of the public to attend its Committee, Board and Council meetings.

If you plan to attend, please report to the Reception Desk in the Municipal Buildings, where you will be provided with a Visitor’s Pass.

Car parking is not available at the Municipal Buildings, but there are several town centre car parks.  There is a disabled access to the rear of the Municipal Buildings, and this can be accessed through the side door on Vernon Way.  Please press the button for attention, and someone will meet you and escort you through to the main reception area.

You are asked to remain quiet whilst the meeting is taking place, and to enter and leave the meeting room, or public gallery of the Council Chamber, as quietly as possible.  Please ensure that if you have a mobile phone or pager, it is switched off for the duration of the meeting.

You are not allowed to have drinks or food in the meeting rooms or in the Public Gallery, other than beverages offered by the Council during Committee breaks.  A “No Smoking” policy operates in the Municipal Buildings.

Fire Evacuation

If the fire alarm rings, you should make your way to the nearest exit with your belongings, as quickly as possible, and leave the building.  Please follow any instructions from staff about evacuation routes.

Copies of the agenda will be available if you attend. Agendas are also made available on the Internet and can be accessed via the Council’s website – see front page for details.

On occasions, members of the press and public will be excluded from the meetings when the business to be transacted is of a confidential nature, for example, dealing with individual people, contracts and financial affairs of other parties.

If you require any further information, please contact Diane Moulson the Committee Officer (details on front page).

AGENDA

1.         Apologies

2.         Declaration of Interests

Any Member present (including non-Committee Members) to declare any personal or prejudicial interest, and the nature of the interest, which they have in any item of business on the agenda and, if necessary, to leave the meeting prior to discussion of that item.

Members who also serve as County, Town or Parish Councillors or are Members of the Shadow Authority for Cheshire East are reminded of the need to make declarations in respect of any item which directly concerns the business of the appropriate authority.

Declarations are a personal matter for each Member to decide.  Whilst Officers will advise on the Code of Conduct and its interpretation, the decision to declare, or not, is the responsibility of the Member, based on the particular circumstances.

3.         Minutes: 14 February 2008   

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 February 2008 (3). 

4.         Annual Internal Audit Report 2007/2008

Full Report

The Annual Internal Audit Report 2007/2008 has been prepared in accordance with the CIPFA Code of Practice for Internal Audit in Local Government, and to accord with the requirements of corporate governance,  

The report provides a summary of the activities of the Internal Audit Section during the financial year, together with the mains findings on the audits completed. 

The Committee is invited to consider the report. 

5.         Annual Internal Audit Plan 2008/2009

The report sets out the Annual Audit Plan for 2007/2008 which identifies the scope of the internal audit work for the year. 

The Committee is requested to approve Internal Audit’s Annual Audit Plan for 2008/2009.             

6.         Annual Governance Statement 2007/2008

A revised Local Code of Corporate Governance based upon the CIPFA/SOLACE framework was authorised by the Board on 6^th March 2008.

The new framework has been given statutory effect under the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2006. With effect from 2007/08, the framework introduces the requirement to produce an Annual Governance Statement (AGS), of which the form and content will obviate the requirement to prepare and publish a separate Statement on Internal Control (SIC).

The Audit Committee is invited to review and approve Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council’s Annual Governance Statement   2007/08.

7.         Local Code of Corporate Governance 

The Audit Committee Terms of Reference include the requirement “To monitor the effective development and operation of Corporate Governance in the Council.” A report was presented to the Committee on 14^th February 2008 explaining that work had been completed nationally by CIPFA and SOLACE to review and update the Corporate Governance criteria against which all local government bodies are required to comply.

The criteria are set out within a Corporate Governance Framework, which was described in the above mentioned report. This new Framework subsequently formed the basis for the development of  the Council’s updated Local Code of Corporate Governance.  

The Committee is invited to note the contents of the updated Local Code of Corporate Governance and the requirements contained therein.  

8.         Information Item: Annual Audit and Inspection Letter 2006/2007

The Annual Audit and Inspection Letter 2006/2007 was accepted by the Council’s Board at its meeting on 6^th March 2008 and has been included on the agenda for the Committee’s information.    

9.         Date of Next Meeting 

28^th September 2008

Note:   In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act, the Council is required to notify those attending meetings of the fire evacuation procedures.  A copy has previously been distributed to Members and instructions are located in all rooms within the Civic Suite.

If you require this document or a summary version in large print, Braille, audiotape, CD or in another language, please contact:

Equality & Diversity

Creweand Nantwich Borough Council,

Municipal Buildings,

Earle Street, Crewe,

Cheshire, CW1 2JZ

                                                                                         Tel. 01270 537565