Issue - meetings

To consider the Governance, Audit and Performance Committee’s Annual Report.

Councillor Oliver presented the Governance, Audit and Performance (GAP) Annual Report.

He thanked the GAP Committee and the Vice-Chair, Councillor Driscoll, and commended the Assistant Director of Corporate Services as lead officer and the Internal Auditor for their assistance to the Committee.

He noted that External Auditors had been reviewed by the Public Sector Audit Appointments Ltd but remained two years behind signing off the Council`s accounts.

He said that he hoped that the investigations that had been holding up this matter would soon be resolved.

He highlighted that the Internal Auditor had spent a lot of time this year looking at Uttlesford NORSE Services Ltd which had resulted in considerable concerns being raised. Uttlesford NORSE has been considered four times by GAP this year and this had resulted in an audit opinion of limited assurance due to the significant number of control weaknesses. He said that he was hopeful that the new Members on the board of Uttlesford NORSE Services would work with the Committee to resolve the outstanding issues.

He noted that GAP have reviewed areas of the Constitution which were being moved forward and that the Community Governance Review of the Parishes had been completed, with a number of changes accommodated.

He said that annual reports had been received from the PFI contracts and Local Government Ombudsman. There had been four complaints received by the Ombudsman and the Council had been found at fault in relation to one case, the details of which were reported to Full Council in July 2021.

He said that the Contract Procedure Rules and new arrangements for Statutory Senior Officer Disciplinary Procedures had been agreed.

Councillor Foley said that the Chief Executive had quickly responded to the issues relating to NORSE and should be commended.

Councillor Khan acknowledged the hard work of the GAP Committee and related Officers. He said that Uttlesford NORSE was the biggest failure of contract management in public services that he had ever seen and that the Chief Executive felt the same. He said that he looked forward to taking forward improvements with Councillor Coote and the Housing Board.

Having missed the previous meeting due to annual leave, he asked whether Council were any nearer to understanding whether the External Auditor was going to sign off the outstanding historic accounts.

Councillor Oliver said that he couldn`t comment but that he hoped that the External Auditor would be present at the next Council meeting. He added that he hoped that the new representative from Uttlesford NORSE would also join the next Council meeting.

The report was noted.b</AI9>