Agendas, reports and minutes

A meeting of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday, 28 November 2019 at 10.30am.

Webcast Notice: This meeting will be filmed and broadcast over the Internet on the Highland Council website and will be archived and available for viewing for 12 months thereafter.

You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.

Yours faithfully

Stewart Fraser
Head of Corporate Governance 

Business

1. Apologies for Absence
Leisgeulan

2. Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.

3. Internal Audit Reviews and Progress Report    
Ath-bhreithneachaidhean In-sgrùdaidh agus Aithisg Adhartais

a) There is circulated Report No. AS/18/19 dated 18 November 2019 by the Corporate Audit Manager which summarises the final reports issued since the date of the last meeting, together with details of work in progress and other information relevant to the operation of the Internal Audit Section as follows:-

• Care and Learning – Provision of Early Learning and Childcare Services (Reasonable Assurance) 
• Care and Learning – Pupil Equity Fund (Substantial Assurance) 
• Development and Infrastructure – Leader Programme 2018-19 (Substantial Assurance)
• Corporate Resources – Review of Insurance Arrangements (Reasonable Assurance) 
• Corporate Resources – Review of Absence Management Arrangements (Limited Assurance) 
• Community Services – Investigation into missing housing income (system weaknesses) (Limited Assurance) 

The Committee is invited to consider the Final Reports referred to in Section 4.1 of the report and note the current work of the Internal Audit Section outlined at Section 5 of the report and details of progress against the plan at Appendix 1.

b) City Region Deal – verbal update by the Vice-Chair Audit and Scrutiny Committee.

4. Action Tracking Report            
Aithisg a’ Leantainn Gnìomhachd

There is circulated Report No. AS/19/19 dated 18 November by the Corporate Audit Manager.

The Committee is invited to note and comment upon the action tracking information provided including the revised target dates for the completion of outstanding actions.

5. Corporate Complaints Performance Monitoring       
Adhartas Ghearanan Corporra

There is circulated Report No. AS/20/19 dated 19 November 2019 by the Executive Chief Officer Resources and Finance.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.    scrutinise the Council’s 6-monthly performance for Frontline (5 days) and Investigation (10 days) complaints;
ii.    reflect on the continued improvement in performance at Frontline and the sustained performance for Investigation against a backdrop of a 17.34% increase in the volume of complaints received; and
iii.    note the number of complaints continues to be a low volume (<1%) within the context of the scale of the Council’s customer base and the scope of services provided.

6. Annual Report of Scottish Public Service Ombudsman Cases determined in 2018/19
Aithisg Bhliadhnail de Chùisean Ombudsman Seirbheis Phoblach na h-Alba air an dearbhadh ann an 2018/19

There is circulated Report No. AS/21/19 dated 18 November 2019 by the Executive Chief Officer Performance & Governance.

The Committee is invited to consider the outcomes of the SPSO cases and note that actions have been taken in response to the Ombudsman’s recommendations.

7. Members Survey on the Effectiveness of Audit and Scrutiny Committee
Suirbhidh Bhall mu Èifeachdas Comataidh an Sgrùdaidh

There is circulated Report No. AS/22/19 dated 18 November 2019 by the Corporate Audit & Performance Manager.

The Committee is invited to:-

i.     consider the key findings of the survey;
ii.    agree the survey continues to be conducted annually;
iii.   note that training is under development with modules on internal audit, risk and performance management completed for online learning; and
iv.    note that the overall requirements for training will be finalised through the Council’s internal Governance Review.

8. Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 (RIPSA)   
Achd Riaghladh Chumhachdan Sgrùdaidh (Alba) 2000 (RIPSA)

The Council has made 14 applications for authorisation in terms of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000 in the current calendar year. The applications involved 13 for directed surveillance and 1 for a covert human intelligence source (CHIS). 

The Committee is invited to note the number of applications and that the Council continues to be a modest user of the powers. A further report will be forthcoming to the March 2020 meeting. 

9. Accounts Commission, How Councils work, Safeguarding public money: are you getting it right?
Coimisean nan Cunntasan, Mar a tha Comhairlean ag obair, A’ dìon airgead poblach: a bheil sibh ga fhaighinn ceart?

There is circulated Report No. AS/23/19 dated 19 November 2019 by the Corporate Audit and Performance Manager.

The Committee is invited to consider the key messages of the report and note the helpful Councillor check-lists throughout the publication which support Members’ scrutiny role.