Agenda and draft minutes

Any substitute members should declare their substitution.

Councillor Cathy Glyyn-Davies substituted for Councillor Mike Barrett

Members and officers must declare any disclosable pecuniary interests in relation to any business on the agenda.  Declarations should also be made at any stage such an interest becomes apparent during the meeting. 

If in doubt contact the Legal or Democratic Services representative for this meeting.

To approve the minutes of the Joint Audit and Governance Committee meeting held on 26 September 2024, copies of which have been previously circulated.

Resolved: 

The minutes of the meeting of the 26 September 2024 were approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chairman 

So as to provide the best opportunity for the Committee to provide the public with the fullest answer, questions from the public should be submitted by 12.00 noon on Thursday 14th November 2024.

Where relevant notice of a question has not been given, the person presiding may either choose to give a response at the meeting or respond by undertaking to provide a written response within three working days.

Questions should be submitted to Democratic Services democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk

(Note: Public Question Time will operate for a maximum of 30 minutes.)

There were no public questions

Councillors who are not members of this committee can ask questions under CPR 12  Questions should be relevant to the committee where the question is being asked and also relevant to an item on the agenda. Please contact Democratic Services for more information

Members question time is 30 minutes and questions should be submitted no later than 12.00 noon on Thursday 14th November 2024.

Questions should be submitted to Democratic Services democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk

(Note: Members’ Question Time will operate for a maximum of 30 minutes.)

There were no questions from Members

To consider any items the Chairman of the meeting considers to be urgent.

There were no urgent items.

To consider a report by the external auditor Ernst & Young, copy attached as item 7

The Committee had a report before it attached as item 7, a copy of which had been circulated to all Members, which is attached to a signed copy of these minutes.

Members asked about the risks identified in self referral to the Ombudsman, progress made and reduction in fees for disclaimed audit reports. Members were informed that the auditors work went up to the position in March 2023 and they were currently undertaking the 23/24 audit; that they had seen the progress made and felt like the authorities were moving in the right direction. Members were also informed that the expectation would be a reduced fee for an incomplete audit report.

Members also discussed how much could actually be discussed or debated considering the audits that would be disclaimed.

Resolved: 

The Joint Audit and Governance Committee noted the reports

To consider a report by the Director for Sustainability & Resources copy attached as item 8

The Committee had a report before it attached as item 8, a copy of which had been circulated to all Members, which is attached to a signed copy of these minutes. 

Members asked about access of the whistleblower agreement and long term debtors. Members were advised that the whistleblower policy was available to officers on the intranet and access was not tracked and that long term debtors were split into two with each maturing in 2027 and 2028.

Resolved: 

The Joint Audit and Governance Committee

• Approved the amended Adur District Council and Worthing Borough Council Statement of Accounts for the financial year ended 31st March 2023 in appendix 1
• Delegated to the Chairs of this Committee the ability to approve, if necessary, the amended final version of the accounts including any changes agreed with auditors as the audit is concluded; and
• Delegated to the Chairs of this Committee the ability to approve the letter of representation.

To consider a report by the Director for Sustainability & Resources copy attached as item 9

The Committee had a report before it, attached as item 9, a copy of which had been circulated to all Members, which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes. 

Members asked about the collateral of worthing escrow ltd, some further explanation of the figures in 7.1, the loan with northamptonshire council and for any comments on what the future might hold in relation to appendix 3 of the report.

Members were informed that the loan agreement with worthing escrow ltd was guaranteed by the parent company; that originally those figures represented a pot of money for future investment in commercial property but was now used on an invest to save strategy; that the northamptonshire  loan was repaid using cash held at the time by the council, however it was subsequently replaced with borrowing from the Public Works Loans Board on 30/10/24 at a rate of 4.91% and that this report included until September, that officers were still waiting on final decisions from governments and markets to settle.

Resolved: 

The Joint Audit and Governance Committee noted the report

To consider a report by the Director for Housing & Communities copy attached as item 10

The Committee had a report before it, attached as item 10, a copy of which had been circulated to all Members, which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes. 

Members asked if the council was going above and beyond what would be reasonably expected of landlords. Members were advised that works being done as part of the improvement plan did not go over and above what good landlords would do.

Members commented on the work required in Adur Homes and the need to self refer to the ombudsman.

Resolved: 

The Joint Audit & Governance Committee

• Approved the payment policy for leasehold major works charges, attached as Appendix 1.
• Delegated authority to the Assistant Director for Housing and Communities to make minor amendments to this policy, as required, in consultation with the Adur Homes Advisory Board.

To consider a report by the Director for Sustainability and Resources copy attached as item 11

The Committee had a report before it, attached as item 11, a copy of which had been circulated to all Members, which is attached to the signed copy of these minutes. 

Members asked about the extent to which practices the new policy covered, historical comparison with Worthing policy and genderisation of report wording.

Members were informed that the policy was specific to practices that involved needles, that Worthing had updated their policies prior to the partnership between the two authorities and that this had been prompted by a new review going through central government.

Resolved: 

The Joint Audit & Governance Committee recommend to Adur District Council that:

• the Council resolves to adopt the model byelaws attached at Appendix 1 in respect to acupuncture, tattooing, cosmetic piercing, electrolysis and semi-permanent skin colouring businesses,
• a regulatory impact assessment is completed and both the proposed byelaw and regulatory impact statement are published for consultation on the Council’s website
• the public health and regulation manager publishes a statement on the results of the consultation and regulatory impact assessment and makes those available to the affected businesses
• the Head of Legal Services be authorised to take all necessary steps in connection with the making of those byelaws and apply to the Secretary of State for Health for their confirmation and
• it is authorised that the Common Seal of the Council may be affixed to the byelaws.