BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL

Audit, Risk and improvement Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes

17 August 2017

Minutes of Meeting

Audit, risk and improvement Advisory Committee Meeting

Venue	Conference Room, Station Street, Mullumbimby
Date	Thursday, 17 August 2017
Time	11.30am

Minutes of the Audit, Risk and Improvement Advisory Committee Meeting held on Thursday, 17 August 2017

File No: I2017/1119

PRESENT:   Cr B Cameron and Cr A Hunter

Staff:   Mark Arnold (Director Corporate and Community Services)
Anna Vinfield (Manager Governance)

            Jess Orr (Project Manager – Special Projects)

Community: Michael Georghiou (Chairperson) and Brian Wilkinson

Internal Auditor:     Cathy Blunt (O’Connor Marsden and Associates)

                               Pamela Robertson-Gregg (O’Connor Marsden and Associates)

Michael Georghiou (Chair) opened the meeting at 11.34am and acknowledged that the meeting was being held on Bundjalung Country.

Apologies:

There were apologies from Cr Martin, Ken Gainger (General Manager) and Rae Wills (Community Member).

Declarations of Interest – Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary

There were no declarations of interest.

Adoption of Minutes from Previous Meetings

Committee Recommendation:

1.       That the minutes of the Internal Audit Advisory Committee Meeting held on 18 May 2017 be confirmed.

2.       That the Committee note that the minutes of the Internal Audit Advisory Committee Meeting held on 18 May 2017 were noted, and the Committee Recommendations adopted by Council, at the Ordinary Meeting held on 22 June 2017. (Georghiou/Hunter)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Business Arising from Previous Minutes

There was no business arising from previous minutes.

Staff Reports - Corporate and Community Services

Procedural Motion

That the Committee change the order of business to deal with Report 4.2 next on the Agenda.

Report No. 4.2             Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee - overview

File No:                        I2017/1038

Committee Recommendation:

That the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee:

1.    Appoint Michael Georghiou as the Committee’s Chairperson

2.    a)           Note the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee’s constitution

b)           Request Committee community members to complete acknowledgment of the Code of Conduct. (Wilkinson/Georghiou)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Procedural Motion

1.       That pursuant to Section 10A(2)(d) of the Local Government Act, 1993, the Committee resolve into Confidential Session to discuss the following report, namely Internal Audit Service Provider Introduction.

2.       That the reasons for closing the meeting to the public to consider this item be that:

Local Government Act (Clause 10A(2)(d):

commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed:

(i) prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it, or
(ii) confer a commercial advantage on a competitor of the council, or
(iii) reveal a trade secret

3.       That on balance it is considered that receipt and discussion of the matter in open Committee would be contrary to the public interest, as disclosure of the confidential information could compromise the commercial position of O’Connor Marsden and Associates.

(Georghiou/Hunter)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Report No. 4.1             Internal Audit Service Provider Introduction

File No:                        I2017/1037

Committee Recommendation:

That the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee note the introductory presentation and welcome O’Connor Marsden and Associates as Council’s internal audit, risk and improvement services provider for the four year contract period. (Georghiou/Wilkinson)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Procedural Motion

That the meeting move out of confidential session.                                            (Georghiou/Wilkinson)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Procedural Motion

1.       That pursuant to Section 10A(2)(f) of the Local Government Act, 1993, the Committee resolve into Confidential Session to discuss the following report, namely Summary of Internal Audit Program 2013-2017.

2.       That the reasons for closing the meeting to the public to consider this item be that:

Local Government Act (Clause 10A(2)(f)

matters affecting the security of the council, councillors, council staff or council property

3.       That on balance it is considered that receipt and discussion of the matter in open Committee would be contrary to the public interest, as disclosure of the confidential information could affect the security of the Council, Councillors, Council staff or Council property.
                                                                                                                   (Georghiou/Wilkinson)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Report No. 4.3             Summary of Internal Audit Program 2013 - 2017

File No:                        I2017/1083

Committee Recommendation:

That the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee:

1.       Note the report from outgoing auditor Grant Thornton.

2.       Consider the report conclusions in developing the audit, risk and improvement delivery program for 2017 – 2021. (Georghiou/Cameron)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Procedural Motion

That the meeting move out of confidential session.                                            (Georghiou/Wilkinson)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Procedural Motion

1.       That pursuant to Section 10A(2)(f) of the Local Government Act, 1993, the Committee resolve into Confidential Session to discuss the following report, namely Summary of Internal Audit Program 2013-2017.

2.       That the reasons for closing the meeting to the public to consider this item be that:

Local Government Act (Clause 10A(2)(f)

matters affecting the security of the council, councillors, council staff or council property

3.       That on balance it is considered that receipt and discussion of the matter in open Committee would be contrary to the public interest, as disclosure of the confidential information could affect the security of the Council, Councillors, Council staff or Council property.

(Georghiou/Wilkinson)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Report No. 4.4             2017 Interim Audit Management Letter

File No:                        I2017/1087

Committee Recommendation:

That the comments provided by Management in response to matters raised in the 2017 Interim Audit Management Letter be noted by Council. (Georghiou/Wilkinson)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Procedural Motion

That the meeting move out of confidential session.                                            (Georghiou/Wilkinson)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Report No. 4.5             Costings associated with Land and Environment Court proceedings Byron Shire Council ats Butler Street Community Network Inc.

File No:                        I2017/1091

Committee Recommendation:

That this report be noted. (Georghiou/Wilkinson)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

There being no further business the meeting concluded at 1.20pm.