Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from: -  Rashpal Khangura, KPMG, and Stuart Booth, RMBC. 

The minutes of the previous Audit Committee, held on 25^th April, 2012, were considered. 

Resolved: -  That the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed as an accurate record for signature by the Chairman. 

• Colin Earl, Director of Audit & Governance, Resources Directorate, to report.

The Chairman welcomed Jo Abbott, NHS Public Health Consultant, to the meeting, and reference was also made to the report submitted by the Director of Audit and Governance, Resources Directorate.  Both provided an update in relation to the actions that had taken place in preparedness for the transfer of Public Health Services to the Council with effect from April, 2013, in line with the Health and Social Care Bill, 2011. 

One branch of this work was the inauguration of the Health and Wellbeing Board that would act as a single strategic forum to ensure co-ordinated commissioning and delivery across the NHS, Social Care Services, Public Health and other services providing health and wellbeing. 

A work programme for the Health and Wellbeing Board had been established to show the key actions that would be delivered in the first twelve-months’ of the Board’s existence to demonstrate that the Board was fit for purpose and could deliver it’s core functions.  The key actions were: -

• Assess the needs of the population through the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment;
• Agree and Produce a Health and Wellbeing Strategy to address needs, which commissioners would have regard to in developing commissioning plans for health care, social care and public health;
• Promote joint commissioning;
• Promote integrated provision, joining-up social care, public health and NHS services with wider local authority services;
• Involvement in the development of CCG commissioning plans;
• Provide advice to the NHS Commissioning Board in authorising CCGs.

Appendix A showed the structure of how the Board intended to operate with other groups and Appendix B showed the key risks currently identified in the transitional phase of the Public Health Service. 

Jo Abbott provided the Audit Committee with an overview of the key functions of Public Health and spoke about the risks to the public during the transition of the Public Health Services.

Public Health Services were structured into three broad pillars: -

1.      Support to the community:

o       Cardiac rehabilitation;

o       Health inequalities;

o       Hospital acquired infections;

o       Disease registers;

o       Long acting contraception;

o       Support to GPs and pharmacists – contract writing and maintenance.

2.      Health protection:

o       Safeguarding – deaths and homicide investigations;

o       Emergency planning, e.g. Swine Flu;

o       Infection control;

o       Sexual health – prevention, testing and treatment.

3.      Health improvement: 

o       Obesity, smoking, physical activity;

o       Creative media services;

o       General risk management;

o       Public health emergency planning;

o       Designation of critical staff

The works that were underway with the existing structure of the Public Health Services to transfer to Council management included: -

·              Discussions with the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Cluster, who were the overseers of the transition and the Accountable Body;

·              Staff were transferring to Riverside House in early July, 2012;

·              Human Resources and Pensions transfer undertakings;

·              Sender and Receiver Group;

·              Work with Public Health England;

·              Work with the Health Observatory.

Discussion ensued, and the following issues were raised: -

·        Need to develop a common/shared language between the Council and Public Health risk registers before they were incorporated;

·        Need to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

• Colin Earl, Director of Audit & Governance, Resources Directorate, to report. 

Consideration was given to the report submitted by the Director of Audit and Asset Management that outlined the proposed content of the Council’s Annual Governance Statement for 2011/12.  The document contained the Council’s view of the application of good governance statements and incorporated the certification of assurance by Cabinet Members and comments made by Elected Members and Officers.

Appendix A showed the entirety of the 2011/12 Annual Governance Statement. 

The legislative requirements for the Annual Governance Statement were noted, along with its role in ensuring business was conducted in accordance with the law and proper standards, and that public money was safeguarded, properly accounted for and used economically, efficiently and effectively.   

It was reported that good progress had been made since the previous year’s Statement, and only one additional issue had been incorporated in the 2011/12 Statement, which related to Care Quality Commission outcomes at two care resource centres.

The structure of the Annual Governance Statement was considered.  Section 5 of the Statement contained the Council’s ‘Significant Governance Issues’, which were the main issued that required improving. 

Sections 5.1.1 – 5.2.1 of the Rotherham Council’s 2011/12 Annual Governance Statement were considered in detail and agreed. 

Resolved: - (1)  That the content of the 2011/12 Annual Governance Statement be agreed, as submitted.

(2)  That the 2011/12 Annual Governance Statement be submitted to Cabinet.

(3)  That it be noted that the Council’s Leader and Chief Executive would sign the Statement after it had been agreed by Cabinet and before it was published in the Council’s accounts. 

• Colin Earl, Director of Audit & Governance, Resources Directorate, to report. 

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Director of Audit and Asset Management, Resources Directorate, outlining the benefits of participating in the National Fraud Initiative, how the Initiative helped Councils to fight fraud and how the Audit Commission planned to improve the National Fraud Initiative.

It was noted that, since 1996, the Audit Commission had run the National Fraud Initiative every two years by conducting data matches.  Local councils, police authorities, fire and rescue authorities and local NHS bodies were required by law to provide information to the Initiative and a number of other public and private sector bodies participated on a voluntary basis.  

Since the last National Fraud Initiative held in May, 2012, almost £229 million had been identified in fraud, overpayments and errors in England. 

Central Government announced in August, 2010, that it intended to abolish the Audit Commission, however, it intended to continue the National Fraud Initiative.  While the Audit Commission retained control of the Initiative, it would continue to develop work on addressing emerging fraud risks, with a focus on prevention.  Consultation had taken place on the development of a real-time service that may signal fraud before an application for a benefit or service was approved. 

Rotherham Council had proactively participated in the National Fraud Initiative since 1996 and had investigated data matches.  This approach had enabled the Council to implement a range of preventative measures against Fraud, leading to lower levels of fraud and identified fraud as more robust control processes were applied,  It also served to reinforce a clear message that fraud would not be tolerated within the Council. 

Resolved: -  (1)  That the publication of the 2010/11 National Fraud Initiative report be noted. 

(2)  That support be given to the Council’s participation in the National Fraud Initiative exercises as part of the Council’s arrangements for managing the risk of fraud.   

• Colin Earl, Director of Audit & Governance, Resources Directorate, to report. 

Consideration was given to the proposed 2012/13 work plan for the Audit Committee. 

The work plan identified the activities of the Committee and if reviewed regularly, could ensure that it reflected the Audit Committee’s priorities and enabled it to meet it’s terms of reference. 

The Audit Plan complied with standards established by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. 

Discussion ensued and the following matter was raised: -

• November 2012 meeting to include discussion of the NHS Risk Register, alongside the Corporate Risk Register.  

Resolved: - That the 2012/13 work plan for the Audit Committee be approved as shown within the submitted report and with the above addition.    

• Wednesday 27^th June, 2012, to start at 4.00 pm in the Rotherham Town Hall. 

Resolved: - That the next meeting of the Audit Committee take place on Wednesday 18^th July, 2012, commencing at 4.00 pm in the Rotherham Town Hall.