Agenda and minutes
Audit Panel - Tuesday 10 July 2012 3.30 pm

To receive any apologies for absence and any announcements from the Chair.

1.1  An apology for absence was received from Murad Qureshi AM for whom Navin Shah AM substituted.

1.2  The Chairman welcomed Members and officers to the first meeting of the Panel during this Assembly year.

The Committee is recommended to:

(i)  Note as disclosable pecuniary interests the list of memberships of functional bodies and London Borough Councils, as set out in the table at Agenda Item 2;

(ii)  Declare any disclosable pecuniary interests in specific items listed on the agendaand take any necessary action regarding withdrawal following such declaration(s); and

(iii)   Additionally declare any relevant interests (including any interests arising from gifts and hospitality received which are not at the time of the meeting reflected on the Authority’s register of gifts and hospitality, and noting also the advice from the GLA’s Monitoring Officer set out at Agenda Item 2) and take any necessary action regarding withdrawal following such declaration(s).

2.1  Resolved:

(a)  That the list of memberships of functional bodies and London Borough Councils, as set out in the table at Item 2 on the agenda, be noted as disclosable pecuniary interests;

(b)  That Navin Shah’s AM membership of the London Borough of Harrow and the London Fire and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

The Panel is recommended to note the membership and chairing arrangements for the Panel, as agreed by the Annual Meeting of the Assembly on 11 May 2012, as follows:

John Biggs AM (Chair)

Roger Evans AM (Deputy Chair)

Gareth Bacon AM

Murad Qureshi AM

3.1  Resolved:

That the membership and chairing arrangements for the Panel, as agreed by the Annual Meeting of the Assembly on 11 May 2012, be noted, as follows:

John Biggs AM (Chairman)

Roger Evans AM (Deputy Chairman)

Gareth Bacon AM

Murad Qureshi AM

The Panel is recommended to note its terms of reference, which are as follows:

1.  The Audit Panel will be concerned with ensuring the security of and monitoring of financial systems, ensuring that there is an anti-fraud culture, and promoting probity and good practice within the core GLA.

2.  To liaise with the external auditors over their annual programme and, with the Mayor as appropriate, to approve the annual internal audit programme.

3.  To deal as appropriate with matters raised by the external auditors’ management letters and reports and, where a report is made in respect of the GLA, to make recommendations to the Assembly at the meeting at which the report is to be formally considered in the presence of the Mayor in accordance with Schedule 8 in the 1999 Act.

4.  To deal as appropriate with matters arising from the internal auditors’ reports and to comment to the Mayor on matters relevant to his/her responsibilities.

5.  To review the GLA’s Risk Management Policy and comment to the Mayor as appropriate.

4.1  Resolved:

That the terms of reference for the Panel, as agreed by the Annual Meeting of the Assembly on 11 May 2012, be noted, as follows:

1.  The Audit Panel will be concerned with ensuring the security of and monitoring of financial systems, ensuring that there is an anti-fraud  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Panel is recommended to note the minutes of the meeting of the Audit Panel held on 13 March 2012 (signed by the Chair at the Assembly’s Annual meeting on 11 May 2012 as a correct record).

5.1  Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Audit Panel held on 13 March 2012, which were formally agreed by the Assembly’s Annual meeting on 11 May 2012, be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact:  Joanna Brown, [email protected] and Teresa Young, [email protected], both on telephone 020 7983 6559.

The Panel is recommended to note the completed and outstanding actions arising from the previous meetings of the Audit Panel.

6.1  The Audit Panel received the report of the Executive Director of Secretariat.

6.2  Resolved:

That the completed and outstanding actions arising from the previous meetings of the Audit Panel be noted.

Report of the Head of Paid Service and Executive Director of Resources

Contact: Tom Middleton: [email protected] and telephone 020 7983 4257

The Panel is recommended to comment on the draft GLA Annual Governance Statement for 2011-12 (attached at Appendix 1).

7.1  The Audit Panel considered the report of the Head of Paid Service, to which was appended the Draft GLA Annual Governance Statement for 2011-12.

7.2  The Head of Governance and Resilience stated that the GLA’s Oversight Committee had commented on the draft GLA Annual Governance Statement for 2011-12 at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

Contact: David Gallie; [email protected]; telephone 020 7983 4968

The Panel is recommended to note the District Auditor’s Position Statement of June 2012, attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

8.1  The Audit Panel received the report of the Executive Director of Resources. Appended to the report was the District Auditor’s Position Statement of June 2012.

8.2  Resolved:

That the District Auditor’s Position Statement of June 2012, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be noted.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

Contact: David Gallie, [email protected], telephone: 020 7983 4968

The Panel is recommended to:

(a)   Note the contents of recent internal audit reports attached to the report at Appendices 1a to 1e;

(b)  The internal audit follow up reports attached to the report at Appendices 2a to 2c; and

(c)  The internal audit progress report attached to the report at Appendix 3; and

(d)  The internal audit Annual Report 2011/12 attached to the report at Appendix 4.

The following appendices are attached to the report.

9.1  The Audit Panel received the report of the Executive Director of Resources. Appended to the report were: five recent internal audit reports (three from 2011/12 and two from the 2012/13 internal audit plan).  Three follow up review reports; an internal audit progress report; and an internal audit annual  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

Contact: David Gallie, [email protected] and telephone 020 7983 4968.

The Panel is recommended:

(a)  To note the expenses incurred by the Mayor, London Assembly Members and senior staff for the period 1 February 2012 to 31 March 2012; and

(b)  To note the comparative information on expenses.

10.1  The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Resources. The report set out the expenses incurred by the Mayor, London Assembly Members and senior staff for the period 1 February 2012 to 31 March 2012 together with comparative information.

10.2  The Chairman requested that the next meeting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

Contact: David Gallie; email: [email protected]; telephone 020 7983 4968

The Panel is recommended to consider the report.

11.1  The Audit Panel received the report of the Executive Director of Resources.

11.2  The Assistant Director of Finance stated that the Audit Commission would take a decision later in July 2012 about to whom to the award the external audit contact for the GLA.  There was likely to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

Report of the Executive Director of Secretariat

Contact: Joanna Brown, [email protected] or Teresa Young, [email protected], both on telephone number 020 7983 6559.

The Committee is recommended to note its work programme for 2012/13 and identify any additional issues it wishes to consider at future meetings.

12.1  The Audit Panel received the report of the Executive Director of the Secretariat.

12.2  Resolved:

That the Audit Panel’s work programme for 2012/13 be noted.

The next meeting of the Panel is scheduled for 23 October 2012 at 3.30pm in Committee Room 5.

13.1  The next meeting would be held on 23 October 2012 at 3.30pm in Committee Room 5.

14.  There was no other business.

15.1  The meeting ended at 4.53pm.