There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest declared at the meeting.

The minutes of the meeting were confirmed by assent.

Councillor Wainwright asked for further updates regarding minute numbers 4, 9 & 11 which were provided by the Finance Director.

The Committee received and considered the report from the Internal Audit Manager.

The Internal Audit Manager reported that in 2017/18, internal; audit had raised 119 recommendations, 117 of which had now been implemented. However, two important recommendations remain outstanding, one from the Corporate Health & Safety report and from from the Accounts Receivable.

In 2018/19, internal audit raised 113 recommendations. In total, 90 had been implemented. Of those remaining, one requiring attention recommendation was rejected by management and 22 were overdue (6 important & 16 required attention).

In 2019/20 a total of 100 recommendations had been agreed, of which 66 have been implemented. A total of 19 recommendations are outstanding (9 important and 10 requiring attention) and 15 are within the deadline.

The Internal Audit Manager reported that it was encouraging that 66 recommendations from 2019/20 had already been implemented. However, management was urged to work on completing the high number of important recommendations that remain outstanding from 2018/19 and the two historical recommendations from 2017/18. All recommendations were assigned at senior management level, with the position in implementing urgent audit recommendations being regularly discussed at Executive Leadership Team meetings.

The Internal Audit Manager reported that internal audit continued to highlight to the Committee where recommendation deadlines had been extended more than once.

Councillor Wainwright highlighted recommendation GY 1801 which had been outstanding for 4 years which he deemed to be unacceptable.

Councillor Wainwright also asked for clarification regarding recommendation GY 1909 and asked whether this encompassed hygiene inspections on the steadily rising number of pop-ups and take-away food premises across the Borough. The Finance Director agreed to raise this matter with the Head of Environmental Services and that this had been flagged at the Management Team meeting this morning. Councillor Wainwright reported that the continued work of the Corporate Environmental Enforcement Team was vital and important to Members and that shortcomings should not be continually blamed on the pandemic.

The Chairman reported that this had been highlighted at the agenda pre-meeting and that this matter would be addressed by the Committee if matters did not improve. The Internal Audit Manager reported that this was one of the key areas which had been identified and would be tackled when Faye Haywood returned from maternity leave.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee be informed on the latest progress made in relation to management implementation of agreed audit recommendations falling due by 14 December 2020.

The Committee received and considered the report from the Corporate Risk Officer.

The Corporate Risk Officer reported that the Committee was responsible for monitoring the arrangements in place for the identification and management of partnerships and to assess and challenge continued involvement in partnerships. The Partnership Register was maintained by the Corporate Risk Officer and reviewed on a quarterly basis and the register had been reviewed by Management Team in November 2020.

Since presenting the Partnership Register to Committee in June 2019, four partnerships had been removed from the register:

• Safe at Home
• Older peoples partnership
• EnterpriseGY Board
• Economic Reference Group

The following partnerships had been added to the register:

• Norfolk Youth Offending Board
• Locality Board
• Great Yarmouth & Waveney LDG
• Gt Yarmouth Housing Options Lettings Partnership
• PCN
• equinox Property Holdings Ltd
• SALS
• Community Lead Housing
• East Coast Community Health Care.

The Corporate Risk Officer reported that she would present the Partnership Register after its next review by Management Team in six months time.

The Chairman requested that this information be included in the information pack given to all new members when they were elected to the Council.

RESOLVED:-

That the Committee have reviewed the Partnership Register and have determined that the register correctly identifies the Partnership arrangements for the Authority and approved the revised layout of the Partnership Register.

The Committee received and considered the report from the Corporate Risk Officer.

The Corporate Risk Officer reported that the Partnership Governance Framework aimed to clarify responsibilities for identifying, reporting and to increase awareness of good governance and risk management. The Framework was required to be reviewed every 3 years and submitted to the Committee for approval. On an annual basis, details of the responsible officers were reviewed to ensure that the details remained relevant and up to date. In support of the partnership Governance Framework, a Partnership Register was maintained which listed all the partnerships were involved in or lead on.

RESOLVED:-

That the Committee approve the revised Partnership Governance Framework as set out in the attached report.

The Committee received and considered the Work Programme.

Councillor Wainwright asked that report on s106 agreements be added to the January 2021 meeting agenda. The Finance Director reported that the Final Statement of Accounts 2019/20 would now be reported at the March 2021 meeting.

RESOLVED:-

That the Committee note the Forward Plan.

The Chairman reported that there was no other business being of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration at the meeting apart from thanking Members and Officers for their support over the past year and to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas.