Agenda and minutes

17.1           RESOLVED – that the minutes of the lasting meeting held on 12 July 2016 be confirmed as a correct record.

Notification of items which the Chair considers to be urgent and proposes to take at the appropriate part of the agenda. Any members who wish to raise urgent items are asked, wherever possible, to notify the Chair before the start of the meeting. In so doing, they must state the special circumstances which they consider justify the matter being considered urgent.

20.1           The Chair was notified of an urgent item regarding the appointment to committees, sub-committees, panels and other bodies due to the formal notification of change of Group by a Member. The Committee considered this report under agenda item 8 (minute 25 below).

21.1           Reports referred to in the minutes below are contained in the minute book.

Report by Chief Operating Officer

22.1     The Committee considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer regarding the Independent Auditor’s report and Statement of Accounts 2015-16.

22.2     The Committee RESOLVED –

1) to note the Independent Auditor’s (KPMG) report to those charged with governance on ESCC Accounts, and the Value for Money conclusion report;

2) to authorise the Chief Finance Officer to sign the formal Letter of Representation to KPMG LLP; and

3) to approve the Statement of Accounts for publication.

Report by Monitoring Officer

23.1     The Committee considered a report by the Monitoring Officer regarding the assessment of the Corporate Governance framework for 2015-16.

23.2     The Monitoring Officer informed the Committee that the Audit, Best Value and Community Services (ABVCS) Scrutiny Committee had made one comment in relation to the schools part of Children’s Services. The ABVCS Scrutiny Committee suggested that the section on the integration of financial, performance and risk management processes should be amended to where appropriate include the auditing of schools.

23.3     The Committee RESOLVED –

1)            to approve the action plan for the next year;

2)            to note that  items identified to enhance governance arrangements are reflected in Business Plans and that implementation will be monitored through the year;

3)            to confirm that Members are satisfied with the level of assurance provided to them through this report and the Council’s governance framework and processes;

4)            to note the comments from the Audit, Best Value and Community Services Scrutiny Committee; and

5)            to approve the Annual Governance Statement for signature by the Leader and the Chief Executive and publication within the Statement of Accounts.

Report by Director of Adult Social Care and Health

24.1     The Committee considered a report by the Director for Adult Social Care and Health regarding the appointment of Member representatives to the Community Safety Partnerships.

24.2     The Committee RESOLVED –

1)         to appoint Councillor Nick Bennett as the Council’s representative on the Eastbourne, Lewes and Wealden Community Safety Partnership and Councillor John Barnes as the Council’s representative on the Hastings and Rother Community Safety Partnership; and

2)         to appoint Councillor Peter Pragnell as substitute representative to the Hastings and Rother Community Safety Partnership.

25.1 The Committee considered a report by the Assistant Chief Executive regarding the allocation of places on committees, sub-committees, panels and other bodies to the six political and independent groups.

25.2       The Committee RESOLVED -

1) to recommend the County Council agree to allocate to political and independent groups the places on, and membership of, the main committees as set out in Appendix 1 of the report; and

2) to recommend the County Council agree to continue to waive the requirement for political balance in relation to those committees where the Council agreed it be waived at its meeting on 10th May 2016.