Issue - meetings

To consider and agree the minutes of the meeting held on 20^th September 2018.

The Committee commented that, in relation to the action around asset disposals, the minutes suggested that the Committee had considered the issue and that a discussion had taken place, rather than a statement made by the Chair at the meeting of 24^th July. The Committee requested that the minutes be amended to better reflect this. (Action: Clerk).

The Committee reiterated its request to receive some information around the use of an exemption process in relation to asset disposals. The legal advisor to the Committee cautioned that that discussions with the Chair were ongoing around the most appropriate forum to consider the issue. It was suggested that this issue was not within the Terms of Reference for Corporate Committee  and that it may be more appropriate for Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider the matter.

The Committee requested that they receive a position statement at the next meeting, setting out where officers had got to in providing this information. Action: (Legal Advisor/Clerk).

The Head of Audit and Risk Management advised that a follow-up audit had been undertaken at Chestnuts School. It was noted that the report was still being prepared, but that an improvement in the overall assurance level was anticipated. An audit for Stamford Hill School had to be postponed and would be rearranged for after the Christmas holidays.

The Head of Audit and Risk Management also advised that two training sessions for school governors were held on 25^th September, with around 25 people in attendance. Two further sessions were being set up and it was also anticipated that there would be a further training session specific to anti-fraud considerations.

The Committee requested an update from the AD Schools and Learning on the audit process for academy schools and on the analysis of which schools did not attend audit training and any correlation with those receiving poor audit scores. (Action: Clerk).

In relation to income and expenditure in Finsbury Park from events, officers advised the Committee that this information had been shared with the Friends of Finsbury Park. The legal advisor to the Committee agreed to share the information that was sent to the solicitor acting on behalf of the Friends group as part of the litigation process. (Action: Raymond Prince).

The Committee reiterated its concerns in relation to the monitoring of fraud investigations and keeping a record of whom they were targeted against, for equalities purposes. The Committee noted that there had been recent articles in the press around the targeting of certain ethnic minorities by the Police and cautioned that this could become a significant issue. In response, the Chair agreed to meet with officers and the relevant Committee members to discuss how best to progress the issue outside of the meeting. (Action: Chair).

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting on 20^th September be agreed as a correct record of the meeting, subject to the above amendment.