Minutes - draft

These minutes are agreed.

Minutes of the meeting of the Corporate Governance Committee of the Metropolitan Police Authority held on 10 March 2011 at 10 Dean Farrar Street, Westminster, London SW1H 0NY.

Present

Members

• Toby Harris (Chair)
• Joanne McCartney
• Co-opted members: Linda Duncan (Head of Governance Services, Hyman Capital Services Limited) and Richard Stephenson (Director, Group Health, Safety and Environment, Transport for London)

MPA officers

• Bob Atkins (Treasurer)
• Catherine Crawford (Chief Executive)
• Julie Norgrove (Director, Audit Risk and Assurance)
• John Crompton (Committee officer, Treasury Team)

MPS officers

• Mark Broom (Directorate of Professional Standards)
• Richard Clarke (Director of Strategy and Improvement)
• Paul Daly (Director of Exchequer Services)
• Nick Kettle (Head of Safety and Health, Risk Management Team)
• Anne McMeel (Director of Resources)

Also in attendance: Tom Edgell (External Audit Manager), Karen McConnell (District Auditor) and Martin Searle (Senior Audit Manager, Audit Commission)

39. Apologies for absence

(Agenda item 1)

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of John Biggs, Valerie Brasse and Caroline Pidgeon.

It was noted that as the meeting was not quorate the minutes would be submitted to the full Authority meeting for the decisions to be ratified.

40. Declarations of interests

(Agenda item 2)

No declarations were received.

41. Minutes of the Corporate Governance Committee (part 1) – 2 December 2010

(Agenda item 3)

Resolved – That the minutes of the Corporate Governance Committee held on 2 December 2010 (Part 1) be signed and agreed as a correct record.

42. External Audit plan 2010/2011

(Agenda item 4)

42.1 A report was submitted which set out the audit work that the external auditor proposed to undertake for the 2010/11 audit of financial statements and the value for money conclusion.

42.2 The Chair welcomed Karen McConnell, the new District Auditor, to her first meeting of the Committee. The District Auditor outlined the plan. She advised that additional work would be required if it was necessary to producing a set of final accounts in the event of the MPA ceasing to exist before the end of the financial year.

42.3 The District Auditor also provided an update with regard to the future of the Audit Commission. She explained that although the announcement that the Commission was to be abolished had been made in August it would require primary legislation to effect the change. Given the Parliamentary timetable it was not anticipated that the Bill would receive Royal Assent until some time in early 2012.

Resolved – That the District Auditor’s proposed approach for the 2010/11 audit of financial statements and the value for money conclusion be noted.

43. External Audit progress report 2010/11

(Agenda item 5)

43.1 This report provided an update to members on external audit’s progress in delivering their responsibilities as the Authority’s external auditors. It also provided a summary of key emerging national issues and developments.

43.2 The Treasurer suggested any points arising from the report from the Financial Reporting Council referred to in the external auditor’s report be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.

43.3 The District Auditor referred to the very good progress that the MPA/MPS had made in preparing for the introduction of the new International Financial Reporting standards and paid tribute to all the staff concerned. The MPA/MPS were very well prepared compared with many other public bodies.

Resolved –That the District Auditor’s progress in delivering the audit plan for 2010/11 be noted.

44. Directorate of Audit, Risk and Assurance progress report

(Agenda item 6)

44.1 A report was submitted which summarised the work carried out by the Directorate of Audit, Risk and Assurance in the third quarter of 2010/11 and the key areas of work planned for the final quarter.

Resolved – That

1. The work undertaken by the Directorate of Audit Risk and Assurance and the progress made in achieving the 2010/11 plan be noted; and
2. the current evaluation of the adequacy and effectiveness of internal control in the MPS which shows a slight improvement on last year be noted.

45. Outstanding high-risk DARA recommendations

(Agenda item 7)

45.1 This report updated members in relation to the outstanding high-risk MPA Directorate of Audit, Risk and Assurance (DARA) recommendations as at

Resolved – That the status of all outstanding high risk recommendations made by the Directorate of Audit, Risk and Assurance in relation to MPS control systems be noted.

46. Directorate of Audit, Risk and Assurance 2011/12 annual plan

(Agenda item 8)

46.1 A report was submitted which sets out the proposed 2011/12 annual plan for the Directorate of Audit, Risk and Assurance.

Resolved –That the 2011/12 annual plan be approved.

47. MPA risk management update

(Agenda item 9)

47.1 This report summarised the development of the MPA risk management process. It included the MPA corporate risk register.

47.2 In reply to a question from a member the Chief Executive advised that the MPA MOPC Transition Board had its own risk register. This would be made available to members.

Resolved – That the MPA risk register be noted.

48. MPS Corporate Governance Framework update

(Agenda item 10)

48.1 This report provided a progress update on work areas relating to the Metropolitan Police Service corporate governance framework.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

49. Annual Governance Statement quarterly update

(Agenda item 11)

49.1 The Authority is required to include an Annual Governance Statement in its financial statements. The Annual Governance Statement includes details of governance arrangements, highlighting how effectively they are being deployed and identifying significant governance issues and actions being taken to address them. A report was submitted which provided an update on progress in addressing the significant governance issues which had included in the statement of accounts for 2009/10.

Resolved – That the progress in addressing the significant governance issues included in the 2009/10 Annual Governance Statement for the MPA be noted.

50. Implementing International Financial Reporting Standards

(Agenda item 12)

50.1 This report provided the Committee with a quarterly progress update on the implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards within the MPA/MPS. An extract from the draft format of the Statement of Accounts for 2010/11 was provided.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

51. Health and Safety Performance report

(Agenda item 13)

51.1 This report provided an overview of Health and Safety Performance.

51.2 In reply to a question the Strategic Manager Safety and Health, Risk Management stated that the Government had recently confirmed its intention to implement the provision of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 relating to the specific duty of care to detainees. However, the commencement date of this section of the Act (2(1)(d) had not yet been announced.

Resolved – That the report be noted.

52. Any other urgent business

(Agenda item 14)

52.1 There was none.

53. Exclusion of press and public

(Agenda item 15)

Resolved – That the press and public be asked to leave the meeting during discussion of the remaining item of business because exempt information as defined in of Part 1, Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) was likely to be made known.

Summary of items considered in part 2

54. MPS Risk Management update

(Agenda item16)

The report noted.

55. Exempt appendix to high-risk audit recommendations

(Agenda item 17)

Information noted.

56. Minutes of the Corporate Governance Committee (Part 2)–2 December 2010

(Agenda item 18)

The minutes of the Corporate Governance Committee held on 2 December 2010 (Part 2) were signed and agreed as a correct record.

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