Scrutiny Committee - 25/09/2019

At a MEETING of the SCRUTINY COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 25th September, 2019.

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Bailie Kevin KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 26th June, 2019 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Bailie Macpherson declared a non-financial interest in relation to Article II by virtue of a relative attending Sidlaw View Primary School.

II EDUCATION SCOTLAND (HMI) INSPECTION OF SIDLAW VIEW PRIMARY SCHOOL

There was submitted Report No 341-2019 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service reporting on the findings of the recent external inspection of Sidlaw View Primary School.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the contents of the report; and

(ii) instructed the Chief Education Officer to monitor progress towards meeting the areas for improvement outlined in the report.

III EDUCATION SCOTLAND (HMI) INSPECTION OF ANCRUM ROAD PRIMARY SCHOOL

There was submitted Report No 340-2019 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service reporting on the findings of the recent external inspection of Ancrum Road Primary School.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the contents of the report; and

(ii) instructed the Chief Education Officer to monitor progress towards meeting the areas for improvement outlined in the report.

IV SUMMARY OF EXTERNAL CARE INSPECTORATE INSPECTION REPORTS ON LOCAL AUTHORITY NURSERIES -JANUARY, 2019 TO JUNE, 2019

There was submitted Report No 342-2019 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service providing a summary of recent external Care Inspectorate (CI) section reports which did not require in‑depth scrutiny.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the summary of the external inspection reports; and

(ii) remitted the Executive Director of Children and Families to ensure that the areas for improvement in the reports were acted upon, both in relation to the particular services inspected and as guidance on good practice for other services.

V COUNCIL PLAN 2017/2022 PROGRESS REPORT

On a reference to Article VI of the minute of meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee of 24th June, 2019, there was submitted Report No 198-2019 by the Chief Executive relative to the above.

The Committee, for their interest, noted the progress being made on the Council Plan 2017/2022.

VI UNESCO CITY OF DESIGN DUNDEE

There was submitted Report No 256-2019 by the Director, Leisure & Culture providing the Committee with the Monitoring Report 2014/2018 on Dundee's UNESCO City of Design designation.

The Committee:-

(i) reviewed the Monitoring Report 2014/2018 appended at Appendix 1 to the report; and

(ii) noted the grading by UNESCO appended at Appendix 2 of the report.

VII INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS

There was submitted Report No 315-2019 by the Senior Manager, Internal Audit, providing the Committee with a summary of the Internal Audit Reports finalised since the last Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee noted the information contained within the report.

VIII INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS - SUMMARY OF PROGRESS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS

There was submitted Report No 316-2019 by the Senior Manager, Internal Audit providing the Committee with an update on the progress in implementing Internal Audit recommendations previously reported to, and agreed by, Management.

The Committee noted the information contained within the report.

IX INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN PROGRESS REPORT

There was submitted Report No 317-2019 by the Senior Manager, Internal Audit providing the Committee with an update on the progress towards delivering a 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 Internal Audit Plan.

The Committee noted the information contained within the report.

X DUNDEE INTEGRATION JOINT BOARD 2018/2019 ANNUAL INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT

There was submitted Report No 318-2019 by the Senior Manager, Internal Audit relative to the above.

The Committee noted the contents of the Dundee Integration Joint Board 2018/2019 Annual Internal Audit Report appended at Appendix A to the report.

XI CORPORATE FRAUD TEAM ACTIVITY AND PERFORMANCE REPORT, INCLUDING WHISTLEBLOWING 2018/2019

There was submitted Report No 319-2019 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services informing the Committee on the Corporate Fraud Team's (CFT) activity and performance for the 12 month period to 31st March, 2019, including whistleblowing activities.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the content of the CFT's activity and performance report for 2018/2019 at Appendix 1 of the report, including referral statistics and savings/other benefits identified during the year; and

(ii) noted the results of the Council's whistleblowing activity for 2018/2019 at Appendix 2 of the report, including allegation statistics and outcomes.

XII NATIONAL FRAUD INITIATIVE

There was submitted Report No 320-2019 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services informing the Committee of the work of the 2018/2019 National Fraud Initiative (NFI) exercise and the mandatory 2018/2019 Electoral Roll/Council Tax Single Person's Discount data-matching exercise.

The Committee noted the progress made to date on investigating the data matches received from the Cabinet Office as part of the 2018/2019 NFI exercise.

XIII DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL 2018/2019 - ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT

(a) DRAFT AUDIT STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS

(i) Dundee City Council

The above report was submitted and approved (Report No 334-2019).

(ii) Dundee City Charitable Trusts

The above report was submitted and approved (Report No 335-2019).

(iii) Lord Provost of Dundee Charity Fund

The above report was submitted and approved (Report No 336-2019).

(iv) The Dundee Trust

The above report was submitted and approved (Report No 337-2019).

(b) EXTERNAL AUDITOR'S REPORT

The above report was submitted and noted (Report No 338-2019).

(c) DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL 2018/2019 ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT - RESPONSE TO THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR'S ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT

There was submitted Report No 339-2019 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services in response to the external audit of Dundee City Council for the year to 31st March, 2019.

The Committee:-

(i) noted the contents of the draft External Auditor's report, including the completed Action Plan at Appendix 1 and, in particular, that Audit Scotland had indicated they would issue an unqualified audit opinion on each of the 2018/2019 annual accounts detailed above;

(ii) endorsed the report of the Council's formal response to the External Auditor's report;

(iii) instructed the Executive Director of Corporate Services to arrange for each of the audited annual accounts noted above to be signed and then returned to the External Auditor;

(iv) instructed the Executive Director of Corporate Services thereafter to arrange for the above annual accounts, including copies of all audit certificates and accounts of the Council's subsidiary bodies, to be published on the Council's website by no later than 31st October, 2019; and

(v) noted that the External Auditor's report would also be considered by the Policy and Resources Committee in due course, together with each of the audited annual accounts noted above.

Kevin KEENAN, Convener.