Local democracy

Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Ernest Saville Room - City Hall, Bradford. View directions

Contact: Fatima Butt - 01274 432227 

Items
No. Item

52.

DISCLOSURES OF INTEREST

(Members Code of Conduct - Part 4A of the Constitution)

 

To receive disclosures of interests from members and co-opted members on matters to be considered at the meeting. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

 

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

 

Notes:

 

(1)       Members may remain in the meeting and take part fully in discussion and voting unless the interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an interest which the Member feels would call into question their compliance with the wider principles set out in the Code of Conduct.  Disclosable pecuniary interests relate to the Member concerned or their spouse/partner.

 

(2)       Members in arrears of Council Tax by more than two months must not vote in decisions on, or which might affect, budget calculations, and must disclose at the meeting that this restriction applies to them.  A failure to comply with these requirements is a criminal offence under section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. 

 

(3)       Members are also welcome to disclose interests which are not disclosable pecuniary interests but which they consider should be made in the interest of clarity.

 

(4)       Officers must disclose interests in accordance with Council Standing Order 44.

 

Minutes:

No disclosures of interest in matters under consideration were received.

53.

MINUTES

Recommended –

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 2022 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

 

(Fatima Butt – 01274 432227)

Minutes:

Resolved –

 

That the minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 2021 be signed as a correct record.

54.

INSPECTION OF REPORTS AND BACKGROUND PAPERS

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

 

Reports and background papers for agenda items may be inspected by contacting the person shown after each agenda item.  Certain reports and background papers may be restricted. 

 

Any request to remove the restriction on a report or background paper should be made to the relevant Strategic Director or Assistant Director whose name is shown on the front page of the report. 

 

If that request is refused, there is a right of appeal to this meeting. 

 

Please contact the officer shown below in advance of the meeting if you wish to appeal. 

 

(Fatima Butt - 01274 432227)

 

Minutes:

There were no appeals submitted by the public to review decisions to restrict documents.

55.

MINUTES OF WEST YORKSHIRE PENSION FUND (WYPF) LOCAL PENSION BOARD MEETINGS HELD ON 22 MARCH 2022 pdf icon PDF 131 KB

The Council’s Financial Regulations require the minutes of meetings of the WYPF Local Pension Board be submitted to this Committee.

 

In accordance with this requirement, the Director of West Yorkshire Pension Fund will submit “Document AE” which reports on the minutes of the meetings of the WYPF Local Pension Board held on 22 March 2022.

 

Recommended –

 

That the minutes of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund Local Pension Board meetings held on 22 March 2022 be considered.

 

                                                (Caroline Blackburn – 01274 434523)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Council’s Financial Regulations requires the minutes of meetings of the WYPF Local Pension Board be submitted to this Committee.

 

In accordance with this requirement, the Director of West Yorkshire Pension Fund submitted “Document AE” which reported on the minutes of the meetings of the WYPF Local Pension Board held on 22 March 2022.

 

Members sought further clarification in relation to Register of Breaches of Law and the delays with Prudential updating members accounts with contributions and whether the services offered by Prudential would be reviewed; recruitment of staff; section 118 notices and the Pensions Dashboard.

 

It was reported that amendments to the scheme regulations in November 2021 included a requirement for the West Yorkshire Pension Fund to warn scheme members of the risks of scams, monitor and report any suspicious activity.

 

In response to Members questions it was reported that a review of AVC Providers would be undertaken this year and that the service was able to recruit more easily due to flexible working

 

Resolved-

 

That the minutes of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund Local Pension Board meetings held on 22 March 2022 were considered.

 

 

56.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION - CONTRACT STANDING ORDERS AND FINANCIAL REGULATIONS pdf icon PDF 257 KB

The Director of Finance and IT will submit Document “AF” which provides details of the annual review of the Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations sections of the Council’s Constitution and makes recommendation for their amendment.

 

Recommended-

 

That the proposed changes to Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations as detailed in Document “AF” be accepted and recommended to Council for approval, to support improvements in the organisations procurement processes and procedures.

 

                                    (Ian Westlake/Mark St Romaine – 07971 540171)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Director of Finance and IT submitted Document “AF” which provided details of the annual review of the Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations sections of the Council’s Constitution and made recommendation for their amendment.

 

Members were informed that fundamental changes to Contract Standing Orders would come into force next year.

 

In response to a Members question it was reported that the Social Value and Inclusive Growth Policy would be reviewed which looks at different elements of social value of a contract such as living wage.

 

It was suggested that Members needed to have input into the Social Value and Inclusive Growth Policy when it was reviewed.

 

Members strongly felt that Paragraph 12.1 of Appendix 1 needed further clarification to ensure that relevant reporting was undertaken if the contract became above a certain threshold.

 

Resolved-

 

(1)  That the proposed changes to Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations as detailed in Document “AF” be accepted and recommended to Council for approval, to support improvements in the organisations procurement processes and procedures.

 

(2)  That Paragraph 12.1 (Appendix 1 to Document “AF” be clarified further to ensure that relevant reporting is undertaken if an extension of contract means the new value of the contract is above a relevant reporting threshold had it not been previously reported.

 

(3)  That the Social Value Procurement Policy be referred to the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration when the policy is reviewed.

 

(4)  That the terminology relating to Appropriate Officer in Appendix 2 to Document “AF” remain consistent throughout the report.

 

Action:  Director of Finance

 

                                   

57.

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION FOLLOWING THE ADOPTION BY COUNCIL ON 15 MARCH 2022 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION MODEL COUNCILLOR CODE OF CONDUCT WITH AMENDMENTS pdf icon PDF 292 KB

Document “AG” provides Members with proposed amendments to the Protocols on Member-Officer Relations, Members Gifts and Hospitality and Members Use of Council Resources including Use of E-mail and the Internet for recommendation to Council, following the adoption by Council on 15 March 2022 of the Local Government Association Model Councillor Code of Conduct with amendments.

 

Recommended-

 

(1) That the proposed amendments to:

 

a)    the Protocol on Member-Officer Relations set out in Appendix 1

b)   the Protocol on Members Gifts and Hospitality set out in Appendix 2 and

c)    the Protocol on Members Use of Council Resources including Use of E-mail and the Internet set out in Appendix 3

d)   the constitution as set out in paragraph 3.3 of Document “AG”

 

            be recommended to Council for adoption and implementation.

 

(2)       That the City Solicitor be granted delegated authority to make consequential amendments to the Constitution as a result of any recommendations approved by full Council.

 

(3)       That the City Solicitor ensures that any agreed amendments are implemented.

 

                                                                        (Mandy Hill – 07814 779101)

 

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Document “AG” provided Members with proposed amendments to the Protocols on Member-Officer Relations, Members Gifts and Hospitality and Members Use of Council Resources including Use of E-mail and the Internet for recommendation to Council, following the adoption by Council on 15 March 2022 of the Local Government Association Model Councillor Code of Conduct with amendments.

 

There was a short discussion on the lack of information available in relation to objectors on the Planning Webiste which the Interim City Solicitor was looking into.

 

It was emphasised that all Members receive training on the new Members Code of Conduct.

 

Resolved-

 

(1) That the proposed amendments to:

 

a)    the Protocol on Member-Officer Relations set out in Appendix 1

b)   the Protocol on Members Gifts and Hospitality set out in Appendix 2 and

c)    the Protocol on Members Use of Council Resources including Use of E-mail and the Internet set out in Appendix 3

d)   the constitution as set out in paragraph 3.3 of Document “AG”

 

            be recommended to Council for adoption and

           implementation.

 

(2)       That the City Solicitor be granted delegated authority to make consequential amendments to the Constitution as a result of any recommendations approved by full Council.

 

(3)       That the City Solicitor ensures that any agreed amendments are implemented.

 

Action:  Interim City Solicitor

 

                                                                       

58.

INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 854 KB

The Director of Finance and IT will submit Document “AH” which outlines the Internal Audit Plan for the financial year 2022/23.  The delivery of the audit plan will assist with risks within the systems reviewed being managed to an acceptable level through improvement in internal control.

 

The 2022/23 Internal Audit plan is a one year plan.  This takes into account the work that has been able to be completed in the past two years and the new risks that the Council has been facing.   Normally this would have been the fifth year of a five year internal audit planning cycle however due to current uncertainty as to the new working environment a single year programme has been adopted.

 

Recommended-

 

That the Internal Audit Plan for 2022/23 be approved.

 

                                                            (Mark St Romaine – 01274 432888)

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

The Director of Finance and IT submitted Document “AH” which outlined the Internal Audit Plan for the financial year 2022/23.  The delivery of the audit plan would assist with risks within the systems reviewed being managed to an acceptable level through improvement in internal control.

 

The 2022/23 Internal Audit plan was a one year plan.  This took into account the work that had been able to be completed in the past two years and the new risks that the Council had been facing.   Normally this would have been the fifth year of a five year internal audit planning cycle however due to current uncertainty as to the new working environment a single year programme had been adopted.

 

Members sought clarification on the time that was allocated to each audit and how that was decided.

 

In response to a Members question it was reported that a lot of work was undertaken with schools on the Schools Financial Value Standard.

 

Resolved-

 

That the Internal Audit Plan for 2022/23 be approved.

 

Action:  Director of Finance and IT

 

                                                           

59.

EXTERNAL AUDITORS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE 2020/21 AUDIT OF THE CITY OF BRADFORD METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COUNCIL pdf icon PDF 136 KB

The External Auditor will submit Document “AI” which summarises the findings from the audit of the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council for the year ended 31 March 2021.

 

Recommended-

 

That the contents of the Annual Audit Report (Document “AI”) including the identified significant weaknesses in the Value for Money arrangements and the recommendation for improvement set out on page 15 of the report be noted.

 

                                                            (Mark Outterside – 0191 3836339)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The External Auditor submitted Document “AI” which summarised the findings from the audit of the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council for the year ended 31 March 2021.

 

Members were informed that the Audit Report was issued on 21 December 2021 and that since the report was issued the Auditors had updated their understanding of the Council’s arrangements in light of the emerging issues in regard to the Council’s Children’s Services – Section 3 confirmed that the work had been completed and a commentary was provided on the Council’s arrangements with the summary of the audit recommendations.

 

It was reported that no instructions had been received yet from the National Audit Office confirming their requirements in relation to the Council’s Whole of Government Accounts and therefore the Auditors were unable to issue the audit certificate until this was formally confirmed.

 

There was a short discussion on the new ways of recording the Council’s infrastructure assets and the complications it presented.

 

 

Resolved-

 

That the contents of the Annual Audit Report (Document “AI”) including the identified significant weaknesses in the Value for Money arrangements and the recommendation for improvement set out on page 15 of the report be noted.

 

 

                                                           

 

60.

EXTERNAL AUDIT STRATEGY MEMORANDUM (ASM) 2021/22 FOR THE WEST YORKSHIRE PENSION FUND pdf icon PDF 134 KB

The External Auditor will submit Document “AJ” which sets out the plan for the external audit of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund for financial year 2021-22.

Recommended-

 

That the West Yorkshire Pension Fund Audit Strategy Memorandum for the financial year 2021-22 (Document “AJ”) be noted.

 

                                                                         

(Abi Medic – 0113 3942000)

 

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The External Auditor submitted Document “AJ” which set out the plan for the external audit of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund for financial year 2021-22.

The report:

 

·         Described External Audit’s approach to the audit of the Fund’s financial statements;

·         included the assessment of the significant risks of material misstatement in the

·         financial statements; and

·         outlined the proposed testing strategy to address the identified risks.

Resolved-

 

That the West Yorkshire Pension Fund Audit Strategy Memorandum for the financial year 2021-22 (Document “AJ”) be noted.