MINUTES OF A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING OF GLADSTONE REGIONAL COUNCIL HELD AT THE GLADSTONE ADMINISTRATION CENTRE BOARDROOM 101 GOONDOON STREET, GLADSTONE ON 13 MARCH 2013 COMMENCING AT 9.00AM PRESENT Carolyn Eagle (Committee Chairperson & Business Improvement Committee External Appointee) Cr Leo Neill-Ballantine (Councillor) Cr Rick Hansen (Councillor) Charles Ware (Business Improvement Committee External Appointee) OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE Officers Stuart Randle (Chief Executive Officer) Mark Holmes (Chief Financial Officer) Chris Phillips (Manager People & Performance) Vicky Hankinson (Business Improvement Coordinator / Minute Secretary) Rowena Smallcombe (Internal Auditor) Nerrilynne Finlay (Co-ordinator Finance and Risk) External Representatives Junaide Latif, Auditor, William Buck Peter Nottingham, Queensland Audit Office (by telephone link for part of the meeting) 1.0 APOLOGIES Shelley Penrose (Commercial and Risk Officer) 2.0 DECLARATION OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Nil. Chairperson Initials: ……………
Gladstone Regional Council Business Improvement Committee Meeting Minutes 13 March 2013 – Page 2 of 8. 3.0 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES 12 DECEMBER 2012 The meeting resolved to accept the Business Improvement Committee Meeting Minutes of the 12 December 2012 as tabled. 4.0 BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES OF 12 DECEMBER 2012 (a) Items Actioned Report - Open Tasks The meeting worked through the Items Actioned Open Tasks Report with the following outcomes: 1. Item 7 - Rate Resolution Recommendations Officers advised Council has only just received the legal advice from King and Company on this matter and has yet to fully consider it. It was resolved to amend the due date for this item to June 2013. 2. Item 9 - Management Representations Letter for Certification of the Annual Financial Statements It was agreed to amend the due date for this item to October 2013. 3. Item 14 - Committee Self-Assessment Survey It was agreed to conduct the Committee Self-Assessment Survey over the coming weeks, with the results to be tabled at the Committee Meeting on the 12 June 2013. It was agreed that survey participation be extended beyond Committee Members to include other parties as deemed appropriate. ACTION ITEM: No. Item to be Actioned By Whom By When 4.1 The BI Co-Ordinator to liaise with the Chairperson in respect BI Co-Ordinator & ASAP to participation in the Self-Assessment Survey Chairperson 4.2 The Self-Assessment Survey be conducted and the results BI Co-Ordinator 12 June 2013 tabled at the next Business Improvement Committee Meeting (b) Items Actioned Report - Completed Tasks It was resolved to table this report annually at the June Committee Meeting. 5.0 OFFICER REPORTS 5.1 MANAGER PEOPLE AND PERFORMANCE The meeting worked through the Manager of People and Performance Report. The meeting raised a number of questions about the proposed new safety and incident management systems which were addressed by Officers. Chairperson Initials: ……………
Gladstone Regional Council Business Improvement Committee Meeting Minutes 13 March 2013 – Page 3 of 8. It was noted that the timeline for implementation of the new systems is:- testing prior to June 2013; implementation commencing 1 July 2013. Officers advised that it is proposed to audit the implementation of these new systems as part of the internal audit plan for 2013/14. It was suggested that the audit include in its scope, an assessment of the internal controls around data migration. ACTION ITEM: No. Item to be Actioned By Whom By When 5.2.1 That any internal audit of the implementation of the new Internal Auditor As part of the safety and incident management systems include an 2013/14 internal assessment of the internal controls around data migration audit plan 6.0 RISK MANAGEMENT 6.1 STATUS REPORT – RISK REGISTER The meeting noted the Risk Register Status Report. Officers reported that whilst Council has been unable to table a complete risk register for the current meeting, all the consultation work has been completed and the register now only requires a general 'tidy up' of the data. Officers advised that a complete register will be available to the Committee at its June 2013 meeting. It was suggested that Officers provide a presentation to the Committee on the risk register at the June 2013 meeting to help members understand the processes that have been applied in developing the register up to completion. It was noted that external audit are interested in reviewing the register and will be producing a list of risks from an external audit perspective based on the audit work to date. Officers expressed an interest in obtaining the external audit risk listing. ACTION ITEM: No. Item to be Actioned By Whom By When 6.1.1 A complete Gladstone Regional Council Risk Register to be Finance & Risk 12 June 2013 tabled at the June 2013 BIC meeting Coordinator 6.1.2 Officers to provide the Committee with a presentation on the CFO, Commercial 12 June 2013 development of the Risk Register & Risk Officer and Coordinator Finance & Risk 6.1.3 That the Risk Register be produced as an A3 document to BI Coordinator 12 June 2013 allow members to more easily review the data Chairperson Initials: ……………
Gladstone Regional Council Business Improvement Committee Meeting Minutes 13 March 2013 – Page 4 of 8. 7 .0 AUDIT MATTERS External Audit 7.1 REVIEW OF EXTERNAL AUDIT STRATEGY & PLANNING MEMORANDUM Peter Nottingham from the Queensland Audit Office joined the meeting at this point via telephone link. The meeting noted that William Buck have been appointed as Council's external auditors for the next three years, with the option for a further two year extension. Junaide Latif explained that the Queensland Audit Office (QAO) this year are taking back responsibility for the sign off on financial statements. Accordingly whilst William Buck will perform the audit field work associated with the financial statements, there will be an extra step in the process whereby QAO will review the financial statements and associated audit work and perform the official sign off / certification of the statements. The meeting worked through the client strategy document as tabled, with the following key points noted/discussed: 1. Key changes to the audit process: * the financial statements reporting deadline for 2013 has been brought forward by one month with all local governments needing to have financial statements completed by October 2013. * External audit is now required to also sign off on the financial sustainability statement. 2. Key risks that external audit will be focussing on as part of the upcoming audit work will include: * Property, Plant and Equipment, particularly the valuation and impairment assessments; * Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements (inclusive of the Gladstone Airport Corporation) - It was noted that there will need to be some consideration given to how financial information is presented in a consolidated statement given that the Gladstone Airport Corporation is a profit entity and local government is a not for profit entity. 3. Gladstone Airport Corporatisation - the meeting discussed a number of issues associated with the Gladstone Airport Corporation including the transfer of assets and asset titles; service level agreements and the associated financial issues. The meeting discussed the audit timetable. It was noted that Council Officers are comfortable with the timetable proposed and confident that the timeframes included in the strategy can be met. Junaide Latif advised that William Buck would appreciate the opportunity of participating in all future Business Improvement Committee meetings either in person or via telephone link. The Queensland Audit Office indicated an interest in participating in key meetings such as those where the financial statements are being considered. Chairperson Initials: ……………
Recommend
More recommend
