Agenda and decisions

To receive apologies for absence.

To receive any declaration of personal interest.

To note any items which are urgent business in the opinion of the Chairman so they may be considered.

Concern that the Internal Audit Unit does not have sufficient capacity to meet the Council's expectations

DECISION:

·       To receive a report from the Head of Finance Department highlighting the situation and potential risks

·       Assurance is needed that the work that needs to be carried out by Internal Audit remains of a high standard

To consider the report and offer comments

DECISION:

·       To accept the contents of the report

To scrutinise the information before the Cabinet recommends the 2026/27 budget to the Full Council

DECISION:

·       To accept the report and note the content

·       To accept the financial propriety of the proposals and the relevant risks

·       To submit observations from the discussion to the Cabinet for its consideration when discussing and approving the 2026/27 Budget at its meeting on 10/02/26

·       To thank the Finance Department for their thorough work in preparing the Budget

·       The overspending situation was worrying

·       There was concern that the reserve was dwindling – a harvesting exercise would be welcomed

·       Development/improvement plans for Residential Homes in Gwynedd – request for the findings of the Housing LIN Cymru inquiry to be submitted to the Committee

Note:

-        List of capital bids – the plan to extend Ysgol y Faenol car park. A request from the Local Member for further details regarding the reasons for the time slippage (original date 2021) and the costs associated with the slippage

-        A suggestion to present Council tax information in monetary value (£) rather than a percentage (%) only

-        The Finance Officer's statement – that the budget 'inevitably includes an element of risk from assumptions' ... are there plans in place if there is a reduction in housing premium collections, but an increase in demand for building houses?

To consider any risks arising from the strategy before it is presented to the full Council for adoption.

DECISION:

·       To accept the report and to note the information and relevant risks

·       To support the Cabinet Member for Finance's intention to submit the Strategy to the Full Council for approval on 5 March 2026

·       That an encouraging presentation by Arlingclose, the Council's Treasury Management Consultants (30-01-2026) had been very beneficial, and had given Members confidence and reassurance that the Council was on the right track

To accept this report on the work of the Internal Audit Section in the period from 29 September 2025 to 25 January 2026, comment on the contents in accordance with members’ wishes, and support the actions agreed with the relevant service managers.

DECISION:

·       To accept the report and support the actions that have already been agreed with the relevant services.

·       As a result of a lack of improvement in the residential care field in terms of suitable arrangements for the appropriate management of the homes and a lack of compliance with managerial processes, the Committee needs assurances that the observations of Internal Audit are being taken into account. The situation needs further attention.

To note the contents of this report as an update on progress against the 2025/26 audit plan, offer comments thereon and accept the report.

DECISION:

·       To accept and note the contents of the report

To receive and approve the contents of the Internal Audit Mandate and Charter, to approve it, and support Internal Audit in its undertakings.

DECISION:

·       To accept and approve the contents of the Internal Audit Mandate and Charter, to be approved, and support Internal Audit in its undertakings.

To receive and approve the contents of the Internal Audit Strategy and the Internal Audit Plan for 2026/2027, to approve it, and support Internal Audit in its undertakings.

DECISION:

·        To accept and approve the contents of the Internal Audit Strategy and the Internal Audit Plan for 2026/27, to be approved, and support Internal Audit in its undertakings.

To consider and accept the report

DECISION:

·        To accept the report

·        To accept that four of the recommendations correspond to work plans that are already in the response plan to the Our Bravery Brought Justice report

·        To accept that two of the recommendations were not in the response plan but that they have now been included and are receiving appropriate attention

·        While accepting that the measures that have been met or have reached a certain level of quality will lead to the matter being closed, a specific timetable is needed, although accepting that giving a definite date would prove difficult

·        Appreciate follow-up/a progress report on the responses to the recommendations

·        Disappointed again that there was no acknowledgement from Estyn of the failures of their inspection of the Council's safeguarding arrangements, June 2023

Note: Scrutiny Investigation into Safeguarding Arrangements in Schools – an update needed

To review and assess the Council's risk management, internal control, performance management and corporate governance arrangements

To assure that arrangements are in place to monitor and evaluate progress against any recommendations contained therein. 

DECISION:

To accept the Council's organisational response to the recommendations within the report

R1. Establish consistent commissioning arrangements

R2. Embedding arrangements across the Council

To provide an update to the Committee on reports recently published by Audit Wales   

·        Temporary accommodation, long-term crisis?

DECISION:

·       To accept the Audit Wales National Report

·       To accept the Council's organisational response to the recommendations:

-        R1 Value for money

-        R2 Planning for prevention

-        R3 Partnership working

·       To welcome the good work being done by the Homelessness Unit

·       To request a report providing an update on the pilot work being carried out by the Council to release empty houses back into use

·       To receive an update on the progress of the organisational response plan

To consider the work programme

DECISION:

·       To accept the work programme until March 2027