Meeting Details

Members are reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or voting on any matter, in which they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

Members are asked to receive any questions, statements or petitions, of which notice has been received, from members of the public.

Members are asked to agree the minutes, attached marked 4, of the Standards, Audit and Performance Committee, held on 30 September 2022, and that they be signed by the Chair as a correct record.

This report, attached marked 5, puts forward a 2023 Work Plan for the Standards, Audit and Performance Committee for consideration and approval by Members.  The report also reviews implementation of the activities listed in last year’s Work Plan.

This report, attached marked 6, presents the completed Statement of Accounts for 2021/22 to the Committee for consideration and approval.

As the Statement is in excess of 90 pages, a hard copy has not been included with the meeting papers but can be accessed on the Fire Authority’s website via the following link:

https://www.shropshirefire.gov.uk/meeting/1-december -2022

A paper copy will be made available upon request.

Representatives of the External Auditors will present the Audit Findings for the year ended 31 March 2022, to follow marked 7.

The Chair of the Standards, Audit and Performance Committee, Chief Fire Officer and Treasurer (in accordance with the authority delegated to them by the Fire Authority at its meeting on 13 February 2012) will then sign the Letter of Representation for the year ended 31 March 2022, as required by External Audit.

This report, attached marked 8, summarises the progress made to date against the improvements contained in the Annual Governance Statement Improvement Plan 2021/22.

This report, attached marked 9 updates Members on the status of risks on the Corporate Risk Register.

This report, attached marked 11a, updates the Committee on the recruitment activity which the Monitoring Officer has undertaken in respect of the recruitment of two new Independent Persons for both Telford and Wrekin Council and the Combined Fire Authority.  The Committee is asked to recommend the appointment of the preferred candidates to the Fire Authority.

This report, to follow marked 11b, deals with a number of ethical framework matters, including a review of the Members’ Code of Conduct and related documents.

The Committee is asked to receive and note the Pension Board Annual Report 2022, which is attached marked 12a.

Members are asked to receive and note the minutes of the Pension Board meeting, held on 25 November 2022, which are to follow marked 12b.

Members have a discretion to exclude the press and public from meetings of the Fire Authority in defined circumstances.  In view of the nature of business to be transacted, it is recommended that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, having been satisfied in all the circumstances of the case that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing this information, that Members formally resolve that the press and public be excluded+ from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

The Committee is asked to receive Appendix B to Report 9 – Corporate Risk Management Summary, attached marked 14, which contains exempt information.