The Audit Committee of Newham Council met on Wednesday 12 April 2023 to discuss progress on children's services following an Ofsted report, updates on the SEND Written Statement of Action, and the implementation of the council tax rebate for energy bills. The committee also reviewed the council's accounting policies, counter-fraud progress, and its approach to culture change.

Children Services - Further Progress on the Ofsted Report with Quality Assurance

The committee was scheduled to consider a report detailing the progress made in addressing the areas identified by Ofsted for future improvement within Children's Services. Discussions were expected to focus on priorities such as staff supervision and retention, and the ongoing risk factor of County Lines in safeguarding. The report pack indicated that officers would be discussing the council's approach to working within current regulatory frameworks to improve outcomes for children, despite differing political views on the role of Ofsted.

SEND Written Statement of Action Update

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to reviewing the SEND Written Statement of Action. The report pack indicated that the committee would be discussing the council's High Needs Deficit, which had been amended to £17.8m. Questions were anticipated regarding the completion of Education Health Care plans (EHCPs) by December 2022, the increase in the number of children requiring care plans, and the role of the SEND commissioner. Officers were expected to provide an update on the proposed oversight of SEND, which was to be integrated into the role of the Chair of the Education Partnership Board. The report pack also highlighted discussions on parental confidence in EHCP delivery, with a focus on the representation of parent forums in governance and operational meetings, and the implementation of a new quality assurance approach. Furthermore, the committee was scheduled to receive an update on the transition plans for the capital development of the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) and specialist provisions. An action was noted for the committee to be notified when the feasibility plan for these transitions would be presented to Cabinet.

Implementation of Support for energy bills - the council tax rebate 2022-23

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the implementation of the council tax rebate scheme to support households with energy bills. The report pack indicated that the original budget had been based on an estimate from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), and that additional costs had been met by the council. The report was expected to cover the challenges faced by the service during the annual tax demand rollout and the short notice provided by DLUHC for new funding regimes. Discussions were anticipated regarding the improvement of direct debit take-up and the council's approach to offering alternative payment methods. The committee was also expected to note the lessons learned from implementing the rebate scheme.

Newham Council's Approach to Culture Change - Delivering a High-Performance Culture

The committee was scheduled to consider a report presented by the Chief Executive concerning Newham Council's approach to culture change and the delivery of a high-performance culture. Discussions were expected to include the percentage of staff who are residents of Newham, and the collection of data on the outcomes of diversity programmes within the council. An action was noted for the committee to be briefed on data collection methods and their impact on various council service outcomes. The report pack also indicated that a survey on staff retention would serve as a baseline for future improvements.

Accounting Policy for 2022/23

The committee was scheduled to review and approve the Accounting Policies for 2022/23. The report pack indicated that these policies were in line with the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom 2022/23. A minor variation in the policy concerning the accounting for highway assets was noted, along with the treatment of historical assets and heritage assets.

Quarterly Counter Fraud Progress Report

A report on the progress of counter-fraud activities was scheduled for discussion. The report pack indicated that the committee would be congratulating officers on savings made and discussing the factors contributing to improved outcomes, including the formation of a dedicated team. Questions were anticipated regarding the estimate of hidden fraud, the use of public websites for fraud detection, and the potential for benchmarking the council's performance against other boroughs. The report pack also mentioned the updated Speak Up Policy.

Quarterly Internal Audit Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the work of Internal Audit. The report pack highlighted outstanding recommendations on the Cyber Security audit and the interim coverage of the Director of IT position. Discussions were expected to include the Biodiversity Net Gain Grant figure and the basis for its allocation. The committee was also scheduled to consider the findings of a self-assessment by Internal Audit based on issues raised in the Grant Thornton report, focusing on areas such as Key Governance policies and Scepticism, Change and Scrutiny. An action was noted for the committee to receive a smart action plan on this self-assessment. The report pack also indicated discussions on the settlement of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) during lockdown, the effectiveness of the Audit Committee, and the assurance given regarding GDPR. A specific governance issue related to a decision made on Victoria Street was also scheduled for discussion, with a request for the report to be brought back for further consideration with relevant housing officers present.

Annual Report of the Work of the Audit Committee

The committee was scheduled to consider its Annual Report. The report pack indicated that a reference to the response to the Grant Thornton report would be included. Discussions were also expected to focus on optimising the use of committee meeting time and the terms of reference for the committee, with a proposed change from Reviewing to Approving for item 6.1 on the revised terms of reference. The report pack noted that the terms of reference did not include oversight of the corporate plan.

Year Ahead Forward Plan

The committee was scheduled to review its Forward Plan. The report pack indicated that two reports from Children's Services were to be deleted from the plan, with a request for the Children's Scrutiny Committee to retain an overview.

Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting was provisionally scheduled for 29 June 2023 at Newham Town Hall, with a focus on Finance.