Minutes – CPS Audit and Risk Committee Meeting 18 June 2013

Present

Jeremy Newman (C) - Non-executive Board Director
Alan Jenkins - Non-executive Board Director
Caroline Johnstone - Non-executive Member

Guests

Peter Lewis - Chief Executive
Paul Staff - Director of Finance
Joe Mohan - Head of Internal Audit
Mandy Measures - National Audit Office

Apologies

Richard Szadziewski - Non-Executive Member
Mark Lindley - Operations Directorate
Michael Fuller - Chief Inspector, HMCPSI
James Edmands - National Audit Office

Secretariat

Derek Pitts - Internal Audit

Item 1: Introductions, Apologies and Declarations of Conflicts of Interest

1. Apologies were noted. No conflicts of interest were declared.

Item 2: Minutes of Last Meeting and Actions Arising

2. The minutes of the last meeting on 30 April 2013 were agreed. The outstanding actions not covered by the main agenda were reviewed.

Item 4: Highlight Report of CPS Progress against HMCPSI Recommendations

3. The Committee reviewed the CPS highlight report.

4. A briefing was requested on the process which informed the decision to reject the recommendation in relation to a new definition of Disability Hate Crime.

Item 5: HMCPSI Annual Report

5. In the absence of Michael Fuller the Annual Report for 2012-13 was not discussed.

Item 6: SIRO Report on Serious Cases of Unauthorised Disclosure

6. The Committee considered the six monthly report and confirmed that the format met its requirements.

Item 7: Risk Update

7. Paul Staff provided an update, advising that a paper explaining the approach to risk would be provided to the next Committee meeting in October.

Item 8: Electronic access/availability to archive of ARC & other Board papers

8. Joe Mohan and Paul Staff confirmed arrangements for publish of the Audit and Risk Committee minutes to the CPS Website.

Item 9: Effectiveness of the system of control in place to inform the GS

9. Paul Staff set out the key features of the internal control system designed to identify and address risks to organisational objectives and the key assurance sources which underpin the Governance Statement.

Item 10: Finalised CPS Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13

10. Paul Staff provided the committee with an update on the Accounts.

11. The Committee reviewed the Annual Report.

Item 11: NAO Audit Completion Report of CPS 2012-13 Financial Statements

12. Mandy Measures presented the completion report.

Item 12: Internal Audit Plan, Status Report & Final HIA Report

13. Joe Mohan provided a summary of the content of the Annual Internal Audit Opinion.

14. The Committee was presented with the 2013-14 Audit Plan. It was noted that the proposed merger of Internal Audit with the MOJ team in October would present an opportunity for a fresh look at the plan.

Item 13: Internal Audit Transformation Programme

15. An update was provided on the transition of CPS staff to the MOJ group audit function.

Item 14: ARC Annual Report 2012-13

16. The final draft of the Annual Report was agreed and would now be formally issued.

Item 15: Any other business

17. None.

Item 16: New ARC Handbook

18. The committee considered the content of the new handbook and the factsheet provided by NAO that highlighted the main developments.

Item 17: ARC core work - revised annual timetable

19. Subject to some further adjustments, the Committee agreed the revised core work timetable.

Item 18: Area Visits for Committee Members

20. The benefits of Committee members undertaking visits to CPS Areas on an individual basis were noted. It was agreed that the two non-executive members of the Committee would be included in the DPP Area Visit Schedule.

Item 19: Date of next meeting

21. The date of the next Committee meeting was confirmed as 22 October 2013.

Secretary
June 2013