Minutes – CPS Audit and Risk Committee Meeting 23 April 2014

Present

Jeremy Newman (C) - Non-executive Board Director
Caroline Johnstone - Non-executive Member
Richard Szadziewski - Non-executive Member

Guests

Paul Staff - Director of Finance
Mark Lindley - Operations Directorate
Marc Rainforth - Head of Internal Audit
Chris Davies - Internal Audit
Asker Husain - Deputy Chief Inspector, HMCPSI
James Edmands - National Audit Office

Guests

Alan Jenkins - Non-executive Board Director
Sajid Rafiq - National Audit Office
Michael Fuller - Chief Inspector, HMCPSI

Secretariat

Rachel Gough - Strategy & Policy Directorate
Simon Jeal - Strategy & Policy Directorate

Item 1: Declaration of Conflicts of Interest

1. Richard Szadziewski advised that he had been appointed interim Director of Finance for Doncaster Children's Trust - although this was not though to present a conflict of interest.

Item 2: Minutes of Last Meeting & Actions Arising

2. The minutes of the last meeting held on 20 January 2014 were agreed. Progress was noted against the outstanding actions not covered by the main agenda.

Item 3: Highlight Report of CPS Progress against HMCPSI Recommendations

3. Mark Lindley provided an overview of the highlight report.

Item 4: HIA Introduction (incl. Status Report & HIA Annual Report)

4. Marc Rainforth provided an outline of the Ministry of Justice Internal Audit model.

5. The Committee reviewed the draft Internal Audit Annual Opinion and noted progress against the 2013-14 Audit Plan.

Item 5: Draft Internal Audit Plan 2014/15

6. Marc Rainforth provided an overview of the draft three year Internal Audit Plan. This was endorsed by the Committee.

Item 6: NAO Interim Report on CPS 2013/14 Financial Statements

7. James Edmands provided a verbal update on the NAO report. He advised that the written report would be prepared for the June meeting of the Committee.

Item 7: Draft CPS Annual Report & Accounts 2013/14

8. The Committee reviewed an early draft version of the annual report and accounts.

Item 8: Certificate of Assurance 2013

9. The Committee reviewed the 2013 Certificate of Assurance Analysis Report.

Item 9: Gifts & Hospitality Register

10. The Committee reviewed the six month update on the CPS gift and hospitality registers.

Item 10: Risk Management Process Update

11. Paul Staff provided an update on the range of work being undertaken to progress and embed the CPS risk management process.

12. It was agreed that the risk register of a CPS Area would be reviewed at the June meeting of the Committee.

Item 11: Review of Corporate Risk 6

13. Risk 6: We do not transform our business environment quickly enough, because of failure to embed and exploit digital working practices in the CPS and across the CJS.

14. Paul Whittaker provided an overview of the risk and activity in this area.

Item 12: AOB

15. The Committee was advised that the HMCPSI report on CPS London was shortly due to be published.

Item 13: Draft Audit & Risk Committee Annual Report 2013/14

16. The Committee reviewed the draft report and advised of some further additions and amendments.

Item 14: Review of ARC Effectiveness - Action Plan

17. The Committee reviewed the recommendations and actions arising from its self-assessment of effectiveness which was undertaken in January.

Closed Discussion of the Committee

18. Closed discussion took place between the Committee members.

Secretary
April 2014