#minutesnotfitforpurpose
This is the link to the Council website showing the minutes of this meeting.
Agenda and draft minutes
Audit
Monday, 19th April, 2021 2.00 pm
I share these minutes to show to the public how the Monitoring Officer and the Democratic Services Officer provide minutes that are not fit for purpose.
The main purpose of these minutes is to OBFUSCATE.
You will note a lot of detail of questions.
You will also note the OMISSION of answers to many of the questions.
This means that nobody knows what answers were given to those questions.
This also means that nobody is able to be made accountable for these answers.
THAT IS OBFUSCATION.
You and the Council Members are treated like mushrooms.
Fed with manure and kept in the dark.
I refer, as an example, to Minute No 546.
I have inserted my appropriate comments within the extracted minutes below:
To consider report of the Interim Chief Executive
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed Cabinet Members and Officers to the Meeting.
Councillor A Barry led the Committee through the ‘Annual Risk Management Progress Report and Updated Corporate Risk Register for 2020-21’ report and moved the recommendations as contained within the report.
He also referred to the length of time in relation to reporting on the Corporate Risk Register to the Committee and sought the views of the Committee on this.
The following questions were then raised by the Committee and were responded to by the Cabinet Members and the Officers:
· Paragraph 3.3 – What Training is received by Members – Training via Bob’s Business – How many Councillors are up to date with this Training in particular Risk Management
No answers.
· (Ellis Cooper advised that this information would be circulated to the Committee)
Ellis Cooper stated that the information would be circulated to the Committee.
There is no indication that this information will be available within the minutes of a future meeting.
· The opportunity for Lay Members to access this Training would be useful
No answer.
· Paragraph 4.1 – Using the Corporate Risk Register and process to assess the impacts of the Coronavirus Pandemic – Is there a list of impacts of the virus so far and could the Councillors have sight of this
· (Matthew Rivers advised that a further in depth look could be undertaken and circulated to the Members)
Matthew Rivers stated further information could be circulated to the Members.
There is no indication that this information will be available within the minutes of a future meeting.
· Paragraph 5.8:
· Risk 5 (i) – (April 2021 – Likelihood should read 3 not 4) – Reason for this reduction
· Risk 5 (ii) – Where are the Single Points of Dependency (SPOD’s) in the Authority – Is there a list available – Will spending on new staff reduce the risk score – How much would have to be spent to bring down the risk score significantly – Has any money been spent to fill the gap in Environmental Health – How much would the financial cost be of dealing with all SPOD’s
No answers.
· Risk 7 – Brexit – How long will this be kept on the Risk Register – Was Brexit monies applied for and if so what was the amount
No answers.
· If Capacity now covers Governance where is the risk element in relation to Governance listed as there is a Statutory requirement in some areas
No answers.
· How is the financial impact assessed in risk
No answer.
· Risk 2 – Reputation –Further details requested on this risk score
No answer.
· Paragraph 6.2 – March 2020 should read March 2021
· Appendix A – Some dates and Cabinet Member details need to be updated
What details needed to be updated?
The Committee then considered the frequency of reporting risk and agreed that a report be brought back to Committee in three months.
Resolved subject to the foregoing that:
(a) The report be noted and this report (including the Corporate Risk Register for 2021-22) progresses to Cabinet for approval
(b) The continued progress made in considering the Risk Management requirements of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the Socio-economy Duty be noted
(c) Lead Corporate Management Team Officers be invited to attend Audit Committee on a rolling programme basis to report on progress in managing their Corporate Risks
(d) The proposals to continue to present highlight reports on the Corporate Risk Register to Cabinet be noted
Supporting documents:
Conclusion
As I have stated in previous posts, there is a lot of detail in these minutes relating to questions raised but not much substance as to the answers to the questions.
It is illogical to record, in detail, in the minutes the questions raised without recording the answers and the individuals providing those answers.
It can serve one purpose only. Its not ROCKET SCIENCE is it?
Merthyr Council Cover-up 