To elect a Chairman of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee for the ensuing year.

That Councillor Adrian Hardman be elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Adrian Hardman be elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Robert Macey (Shropshire), David Harlow (Herefordshire) and Richard Overton (Telford and Wrekin).

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

That Councillor Nic Laurens be appointed Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year. 

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Nic Laurens be appointed Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year. 

To receive the minutes of the Joint Committee meeting held on 25^th September 2017.

Copy attached marked 4.

That the Minutes of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee held on 25^th September 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee held on 25^th September 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 

To receive any questions or petitions from the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14.  The deadline for this meeting is 10.00 a.m. on Friday, 23^rd February 2018.

There were no public questions or petitions received. 

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

The Director of West Mercia Energy will provide a verbal update in line with the WME Standing Orders.

That the update on supplier contracts by the Director of West Mercia Energy be noted.

In accordance with Standing Orders, Mr N. Evans, Director of West Mercia Energy provided an update on Supplier Contracts.

The Director provided an update on negotiations with e.on the meter operator agreement reporting that it had been cost effective to negotiate with e.on to secure a reduction in costs, which was in accordance with Standing Order 3.2 (3).

The Committee confirmed that they were happy to continue to receive a verbal update on Supplier Contracts rather than a written report.

RESOLVED:

That the update on supplier contracts by the Director of West Mercia Energy be noted.

Report of the External Auditor.

Contact: Richard Percival/James McLarnon (0121 212 4000)

That the Audit Plan 2017/18 be endorsed.

Mr Richard Percival (External Auditor – Grant Thornton) presented the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee Audit Plan 2017/18 (copy attached to the signed minutes). 

RESOLVED:

That the Audit Plan 2017/18 be endorsed.

Report of the External Auditor is attached, marked 9.

Contact: Richard Percival/James McLarnon (0121 212 4000)

That the External Audit Informing the Audit Risk 2017/18 be noted and the management responses contained within the report are consistent with the understanding of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee with no further comments to make.

Mr James McLarnon (External Auditor – Grant Thornton) presented the Informing the Audit Risk Assessment 2017/2018 for West Mercia Energy Joint Committee (copy attached to the signed minutes). 

In response to questions relating to the pensions liability, the Treasurer reported that he was investigating options to show the pensions liability elsewhere within the accounts.  The Joint Committee were informed that there would be a cost of approximately £5 - 10,000 and changes to the Joint Agreement required.  The process involved would be to examine the options, consult the actuary and the Section151 Officers of the owning authorities and report back to the Joint Committee and the Cabinet of each owning authority.  The Joint Committee agreed that it was important to fully explore the options available and endorsed the course of action outlined by the Treasurer, with a report back to the Joint Committee in September. 

The Director added that although it had not been an issue to date, there was a risk that it could affect the ability to win customers in the future.

RESOLVED:

That the External Audit Informing the Audit Risk 2017/18 be noted and the management responses contained within the report were consistent with the understanding of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee with no further comments to make.

The reports of the Audit Services Manager.

Appendix A – Creditors

Appendix B – Debtors

Appendix C – Finance

Appendix D – Corporate Governance

Appendix E – IT Audit – Follow Up

Appendix F – Payroll

Appendix G – Procurement

Appendix H – Risk Management and Business Continuity

Contact: Ceri Pilawski (01743 257739)

That the performance to date against the 2017/18 Audit Plan be endorsed.

C. Pilawski, Audit Services Manager introduced Internal Audit Performance Report to February 2018 (copy attached to the signed minutes).  The Audit Services Manager was pleased to report that the company had a very strong control environment. 

RESOLVED:

That the performance to date against the 2017/18 Audit Plan be endorsed.

Report of the Audit Services Manager.

Contact: Ceri Pilawski (01743 257739)

That the proposed programme of audits for 2018/19 be endorsed.

C. Pilawski, Audit Services Manager introduced Internal Audit Strategic Plan 2018/19 (copy attached to the signed minutes). 

RESOLVED:

That the proposed programme of audits for 2018/19 be endorsed.

Report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

That the West Mercia Energy Transparency Statement for 2017/18 be approved, in accordance with Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and for publication of the Statement.

The Director of West Mercia Energy presented the Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement Transparency Statement for 2017/18 (copy attached to the signed minutes) for approval.

RESOLVED:

That the West Mercia Energy Transparency Statement for 2017/18 be approved, in accordance with Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and for publication of the Statement.

To consider a resolution under Section 100 (A) of the Local Government Act 1972 that the proceedings in relation to the following items shall not be conducted in public on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined by the provisions of Schedule 12A of the Act.

RESOLVED:

That under Section 100(A)(A4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded during the consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they might involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12(A) of the Act.

To approve the exempt Minutes of the meeting held on 25^th September 2017.

Contact: Emily Marshall (01743 257717)

That the Exempt Minutes of the meeting held on 26^th September 2017 be approved as a correct record. 

RESOLVED:

That the Exempt Minutes of the meeting held on 26^th September 2017 be approved as a correct record. 

Exempt report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

That the recommendations contained within the exempt report be approved subject to an amendment to recommendation F, to include the requirement to notify the Section 151 Officers of each owning authority.

The Director presented an exempt report (copy attached to the signed exempt minutes), which provided an update on the West Mercia Energy Annual Business Plan and Budget 2017/18.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations contained within the exempt report be approved subject to an amendment to recommendation F, to include the requirement to notify the Section 151 Officers, or their representative of each owning authority.

Exempt report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

That the recommendations contained within the exempt report be approved.

The Director presented an exempt report (copy attached to the signed exempt minutes), which presented the minutes of the Flexible Energy Management/Advisory Panel meetings that had been held since the last meeting of the Joint Committee.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations contained within the exempt report be approved.

Exempt report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

That the recommendations contained within the exempt report be approved.

The Director presented an exempt report (copy attached to the signed exempt minutes), which provided an update on risk management.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations contained within the exempt report be approved.

The next meeting of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee will be held on Monday 24^th September 2018 at 10.00 a.m. in the Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall.

It was noted that the next meeting would take place on Monday, 24^th September 2018 at 10.00 a.m. in the Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall.