To elect a Chairman for the ensuing year.

That Councillor Peter Nutting be elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Peter Nutting be elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Carter and Harlow.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

That Councillor Philip Price be appointed Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year. 

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Philip Price be appointed Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year. 

To receive the minutes of the Joint Committee meeting held on 24^th September 2018.

Copy attached marked 4.

That the Minutes of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee held on 24^th September 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee held on 24^th September 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. 

To receive any question 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 Monday, 25^th February 2019. 

There were no public questions or petitions.

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 West Mercia Energy Standing Orders.

That the update on supplier contracts be noted.

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

The Director reported two entries, relating to the electricity supply contract and a contract relating to energy third party charges intelligence. 

RESOLVED:

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

Report of the External Auditor

Contact: Richard Percival (0121 212 4000)

1.            That the draft audit plan for 2018/19 as presented by Grant Thornton be approved.

2.            That the commissioning of Grant Thornton to undertake the audit in accordance with the audit plan be approved.

Mr Richard Percival (External Auditor – Grant Thornton) presented the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee Audit Plan 2018/19 (copy attached to the signed minutes).  Mr Percival introduced Mr David Rowley, the new Audit Manager for West Mercia Energy. 

Mr Percival outlined the key points in the Plan, highlighting going concern disclosures as a significant risk, the reasons for this were outlined and included heightened risks for trading due to Brexit outcomes and uncertainty. 

In response to a question from a Member, Mr Percival outlined how the materiality figure had been calculated.

The Joint Committee noted that the Audit Fee had increased by £500 and accepted the explanation given for this.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the draft audit plan for 2018/19 as presented by Grant Thornton be approved.

2.    That the commissioning of Grant Thornton to undertake the audit in accordance with the audit plan be approved.

Report of the External Auditor is attached, marked 9.

Contact: Richard Percival (0121 212 4000)

1.         That the External Audit Informing the Audit Risk 2018/19 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.

2.         That the management responses to the queries raised by Grant Thornton be approved.

Mr Dave Rowley (Audit Manager – Grant Thornton) presented the Informing the Audit Risk Assessment 2018/2019 for West Mercia Energy Joint Committee (copy attached to the signed minutes) picking out the key points to bring to the Committee’s attention. 

Mr Percival wanted to make the Committee aware of one instance of non-compliance relating to an issue with a customer (detailed on page 30 of the report),  however the Committee were reassured that this did not present an audit risk. 

RESOLVED:

1.    That the External Audit Informing the Audit Risk 2018/19 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.

2.    That the management responses to the queries raised by Grant Thornton be approved.

The reports of the Audit Services Manager.

Appendix A – Creditors

Appendix B – Debtors

Appendix C – Finance

Appendix D –Governance

Appendix E – Payroll

Appendix F – Procurement

Appendix G – Risk Management

Contact: Ceri Pilawski (01743 257739)

That the performance to date against the 2018/19 Audit Plan be endorsed.

C. Pilawski, Audit Services Manager introduced Internal Audit Performance Report to February 2019 (copy attached to the signed minutes). 

The Committee were pleased to note the report and felt fully reassured that the organisation was very well run.  The Committee passed on their thanks to all employees of West Mercia Energy and those involved at all levels in the four owning authorities. 

RESOLVED:

That the performance to date against the 2018/19 Audit Plan be endorsed.

Report of the Audit Services Manager.

Contact: Ceri Pilawski (01743 257739)

That the proposed programme of audits for 2019/20 be endorsed.

C. Pilawski, Audit Services Manager introduced Internal Audit Strategic Plan 2019/20 (copy attached to the signed minutes). 

RESOLVED:

That the proposed programme of audits for 2019/20 be endorsed.

Report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

1.            That the draft WME Transparency Statement for 2018/19 be approved.

2.            That authority be delegated to the Director to finalise the WME Transparency Statement and publish it in accordance with section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

The Director of West Mercia Energy presented the Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement Transparency Statement for 2018/19 (copy attached to the signed minutes) for approval.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the draft WME Transparency Statement for 2018/19 be approved.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Director to finalise the WME Transparency Statement and publish it in accordance with section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

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 24^th September 2018.

Contact: Emily Marshall (01743 257717)

That the Exempt Minutes of the meeting held on 24^th September 2018 be approved as a correct record. 

RESOLVED:

That the Exempt Minutes of the meeting held on 24^th September 2018 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.

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 2019/20 and a review of 2018/19.

            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 recommendation contained within the exempt report be approved.

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

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation contained within the exempt report be approved.

Exempt report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

That the recommendation contained within the exempt report be approved.

The Director presented an exempt report (copy attached to the signed exempt minutes), which presented the updated WME Energy Governance, Accountability, Risk and Reporting Policy for approval.

          RESOLVED:

That the recommendation 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 Tuesday, 24^th September 2019 at 10.00 a.m. in the Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall, Shrewsbury.

It was noted that the next meeting would take place on Tuesday, 24^th September 2019 at 10.00 a.m. in the Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall, Shrewsbury.