To elect a Chairman for the ensuing year.

That Councillor Rae Evans be appointed Chairman for the ensuing year.

That Councillor Rae Evans be appointed Chairman for the ensuing year.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Carter, Hardman and Smith.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

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

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

To receive the minutes of the Joint Committee meeting held on 29^th September 2020

Copy attached marked 4.

That the Minutes of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee held on 29^th September 2020 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee held on 29^th September 2020 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 Friday, 26^th February.

None 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.

None

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

The Director of West Mercia Energy reported that there were no new entries in the Supplier Contracts Register since the last meeting.

Report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

That the draft audit plan for 2020/21 as presented by WR Partners attached at Appendix 1 be approved.

That the commissioning of WR Partners to undertake the audit in accordance with the audit plan be approved.

The Director introduced, John Fletcher (Partner) and Alex Riley (Audit Manager) from W R Partners.  W. R. Partners had recently been appointed as External Auditors responsible for delivering the statutory audit for WME. 

Members thanked John and Alex for their informative presentation and commented that they were pleased a procurement exercise had been undertaken and that a local firm had been appointed.

RESOLVED:

1.           That the draft audit plan for 2020/21 as presented by WR Partners attached at Appendix 1 be approved.

2.           That the commissioning of WR Partners to undertake the audit in accordance with the audit plan be approved.

Report of the Audit Services Manager.

Contact: Ceri Pilawski (01743 257739)

That the Committee consider and endorse, with appropriate comment, the performance to date against the 2020/21 Audit Plan as set out in this report.

Ceri Pilawski, Head of Internal Audit presented the report, which outlined the Internal Audit Performance reports to March 2021. 

RESOLVED:

That the Committee consider and endorse, with appropriate comment, the performance to date against the 2020/21 Audit Plan as set out in this report.

Report of the Audit Services Manager.

Contact: Ceri Pilawski (01743 257739)

That  the the proposed programme of audits for 2021/22 be endorsed.

Ceri Pilawski, Head of Internal Audit presented the report, which outlined the Internal Audit Strategic Plan 2021/22.

RESOLVED:

That the proposed programme of audits for 2021/22 be endorsed.

Report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

That the draft WME Transparency Statement for 2020/21 be approved.

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 2020/21 for approval.

In response to a question relating to whether there had been any issues during the current year with suppliers and monitoring to ensure they were compliant.  In response the Director reported that the company had quite a restricted supplier base and suppliers such as Total Gas and Power and smaller suppliers were covered by the procurement process.  The rest of the supplier base was with the member authorities and covered by detailed Service Level Agreements that were in place.  They were larger companies and organisations who were all required to comply with their own statements.

RESOLVED:

1.           That the draft WME Transparency Statement for 2020/21 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.

Report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

That the WME Risk Management Strategy attached at Appendix A be approved;

That the position as set out in the report be noted.

The Director presented a report which provided a review of the WME Risk Management Strategy.

          RESOLVED:

1.           That the WME Risk Management Strategy attached at Appendix A be approved;

2.           That the position as set out in the report be noted.

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 29^th September 2020.

That the Exempt Minutes of the meeting held on 29^th September 2020 be approved as a correct record. 

RESOLVED:

That the Exempt Minutes of the meeting held on 29^th September 2020 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, presenting the current trading performance for 2020/21, the forecasted full year result for 2020/21 and WME Annual Business Plan and Budget for 2021/22 for approval. 

            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, 28^th September 2021 at 10.00 a.m. Venue to be confirmed

It was noted that the next meeting would take place on Tuesday, 28^th September 2021 at 10.00 a.m. in the Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall, Shrewsbury.