To elect a Chairman for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor M. Owen (Shropshire) be elected Chairman for the ensuing year. 

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor P. Price (Worcestershire) be elected Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Bill McClements (Telford and Wrekin).

To receive details of any Member nominated to attend the meeting in place of another Member.

There were no substitutes in attendance.

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.

To receive the minutes of the Joint Committee meeting held on 22^nd September 2014.

Copy attached marked 6.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee held on 22^nd September 2014 be approved as a correct record.

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 by the Director of West Mercia Energy be noted.

The Director of West Mercia Energy provided an update on supplier contracts, in line with the West Mercia Energy Standing Orders.

RESOLVED:

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

Report of the External Auditor is attached, marked 8.

That the West Mercia Supplies Joint Committee Annual Audit Letter 2013/14 be noted.

Mr A. Davies (External Auditor, Grant Thornton), presented the Annual Audit Letter 2013/14, (copy attached to the signed minutes).  The key messages, as detailed within the Letter were outlined and it was noted that work had been completed in line with the Audit Plan.

The fee also remained in line with the Audit Plan.

RESOLVED:

That the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee Annual Audit Letter 2013/14 be noted.

Report of the External Auditor is attached, marked 9.

That the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee Audit Plan 2014/15 be noted.

Mr A. Davies (External Auditor, Grant Thornton), presented the West Mercia Energy Audit Plan 2014/15 (copy attached to the signed minutes).  It was noted that there was no change to the overall audit approach, work planning had not identified any issues that needed to be brought to the attention of the Committee and the fees were in line with the previous year.

During the ensuing discussion it was questioned whether the Audit Fee continued to represent good value for money.  In response the Section 151 Officer explained that this point would be taken into consideration and it was a challenge and probity issue that needed to be maintained.

RESOLVED:

That the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee Audit Plan 2014/15 be noted.

Report of the External Auditor is attached, marked 10.

That the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee Informing the Risk Assessment Paper 2014/15 be noted. 

Mr A. Davies (External Auditor Grant Thornton), presented the Informing the Audit Risk 2014/15 report (copy attached to the signed minutes). 

RESOLVED:

That the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee Informing the Risk Assessment Paper 2014/15 be noted. 

Report of the Audit Services Manager is attached, marked 11. 

That the Internal Audit Report for Finance 2014/15 be noted.

The Audit Services Manager presented the internal audit report for Finance for 2014/15 (copy attached to the signed minutes).  Members noted that there was only one recommendation that required attention and overall the level of assurance was good. 

The Committee thanked the Director of West Mercia Energy and his team for their excellent response to the recommendations and congratulated him on the improvements that had been made over the years.

RESOLVED:

That the Internal Audit Report for Finance 2014/15 be noted.

Report of the Audit Services Manager is attached, marked 12.

That the Internal Audit Report for Debtors 2014/15 be noted.

The Audit Services Manager presented the internal audit report for Debtors for the period 2014/15 (copy attached to the signed minutes).  Members noted that the overall assurance level was good and the management response to the one area that required attention had also been good. 

RESOLVED:

That the Internal Audit Report for Debtors 2014/15 be noted.

The report of the Audit Services Manager is attached, marked 13.

That the Internal Audit Report for Risk Management 2014/15 be noted.

The Audit Services Manager presented the internal audit report for Risk Management for the period 2014/15 (copy attached to the signed minutes). 

It was noted that whilst there was basically a sound systems of control in place there were weakness identified, therefore the overall assurance level was limited.  The Audit Services Manager provided a brief outline of the recommendations that required attention.

RESOLVED:

That the Internal Audit Report for Risk Management 2014/15 be noted.

Report of the Audit Services Manager is attached, marked 14.

That the proposed programme of Audits for West Mercia Energy for 2015/16 be approved.

The Audit Services Manager introduced the report which detailed the proposed programme of audit work for the year 2015/16 (copy attached to the signed minutes).  In response to a question, the Audit Services Manager confirmed that the total of 26 days had remained static, although there could be some flexibility throughout the year. 

RESOLVED:

That the proposed programme of Audits for West Mercia Energy for 2015/16 be approved.

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 receive the Exempt Minutes of the meeting of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee held on 22nd September 2014. 

Report of the Director is attached, marked 17.

That the recommendation contained within the exempt report be approved.

The Director of West Mercia Energy presented an exempt report, copy attached to the signed exempt minutes, which detailed the trading performance to date for 2014/14 together with the current predicted final result for the year. 

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation contained within the exempt report by the Director be approved.

The report of the Director is attached, marked 18.

That the recommendation contained within the exempt report be approved.

The Director of West Mercia Energy presented an exempt report by the Chief Executives, copy attached to the signed exempt minutes, which presented to Members the Business Plan and Budget for the financial year 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation contained within the exempt report by the Chief Executives be approved.

Report of the Director is attached, marked 19.

That the recommendation contained within the exempt report be approved.

The Director of West Mercia Energy presented the exempt report, copy attached to the signed exempt minutes, which presented the minutes of the Flexible Energy Management Panel meetings held on 27^th August 2014 and 26^th November 2014. 

RESOLVED:

That the exempt minutes of the Flexible Energy Management Panel be received.

Report of the Director is attached, marked 20.

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 to Members the updated West Mercia Energy Risk Management Strategy together with the supporting Risk Register. 

RESOLVED:

That the recommendation contained within the exempt report by the Director be approved.

The Director of West Mercia Energy will give a verbal update.

That the update on the Joint Agreement be noted.

The Director of West Mercia Energy provided an update on the Joint Agreement.

RESOLVED:

That the update on the Joint Agreement be noted.

The next meeting of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee will take place on Monday, 21^st September 2014, at 10.00 a.m. in the Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall, Shrewsbury.

It was noted that the next meeting of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee would be held on Monday 28^th September at 10.00 a.m., in the Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall, Shrewsbury.  

(The full version of Minutes 17 to 21 constitutes exempt information under Category 3 of Paragraph 10.4 of Shropshire Council’s Access to Information Rules and have accordingly been withheld from publication.)