To elect a Chairman for the ensuing year.

That Councillor Adrian Hardman be elected Chairman for the duration of the meeting.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Adrian Hardman be elected Chairman for the duration of the meeting.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Lee Carter, Liz Harvey, Peter Nutting (S. Charmley Substitute) and John Smith, who may be late.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the ensuing year.

That Councillor Steve Charmley be appointed Vice-Chairman for the duration of the meeting.

RESOLVED:

That Councillor Steve Charmley be appointed Vice-Chairman for the duration of the meeting.

To receive the minutes of the Joint Committee meeting held on 24^th September 2019.   

Copy attached marked 4.

That the Minutes of the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee held on 24^th September 2019 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 2019 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, 21^st February 2020.

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 had no update to report.

Report of the External Auditor

Contact: Richard Percival (0121 212 4000)

1.            That the draft audit plan for 2019/2020 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.

3.            That the Director of West Mercia Energy test the market to ensure value for money for the 2020/2021 Audit. 

Mr Richard Percival (External Auditor – Grant Thornton) presented the West Mercia Energy Joint Committee Audit Plan 2019/20 (copy attached to the signed minutes).

Mr Percival referred to an increase in the annual fee and in response to a question relating to value for money, The Director and Treasurer commented that they could go and test the market.  Mr Percival reminded the Committee that under legislation WME were not required to have an audit, however he would not recommend it. 

The Joint Committee agreed it would be useful to test the market with regards to the future audit service.

RESOLVED

1.            That the draft audit plan for 2019/2020 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.

3.            That the Director of West Mercia Energy test the market to ensure value for money for the 2020/2021 Audit. 

Report of the External Auditor is attached, marked 9.

Contact: Richard Percival (0121 212 4000)

That having considered the proposed management responses contained in the report at Appendix 1, the submission of these management responses to the queries raised by Grant Thornton be approved.

Mr Richard Percival - Grant Thornton) presented the Informing the Audit Risk Assessment 2019/2020 for West Mercia Energy Joint Committee (copy attached to the signed minutes) picking out the key points to bring to the Committee’s attention. 

Councillor Davies, referred to page 35 and the Director confirmed that policies are reviewed regularly.

RESOLVED:

That having considered the proposed management responses contained in the report at Appendix 1, the submission of these management responses to the queries raised by Grant Thornton be approved.

The reports of the Audit Services Manager.

Appendix 1 - Debtors

Appendix 2 - Finance

Appendix 3 – Corporate Governance

Appendix 4 – Procurement

Appendix 5 – IT

Contact: Ceri Pilawski (01743 257739)

That the Committee consider and endorse, with appropriate comment, the performance to date against the 2019/20 Audit Plan as set out in the report.

C. Pilawski, Audit Services Manager introduced Internal Audit Performance Report to February 2020 (copy attached to the signed minutes). 

The Audit Services Manager drew Members attention to the IT Audit Review, commenting that managers were fully aware of the issues and an action plan was in place.  The Director commented that the system was a redevelopment of the existing system and although the overall rating was lower than usual the IT systems were better than they had ever been. 

RESOLVED:

That the Committee consider and endorse, with appropriate comment, the performance to date against the 2019/20 Audit Plan as set out in the report.

Report of the Audit Services Manager.

Contact: Ceri Pilawski (01743 257739)

That the proposed programme of audits for 2020/21, be considered and endorsed with appropriate comment.

C. Pilawski, Audit Services Manager introduced Internal Audit Strategic Plan 2020/21 (copy attached to the signed minutes). 

RESOLVED:

That the proposed programme of audits for 2020/21, be considered and endorsed with appropriate comment.

Report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

That the draft WME Transparency Statement for 2019/20 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 2019/20 (copy attached to the signed minutes) for approval.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the draft WME Transparency Statement for 2019/20 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)

1.    That the Shropshire Council Equality Policy for WME be approved and adopted.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Director of West Mercia Energy, to refresh and review the policy at the appropriate time.

The Director of West Mercia Energy presented the Equality Policy (copy attached to the signed minutes) for approval and adoption.

The Committee recommended that authority be delegated to the Director of West Mercia Energy to refresh and review the Policy at the appropriate time. 

    RESOLVED:

1.    That the Shropshire Council Equality Policy for WME be approved and adopted.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Director of West Mercia Energy, to refresh and review the policy at the appropriate time.

Report of the Treasurer.

Contact: James Walton (01743 258915)

That the Joint Committee agrees to delegate to the WME Treasurer (Shropshire Council Director of Finance, Governance and Assurance (Section 151 Officer)) the calculation of the final position of the WMS pension deficit as at 1 April 2020 and, subject to the approval of such a transfer by the Owning Authorities respective Cabinets, to effect the transfer of the WMS pension liability to the Owning Authorities.

The Treasurer presented a report (copy attached to the signed minutes) outline the treatment of the West Mercia Supplies Pension Liability. 

The Treasurer began by outlining the history of the Pension Liability for the benefit of new Members.  The Committee agreed that it was pleasing to see this longstanding issue come to a conclusion. 

RESOLVED:

That the Joint Committee agrees to delegate to the WME Treasurer (Shropshire Council Director of Finance, Governance and Assurance (Section 151 Officer)) the calculation of the final position of the WMS pension deficit as at 1 April 2020 and, subject to the approval of such a transfer by the Owning Authorities respective Cabinets, to effect the transfer of the WMS pension liability to the Owning Authorities.

Report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

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

2.    That the position as set out in this report be accepted.

The Director presented a report (copy attached to the signed exempt minutes), 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 this report be accepted.

Report of the Director of West Mercia Energy.

Contact: Nigel Evans (0333101 4353)

That the minutes of the Flexible Energy Advisory Panel 9^th September 2019 be endorsed.

The Director presented a 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.

The Committee agreed that in future these minutes should be circulated by email to Members, for their information, rather than being brought to the Joint Committee.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Flexible Energy Advisory Panel 9^th September 2019 be endorsed.

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 2019.

Contact: Emily Marshall (01743 257717)

That the Exempt Minutes of the meeting held on 24^th September 2019 be approved as a correct record. 

RESOLVED:

That the Exempt Minutes of the meeting held on 24^th September 2019 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), presenting the current trading performance for 2019/20, the forecasted year result for 2019/20 and WME Annual Business Plan and Budget for 2020/21 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, 29^th September 2020 at 10.00 a.m. in the Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall.

RESOLVED:

It was noted that the next meeting would take place on Tuesday, 29^th September 2020 at 10.00 a.m. in the Shrewsbury Room, Shirehall, Shrewsbury.