Humber Archaeology Partnership Joint Board Venue: Room 80, the Guildhall, Hull Date: Monday 29Th June 2015 Time: 10.00Am
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Humber Archaeology Partnership Joint Board Venue: Room 80, The Guildhall, Hull Date: Monday 29th June 2015 Time: 10.00am. AGENDA 1. Apologies. To receive apologies for those Members who are unable to attend the meeting. 2. Election of Chair for the meeting. 3. Minutes of the meeting of 6th February 2015 (enclosed), and matters arising. To agree the minutes as a true and correct record; to discuss any matters arising from those minutes. 4. Annual Return for the Humber Archaeology Partnership for the financial year ended 31st March 2015 (report enclosed). To approve the annual return and statement of accounts 5. Annual Governance Statement 2014-2015, and the actions which we are now required to take (report enclosed. Please note that there are eight separate sub- sections, each of which must be separately confirmed and minuted. The HAP JB has: i. Approved the statement of accounts which has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations and proper practice. ii. Maintained an adequate system of internal control, including measures designed to prevent and detect fraud and corruption, and reviewed its effectiveness iii. Taken all reasonable steps to assure itself that there are no matters of actual or potential non-compliance with laws, regulations and codes of practice, which could have a significant financial effect on the ability of the body to conduct its business or on its finances iv. Provided proper opportunity during the year for the exercise of electors’ rights in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations v. Carried out an assessment of the risks facing the body, and taken appropriate steps to manage those risks, including the introduction of internal controls, and/or external insurance cover, where required vi. Maintained throughout the year an adequate and effective system of internal audit of the body’s accounting records and control systems, and carried out a review of its effectiveness vii. Taken appropriate action on all matters raised in reports from internal and external audit, and viii. Considered whether any litigation, liabilities or commitments, events or transactions, occurring either during or after the year-end, have a financial impact on the body, and, where appropriate, have included them in the statement of accounts 1 6. Manager's progress report on the work of the Partnership during the previous financial year, 2014-2015. (Report enclosed) 7. Manager's progress report on the work of the Partnership during the current financial year, 2015-2016. (Report enclosed) 8. Review of the staffing structure, resourcing, and future work programme of the Joint Archaeology Service. (Report enclosed). 9. Proposal to use part of our earmarked reserve for the employment of a Modern Apprentice. (Report enclosed). 10. Briefing Note on the archaeological implications of the proposed A63 highway improvements along Castle Street, Hull. (Report enclosed). 11. Any other business. 12. Date and venue of the next Board meeting. Tea and coffee will be available at the meeting. 2 Agenda Item 4 Humber Archaeology Partnership Joint Board 29th June 2015 The Annual Return for the Humber Archaeology Partnership for 2014-2015 Archaeology Manager 1. Purpose of report and summary 1.1. To report to the Board on the Annual Return for the Partnership, for the last financial year (2014 – 2015). Copies of the Annual Return will be presented to the Board at the meeting. Recommendations 2.1. That the Board approves the Annual Return. 2.2. That the Chair signs the top copy of the Annual Return, to confirm the Board’s approval, so that the completed document can be submitted to the external audior, as required by the Audit Commission. 3 Agenda Item 5 Humber Archaeology Partnership Joint Board 26th June 2015 Annual Governance Statement for 2014-2015, and the actions which we are now required to take Archaeology Manager 1. Purpose of report and summary 1.1. To report to the Board on the Annual Governance Statement for the Partnership, for the last financial year (2014 – 2015), and on the actions which, as a joint service, we are now required to take. Recommendations 2.1 That the Board approves the Governance Statement, and confirms and minutes that it has: (i) Approved the statement of accounts which has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations and proper practice. (ii) Maintained an adequate system of internal control, including measures designed to prevent and detect fraud and corruption, and reviewed its effectiveness (iii) Taken all reasonable steps to assure itself that there are no matters of actual or potential non-compliance with laws, regulations and codes of practice, which could have a significant financial effect on the ability of the body to conduct its business or on its finances (iv) Provided proper opportunity during the year for the exercise of electors’ rights in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations (v) Carried out an assessment of the risks facing the body, and taken appropriate steps to manage those risks, including the introduction of internal controls, and/or external insurance cover, where required (vi) Maintained throughout the year an adequate and effective system of internal audit of the body’s accounting records and control systems, and carried out a review of its effectiveness (vii) Taken appropriate action on all matters raised in reports from internal and external audit, and (viii) Considered whether any litigation, liabilities or commitments, events or transactions, occurring either during or after the year-end, have a financial impact on the body, and, where appropriate, have included them in the statement of accounts 4 3. Report 3.1. This will be the second and final year in which our accounts have been audited by PKF Littlejohn, as auditors appointed by the former Audit Commission. We were notified in late autumn that as from 2015-16, we would no longer be included in the list of Small Bodies whose accounts must be subject to such external audit; however, as this change was introduced part-way through the financial year 2014-15, we would be expected to complete our audit for that particular year under the existing system. A copy of their certified Annual Return is included as agenda Item 4, above. Actions which we are now required to take: 3.2. As we are a joint public service, we are subject to external audit annually: our audited accounts must be publicly accessible for scrutiny. We are therefore subject to the requirements of the Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2011 (SI 2011/817). 3.3. The Board needs to confirm and minute a series of specific resolutions, in response to the Annual Statement of Governance. These are set out below, and follow a formula outlined by the former Audit Commission; in previous years, we have followed this procedure, and it would appear to address the requirement to provide evidence that the Board has indeed considered the adequacy of its internal controls. Recommendation 3.4. In order to comply with the auditors’ requirements to produce evidence that the Board has considered the adequacy of its internal controls, that the HAP Joint Archaeology Board should confirm and minute that it has: (i) Approved the statement of accounts which has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations and proper practice. (ii) Maintained an adequate system of internal control, including measures designed to prevent and detect fraud and corruption, and reviewed its effectiveness (iii) Taken all reasonable steps to assure itself that there are no matters of actual or potential non-compliance with laws, regulations and codes of practice, which could have a significant financial effect on the ability of the body to conduct its business or on its finances (iv) Provided proper opportunity during the year for the exercise of electors’ rights in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations (v) Carried out an assessment of the risks facing the body, and taken appropriate steps to manage those risks, including the introduction of internal controls, and/or external insurance cover, where required (vi) Maintained throughout the year an adequate and effective system of internal audit of the body’s accounting records and control systems, and carried out a review of its effectiveness (vii) Taken appropriate action on all matters raised in reports from internal and external audit, and (viii) Considered whether any litigation, liabilities or commitments, events or transactions, occurring either during or after the year-end, have a financial impact on the body, and, where appropriate, have included them in the statement of accounts 5 4. Officer contact For background information, please contact Dr. D. Evans, Humber Archaeology Partnership, The Old School, Northumberland Avenue, Hull HU2 0LN (tel. 01482 310619). 6 For information only Agenda Item 6 Humber Archaeology Partnership Joint Board 29th June 2015 Report on the work of the Partnership during the previous financial year 2014-2015 Archaeology Manager 1. Purpose of report and summary 1.1. To report to the Board on the work of the Partnership in the previous financial year (2014 – 2015). 2. FOR INFORMATION ONLY. 7 3. Report Curatorial Section (the Humber SMR) 3.1 Development Control work was steady, despite the overall numbers of planning applications appearing on the weekly lists being slightly less than the numbers recorded last year (5548, compared with 5767; see section 1.16, below); the recommendations for actions advised remain similar to recent years. Other aspects of our planning-related casework (e.g. Forward and Strategic Planning) remain at similar levels to last year. Developer enquiries continue to be buoyant. 3.2 As previously reported, the numbers of agri-environment schemes submitted to us have decreased from the levels in previous years; this is in line with changes introduced at national level, and may well continue into the current financial year.