Minutes of Risk and Assurance Committee Meeting

Monday, 18 November 2024

Te Hui o Te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Heretaunga

Hastings District Council: Risk and Assurance Committee Meeting

Ngā Miniti
Minutes

Kua Tae ā-tinana:
Present:

Chair: Graeme McGlinn – External Independent Appointee

Councillors: Simon Nixon (Deputy Chair), Alwyn Corban, Tania Kerr, Michael Fowler (Chair of Performance & Monitoring Committee) and Councillor Schollum (Chair of Strategy & Recovery Committee)

Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst

Kua Tatū:
In attendance:

Deputy Chief Executive - Bruce Allan

Group Manager: People & Capability - Bronwyn Bayliss

Group Manager: Asset Management – Craig Thew

Group Manager: Community Wellbeing & Services – Rebekah Dinwoodie

Chief Financial Officer – Graham Watson (Lead)

Chief Risk Officer – Regan Smith (Lead)

Business Continuity & Emergency Readiness Advisor - Elmien Steyn

Financial Improvement Analyst – Jess Noiseux

Financial Controller - Aaron Wilson

Management Accountant - Jeff Tieman

Health & Safety and Wellbeing Manager - Jennie Kuzman

Chief Information Officer – Warren Perry

Climate Action Officer - Graham Palmer

Senior Digital Project Manager - Maree Goldie

Management Accountant, Development Contributions – Richard Elgie

Senior Rating Specialist – Shazia Ali

Credit Controller – Leasha Brown

Manager: Democracy & Governance Services – Louise Stettner

Democracy & Governance Advisor - Christine Hilton

Kei Konei:
Also present:

Suresh Ranchhod – Executive Director, Head of Treasury Advisory, Bancorp Treasury (Item 5)

The meeting acknowledged this was the first Risk and Assurance Committee meeting with Graeme McGlinn as Chair, since he had formally taken over this role.

It was further noted that Suresh Ranchhod, Bancorp,who was attending for Item 5 would be arriving later as his flight had been delayed. With the agreement of the meeting Item 5 would therefore be taken out of order, as would some other items to work in with the availability of officers attending this meeting.

1. Apologies – Ngā Whakapāhatanga

Graeme McGlinn/Councillor Schollum

That an apology for absence from Heretaunga Takoto Noa Māori Standing Committee appointee: Tom Keefe be accepted.

CARRIED

2. Conflicts of Interest - He Ngākau Kōnatunatu

There were no declarations of conflicts of interest.

3. Confirmation of Minutes - Te Whakamana i Ngā Miniti

Councillor Kerr/Councillor Fowler

That the minutes of the Risk and Assurance Committee Meeting held Monday 14 October 2024 be confirmed as an accurate record.

CARRIED

Insurance Update

(Document 24/489)

Management Accountant, Jeff Tieman, spoke to the agenda report and responded to questions from the meeting.

Councillor Schollum/Councillor Nixon

That the Risk and Assurance Committee receive the report titled Insurance Update dated 18 November 2024.

CARRIED

Item 6 was then taken out of order – as Suresh Ranchhod, Bancorp (Item 5) had not yet arrived,

as had been noted at the start of these minutes

6.		Project Genesis - Supplier Technology1
		(Document 24/512) Chief Information Officer, Warren Perry, introduced Senior Digital Project Manager, Maree Goldie. Maree spoke to the agenda report and both she and Warren responded to questions from the meeting. Suresh Ranchhod, Bancorp, joined the meeting at 10.30am.
	Councillor Schollum/Mayor Hazlehurst That the Risk and Assurance Committee receive the report titled Project Genesis dated 18 November 2024. CARRIED

Treasury Activity and Funding Update

(Document 24/508)

Financial Controller, Aaron Wilson, initially spoke to the agenda report.

Suresh Ranchhod, Bancorp, also addressed the meeting and responded to extensive questions from the meeting. He displayed and spoke to a power point presentation (CG-17-6-00163), highlighting the main points.

Councillor Nixon/Councillor Fowler

That the Risk and Assurance Committee receive the report titled Treasury Activity and Funding Update dated 18 November 2024.

CARRIED

The meeting briefly adjourned at 11.30am and resumed at 11.35am

(Mayor Hazlehurst and Councillors Corban and Nixon did not rejoin the meeting at this time)

Item 10 was then taken out of order – as had been noted at the start of these minutes,

due to officer availability

10.

Risk Deep Dive - Climate Action

(Document 24/504)

The Climate Action Officer, Graham Palmer, spoke to the agenda report. He outlined his role and the areas he was currently working on and also responded to questions from the meeting.

Councillor Nixon rejoined the meeting at 11.38am.

Councillor Corban rejoined the meeting at 11.45am.

Mayor Hazlehurst rejoined the meeting at 11.47am.

As part of the discussion under this item, four key points were noted as being part of the areas that Graham was looking at in his role in regard to climate action. The meeting asked for these points to be included in the minutes.

· The impact on council facilities and assets.

· The impact on council’s supply chain.

· The impact on council’s distribution chain.

· The impact on council’s recovery.

Councillor Kerr/Councillor Fowler

That the Risk and Assurance Committee receive the report titled Risk Deep Dive - Climate Action dated 18 November 2024.

CARRIED

Assurance Activity Update

(Document 24/483)

Chief Risk Officer, Regan Smith, spoke to the agenda report and responded to questions from the meeting.

The meeting felt that the rating for the last point in the table under Paragraph 1.4 should be high, rather than low to avoid any adverse perception and to maintain transparency. This point related to proactively seeking disclosure from elected members regarding social or interest groups they represent. It was noted that this should also include their business activities/interests.

Councillor Kerr/Councillor Schollum

That the Risk and Assurance Committee receive the report titled Assurance Activity Update dated 18 November 2024.

CARRIED

Item 9 was then taken out of order – as had been noted at the start of these minutes,

due to officer availability

Risk and Assurance Committee Status of Actions and Work Programme

(Document 24/490)

Chief Risk Officer, Regan Smith, spoke to the agenda report and responded to questions from the meeting.

Councillor Kerr left the meeting at 12.35pm.

Councillor Corban/Mayor Hazlehurst

A) That the Risk and Assurance Committee receive the report titled Risk and Assurance Committee Status of Actions and Work Programme dated 18 November 2024.

B) That the Committee adopt the revised work programme (IRB-3-15-24-126) and Standing Agenda items.

CARRIED

Health, Safety & Wellbeing Update

(Document 24/367)

Health, Safety and Wellbeing Manager, Jennie Kuzman, spoke to the agenda report and responded to questions from the meeting.

Mayor Hazlehurst/Councillor Schollum

That the Risk and Assurance Committee receive the report titled Health, Safety & Wellbeing Update dated 18 November 2024.

CARRIED

11.		Rates Update
		(Document 24/507) Senior Rating Specialist, Shazia Ali, and Credit Controller, Leasha Brown, spoke to the agenda report and responded to questions from the meeting.
	Councillor Nixon/Councillor Schollum That the Risk and Assurance Committee Meeting receive the report titled Rates Update dated 18 November 2024. CARRIED

12.		2023/24 Audit Report on Control Findings and issues identified
		(Document 24/460) (EY document “Report on Control Findings to Council for the Year Ended 30 June 2024” had been circulated prior to and also at the meeting, after agenda had been distributed) Strategic Financial Advisor, Jess Noiseux, spoke to the agenda report and responded to questions from the meeting. It was noted that this was the last meeting where Jess would be in this role. A hard copy of the “Report on Control Findings to Council for the Year Ended 30 June 2024” from Council’s auditors, Ernst & Young (EY), which has been noted as Attachment 1 to the report (CG-17-6-00175 and FIN-07-01-24-501), was circulated at the meeting and addressed. This document had been circulated electronically prior to the meeting.
	Councillor Fowler/Councillor Schollum That the Risk and Assurance Committee receive the report titled 2023/24 Audit Report on Control Findings and issues identified dated 18 November 2024. CARRIED

13. Minor Items - Ngā Take Iti

There were no additional business items.

14. Urgent Items - Ngā Take Whakahihiri

There were no extraordinary business items.

It was noted that the first meeting of the new year would be held on Tuesday, 25 February 2025.

The Chair wished the committee members and officers all the best for the upcoming festive season and thanked them all for their work during 2024.

The meeting closed at 12.50pm

Confirmed:

Chairman:

Date: