Committee Report Committee: Corporate Services Sub Committee Date: 22nd August 2007	Agenda Item No:	3
	Part One	√
	Part Two
	Appendix Attached

Report Title		Corporate Services Sub-Committee : Terms of Reference and Meetings Arrangements
Report by		Charles Oakley, Head of Finance
Ward Implications		All
1.0	Summary
1.1	At the Council meeting on 27th April 2007 the creation of a single Policy Committee was agreed to merge the activities previously undertaken by the Policy (Environment) and Policy (Corporate Services & Regeneration) Committees.
1.2	At Policy Committee on 13th June 2007 the creation of a Corporate Services Sub-Committee was agreed. The Corporate Services Sub-Committee will build on the role of the Resource Efficiency & Effectiveness Sub-Committee (REESC) that was originally established “to continue to consider and meet the requirements of the Gershon Agenda and to implement the Council’s Savings Strategy”.
2.0	Recommendations
2.1	To agree the meeting arrangements for the Sub-Committee the remainder of the 2007/08 municipal year; and
2.2	To agree the terms of reference.
3.0	Report
3.1	At the meeting of Policy Committee held on 13th June 2007,it was agreed that the membership of Corporate Services Sub-Committee for the 2007/08 municipal year should be based on political balance requirements as set out below: Councillor EI Hunter Councillor G O’Connell Councillor RJ Patterson Councillor AS Rogerson Councillor JE Smith Councillor RJD Watkin
3.2	Timing of Meetings
	Sub-Committee meetings will be scheduled to enable the minutes of the meeting and any recommendations to be reported to next meetings of the parent (Policy) Committee.
3.3	Terms of Reference
	Terms of Reference Frequency When 1 Use of Resources Corporate Assessment (Progress Reports & External Audit Assessments) Quarterly Sep, Nov, Feb & May 2 Review of Financial Reporting (General Fund, Capital & Housing Revenue Account) Quarterly Sep, Nov, Feb & May 3 Review of Annual Financial Accounts (Draft & Final Audited) and Statement of Internal Control Twice per Year Jun & Sep 4 Act as and is delegated to be the Council's Audit Committee Ongoing Throughout Year 5 Review of Annual Audit Inspection Letter Annual Feb or Apr 6 Financial Governance & Quality Assurance (Consider Financial Regulations, Training, Manuals) Ad hoc Feb 7 Council’s Audit Committee (Consider Internal Audit Annual Report, Internal Audit Plan, Responses to Audit Recommendations) Quarterly Sep, Nov, Feb & May 8 Risk Management Strategy (Guidance & Monitoring) Twice per Year Nov & May 9 Procurement Strategy (Guidance & Monitoring) Twice per Year Nov & May 10 Medium Term Financial Strategy (Guidance & Monitoring) Ongoing Jul to Nov 11 Integrated Service & Financial Planning (Guidance & Monitoring) Ongoing Jul to Nov 12 Be the principal body for considering preparatory work for the Council's Annual Budget Setting each year Ongoing Throughout Year
4.0	Implications
4.1	Comments from the Council’s Section 151 Officer
	The content of report represents the view of the Chief Finance Officer.
4.2	Comments from the Council’s Monitoring Officer
	No comments
4.3	Comments from the Head of Paid Service
	None arising directly from this report
4.4	Local Agenda 21
	None directly
4.5	Equality
	None directly
4.6	Crime and Disorder
	None directly
5.0	Report Author
5.1	Charles Oakley, Head of Finance (01289) 301730, email address cro@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk
6.0	Service Head
6.1	Jane Pannell, Chief Executive
7.0	Background Papers
7.1	None.