The council meeting focused on reviewing and approving various policies and reports, including the risk-based verification policy and the internal audit contract. Discussions also covered the annual governance statement and the draft statement of accounts for the previous financial year.

1. Risk-Based Verification Policy 2024/2025:

   • Decision: Approved the policy.
   • Arguments: Councillor Nell presented the policy, emphasizing its efficiency in fraud prevention and administrative cost reduction. Councillor Middleton raised concerns about the transparency of the risk assessment process.
   • Implications: The policy aims to streamline the verification process for housing benefits and council tax reduction claims, focusing resources on high-risk cases to prevent fraud.

2. Internal Audit Contract Procedure:

   • Decision: Entered a new contract with Veritau.
   • Arguments: Discussed the necessity of replacing the outgoing provider and the selection of Veritau after evaluating available suppliers.
   • Implications: This decision ensures continuity and potentially enhances the internal audit and counter-fraud services provided to the council.

3. Annual Governance Statement 2022/2023:

   • Decision: Updated actions were noted and approved.
   • Arguments: The monitoring officer highlighted the completion of most planned actions and the ongoing updates to the council's constitution.
   • Implications: The council reaffirms its commitment to robust governance practices, ensuring transparency and accountability in its operations.

4. Draft Statement of Accounts 2022/2023:

   • Decision: The draft accounts were noted.
   • Arguments: The accounts were presented with no significant changes from the previous year, but with updates to the going concern section.
   • Implications: Acknowledging the draft accounts helps prepare for the final approval and provides a financial overview for council operations.

Interesting Event: During the meeting, there was a significant discussion about the classification and valuation of Castle Key, a major council asset. Councillor Middleton questioned the loss in valuation and its absence from recent financial statements, leading to a detailed explanation and defense of the asset's management and classification by Councillor Nell and the finance team. This highlighted ongoing concerns and scrutiny over large-scale investments by the council.