Scrutiny Committee - 24/09/2025
At a MEETING of the SCRUTINY COMMITTEE held remotely on 24th September, 2025.
Present:-
BAILIES
|
Willie SAWERS (for Nadia EL-NAKLA) |
Kevin KEENAN |
Derek SCOTT |
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|
Fraser MACPHERSON |
|
COUNCILLORS
|
Jimmy BLACK
|
Lee MILLS (for Christina ROBERTS) |
Georgia CRUICKSHANK (substitute for elen WRIGHT) |
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Lynne SHORT |
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Bailie Kevin KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.
The minute of meeting of this Committee of 25th June, 2025 was held as read.
Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.
I DECLARATION OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
II FIRE AND RESCUE QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE REPORT
There was submitted Report No 287-2025 by the Area Commander providing information for the Committee regarding the performance of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service against the priorities, outcomes and performance measures detailed within the Local Fire and Rescue Plan for Dundee 2020-2023, to facilitate local scrutiny.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note, scrutinise and question the content of the report.
III DUNDEE POLICING AREA QUARTERLY POLICE REPORT
There was submitted Report No 288-2025 by the Chief Superintendent providing information regarding the performance of Police Scotland.
The Committee agreed to note and scrutinise the operational report.
IV DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL 2023/2024 - ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT
(i) EXTERNAL AUDITORS REPORT TO MEMBERS OF DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CONTROLLER OF AUDIT FOR THE YEAR TO 31ST MARCH, 2025
The above report was submitted, noted and approved (Report No 272-2025).
(ii) DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL 2024/2025 ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT - RESPONSE TO THE EXTERNAL AUDITORS ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT
There was submitted Report No 273-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services in response to the external audit of Dundee City Council for the year to 31st March, 2025.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the contents of the draft External Auditor's Report including the completed action plan as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report and, in particular, that Audit Scotland had indicated they would issue an unqualified audit opinion on each of the 2024/2025 Annual Accounts noted above;
(ii) to endorse the report as the Councils formal response to the External Auditor's Report;
(iii) to instruct the Executive Director of Corporate Services to arrange for each of the Audited Annual Accounts noted in the report to be signed and then returned to the External Auditor; and
(iv) to instruct the Executive Director of Corporate Services thereafter to arrange for the Annual Accounts noted in the report, including copies of all audit certificates and accounts of the Councils subsidiary bodies to be published on the Councils website.
(a) DRAFT AUDIT STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS
(i) Dundee City Council
The above report was submitted, noted and approved (Report No 274-2025).
(b) EXTERNAL AUDITORS ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT TO TRUSTEES OF DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL TRUST FUNDS FOR THE YEAR TO 31ST MARCH, 2025
The above report was submitted, noted and approved (Report No 278-2025).
(c) RESPONSE TO EXTERNAL AUDITORS REPORT - ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT TO TRUSTEES OF DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL TRUST FUNDS FOR THE YEAR TO 31ST MARCH, 2025
There was submitted Report No 279-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, in response to the report prepared by the Council Trust Funds external auditor on the audit of Dundee City Council Trust Funds for the year to 31st March, 2025. A copy of following draft reports were also included on the agenda as separate items:
- External Auditor's Report (Report No 278-2025);
- Audited Dundee City Council Charitable Trusts Annual Accounts 2024/25 (Report No 275-2025);
- Audited Lord Provost of Dundee Charity Fund Annual Accounts 2024/25 (Report No 276-2025); and
- Audited Fleming Trust Annual Accounts 2024/2025 (Report No 277-2025).
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the information in the report and the contents of the draft External Auditor's Report, and in particular that Audit Scotland had indicated they would issue a qualified audit opinion on each of the 2024/2025 Annual Accounts noted above;
(ii) to authorise the Executive Director of Corporate Services to arrange for each of the Audited Annual Accounts noted above to be signed and then returned to the External Auditor; and
(iii) to ask the Executive Director of Corporate Services thereafter to arrange for the above Annual Accounts, including copies of all audit certificates and accounts of the Councils subsidiary bodies to be published on the Councils website.
(d) DRAFT AUDIT STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS
(i) Dundee City Council Charitable Trusts
The above report was submitted, noted and approved (Report No 275-2025).
(ii) Lord Provost of Dundee Charity Fund
The above report was submitted, noted and approved (Report No 276-2025).
(iii) Fleming Trust
The above report was submitted, noted and approved (Report No 277-2025).
V INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN UPDATE AND PROGRESS REPORT
There was submitted Report No 250-2025 by the Chief Internal Auditor, providing an update on the progress towards delivering the 2025/2026 Internal Audit Plan; the audits from previous years plans that were not complete in June, 2025; and information about the number of open internal audit recommendations.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the progress with the Internal Audit Plan, including the identification of the IT audits to be undertaken;
(ii) agreed to postpone the audit of Employability Services into the 2026/2027 Audit Plan; and
(iii) to note progress with the implementation of agreed internal audit recommendations
VI INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS
There was submitted Report No 249-2025 by the Chief Internal Auditor, submitting a summary of the Internal Audit Reports finalised since the last Scrutiny Committee.
The Committee agreed to note the information contained within the report.
VII NATIONAL FRAUD INITIATIVE
There was submitted Report No 248-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, updating the Committee on the current mandatory 2024/2025 National Fraud Initiative (NFI) exercise and the 2024/2025 Electoral Roll/Council Taxi Single Person Discount data matching exercise.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the update and continuation of the work on investigating the 2024/2025 NFI exercises at Appendix 1 of the report; and
(ii) to note the completed NFI Self-Appraisal Checklist Part A for those charged with governance at Appendix 2 of the report.
VIII CORPORATE FRAUD TEAM ACTIVITY AND PERFORMANCE, INCLUDING WHISTLEBLOWING 2024/2025
There was submitted Report No 247-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, informing the Committee of the Corporate Fraud Teams (CFTs) activity and performance for the 12-month period to 31st March, 2025, including whistleblowing activity.
The Committee agreed to note the information in the report.
IX COUNCIL PLAN 2022/2027 - PROGRESS REPORT FOR 2024/2025
Reference was made to Article IV of the minute of meeting of the City Governance Committee of 23rd June, 2025, wherein it was agreed to submit the above report to this meeting of the Scrutiny Committee for further consideration.
There was submitted Report No 189-2025 by the Chief Executive providing the third annual progress report on the Council Plan 2022/2027.
The Committee agreed to note the progress made since the launch of the Council Plan 2022/2027.
Kevin KEENAN, Convener.