Scrutiny And Audit Committee - 24/06/2026
At a MEETING of the SCRUTINY AND AUDIT COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 24th June, 2026.
Present:-
BAILIES
|
Will DAWSON |
Willie SAWERS (for Lynne SHORT) |
Fraser MACPHERSON |
|
|
Kevin KEENAN |
|
COUNCILLORS
|
Jimmy BLACK |
Stewart HUNTER |
George McIRVINE (for Helen WRIGHT) |
Bailie Kevin KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.
The minute of meeting of the Scrutiny and Audit Committee of 22nd April, 2026 was held as read.
Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.
I DECLARATION OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
(A) SCRUTINY REPORT ITEMS
II INSPECTION OF ST PAULS RC ACADEMY
There was submitted Report No 152-2026 by the Interim Executive Director of Children and Families Service of the findings of the His Majestys Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) inspection of St Pauls RC Academy in December, 2025.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the contents of the report; and
(ii) to instruct the Chief Education Officer to monitor progress towards meeting the areas for improvement outlined in the report.
III SUMMARY OF EXTERNAL CARE INSPECTORATE INSPECTION REPORTS FOR LOCAL AUTHORITY NURSERIES - MAY, 2025TO MARCH, 2026
There was submitted Report No 150-2026 by the Interim Executive Director of Children and Families Service, providing a summary of the Care Inspectorate inspection reports for Dundee City Council from May, 2025 to March, 2026.
The Committee agreed to note the reports.
IV CARE INSPECTORATE REPORTS ON CHILDRENS HOUSES
There was submitted Report No 151-2026 by the Interim Executive Director of Children and Families Service, providing a summary of Care Inspectorate findings on recent inspections of Childrens Houses at Craigie Cottage, Millview Cottage and Drummond House.
The Committee agreed to note the contents of the report including findings and work being undertaken to progress further improvements.
V ANNUAL COMPLAINTS REPORT 2025/2026
There was submitted Report No 119-2026 by the Chief Executive presenting the Annual Report on Complaints for 2025/2026, contained in Appendix 1 to the report, presenting an update on performance regarding corporate complaints in 2025/2026, with comparisons to previous years, and showing how the Council continues to learn from complaints.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the key performance indicators (KPIs) on complaints closed between 1st April, 2025 and 31st March, 2026, with trends from previous periods as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report 1;
(ii) to note a summary of complaints about the Council received by and determined by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman during 2025/2026;
(iii) to note examples of the range and volume of transactions the Council had with customers and citizens as a context for the number of complaints received - contained in Appendix 2 to the report;
(iv) to note examples of how complaints have been used to improve services;
(v) to note examples of compliments received about Council services; and
(vi) to note results of the satisfaction survey sent to people who made complaints in 2025/2026.
(B) AUDIT REPORT ITEMS
VI INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS
There was submitted Report No 108-2026 by the Chief Internal Auditor, submitting a summary of the Internal Audit Reports finalised since the last Scrutiny and Audit Committee.
The Committee agreed to note the information contained within the report.
VII INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN UPDATE AND PROGRESS REPORT
There was submitted Report No 109-2026 by the Chief Internal Auditor, submitting an update on the progress towards delivering the 2025/2026 Internal Audit Plan; the audit 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 progress with the Internal Audit Plan;
(ii) to note progress with the implementation of agreed internal audit recommendations; and
(iii) to note the position regarding the review of the Internal Audit Mandate and Charter.
VIII 2025/2026 INTERNAL AUDIT ANNUAL REPORT
There was submitted Report No 110-2026 by the Chief Internal Auditor, submitting the Chief Internal Auditors Annual Report for 2025/2026. This report provided an independent annual internal audit conclusion on the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the organisations governance, risk management and control framework and a summary of the key activities of the Councils Internal Audit Service during the period from which the conclusion was derived.
It also provided all the information that the Global Internal Audit Standards as adjusted for the UK Public Sector (GIAS (UK Public Sector) required to be reported to those charged with governance.
The Committee agreed to consider and note the contents of this report.
IX AUDIT SCOTLAND NATIONAL REPORTS
There was submitted Report No 31-2026 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, providing a summary of recent national reports that had been undertaken by Audit Scotland on behalf of the Accounts Commission.
The Committee agreed to note the key messages arising from the Audit Scotland reports and other information included in the report.
X OTHER REPORTS RELEVANT TO THE REMIT OF THE SCRUTINY AND AUDIT COMMITTEE
There was submitted Report No 112-2026 by the Chief Internal Auditor advising Committee of reports submitted to Tayside Contracts, Tayside Valuation Joint Board, Tay Road Bridge Joint Board, and Tay Cities Regional Deal Joint Committee that were relevant to the work of the Scrutiny and Audit Committee.
The Committee agreed to review the reports listed at Appendix 1 to the report and determine whether any of the reports should be the subject of a more detailed discussion by the Scrutiny and Audit Committee.
XI STRATEGIC RISK REGISTER
There was submitted Report No 137-2026 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, presenting an update on the Councils Strategic Risk Register.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the content of the report;
(ii) to note the report was previously considered by City Governance Committee on 8th June, 2026; and
(iii) to note that for future reviews of the Councils Strategic Risk Register, these will be remitted to Scrutiny and Audit Committee in the first instance and members of this Committee will then refer any appropriate matters to City Governance Committee for consideration.
XII ANNUAL GOVERNANCE STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR TO 31ST MARCH, 2026
There was submitted Report No 139-2026 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, presenting the Annual Governance Statement for approval and inclusion into the unaudited Annual Accounts for the year ended 31st March, 2026.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the contents of the covering report;
(ii) to approve the Annual Governance Statement which was included as an Appendix to the report;
(iii) to instruct the Executive Director of Corporate Services to include the Annual Governance Statement in the Annual Accounts for the year to 31st March, 2026; and
(iv) to note that a copy of the approved Annual Governance Statement will be submitted to the Dundee Health and Social Care Partnership for assurance purposes.
XIII DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL - UNAUDITED ANNUAL ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED31ST MARCH, 2026
There was submitted Report No 136-2026 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, providing some background and additional commentary on the Councils unaudited Annual Accounts for the year ended 31st March, 2026 which were being submitted to the Scrutiny and Audit Committee along with the report.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the contents of the covering report;
(ii) to note the unaudited Annual Accounts which had been submitted along with the report;
(iii) to instruct the Executive Director of Corporate Services to arrange for the unaudited Annual Accounts to be signed as required and submitted to the Councils external auditor by 30th June, 2026 at the latest;
(iv) to note that the key assumptions underpinning the independent actuarys calculation of the Council's IAS 19 liability have been reviewed and accepted by the Council as administering authority for the Pension Fund; and
(v) to note that a members briefing on the Annual Accounts would be arranged.
XIV SECTION 106 CHARITIES - UNAUDITED ANNUAL ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH, 2026
There was submitted Report No 153-2026 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, providing some background and additional commentary on the Section 106 charities unaudited Annual Accounts for the year ended 31st March, 2026 which were being submitted to the Scrutiny and Audit Committee along with the report.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the contents of the covering report;
(ii) to note the unaudited Annual Accounts for Dundee City Council Charitable Trusts which follow in Report No 154-2026;
(iii) to note the unaudited Annual Accounts for Fleming Trust which follow in Report No 155-2026;
(iv) to note the unaudited Trustees Report and Unaudited Accounts for Lord Provost of Dundee Charity Fund which follow in Report No 156-2026; and
(v) to instruct the Executive Director of Corporate Services to arrange for the above sets of unaudited accounts to be signed as required and submitted to the Councils external auditor by 30th June, 2026 at the latest.
(i) DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL CHARITABLE TRUSTS
The above report was submitted, noted and approved (Report No 154-2026).
(ii) LORD PROVOST OF DUNDEE CHARITY FUND
The above report was submitted, noted and approved (Report No 156-2026).
(iii) FLEMING TRUST
The above report was submitted, noted and approved (Report No 155-2026).
XV 2025/2026 SCRUTINY AND AUDIT COMMITTEE SELF-ASSESSMENT AND ANNUAL REPORT
There was submitted Report No 111-2026 by the Chief Internal Auditor, providing a draft annual report on the work undertaken by the Scrutiny and Audit Committee during 2025/2026.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to review the draft annual report for the year to 31st March, 2026 and provide any comment;
(ii) to determine whether any amendments were required in the light of issues discussed at the meeting;
(iii) to agree the items for inclusion in an Action Plan; and
(iv) to approve the annual report and agreed to submit it to the next City Governance Committee.
Kevin KEENAN, Convener.