News
Is the Audit Committee ‘fit for purpose’?
AT LAST Friday’s (Jan 16) Safeguarding Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cllr Bob Kilmister questioned whether or not the 
Council’s Audit Committee was fit for purpose.
Cllr Kilmister raised the issue during discussions on authority arrangements to support safeguarding of children.
The Wales Audit Office has put forward three proposals they think will help improve safeguarding; the second of those is to strengthen the link between the Audit Committee and other Overview and Scrutiny Committees.
Jeremy Evans from the Wales Audit Office said: “The second proposal is to strengthen the links between the Audit Committee and overview and scrutiny committees. This is something that is broader than just this committee; it’s for all of the overview and scrutiny committees to have better links with the Audit Committee. There needs to be some sort of mechanism put in place where the Audit Committee refers specific risks to the appropriate overview and scrutiny committee.”
Cllr Bob Kilmister challenged Jeremy asking: “Do you think that our Audit Committee arrangements are fit for purpose?”
Jeremy Evans replied: “There is no specific review in terms of what they are doing. We have observed some of the meetings. There is a slightly more complicated arrangement to your Corporate Governance Committee. There is potentially work to do for those two committees.”
Cllr Kilmister added: “This report is something we should be taking on board extremely seriously. Since we started the Audit Committee I have been very concerned about the way it is set up. We need to look at this in a totally different way. The structure is wrong, it is out of date. The committee structures that we’ve got are so old now they are coming to the point where I don’t think they are fit for purpose any longer. This report is something that we can’t influence. What it highlights is the constitutional working party that we’ve got doesn’t work. It’s absolutely urgent that we do something about this because we are frankly not fit for purpose. What we’re doing isn’t good enough at the present moment. It’s a criticism of all the councillors here that we need to make sure that what we do is good value for money.”
Cllr Sue Perkins added: “We should look at how we do things all the time. I agree that some of our committee structures should be looked at and I agree that the Audit Committee should be one of them. We have reached a stage where, after being in this format for a while, that it should be looked at.”
Cllr Kilmister then put forward a recommendation saying: “We should write a letter to the leader saying that we are unable to do anything as it stands, but we agree with the conclusion and would like to see urgent action taken to address that particular issue.”
Cllr Ken Rowlands added: “As chair of the Corporate Governance Committee, I will be discussing these matters with officers, come up with concerns that have been expressed and come to a conclusion so that these things are properly addressed. Things are changing all the time and we have to adjust as time goes on and I think it is time we did it now.”
Cllr Mike James said: “As vice chair of the audit committee I would like to say that we have been concentrating on one item. Maybe going forward the agenda will be bigger but that doesn’t mean that I don’t agree that things should be looked at.”
Jeremy Evans said: “We have often said that this committee’s activities are good examples of effective scrutiny. From your perspective you’re definitely on the right path of delivering what you need to do.”
A TEENGAGE girl has tragically died following a medical emergency at Amman United Rugby Football Club in Ammanford on Friday evening (Nov 15).
Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed they were called to the scene, where the teenager became unwell. She was taken to hospital but, despite advanced medical efforts, passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning.
A police spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the family at this difficult time.” The death is currently being treated as unexplained, and a report will be prepared for HM Coroner.
The Welsh Ambulance Service confirmed their attendance, stating that emergency crews were dispatched at approximately 9:55pm.
A spokesperson said: “We sent an emergency ambulance, supported by a Community First Responder and Cymru High Acuity Response Unit paramedics. Advanced critical care was delivered by the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service, with support from the Wales Air Ambulance charity helicopter.”
As a mark of respect, Amman United Rugby Football Club postponed all games over the weekend. In a statement posted on social media platform X, the club said: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the club will be closed, and all games are postponed, out of respect.”
MEGAN EVANS, 14, was found dead at her Milford Haven home on February 7, 2017, after what her family described as relentless online bullying. The inquest, held today, heard how Megan had attended a school meeting about a trip to France earlier that evening and appeared in good spirits.
Later that night, her parents left for Cardiff with her four youngest siblings while the four older siblings stayed at home. At 9:59pm, Megan’s brother called their parents, unable to find her in the house. His father told him to continue searching, and Megan was discovered in a locked upstairs bathroom. Despite the efforts of her family, paramedics, and hospital staff, Megan could not be saved.
A statement from her family described Megan as an intelligent, kind, and vibrant teenager. “She had a big heart and would do anything to help anyone,” the statement read. “She bought love and laughter into our home and was always full of energy. Her friends adored her, and she always stood up for what she believed in.”
The inquest was told Megan was a talented artist and hockey player who had been looking forward to attending a Justin Bieber concert. She was deeply loved by her family, who said she “poured so much love into everything and everyone around her.”
Megan’s mother, Nicola Harteveld, has previously spoken openly about the struggles her daughter faced in silence.
Nicola admitted she hadn’t recognised the signs of Megan’s distress at the time, including disrupted sleep and a secretive attachment to her phone.
In the years following Megan’s death, Nicola has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of mental health and the dangers of social media bullying. She founded the Megan’s Starr Foundation, which provides free professional counseling and peer support to vulnerable young people in Pembrokeshire.
Nicola reflected: “I see things now that I didn’t understand back then. I thought mental health struggles were always visible, but I was wrong. Megan was the life and soul of the house, and I never imagined the pain she was in.”
Through campaigns like “Step into January,” Nicola has turned her grief into action, creating a legacy for Megan that focuses on kindness and support for others.
The inquest continues.
MEGAN EVANS, 14, a talented and kind-hearted teenager from Milford Haven, was found dead at home on February 7, 2017, following what her family believes were bullying messages on social media, an inquest has heard.
Described as intelligent, capable, and full of energy, Megan was a passionate artist, county hockey player, and beloved by her six siblings and parents.
On the night of her death, she had been in good spirits after attending a school meeting about a trip to France.
Later, she was tragically discovered in a locked bathroom at home.
Her family remembered Megan as brave, thoughtful, and endlessly loving, someone who brought joy and positivity to everyone she met. They vowed to honor her memory by promoting kindness and love.
The inquest continues.
Inquest hears social media bullying was factor in teen’s tragic death
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Flashbang
February 5, 2015 at 10:56 pm
PCC caught out again. Wales Audit office should be looking into anything and everything that the PCC do. It’s WAO that’s saving taxpayers money, not PCC who spend it without due care and diligence.
Roy Mcgurn
February 6, 2015 at 3:50 pm
How does “safeguarding” get to be associated with the audit committee? Safeguarding social services is a role for the professional social workers involved, nothing to do with audits.
The problems stem from an authority (senior officers and councillors) who are reluctant to openly deal with problems. Attaching safeguarding to this is simply implying they are applying some “gold standard”.
Nothing will change at this authority until the cabal of officers and councillors responsible have been removed.
tomos
February 10, 2015 at 10:47 pm
Is getting that SRA more important than anything?
Molesworth
February 13, 2015 at 9:35 pm
Not exactly safeguarding, but a little bird tells me that a certain Head of Service – in an area not entirely unconnected with education, hem hem hem – is a little prone to hiring one of her cronies in from Points East to “assist” her on interview panels, which fail to appoint any of the candidates, and which then somehow seem to find said consultant a perfect fit for the post.
There’s a story or two to be told about the potential safeguarding problems waiting to come down the line, too, but that’ll probably have to wait until disaster strikes, or the lawyers might get a little antsy…
Flashbang
February 16, 2015 at 4:14 am
Molesworth, I hope you have documentation to be able to support your claim as I would love to see heads rolling for corruption and incompetence at the sheltered workshop that is PCC. Please let it all be true.