Be it resolved:

BCCPAC urge the Ministry of Education to make an amendment to the School Act to update and expand the requirements of school districts in reference to audit committees.

Purpose:

The principal function is to oversee the School District’s financial reporting process and its internal control structure and report its findings to the Board of Education. This task is facilitated by asking questions about the quality of work done by management, participating in the audit planning and reporting processes, understanding and reviewing the aspects of the operation that put the School District at risk, and the District’s preparedness to face that risk. It summarizes its findings and makes recommendations so that the Board can make informed decisions.

An audit committee shall:

• Review the audited financial statements and, where appropriate recommend approval of the audited financial statements by the Board;
• Oversee the internal control structure with a focus  on safeguarding districts assets;
• Review audit results with external auditor and follow up on the implementation of the auditor’s letter of recommendations;
• Review the nature and extent of other services provided by the auditor in relation to the auditor independence;
• Monitor the development of and changes to accounting principles and practices and financial reporting standards, and their impact on the School District’s financial reporting;
• Oversee engagement of external auditors including the terms of the audit engagement and appropriateness of proposed fees;
• Meet at least once per fiscal year with the external auditor at an In-Camera meeting, without any staff members or management present.

Meetings:

• The Audit Committee shall, meet at least four times a year and as often as necessary to adequately discharge their responsibilities
• The Audit Committee, when required, will report at public meetings.

Audit Committee Composition:

• The Audit Committee shall be comprised of one to three trustees appointed by the Chair of the Board of Education, two positions can be held by independent persons (these persons could be a Secretary Treasure and/or a Superintendent from another district or designated accountants or business people from the community).

• All members of the Committee shall be financially literate and at least one member must hold a professional accounting designation.
• The Committee Chair shall be one of the trustee members, appointed by the Chair of the Board of Education.
• Any trustee may attend any Audit Committee meeting as a guest.
• The District’s Secretary Treasurer and/or Assistant Secretary Treasurer, and Superintendent of Schools may attend some Audit Committee meeting as a guest, as requested by the members of the Audit Committee.
• All committee members shall commit to: ethical conduct, proper use of authority, decorum and professional conduct.

Carried at the January 2011 meeting.

DPAC Executive motion :

To spend up to $500 towards the 'All Candidates' shared meeting expenses.

Carried : November 2010

Be it resolved:

BCCPAC urge the Ministry of Education to make an amendment to the School Act to update the requirements of school districts in the area of financial reporting from only requiring an annual report (audited financial statements) and an annual budget (an estimate of the district’s debt service or deficit for the next fiscal year) to also require monthly financial reporting be completed by management to be provided to each district’s board of education. The monthly financial reporting shall at a minimum reflect the following:

• The current month actual to budgeted expenditures and revenues
• The current year to date actual to budgeted comparatives of expenditures and revenues
• The prior year to date actual and in future years compared to the prior year to date budget

In addition to the monthly reporting, management should within 90 days of substantial completion of a capital project,  should prepare a comparative of the actual amount spent to the projects budgeted amount and to the feasibility study or proposal if applicable.

Rational for motion:

The current policies under the School Act only require boards of educations to look at the financial information twice a year and this can result in over spending and weak internal controls. This lack of monthly financial reporting is how our district overspent and resulted in an 8.3 Million dollar deficit at the end of the 2008/2009 fiscal year with a further 5.3 Million dollar deficit for the 2009/2010 fiscal year.. The motion reflects a new policy approved by Langley Board of Education for updating this districts financial reporting and we would like a similar policy for all districts in the Province.

Carried November 2010

Motion from LSS :

Whereas the Auditor General’s report indicates that the lack of people working together is a major issue in the Langley school district;

And whereas the Board of Education has already passed a motion supporting the creation of a “Community Round Table” at Langley Secondary School;

And whereas the Langley Secondary School PAC endorses the “Community Round Table” concept, and believes it has been successful in bringing the partner groups and LSS community together in a productive manner;

And whereas the Langley DPAC plays a leadership role within the community;

Therefore the Langley Secondary School PAC moves that the Langley DPAC take on a leadership role in bringing the partner groups of School District #35 together in authentic and productive discussion;

And that the Community Round Table concept be adopted as the structure as outlined in the guidelines of the attached supporting documents;

And that an invitation be extended to all stakeholder groups to provide representative(s) to work as a community under these guidelines towards the end of providing improvements to school district operations in an open and transparent manner.

Click her for full rational     Click here for Round Table information

Carried December 2010.