Agenda item

To consider report FIN/475 of the Audit and Risk Manager.

The Committee considered report FIN/475 of the Audit and Risk Manager.  The purpose of the report was primarily to update the Committee on the progress made towards the completion of the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 Audit Plans, and to report on the progress made in implementing the previous recommendations.  The report also included an update on the Council’s Strategic Risks.

The Committee discussed and noted all the Audit Plan reviews in progress, along with other work as detailed in the report.  The Audit and Risk Manager briefed the Committee on the progress made towards the completion of the Audit Plans and, in relation to the following areas, the Committee:

Work Completed in the Current Period:

·         Received clarification on the audit assurance classifications.

·         Noted that reference to “Community Centres” should be deleted and replaced with “Housing Benefits”.

Progress Report (Appendix A to the report):

·         Noted that the audit opinion assurance for Corporate Health and Safety should be amended to read “satisfactory”.

Follow-Up Audit: Data Centre Migration Project:

·         Noted that all the recommendations suggested by Actica Consulting (who had undertaken an independent review of the project) had either been implemented or were already in place, and as such no further work with regards to this follow-up audit were required.

·         Acknowledged that the way in which Actica Consulting summarised assurance levels relating to value for money differed to the way in which it was categorised by the Council’s internal Audit Department.

·         Noted the steps the Council were pursuing in relation to the outside organisations involved in the project.

·         Requested that a copy of Actica Consulting’s full report be circulated (as Part B) to all Councillors.  The Head of Corporate Finance therefore agreed to discuss the possibility of circulating the report with the Head of Digital and Transformation.

Follow-Up Audit: Community Grants:

·         Were informed that the new Community Services Manager was now in post and new measures had been put in place.  Further information would be brought back to the Committee meeting in September, including how the systems had been changed to ensure they were more robust and that segregation of duties were appropriate.

·         Raised concern that the Cabinet Member responsible for Community Grants at the time of the Audit had not been informed of the high priority finding.  It was agreed that the former Cabinet Member discuss the matter with the Head of Corporate Finance.

·         It was suggested that Cabinet Members be informed when a system under their portfolio had identified a high priority finding following an Internal Audit.  The Audit and Risk Manager agreed to consider introducing a procedure to inform the relevant Cabinet Member.

The Head of Corporate Finance provided an update on Strategic Risks.  The Committee sought and received clarification on several points in relation to the Town Hall Project, including the use of consultants and project costs as well as the risk levels assigned to the detailed design specification and project budget.  Following a query from the Committee, the Head of Corporate Finance agreed to discuss the possibility of extending the Section 106 Agreement deadline for the Three Bridges Railway Station improvement project with the Head of Economy and Planning.

RESOLVED

That the Committee receive the report and note progress to date, as at 30 June 2019.