Issue - meetings
Annual Plan Internal Audit 2022/23
Meeting: 24/03/2022 - Audit Committee (Item 4)
4 Annual Plan Internal Audit 2022/23 PDF 240 KB
Additional documents:
- Appendix. 1 for Annual Plan Internal Audit 2022/23, item 4
PDF 336 KB
- Appendix. 2 for Annual Plan Internal Audit 2022/23, item 4
PDF 181 KB
- Webcast for Annual Plan Internal Audit 2022/23
Minutes:
Mr Paul Rock, Head of Internal Audit, Fraud and Risk introduced the report stating the report presented the annual Internal Audit and Anti-Fraud Plan for 2022/23, which was for review and agreement by the Audit Committee.
Mr Rock stated extensive consultation had been undertaken with officers and senior managers. The plan was based on the best use of resources at the current moment. Mr Rock said finding experienced auditors within the sector was proving to be difficult and many peers across London were moving towards apprenticeships, to attract staff into the profession. He said they had recruited an apprentice auditor however on the other hand were losing an experienced auditor due to retirement. Mr Rock said they were increasingly relying on their delivery partner BDO, whose three-year contract was up for tender in the summer. Mr Rock said he hoped they could ensure stability and deliver the plan going forward.
Mr Rock continued stating the plan itself was a living document and there would always be progress, additions and deferments which would be reported to the Committee on a quarterly basis. Mr Rock said the plan had been presented to the Corporate Leadership and therefore was seeking formal agreement from the Committee.
In response to comments and questions from members the following was noted:
- Councillor Edgar stated this was a useful report. He said the process described at paragraph 3.2 gave him reassurance that the plan had sensible items identified for auditing. Councillor Edgar said he appreciated recruitment of experienced auditors was difficult and said he was encouraged by the use of apprenticeships. He said he recalled when joining the profession many had progressed via this route rather than having a university degree.
- Councillor Edgar asked if there was a good range of auditing firms, when the contact would be tendered? Mr Rock responded stating there were a lot of firms within the audit market looking to deliver internal audit frameworks and said they should attract a good range of bidders. Mr Rock said they would approach the whole market; He said the in-house service struggles to recruit.
- Ms Charlotte Webster, Independent Person, echoed Councillor Edgar’s sentiments in relation to the use of apprentices. She said she had had good experiences with people who had entered the profession after finishing school and encouraged this as a means to recruit young auditors.
- Ms Webster asked how low the resources can go before it becomes difficult to deliver the plan. Mr Kevin Bartle, Interim Corporate Director of Resources and Section 151 Officer said they would do the best they could. He said they had secured on an interim basis a manager from BDO, to oversee the Council’s internal audit function considering Mr Rock’s imminent departure. Mr Bartle said they were confident in his ability to deliver the plan. With regards to the permanent filling of the post, recruitment was ongoing.
- Ms Webster asked if there would a ‘conflict of interest’ in using a BDO employee to oversee the Council’s audit function. Mr ... view the full minutes text for item 4