Issue - meetings
Annual Internal Audit Report for Schools for 2012/13
Meeting: 26/09/2013 - Audit Committee (Item 5)
5 Annual Internal Audit Report for Schools for 2012/13 PDF 75 KB
To note the contents of the report and to take account of the matters raised by Audit in each of the 12 areas examined.
Additional documents:
- 5.4a Annual School Report 201213, item 5
PDF 103 KB
- 5.4b LB Tower Hamlets Report App A and B, item 5
PDF 217 KB
Minutes:
The Chair noted the typographical error at agenda page 238 and advised that a corrected chart had been tabled at the meeting.
MineshJani, Head of Risk Management and Audit and Kate Bingham, Service Head Resources, Education, Social Care and Wellbeing Directorate (ESCW) then presented the report which provided an overview findings arising from schools’ audits. The Committee was advised that, overall, governance arrangements in schools had improved. In the year 2012 -13, approximately one third of the audits undertaken had returned a limited assurance and work was being undertaken by the ESCW to explore how further improvement could be achieved. The audits examined 12 control areas ranging from governance, procedures, security, risk management to financial matters. The audits had commonly identified that there was a lack of evidence demonstrating that schools’ development plans had been formally reviewed and approved by the full governing body; and some schools had limited assurances around financial procedures and procurement procedures.
The Service Head Resources ESCW was concerned the results indicated that there was insufficient adherence to protocols and procedures amongst schools. She advised that ESCW was already working collaboratively to support and give guidance to schools concerning adherence to procurement and finance procedures. However the audit outcomes indicated that leadership teams needed to be engaged in resolving issues. To widely communicate this message, the annual audit report had been presented at the Schools Forum and would also be published in the Headteachers’ Bulletin to better engage with schools’ leadership teams. The scheme for school governance had been completed and it was now necessary to ensure that schools implemented it.
In response to Members’ questions the following information was provided:
Whether schools were receiving the right to levels of support:
· the Committee was advised that, in the past, ESCW had relied on training school finance officers. However to implement the appropriate cultures across the schools it was felt necessary to focus on the leadership teams.
RESOLVED:
That the contents of the report be noted and that Members take account of the matters raised in each of the 12 areas examined.