Agenda item
Quarterly Internal Audit Assurance Report
Minutes:
Mr Minesh Jani (Service Head, Risk Management) presented the Quarterly Internal Audit Assurance report. The report summarises the work of Internal Audit for the period July to September 2010. The report also set out the assurance rating of each audit finalised in the period and gives and overall assurance rating.
Finding of the individual reports were attached to the report with details of their assurance rating.
In relation to the follow up Audits and the outstanding recommendations, it was reported that relevant Service Heads had been asked to identify a time line for their completion and, where necessary, would be requested to report back to the Committee to address any outstanding issues. Audit issued timely and frequent reminders to ensure recommendations were implemented as agreed, and worked closely with Deloite to ensure services agreed and understood the implications of the recommendations and what needed to be done. All finalised reports were reported to the Corporate Directors. Members stressed the need for the recommendations to be implemented.
In relation the individual reports with a nil assurance scores, the Committee noted the following points:
a) Central Foundation Girls Secondary School.
Mr David Tully, (Head of Children’s Finance, Children’s Schools and Families) reported progress with this Audit. Children’s Services had offered the school a considerable amount of additional support. Officers had been working closely with them to ensure the recommendations were implemented and the National Standards for Schools were applied. They were also working on the idea of ‘Health Checks’ for Audits in Schools which should be of benefit to the school. In reply to questions, it was reported that the School would automatically be re inspected in six months time by both Audit and Children’s Services and that the follow up report would be reported back to the Committee. In reply to questions it noted that it was required that all staff working with children would use the Common Assessment Framework.
b) Contract Management and Monitoring - Corporate Review
Mr Mark Abrahams (Procurement and Corporate Programmes) presented the progress report. He explained the purpose of the Audit designed to test the systems for contract monitoring. The report highlighted the key areas where further work needed to be carried out. Mr Abrahams explained the merits of the Tollgate process and the Competition Board, which it was expected should significantly strengthen levels of control, would address the issues, and generate efficiency savings.
The Committee also noted the role of the Competition Board in testing procurement plans to ensure better value for money.
Ms Jill Bell (Head of Legal Services, Environment) referred to the plans to install a central depository for contracts. Contracts exceeding a certain amount would be held in Legal Services. Officers were also now keeping a Contracts Register to highlight opportunities with other London Boroughs with view to identifying efficiencies and savings. Officers were also exploring the idea of keeping e - copies of contracts. It was intended that Legal Services would be submitting a number of reports to the Competition Board to pursue such innovations.
c) Axis Income Management and e-payments
In reply to questions, Mr Steve Vinnal explained the purpose of the e-payments income management system. Ms Symonds (Service Head Customer Access, Resources) reported that the Capita SBS servers had now completed the Self Assessment Questionnaire. It was also anticipated that the outstanding recommendations would be implemented by October 2010. Officers also reported on their intention to thoroughly test the system and that they would be encouraging people to pay on line and the Resources Department to promote this.
RESOLVED:
That the contents of this report and the assurance opinion assigned to the systems reviewed during the period be noted.
Supporting documents: