Issue - meetings

To receive a progress report from the Devon Assurance Partnership (DAP) on the Internal Audits completed to date.

The Committee had before it, and NOTED, a report * from the Devon Assurance Partnership (DAP) providing a summary of the performance against the Internal Audit plan for the 2025/26 financial year to date, highlighting the key areas of work undertaken and summarising its main findings and recommendations aimed at improving controls.

The following was highlighted within the report:

·       This was the first progress update report for 2025/2026.

·       An ‘assurance’ picture would build up as the year progressed.

·       The overall ‘Assurance Opinion’ for 2024/2025 had been ‘Reasonable’.

·       6 reports had been issued so far this year and summaries were provided in the report.

·       Appendix 2 listed the audit recommendations for the Council and how long they have been outstanding for. Currently there were 2 medium risk recommendations outstanding and 6 low risk.

Discussion took place regarding:

·       DAP were content with the approach the Council was taking with regard to the Housing Rents Error issue. Regular meetings were being held with the Regulator and the only repayments that were outstanding were those with some sort of benefit attached to them.

·       Procurement processes were sound, there were no significant issues of concerns. Any issues that had been raised in relation to waivers, the Council had now addressed.

·       The approach within the Housing Repairs and Maintenance Team was very much more preventative now rather than reactive. There had been a real culture shift.

·       A new process was in place to review cumulative supplier spend on a monthly basis.

Note: * Report previously circulated.