Issue - meetings

Committee to discuss any issues arising from any Audit reports they have received since the last meeting. During discussion of this item it may be necessary to pass the following resolution to exclude the press and public having reflected on Article 12 12.02(d) (a presumption in favour of openness) of the Constitution. This decision may be required because consideration of this matter in public may disclose information falling within one of the descriptions of exempt information in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972. The Committee will need to decide whether, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption, outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT – EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

RECOMMENDED that under section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the next item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in section 100l and paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

(Please note: This is a standing item which may not be needed should discussion have taken place regarding internal audit reports under the previous item on the agenda)

It was explained that since the last meeting three internal audits for 2015/16 had been circulated to members of the Committee. These related to Corporate Health and Safety, Main Accounting System and Procurement.

Discussion took place with regard to the Procurement audit:

·         Trying to achieve ‘best value for money’ ought to be the cornerstone of all procurement decisions.

·         It was confirmed that any purchases over £1k needed to have three quotes and anything over £50k needed to involve a tendering process. Difficulties were encountered where there may not be three suppliers for a certain product or service.

·         There was continued disappointment that some samples taken during the audit had failed to show that three quotes had been obtained for some orders between £1k and £50k.

·         Managers are receiving training designed to assist them in managing their budgets with professional advice from Finance and Internal Audits. This would include an emphasis on needing to comply with the financial regulations and the imperative need to achieve best value for money.

·         Difficulties encountered when several service managers order from the same supplier taking the overall order total over the threshold, Managers needed to be reminded to check with Procurement and adhere to the financial regulations at all times.

·         It was confirmed that the outstanding audit recommendation from 2013 would be resolved by the end of this financial year.

Hard copies of internal audit reports would be sent to those Members of the Committee requesting them. The alternative was to save the document electronically.

Note: The discussion regarding this item had been held in open session; there had been no need to move into Part II.