Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Internal Audit Team Leader updating the Committee on the work performed by Internal Audit for the 2016/17 financial year.To include an update regarding any remaining outstanding high priority recommendations.

The Committee had before it, and NOTED, a report * from the Internal Audit Team Leader updating it on the work performed by Internal Audit for the 2016/17 financial year. This report covered the period up to 31 August 2016 and included six audit opinions.

Discussion took place regarding each of the following internal audits:

Standby

·         It was explained that there were two different functions within standby. The first were the standby operatives who went out to deal with emergencies and the second was the officers who provided advice from home and did not therefore need to be in the lone workers scheme as they were effectively treated as ‘office based’.

·         It was noted again that the date for the approval and implementation of the Transport Policy had slipped but this had been due to the depot move.

Voids

·         Pre-vacation inspections, where a tenant had given notice, were not optional, this provided an opportunity, where a property was not in a fit state, for the tenant to bring it up to standard and make any repairs before finally vacating. The Internal Audit Team had spoken to the Voids Supervisor and it had been confirmed that most of the properties that were in a bad state had been due to issues such as eviction, abandonment, or death. The Voids Management Policy had not had a significant effect on the major voids it was the ones that were classified as minor that would be improved.

Sickness & Other Time Off

·         It was the overall opinion of the auditor that the sickness and other time off system in terms of HR’s responsibility was adequately controlled, although the part of the process which involved managerial responsibility was weak and therefore poorly controlled.

·         The Committee commented that they had received the same feedback last year and had made their feelings known then. They were extremely disappointed to see the same comments being made again this year. A manager’s job was to manage and it came with an expectation. The advice from HR should be taken and acted upon and there should be no discretion.

It was AGREED that, as the issues discussed affected managers across the whole Council, the Chairman would write to the Chief Executive and ask him to attend the next meeting to explain what actions were being taken to address the concerns of the Committee.

Note: * Report previously circulated; copy attached to the signed minutes.