Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Internal Audit Team Leader updating the Committee on the work performed by Internal Audit during the 2016/17 financial year as required by the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards.

The Committee had before it, and NOTED, a report * from the Internal Audit Team Leader updating it on the work performed by Internal Audit during the 2016/17 financial year as required by the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards.

The report gave the overall opinion on the Council’s control environment for 2016/17 and summarised the audit opinion in relation to each of the internal audits which had taken place throughout the financial year. The number of well controlled areas had increased and there had been only one poorly controlled area for the year.

In relation to the ICT Core Audit it was explained that the need to comply with the General Data Protection Regulations from May 2018, Brexit or not, would require a lot of work and housekeeping for MDDC. The time required for this to be undertaken must not be underestimated but work had already begun with a working group being established and the Internal Audit Team Leader and the Freedom of Information Officer having interviewed 23 managers. A gap analysis had been conducted and tasks had been scheduled.

Discussion took place regarding the number of outstanding high and medium risk recommendations. This included the following:

·         Regarding overdue audit recommendations, the position overall had not changed much from last year after a tremendous improvement the year before. This year, there had been no high priority recommendations overdue compared to 3 last year.

·         The situation regarding medium risks however, had not improved to a satisfactory level in the Chairman’s opinion. It was therefore AGREED that the Director of Finance, Assets and Resources take the comments of the Committee back to the Leadership Team in the hope that some improvements could be made.

Further discussion took place regarding:

·         The outstanding recommendations in relation to the Cemeteries & Bereavement audit. These had been in relation to publishing Freedom of Information requests on the Council’s website and making improvements to the computerisation of records in this area.

·         Any recommendation that was a medium risk and overdue for more than 12 months should be dealt with as a matter of urgency.

·         Business continuity and the recent cyber attack on the NHS and IT failure at London and Gatwick airports. The Council conducted regular on going assessments on its own systems and a contract with an outside provider to provide back-up facilities  would be renewed in July. Lessons needed to be learnt from other business sectors.

·         Following an Internal Audit, service areas routinely received a survey to be completed, however, only 19 out of 23 had done so. It was AGREED that this number ought to be 23 out of 23 and the Committee requested that the Director of Finance, Assets and Resources take this message back to the Leadership Team.

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