Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Audit Manager updating the Committee on the work performed by Internal Audit for the 2017/18 financial year.

The Committee had before it, and NOTED, a report * from the Deputy Head of the Devon Audit Partnership updating it on the work performed by Internal Audit for the 2017/18 financial year.

The contents of the report were outlined with the following being highlighted:

·         They had largely concentrated on systems audits and had fitted in other audits around this.

·         The Performance Progress Chart showed that the team were on track to complete the audits within the Audit Plan by the end of the year.

·         The planned audit of Housing Options – Homelessness had been deferred until the Autumn at the client’s request to fit better with proposed changes in legislation. The team had however, in the meantime been able to make one or two recommendations around staff safeguarding in that area.

·         One high risk had been identified in relation to ‘Electronic Payments’ and a recommendation had been made to mitigate the risk going forwards.

·         Regarding the Contracts Register audit the review had shown that there were a number of weaknesses in the systems of internal check and control and recommendations had been made to address these weaknesses.

·         A number of issues had been identified within Planning Enforcement, these had been recognised by the service area and a positive plan of action had been put in place.

The Chairman stated that the number of medium risk recommendation had risen from 24 to 32 and 8 of those were outstanding from 2015. He asked that the Director of Finance, Assets and Resources take the message back to Leadership Team that the Committee wanted to be reassured that these were being addressed and that there was a concerted effort to improve these numbers. The Director of Finance Assets and Resources stated that he would provide the Committee with a progress update by the end of the following week.

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