This report provides the Committee with an update on progress in making planned improvements to the internal control environment and progress with the Annual Audit Plan for 2008/09.

 

 

A report was presented by Tony Ford, Chief Internal Auditor, which provided the Committee with an update on progress in making planned improvements to the internal control environment and progress with the Annual Audit Plan for 2008/09.

 

Tony Ford referred to paragraph 6 of the report and informed Members that the two officers who did not have the authority to authorise Information Communication Technology (ICT) travel and subsistence claims were agency staff.

 

Sonia Rees, Director of Resources, stated that all Directors should have induction protocols in place to ensure that all agency staff are aware of such responsibilities.

 

Tony Ford referred to the procedures regarding the purchase of laptop computers and informed the Committee that the new Head of Performance Planning and Development had assured him that all ICT procurement would be channelled through the set procurement procedures in future.

 

Some Members expressed concern about the incompatibility of ICT specifications which some schools prefer to acquire and the Councils ICT system.

 

Members were informed that it was necessary for schools ICT systems to be compatible with the Council’s systems in relation to software and security. 

 

Tony Ford also informed the Committee that the new Head of ICT Services has been reviewing the previous relationship between ICT Services and Children’s Services with a view to working closer together on such matters.

 

Sonia Rees, Director of Resources, informed Members that the ICT issues between schools and the Council had been identified and measures were in place to move forward to protect the Council’s interest. All the indications were that the Council was progressing positively in these areas. The Strategic Monitoring Committee would also be tracking the way these issues are moving forward.

 

Councillor JHR Goodwin expressed concern regarding schools computer systems not being able to take Virtual Learning Environment VLE) software.

 

Tony Ford reported that Cabinet had considered and signed off the VLE agreement.

 

Councillor RH Smith was concerned about lack of control by management on certain procurement matters and the need to hold individual officers responsible for their actions. He emphasised that it was not about the laptop purchase issue, but the failure of management to ensure that procurement procedure is adhered to. He was of the view that the Committee should send out a clear message to all Directorates that failure of management to adhere to procurement rules and procedures will not be tolerated.

 

Tony Ford, referred Members to the progress made on the status of audits started during the year and set out in Appendix 2 to the report. He informed the Committee that he would be employing the services of agency staff to help progress the audits. He also made reference to the Audit Opinions, paragraphs 13, 14 and 15 in the report, and that these were basically in line with Appendix 2. He emphasised that there were no Critical 1 recommendations and that there were no unsound audit opinions.

 

Councillor Smith extended his gratitude to Tony Ford and Sonia Rees for the extensive work with regard to the analysis of the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee’s on going issues and Resolutions.

 

Councillor Smith suggested that in future, minor amendments to the Agenda reports should not be referred to the Committee. He was of the view that 42 of the 65 items that were outstanding could be closed immediately and suggested that with half of the 23 outstanding being in progress, the other half being could be referred to a meeting between the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee together with the Director of Resources and Chief Internal Auditor to agree which are to be closed or amended.

 

Councillor AM Toon made reference to item 16 in Appendix 1 regarding Section 106 Obligations and asked whether we were getting contracts in and were they value for money. Also, would the post created to manage these issues be value for money.

 

Kevin O’Keefe, Legal Practice Manager, reported that the indexing of the Section 106 agreements had been started. Also, that the post referred to would be self financing.

 

Councillor R Mills requested that a report be submitted to the next meeting setting out how the Section 106 procedure works.

 

The Chairman requested that specific examples of Section 106 agreements be included in the report and that the Head of Planning Services be instructed to attend the meeting for the item.

 

The Chairman referred to the Establishment of Audits in Appendix 2 and if the Wyebridge Academy had been audited prior to Information Technology handover.

           

Tony Ford reported that he had not been involved in any handover procedure review.

 

The Chairman requested a report to the next meeting regarding the transfer of assets to Wyebridge Academy .

 

Councillor Smith requested a report to the next meeting to consider the audit recommendations not accepted by management. Also, that given the issues of culture and slimmed down schedule to be considered, that the Chief Executive or the Deputy Chief Executive (Interim) be invited to attend the next meeting to discuss culture issues.

 

 

RESOLVED:   that

 

(a)        the Committee should send out a clear message to all Directorates that failure of management to adhere to the Council’s procurement rules and procedures will not be tolerated;

 

(b)               the officers be authorised to close  those Committee Resolutions which require no further action immediately;

 

(c)               the Chairman, Vice-Chairman of the Committee, the Director of Resources and the Chief Internal Auditor be instructed to meet and be authorised to close, or close with minor amendments,  the remainder of the Audit and Corporate Committee resolutions and recommendations referred to in Appendix 1 to the report and in future, the audit resolutions which are not closed be considered by the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Director of Resources and Chief Internal Auditor for closure or closure with minor amendments;

 

(d)               a report be submitted to the next meeting to consider the audit recommendations not accepted by management and  that given the issues of culture and slimmed down schedule of recommendations to be considered , that the Chief Executive or the Deputy Chief Executive (Interim) be invited to the next meeting to discuss culture issues;

 

 

(e)               a report be submitted to the next meeting setting out how the Section 106 procedure works with specific examples of Section 106 agreements to be included in the report and that the Head of Planning Services be instructed to attend the meeting for the item;

 

(f)                 a report be submitted to the next meeting regarding the current position with regarding  the handover of assets to Wyebridge Academy; and

 

 

(g)               subject to (a) to (f) above, the contents of the report be noted.