Agenda item

Geoff Drake presented the report that summarised internal audit activity in respect of audit reports issued during the period 1 October to 31 December 2015. Geoff Drake noted that since the publication of the agenda officers had informed him that four out of the five recommendations relating to the ICT service had been implemented (a note to this effect had been circulated to Members in advance of the meeting). He also advised that all recommendations arising from the Kenmont Primary school audit had been reported as implemented.

Members asked if Internal Audit were on track to reach their target of 95 percent deliverables completed during the period. Geoff Drake said they were expecting to achieve the target.

Members, in reference to the summary of outstanding recommendations at Appendix E on page 120 of the agenda, highlighted that the required six week reviews had not taken place and felt it was illustrative of wider staff issues within the Adult Social Care service that needed addressing as a priority. Martin Calleja noted that the six week review was a ‘light-touch check in’ that was considered to be a part of good customer service, the challenge would be capacity to carry out the annual review. To address these issues a performance board had been set up and a consultant had been brought in to look at case management. The service was doing all it could to improve performance.

The Committee agreed that the Chair should write to the Chair of the Adult Social Care, Health, and Social Inclusion Policy and Accountability Committee noting the staffing issues and their effect on the provision of services and recommending a review of those functions.

Members thanked officers for their open and honest approach in bringing these issues to the attention of the Committee.

Members noted that a number of the service responses were filled with acronyms and obfuscating technical language. They asked officers to give clearer responses in future that members of the public would be able to understand.

Outstanding Recommendation – Organisational Health and Safety

Nick Austin (Director for Environmental Health) addressed the Committee and outlined the audit recommendations under his responsibility. He highlighted recommendation 10, requiring all service lines to provide a copy of their risk registers to Corporate Health and safety, and noted that it was taking longer than anticipated but expected it to be completed by the end of April.

Members asked that officers reported any services who did not complete their Health and Safety risk register by the end of April to the Committee.

ACTION: Nick Austin

Members asked Nick Austin if the Council’s departments took risk management seriously. He responded that it varied from service to service but in general there was a good culture of risk management in the organisation. Senior managers had recently completed health and safety training that had good outcomes. A link to the training would be circulated to the Committee for their reference outside of the meeting.

ACTION: Nick Austin

Outstanding Recommendation - Rechargeable Street Works

Ian Hawthorn (Head of Highway Maintenance and Projects) addressed the Committee and outlined the audit recommendations under his responsibility. He informed the Committee that rechargeable street works comprised works that were carried out to repair damage, caused by utilities companies for example. The Committee requested more information on the proposed performance indicators and the target date for their delivery.

Members felt the performance indicators against recommendation 11 were unclear and that proposed indicators should include an indicator for ‘percentage of works completed within the allocated time frame’ or similar.

ACTION: Ian Hawthorne

RESOLVED

That the Committee noted the contents of the report.