Issue - meetings

Report CEO 1501

This report was presented to the Audit Sub Committee by the Head of Audit to inform Members of the Internal Audit Plan for 2015/16.

The Head of Audit explained to Members the purpose and methodology of the audit plan, and outlined who the Audit Plan coverage was largely aimed at. It was noted that the audit coverage for 2015/16 would decrease from 885 days to 830 days, and that this incorporated the buying in of 120 days from LB Wandsworth. It was also pointed out that the audit team would be carrying  at least 0.6 FTE as a vacancy which equated to 110 days. 

The Head of Audit expressed the view that because of issues arising with commissioned contracts, there would be more audit time allocated to the  monitoring of contracts and commissioning. It was envisaged that there would be more detailed consideration of client side skills, and compliance with key contract requirements and monitoring of key performance indicators.

A Member stated that Councillors should be more involved in the scrutiny of contracts, as Members had a responsibility to the public, and that the failure to monitor contracts previously should be remembered.

A Member felt that just as pension fund managers were called to give account, so also Directors should be called before the Audit Sub Committee if required, to give account for contract monitoring failures. He expressed the view that KPI’s should be more rigorously challenged, and that LBB should try and drive up standards. 

Members looked at the Audit Plan Summary and the audit concerning the Care Act was discussed. It was noted that this was a specific request from management due to concerns of how the significant policy changes presented by the Care Act would impact on the service.

RESOLVED

(1) that the Internal Audit Annual Plan 2015/16 be noted

(2) that consideration be given to calling Directors to give account to the Audit Sub Committee for contract monitoring failures.