Agenda item

Report CEO1192

The Sub-Committee considered a summary of recent internal audit activity across the Council and matters arising from the last meeting. The following matters were considered in particular -

• Audit Activity and Performance - The new Internal Audit structure of one Head of Audit, two auditors working on sold services to Greenwich and to Academies and four auditors doing Council work would be in place for 1^st April. Members took the view that the new Internal Audit arrangements should be allowed to settle in before any further major changes in planned workload were considered. The Head of Audit offered to circulate further details of audit activity to members via email.

• The Future of Public Audit - Members were concerned that the proposed new arrangements for appointing external auditors would lead to an additional layer of bureaucracy.

• Property Charges - The Head of Audit reported that he had checked the arrangements for deferred payment agreements where a charge was placed against a property, and the system appeared to be sound.

It was noted that the “Auditor of the Year” award would continue.

RESOLVED that the Internal Audit Progress Report be noted, and in particular the achievements of the counter fraud partnership with the London Borough of Greenwich and the effects of the reorganisation of the Internal Audit Service.

(During consideration of this report Councillor Ruth Bennett declared a personal interest as a governor of Princes Plain Primary School and Councillor Simon Fawthrop declared a personal interest as his daughter attended Newstead Wood School.)