Agenda item - Annual Internal Audit Report 2018/19

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Agenda item

Annual Internal Audit Report 2018/19

Report of the Executive Director for Finance & Resources 

Decision:

1)    That the Committee note that reasonable assurance has been given on the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the Council’s framework of governance, risk management and control for the year ended 31 March 2019.

 

2)    That the Committee note the assurances and improvement actions detailed on audits finalised since the last progress report to this Committee in March 2019.

Minutes:

11.1      The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director for Finance & Resources that set out the Chief Internal Auditor’s opinion on the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the Council’s framework of governance, risk management and control for the year-ended 31 March 2019.

 

11.2      Councillor Hugh-Jones referred to Item 5.15 and asked why the IT&D Digital Projects had been deferred until 2019/20.

 

11.3      The Audit Manager stated that this was due to various unforeseen reasons, for example sickness, and they were endeavouring to catch up on the project by the end of the year and to generate more pieces of work in the area.

 

11.4      Helen Aston referred to Item 5.15 and asked whether the bottom two audits listed, System Access Controls and Learning Disabilities, were no longer required as there was no action indicated and sought clarification on whether the overall audit plan needed to add 6-8 audits to satisfy the amendments.

 

11.5      The Audit Manager responded firstly that System Access Controls were a long-term project that required other actions leading to a solution to resolve local systems in council and that there had there had already been a lot of work completed on Learning Disabilities in previous years with more projects to follow. The Audit Manager secondly responded that the draft audits to be carried forward could be found on page 82 of the agenda.

 

11.6      The Chair referred to the Non-Schools Audit Opinions bar char on Item 5.2 and asked if the category ‘No opinion’ could be re-worded to a truer reflection of the option. Councillor Pelzer-Dunn added that a layperson or member of the public could struggle with the terminology and that a technical glossary should be provided.

 

11.7      The Audit Manager responded that ‘No-opinion’ was not a negative category and that this was appropriate and pragmatic when an auditor would be providing advice and services throughout a project where by they may need to provide an opinion at checkpoint stages. The Audit Manger secondly responded that the Audit Team strove to avoid technical jargon and were happy to provide further clarification.

 

11.8      RESOLVED -

 

1)    That the Committee note that reasonable assurance has been given on the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the Council’s framework of governance, risk management and control for the year ended 31 March 2019.

 

2)    That the Committee note the assurances and improvement actions detailed on audits finalised since the last progress report to this Committee in March 2019.

Supporting documents:

 


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