Decision details

The Chair welcomed the Assistant Director SWAP Internal Audit Services, Alastair Woodland.

The Assistant Director SWAP Internal Audit Services, Alastair Woodland, presented the report highlighting: the independent objective assurance provided by the internal audit plan through the approved internal audit plan; reported that under internal audit standards it was necessary to inform the Audit Committee of resources implications impacting the delivery of the plan with the exit and recruitment of 2 members of staff; that the report was the final update for the 2023/24 audit plan; summarised the progress and position of the internal audit plan, including the outstanding in progress Health and Safety audit recommendations,  the whistleblowing policy and awareness, school condition surveys, and asked that the Audit Committee note the advisory position of Homes England Capital Funding Grant due to two recommendations from Homes England that are required to be completed by the end of August 2024, and advised of the associated  work with the Communities Service to ensure the recommendations are implemented and the evidence forwarded to Homes England; and that the outstanding progress reports to be clearly marked 2023/24 and appended to the 2024/25 Internal Audit Plan.

The Audit Committee asked a number of questions and made a number of comments which were responded to at the meeting, as follows:

• The current position for delivery of audit actions and the number of outstanding items and position of priority one items – The Assistant Director SWAP Internal Audit Services, advised the Audit Committee of the work with the Council through the restructure and change to ensure governance and ownership of recommendations.
• School condition programme government funding spending, including work and priorities – The Executive Director Resources and Corporate Services undertook to request a written response to Cllr Mandy Chilcott, from relevant Service Directors.
• Outstanding in progress Health and Safety audit recommendations - consideration addition of a presentation to Audit Committee forward plan – Chair / Vice-Chair.

The Audit Committee noted the position of the 2023-24 Internal Audit Plan.