Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report from Head of Shared Internal Audit Service regarding the draft Internal Audit Annual Plan and Strategy, for 2020 / 2021.

In response to Members’ questions and questions from the Independent Person, the Head of Shared Internal Audit Service said the following:

      i.         The internal audit team had started to use Council Anywhere technology in June 2019, working remotely across many council sites; therefore, the team were prepared when council staff were forced to work from home during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

    ii.         Believed there would be a change in way the team carried out future audits moving to a self-service approach (less disruptive to teams) while providing assurance quickly.

   iii.         Important to be proactive with those teams who were facing new challenges and ways of working rather than wait to review these changes in twelve months from now.

  iv.         Confirmed the follow on to the safety compliance under the HRA – electrical and gas safety compliance would be undertaken.

    v.         Agreed that cyber risk was high in the current situation of COVID-19, there were fraudsters trying to take advantage of the crisis. Attended nationwide fraud briefings and the national cyber security centre had launched a new suspicious e-mail service. Information was shared with ICT and council staff were regularly made aware of cybercrime.  

  vi.         With regards to controls over income and spending, current reviews on accounts receivable and procurement cards had been completed. A review on accounts payable was close to completion.

 vii.         Members of the team attended business continuity meetings before and during the current COVID-19 crisis therefore reviewing activity in real time, establishing if any risks were arising from the current situation and determining what advice could be given. This information would be beneficial when looking at the lessons learnt during this current situation.

Unanimously resolved to:

      i.         Approve the draft Audit Plan and Strategy.

    ii.         Approve the supporting Charter and the Code of Ethics.