Issue - meetings

The Shared Internal Audit Service (SIAS) Officer presented a report updating the Committee on recent SIAS work. He gave a brief update on Cyber Security and Incident Management.  The Head of the Shared IT Service had indicated that he anticipated that the procurement of networking tools and work to allow all IT services to be managed from a single data centre would be concluded this financial year.

The Chairman asked about the medium priority recommendations in the Information Management Audit on which only limited assurance had been given.

The SIAS Officer said the report focussed mainly on high priority recommendations, but these particular recommendations were shown for completeness. However, the Head of the Shared IT Service had given assurances that this recommendation would be addressed, and SIAS would continue to monitor the situation.

Councillor Corpe asked about a reference to Officers initially having been unable to find a defined Information Asset Register to supply to auditors. Whilst this document had subsequently been located and supplied, the initial inability to find the register was concerning. He asked whether there should be a defined knowledge transfer process in place to avoid this in future.

The SIAS Officer said the Head of Legal and Democratic Services had come into post shortly before the audit. SIAS would usually allow a grace period in this scenario, but the Head of Legal and Democratic Services had supported the planned timescale for the audit. Whilst there had been no opportunity for knowledge transfer from the previous post-holder, this situation was not typical.

The Chairman asked about several cancelled audits, and asked the SIAS Officer to confirm whether such cancellations were due to complications relating to COVID-19. He asked whether the external auditors’ review of the Grange Paddocks and Hartham Leisure Centres capital projects would form part of the external auditors’ year-end report.

The SIAS Officer confirmed COVID-19 had been the cause of the cancelled audits.

The Interim Head of Strategic Finance and Property said the external auditors were reviewing the capital projects as part of their value for money work. He assured Members that he had been working closely with the incoming Head of Strategic Finance and Property to ensure the necessary knowledge transfer had taken place.

RESOLVED – that (A) the Internal Audit Progress Report be noted; and

(B) the Status of Critical and High Priority Recommendations be noted.