27 February 2013

Present:

Devon County Council

Councillors Sir Simon Day and Clatworthy

Plymouth Council

Councillor Wheeler

Torbay Council

Councillors Hill and Poutney

Also in Attendance

Mr P Looby (Torbay Council)

Mr A Broome (Plymouth City Council)

Mrs M Davis (Devon County Council)

Mr R Hutchins (Devon Audit Partnership)

Apologies

Councillor Stevens

*67 Minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 October 2012 be signed as a correct record.

*68 Update Report February 2013

The Committee considered the report of the Head of the Devon Audit Partnership (DAP) (CT/13/13 - text only | pdf CT/13/13) updating Members on key actions taken since the last meeting of the Partnership.

The report covered activities relating to delivery of the 2012/13 audit plans and preparation of plans for the forthcoming twelve months, staffing issues and recruitment, marketing and progress with the development of a new brand, accommodation and the recent move to Larkbeare House, the formal assessment process for the Customer Service Excellence Standard for which accreditation had been received, the self-assessment against the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Quality Assessment, the new Public Sector Internal Standards which would come into being in April 2013, new business and strengthening the client role and internal audit performance and the budget position for 2012/13.

The Committee asked questions and commented as follows;

that the DAP were mentioned in Mr Pickles recent 50 ways for Council s to Save publication as saving 400,000 on audit costs;

the recent work of the DAP with the Police and Crime Commissioner transfer and clarification of their role in this;

the potential for further working with District Council s and the importance of demonstrating the efficiencies and cash savings that might be realised by District Council s; and

clarification of premises costs and spend to date against the projected outturn.

RESOLVED

(a) that the current position and associated issues be noted; and

(b) that the Committee receive half-yearly and annual reports summarising performance against the plans and key findings from reviews.

*69 Budget 2013/14

The Committee received the report of the Head of the Devon Audit Partnership (CT/13/14 - text only | pdf CT/13/14) on the budget position for 2013/14, noting the current financial constraints on local authorities and that contributions from partners for 2013/14 would reduce by 10% on the 2012/13 level.

The budget expenditure for the partnership had been set at 1,425,400 for 2013/14 which was felt to represent a balanced budget, but it did not reflect any additional works that might be achieved throughout the year.

The report also outlined the analysis of income from partners and others over the period 2009-2014, the percentage of DAP income from partners and other organisations and the current and projected income streams from 2009-2017. The Committee were pleased to note that external income was increasing.

Members asked questions and commented as follows;

clarification on why income from school s had reduced and the impact of schools achieving academy status on this income;

the importance of sharing resources during austere times;

clarification on how the DAP worked with European funded projects;

how the role of first and second level controllers worked in practice;

Whether there were opportunities to bid for more European project audit work and how the DAP monitored forthcoming projects in order to be ready to bid;

that no further details had been received on the future of public audit work;

how the relationship with the new external auditors was working; and

the impact of welfare reform, in particular housing benefit changes, on the work demands of the DAP.

RESOLVED

(a) that the proposed budget for the Partnership for 2013/14 be noted; and

(b) that a report be brought to the next meeting of the Committee giving an analysis of current internal audit contracts in other Local Government and public sector organisations.

*70 Date of Next Meeting

RESOLVED that the next meeting be held in July 2013 and that the Committee be consulted on a suitable date.

NOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 10.30am and finished at 11.33am

The Minutes of the Committee are published on the County Council s Website at:-