To submit the report of the Audit Manager.
Minutes:
Submitted - the
report of the Audit Manager outlining the Internal Audit section’s work for the
period. It was noted that nine reports on audits from the action plan and one
grant audit had been completed.
Each individual report was considered and, during the discussion,
reference was made to the following matters –
Arrangements for
Safeguarding Children and Adults - Field Workers' Awareness of the Corporate
Policy
A member noted her
concern that although 76% of staff from the sample of 63 were aware that the
Council had Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy and Guidelines,
some of the responses from staff had indicated that they were not aware of the
contents or the background of the policy. She added that there was a need to
ensure that staff received instructions in relation to safeguarding
arrangements and that a training procedure should be in place.
In response to the member's observations, the Audit Manager noted that
the highest awareness of the safeguarding policy was amongst the highway depots
staff and that the Highways and Municipal Department had worked hard to raise
awareness of the policy and its content.
A member noted
that the Care Scrutiny Committee should be asked to consider the matter as it
was a high risk. In response, the Senior Manager - Revenue and Risk noted that
the matter did not apply to Social Services alone, it was a matter for all
Council staff. He explained that the Audit and Governance Committee did not have
ownership of any risk but the Committee needed to satisfy itself that
arrangements were in place to mitigate the risk. It was noted that the
Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Operational Panel could be asked to
notify Council Department representatives of the gaps in awareness of the
policy.
The Audit Manager
reiterated the above observations and noted that the Safeguarding Children and
Vulnerable Adults Operational Panel had given considerable attention to Council
staff's awareness of the safeguarding policy. She explained that the
Safeguarding Children and Adults Strategic Panel oversaw the Operational Panel.
A member noted
that the matter should be referred for discussion by others or it should be
discussed at a meeting of the Controls Improvement Working Group as the
Committee had identified it as a risk.
A member noted
that the audit mostly pointed to the lack of training and the matter could be
discussed at the Cabinet Members' performance challenging meetings. In response, the Audit Manager noted that
training statistics were discussed at every meeting of the Operational Panel.
The Audit Manager suggested that the Chair of the Operational Panel
could be invited to attend a meeting of the Controls Improvement Working Group
in the future to provide details on the work programme.
RESOLVED:
(i) to accept the report on
the work of Internal Audit for the period of 18 November 2017 to 26 March 2018
and to support the agreed actions that have already been submitted to the
managers of the relevant services;
(ii) that the Chair of
the Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Operational Panel should attend
a meeting of the Controls Improvement Working Group in the future to provide
details on the work programme.
Supporting documents: