Minutes of meeting
North Lanarkshire Council · 29 August 2024
Back to Audit and Scrutiny Panel — 29 August 2024 and its agenda
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Audit and Scrutiny Panel - Thursday, 29 August 2024 1 Thursday, 29 August 2024 at 14:00 PM. A Meeting of the AUDIT AND SCRUTINY PANEL PRESENT Councillor Watson, (Convener), Councillor B McCulloch, (Vice Convener), Councillors Brannan-McVey, Dunbar, Fisher, Hughes, Hume, Johnston, Leckie, McLaren, Robinson CHAIR Councillor Watson (Convener) presided. IN ATTENDANCE Acting Chief Officer (Audit & Risk), Business Strategy Manager, Corporate Risk Manager, Strategic & Performance Manager, Principal Auditor; Democratic Services Manager; J Boyd and P Murrary, Audit Scotland. 1 Declarations of Interest In Terms of the Ethical Standards In Public Life Etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 The meeting noted that there were no declarations of interest. 2 Strategic Performance Framework - Performance Reporting Schedule Quarterly Performance Assurance Review There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Business and Digital) (1) providing the Panel with the outcome of the latest quarterly performance assurance review which was undertaken on performance reports submitted to Council Committees during Cycle 2 of 2024; (2) attaching, as Appendices to the report, (a) Chief Officer individual performance reviews submitted to Service Committees in line with the Strategic Performance Framework, and (b) Chief Officer Service specific reporting which takes place each year to meet business and/or statutory obligations. During discussion on this matter, a number of questions were asked in respect of which Officers committed to respond outwith the meeting. "In relation to Housing Services - a tenant is not satisfied with overall service, can you provide further information on the areas where tenants are dissatisfied as this doesn't align with the indicators which are given?" (Councillor Robinson) "In respect of the net cost of refuse collection per premise, can further clarification be provided?" (Councillor Hume) "In relation to the pressure on the Council Housing Stock, would it be possible to have "Void re Lets" – Average Number of days to re-let properties be taken as a scrutiny item?" (Councillor Robinson) Decided:
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Audit and Scrutiny Panel - Thursday, 29 August 2024 2 (1) that the composite overview of performance reporting provided in Appendices 1 and 2, to maintain an awareness of each report within the Performance Reporting Schedule for 2024 to 2025, be reviewed, and (2) that were there are any significant issues arising from the composite performance overview presented in the attached Appendices, that the Panel considers requires additional scrutiny and a further report be submitted from the respective Chief Officer to a future meeting of the Panel (following review through the Scrutiny Assessment and Prioritisation Process). 3 Best Value Thematic Audit: Workforce Innovation There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Business and Digital) (1) providing the outcome of the Best Value thematic audit on workforce innovation, specially on how the Council was responding to current workforce challenges through building capacity, increasing productivity, and innovation; and (2) setting out the three audit recommendations for improvement, which include management responses in respect of the planned actions. During discussion on this matter, two questions were asked in respect of which Officers committed to respond outwith the meeting. "In respect of point 19 “Trade Union Engagement”, can further information be provided in relation to the gaps in consultation by specific Council services?" (Councillor Robinson) "In respect of the turnover of staff, can a comparison with other Local Authorities be provided?" (Councillor Robinson) Decided: that the report be remitted to the Policy and Strategy Committee to enable Elected Member oversight. 4 Audit and risk-related items Action Log There was submitted a report by the Acting Chief Officer (Audit and Risk) enabling the Panel to track implementation of requests and recommendations made by it in respect of Audit and Risk related items, with the action log, attached as an Appendix to the report, recording those requests and recommendations made by the Panel, and when these had been addressed and/or were expected to be addressed. Decided: that the content of the report be noted. 5 Internal Audit Progress Report There was submitted a report by the Acting Chief Officer (Audit and Risk) providing an overview of Internal Audit activity; (2) reporting the results of the Internal Audit outputs finalised since the last update to the Panel in May 2024; (3) highlighting the most significant issues arising from the completed audit work; (4) updating the Panel on other aspects of the work of Internal Audit: and (5) attaching, as an Appendix to the report, a brief summary of the scope and key findings of each substantive planned audit, together with a summary pack containing copies of those reports. Decided: (1) that the findings, conclusions and recommendations of completed Internal Audit reports, together with the associated management responses, be noted;
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Audit and Scrutiny Panel - Thursday, 29 August 2024 3 (2) that the Chief Officer (People Resources) be invited to the next meeting of the Panel to discuss the suitability of the I-Trent system and the actions put in place to deal with duplicate overtime payments and the recovery of overpayments; (3) that the Acting Chief Officer (Audit and Scrutiny) submit reports to future meetings of the Panel on progress being made in implementing agreed management actions in relation to all Audit recommendations categorised as high or medium; and (4) that the contents of the report be otherwise noted. 6 Internal Audit Follow up of Actions previously agreed by Management in Response to Audit Recommendation There was submitted a report by the Acting Chief Officer (Audit and Risk) (1) detailing the extent to which management had implemented actions previously committed to in response to recommendations contained within Internal Audit reports, where those actions were due to be completed by the end of June 2024; (2) advising that Internal Audit had concluded that 18 of the 37 actions agreed in response to relevant Internal Audit recommendations during the period had been fully completed, with 17 having been assessed as partially implemented; (3) explaining that of the 11 actions due in respect of external outputs, 7 had been completed, 2 were partially implemented, 1 was not yet due and 1 was considered no longer relevant; (4) attaching, as an Appendix to the report, a commentary from management with details of proposed management actions, together with the revised target dates for completion of those outstanding audit recommendations where Internal Audit had assessed the residual risk as high or medium; and (5) attaching, as Appendices to the report (a) Internal Audit recommendations: management actions assessed as not yet completed in this cycle; (b) residual risk rating definition, and (c) outstanding Internal Audit recommendations at the June cycle where the revised implementation was not yet due. Decided: (1) that the contents of the report be noted; and (2) that the recommendations made by Internal Audit in Appendix 1 to the report be noted; and (3) that the updates provided by management in Appendix 2 to the report be noted. 7 Internal Audit Charter There was submitted a report by the Acting Chief Officer (Audit and Risk) (1) explaining that the Internal Audit Charter was an important document which sets out the purpose, authority and principal responsibilities of the Council's Internal Audit Section; (2) seeking approval of the Internal Audit Charter, attached in Appendix 1 to the report, which had recently been reviewed and revised in line with best practice to ensure that it remained up to date and reflected the Council's current arrangements and expectations and that it was consistent with the requirements of the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS) and the associated Local Government Application Note (LGAN); (3) advising that there were no material changes to the proposed Charter for the purpose, authority and principal responsibilities of the Council's Internal Audit Section from that approved by the Panel in 2021, and (4) highlighting that an opportunity had been taken to update the Council's standard template and job titles to reflect the current structure, as narrated within the report. Decided: (1) that the Internal Audit Charter, attached in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.
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Audit and Scrutiny Panel - Thursday, 29 August 2024 4 8 Risk Management Update including Corporate Risk Register CRR 2024-2025 There was submitted a report by the Acting Chief Officer (Audit and Risk) providing an update on key risk management developments, with a particular focus on the results of the recent annual review of the Corporate Risk Register, and, providing a snapshot of the highest current residual risks within Service Risk Registers; (2) explaining that the Corporate Risk Register is formally reviewed annually to ensure completeness and continuing alignment to the Council’s strategic objectives; (3) updating the Panel on the results of that annual review process and presenting the Corporate Risk Register for 2024-25, which has already been approved by the Council’s Corporate Management Team; (4) indicating that the Risk Team had engaged with services to consider whether any risks within Service-level risk registers merited escalations to the Corporate Risk Register; (5) indicating that all corporate risks identified and agreed as meriting inclusion in the Corporate Risk Register are subject to regular monitoring and review by relevant Senior Management and periodic review and consideration of individual risks by both the Corporate Management Team and the Panel in line with their respective Governance roles; (6) explaining some of the changes to individual risk scores arising out of the recent review; (7) noting that, due to the application of the new risk ratings and thresholds as approved in the revised Corporate Risk Management Strategy, approved by the Policy and Strategy Committee in March 2023, the Corporate Risk Register profile looks somewhat different than previous versions in terms of the scoring and RAG ratings, and (8) attaching, as Appendices to the report, (a) the 2024-25 Corporate Risk Register; (b) current strategic risks and issues facing the Council as at May 2023, and (c) service risks with the highest residual risk scores. During discussion on this matter, a question was asked in respect of which Officers committed to respond outwith the meeting. "Can an update on the Procurement Risk be provided?" (Councillor Hume and Councillor Robinson) Decided: (1) that the agreed Corporate Risk Register for 2024/25 in Appendix 1, which incorporated the changes outlined in Section 2 of the report, be noted; (2) that the information contained within the report in respect of risk management arrangements within Services (including the summary of those risks with the highest residual risk scores) be noted; and (3) that an update on Procurement Risk be incorporated in to the next update report to the Panel on 7 November 2024.