Agenda item

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Members received an update on an audit of the Department of Community and Children’s Services (DCCS) departmental processes for:

· business planning

· monitoring of the business plan activities, risks and budgets

· identification and challenge of risk.

As part of the Internal Audit team’s ongoing cycle of independent reviews of

departmental processes and procedures, a review of the DCCS business planning

process commenced in February 2016. The final report of this review, with

recommendations, was issued by Internal Audit in July 2016.

The overall aim of the audit was to ‘provide assurance that corporate plans are

linked to budgets, risks and KPIs [key performance indicators], to provide assurance

to Chief Officers that the plan is being delivered within budget and what is being

reported is consistent with other reporting mechanisms.’

The findings of the audit showed that there was substantial assurance around the

DCCS processes and procedures in the areas examined. Internal Audit concluded:

‘There is a sound control environment with risks to system objectives being

reasonably managed. Any deficiencies identified are not major causes for concern.’

DCCS has had the opportunity to develop a management response to Internal

Audit’s findings and has put in place an action plan to address the issues identified.

Internal Audit will be providing a briefing on the outcome of this review for Members

of the Audit and Risk Management Committee.

Resolved – that the update be reeived.