Agenda item

*AC 16        

The Lead Hub Committee Member introduced the 2023/24 Internal Audit Plan and

Charter and Strategy to Members.

The Head of Devon Audit Partnership stated that a reasonable assurance opinion was expected on the internal audit. Regarding the insurance audit, it was felt that there was room for a more systematic approach to review claims being made. Also, the cost of insurance against claim payouts.  He voiced concerns regarding some food safety checks that had not been carried out as part of the recovery plan from the COVID pandemic.  It was noted that project management had good methodology however there was less assurance on the smaller projects.  A central register for all projects going forward would be useful to ensure reasonable project management processes were followed. The travel and subsistence audit in conjunction with a review carried out by Human Resources on the travel and subsistence procedures found that there was a need to improve line management in the signing off of claims made.

In response to a Member question about whether there was anything he felt should be put added to the strategic risk register, the Head of Devon Audit Partnership said there was concern over the food safety checks. There had been talks with the Food Safety Agency regarding the plan, along with plans to recruit more staff to carry out the checks.  Secondly, he raised specific concerns over the maintenance of buildings.

A further question was raised over improving the accuracy of the register of food businesses.  In reply, the Head of Environmental Health & Licensing stated that, during the pandemic, there had been a huge influx of food businesses that closed and also ones that started up.  A new IT software package had now been implemented and, going forward, records would be checked against premises to see which were still operational and a visit would be made to them.  The officer also stated that food businesses did not have a duty to tell the local authority when they closed and the Food Standards Agency had drawn up a plan in the pandemic asking local authorities to focus on high-risk establishments.

The number of inspections had to be reduced during the pandemic as officers were focused on those high-risk establishments as well as focussing on other health issues during the pandemic. The lead officer for food safety would be providing a report on activity over the past 12 months and was ensuring that a plan was in place moving forward on food safety checks with adequately resourced staff.  Once the report was completed, the Head of Environmental Health & Licensing would share the report with Members.

At the last meeting, it was agreed that two Independent Members would sit on the Audit and Governance Committee. The Section 151 Officer stated that the job description and role profile had been drawn up and was being progressed by the Devon Audit Partnership. The renumeration for those two Members would be set at 0.5 x the Basic Allowance.

It was then RESOLVED that:

1.           the progress made against the 2023/24 internal audit plan, and any key issues be approved and noted; and

2.           the Internal Audit Charter and Strategy be approved.