Agenda item

REPORT OF THE SHARED INTERNAL AUDIT SERVICE

To receive the Internal Audit Service progress report 2024-25 of the SIAS.

RESOLVED:That the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee noted:

(1)   The SIAS Progress Report for the period to 16 August 2024.

(2)   The implementation status of the reported high priority recommendations.

(3)   The plan amendments to the 2024/25 Annual Audit Plan.

Audio recording – 36 minutes 27 seconds

The Head of Assurance presented the report entitled ‘SIAS Progress Report 2024-25’ and highlighted that:

·       Members had received two limited assurance reports, on Houses in Multiple Occupation and Estates.

·       There had been planned changes to the audit plan as agreed by the Service Director – Resources relating to the reallocation of days over three audits.

·       The report included four high priority recommendations relating to Houses in Multiple Occupancy. Three of these recommendations had been implemented with the remaining recommendation having been extended with the implementation due at the end September 2024.

·       A high priority recommendation regarding agency staff was partially implemented.

·       The report only showed information on high priority recommendations that had fallen due. The report did not show any future high priority recommendations.

·       The Global Institute of Internal Auditors (GIIA) had published new Global Audit Standards (GIAS) to come into effect in April 2025 for the UK public section. A summary briefing was contained in Appendix E.

·       The GIAS succeeded the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS), and some work was ongoing to ensure compliance with the new standards. Those internal audit services deemed to be ‘generally conforming’ with the PSIAS would not find the transition to the new standards to be overly onerous.

·       There would be training on the specific standard mentioned in Domain III, Governing the Internal Audit Function later in the financial year.

The following Members asked questions:

·       Councillor Dominic Griffiths

·       Councillor Stewart Willoughby

N.B. Councillor Paul Ward left the Chamber at 20:11 and returned at 20:15.

In response to questions, the Head of Assurance advised that:

·       Although it would be ideal to evenly spread the delivery of Planned Days across the year, this was difficult where audits get pushed back due to resourcing and capacity challenges, whether at SIAS or at North Herts Council.

·       Some audit work was also subject to the timing, pace and progress of each Council project.

·       There had been a Churchgate meeting today and SIAS would not be involved again on this project until the end of its current phase, currently expected to be in November.

·       There would be mandatory Training Audit starting in September.

·       The work that SIAS produced was based on the value of their output, not just inputs such as delivery of the planned days. These were presented as a guideline for completion of the Audit Plan.

·       The audits for 2024-25 would follow the current PSIAS, although SIAS were phasing in the new standards over the course of the year.

·       Progress on all audits would be presented regularly to this Committee, and any slippage changes into the following year would then be reported in March.

·       An external quality assessment was due in 2026. 

Councillor Vijaiya Poopalasingham proposed and Councillor Tina Bhartwas seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED:That the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee noted:

(1)   The SIAS Progress Report for the period to 16 August 2024.

(2)   The implementation status of the reported high priority recommendations.

(3)   The plan amendments to the 2024/25 Annual Audit Plan.