Rich Clarke, the Head of Audit Partnership, submitted a report setting out the progress against the high priority recommendations identified in relation to the three audit projects which had received limited assurance in 2013/14 (Housing Options (Housing Allocations Policy), Museum Collections and Artefacts and Freedom of Information).  The report also detailed changes to the audit follow up process generally.  It was noted that:

·  The three reports highlighted by the Committee plus all other reports from 2013/14 were part of the new follow up process currently in train.  Previously, the audit follow up process had been to re-visit projects in full at a fixed period after issue of the report.  Although there was some flexibility depending upon the implementation dates of individual recommendations, in general, the process did not reliably capture follow up of longer term recommendations.  The process was also inconsistent in the way that data was collated and reported both to senior management and to Members.  The revised process for 2014/15 aimed to address these issues in order to provide more useful and timely information.

·  As this was the start of a new process, there was a considerable backlog to work through, but it was hoped to report the first findings to Officers in mid-November 2014 and to the Audit Committee in January 2015.

·  The audit report on Housing Options (Housing Allocations Policy) was only issued in June 2014, with the recommendations beginning to fall due from the end of September 2014.

·  In terms of the audit report on the Museum Collections and Artefacts:

A collections review methodology was being developed alongside a programme for undertaking cataloguing; in the meantime work was continuing on the cataloguing of the Collections.

Funding constraints continued to restrict progress in cataloguing.

Work had been undertaken with the Finance Team to ensure that VAT on items disposed of by sale was treated correctly.

·  In terms of the audit report on Freedom of Information:

A disclosure log detailing requests and responses had gone live on the Council’s website on 1 September 2014.

A Performance Indicator was being developed for Freedom of Information requests, Environmental Information requests and Subject Access requests.

The current correspondence system was being reviewed to identify improvements for dealing with information requests.

The Council had recently appointed an Information Manager who was compiling a procedure note setting out the relevant roles and responsibilities.

In response to questions and comments by Members, the Officers explained that:

·  Recommendations were made by Internal Audit to management for implementation.  In the case of the cataloguing of the Museum Collections and Artefacts, if the recommendations were not implemented by January 2015, and management continued to cite funding constraints, then the Committee would have the opportunity to ask specific questions as to the reasons why and the action to be taken.

·  They would refer Members’ suggestions regarding the possibility of actively seeking bequests and funding from charitable trusts and foundations for the purpose of expediting the cataloguing of the Museum Collections to the Head of Commercial and Economic Development as the Officer responsible.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the progress against the high priority recommendations identified in the Museum Collections and Artefacts and Freedom of Information audit reports be noted.

2.  That the changes to the Internal Audit follow up process generally, as set out in the report of the Head of Audit Partnership, be noted.