Agenda item

Implementing Audit Report Recommendations

To consider a report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development on implementing Audit Report Recommendations.

 

(N.B. Appendix 1 and 2 are exempt under 10.4 (1,2,4,6,) and Article 6 Human Rights Act 1998)

Minutes:

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report on implementing Audit Recommendations.

 

Prior to discussing the matter, the Board agreed to conduct this item of business in private session.

 

The following representatives were in attendance and responded to Board Members’ queries and comments:-

 

Neil Hunter, Head of Internal Audit, Resources

Martin Farrington, Acting Director of City Development

Catherine Blanshard, Chief Libraries, Arts and Heritage Officer, City Development

 

The Chair, on behalf of the Board requested the Head of Internal Audit to give a brief introduction on the following specific issues:-

 

·  An explanation of how whistleblowing worked within the Council

·  An explanation of the work of Internal Audit and the process and procedures it follows

·  How Internal Audit was viewed within the Council

·  Brief resume of the history of this investigation and comments on the report of the Acting Director of City Development on the action and progress taken to implement the recommendations of the Audit Report into these specific whistleblowing allegations

 

In summary, specific reference was made to the following issues:-

 

·  Clarification of the procedure following an allegation of whistleblowing and the role of Internal Audit in this regard

·  Clarification of the number of staff employed within Internal Audit

·  Clarification of the process applied for officers to make declarations of interest across the Council and how are they monitored and kept up to date

·  Clarification of what checks were made to ensure officers are declaring interests and where they are registered and who has access to these declarations  

·  Clarification of what mechanisms/safeguards were in place that would identify an officer having an interest when officers were advising Members on issues

·  Clarification as to whether officer declarations were available under Freedom of Information and if not why not

·  Clarification of what the current position was regarding proposals by Government to introduce the same requirements for officer declarations as those of Elected Members which include being accessible by the public

·  The view that the Head of Internal Audit should be required to submit all whistleblowing cases to the Corporate and Governance and Audit Committee and not just those that he regards as having major concerns whilst maintaining the confidentiality of the whistleblower when presenting such information

·  Clarification as to whether officers terms and conditions of employment require them to declare conflicts of interest

·  To suggest  that whistleblowing should be included as part of the newly Elected Members induction training

 

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

(b)  That the Head of Internal Audit be requested to submit all whistleblowing cases to the Corporate and Governance and Audit Committee on a regular basis whilst maintaining complete confidentiality of the identity of the whistleblower/s concerned.

(c)  That, the Chief Officer (Human Resources)  prepare a report on the following specific issues for consideration at the Board’s next meeting on 17th May 2011:-

·  the process applied for officers to make declarations of interest across the Council and how are they kept up to date and monitored

·  what checks are made to ensure that officers are declaring interests and details of where the declarations are kept and who has access to them

·  what mechanisms/safeguards are in place that would identify an officer having an interest when officers were advising Members on issues

·  whether officer declarations are available under Freedom of Information and if not why not

·  what the current position is regarding proposals by Government to introduce the same requirements for officer declarations as those of Elected Members which include being accessible by the public

·  to identify whether officers terms and conditions of employment require them to declare conflicts of interest

(d)  That  whistleblowing be included as part of the newly Elected Members induction training.

 

(Councillor G Harper left the meeting at 12.25pm during discussions of the above item)

 

(Councillor M Rafique left the meeting at 12.30pm during discussions of the above item)

 

 

Supporting documents: