Issue - meetings

Report of the Interim Chief Finance Officer is circulated.

Councillor John Brady, Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Risk presented a confidential report which set out a number of options which could be explored for the future delivery of the Council’s Internal Audit service.  It was noted that the same report had been previously considered by the Audit Committee on 13 May 2011 when following a lengthy discussion, it was agreed to endorse the proposal at Option 2 to Cabinet.

It was emphasised that no decision had been made and the decision being sought was to primarily enter into negotiations on the proposals and that a full report to include detailed financial implications would be presented to Cabinet on 26 July 2011.

Councillor Roy While, Chairman of the Audit Committee summarised the discussion at the Audit Committee.

Resolved:

That Cabinet

i)        Approve Officers to enter into formal negotiations with the South West Audit Partnership (SWAP) under a section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the 2000 Act, agreement, to assess further the feasibility of Wiltshire Council entering into a joint local authority Internal Audit partnership.

ii)       Bring back to Cabinet any formal proposal to enter a TUPE transfer arising from these negotiations, following consultation with the Council’s Audit Committee, for consideration.

iii)      Agree that in case negotiations with SWAP result in this option being withdrawn, in parallel with SWAP negotiations the Section 151 Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Finance, and the Chairs of Audit Committee and Resources Overview & Scrutiny Commission, should pursue alternative arrangements to ensure the Internal Audit Service has effective leadership following option IA as proposed in this report as set out at paragraph 21.

Reason for Decision:

The Internal Audit service has been externally assessed as being a good service.  To maintain this standard the service needs to continue to address the considerable internal and external drivers of change that make this review appropriate at this time.