Agenda item

Report of the Head of Audit and Risk attached.

Dawn Highton, Head of Audit and Risk presented a report setting out the programme of work to be undertaken by the Internal Audit Service April 2023 – September 2023.

The report also included the final internal audit report for the Waste Management Service. The audit was the first scheduled review for South Ribble Waste Management Service since it was brought in house on 11 June 2022. A “Limited” assurance rating had been awarded for this review.

Dawn Highton confirmed that all of the actions in the Management Action Plan due by January 2023 had been completed.

Members expressed concerns regarding the issues highlighted in the Waste Management Service report and cited in the Management Action Plan, including:

-       Significant health and safety risks highlighted in the review

-       The need for CCTV for the Waste Collection Fleet

-       Lack of clear roles and responsibilities for officers (action 4)

-       Insufficient staffing levels, leading to increased overtime and risk of increased sickness levels and unsafe practices (action 5)

-       Issues relating to induction and training (action 6)

Asim Khan, Director of Customer and Digital addressed the Committee. He gave the background to the report which was that the review had been voluntarily requested following the service going in house in June 2022. He stressed that some issues had not been revealed until the Council took full control of the service. Previously there had been a high degree of dependency on agency employees to deliver the day to day service, however now the service had been taken in house this had been substantially reduced. He indicated that as a result of taking the service in house, whilst allowing for a range of factors (e.g. inflationary pressures on fuel prices), the net saving was estimated to be approximately £20,000. The exact figure would be confirmed after the meeting.

He informed the Committee that a new Head of Service was due to start on 18 April 2023 following a major restructure and that the priority for the postholder would be to ensure all actions due by December 2023 were completed.

In response to a query was raised as to the number of residential properties not recycling correctly, Asim agreed to provide the information outside the meeting.

With regard to the procurement of CCTV, Asim indicated the recommendation was a challenge, however he was due to conclude commercial discussions by the end of March. He indicated that an update would be provided to the Committee.

One member expressed concern about the breach of the first line of defence (i.e. senior management level - page 30) which had also appeared in previous service reviews. The Director of Governance, Chris Moister assured the Committee that the actions in relation to previous reviews had been implemented. The Director of Customer and Digital stressed that there had been a review of senior level posts and the need for greater resilience at senior level would be addressed.

In response to a member query Asim Khan indicated that he would confirm to Committee if action 12, in relation to website testing had now been completed.

There were a number of queries in relation to actions 10, 14 and 15 which were due March 2023 / May 2023. Arising from a query relating to reporting of “near misses” (i.e. before and after insourcing the service), Asim undertook to provide additional information after the meeting.

It was agreed that the Committee be provided with progress updates on actions still outstanding, particularly those not due to be completed until by December 2023.

It was agreed that in the Internal Audit Annual Report to Committee, each of the reviews be taken in turn together with progress on each action.

Resolved (unanimously):-

1.    That the Internal Audit Plan and associated indicators be approved;

2.    that the Committee be provided with progress updates on actions still outstanding, particularly those not due to be completed until by December 2023.

3.    That in the Internal Audit Annual Report to Committee, each of the service reviews be taken in turn together with progress on each action.