The Chief Internal Auditor introduced his report that identified and evaluated the performance of the Internal Audit Section and included items of note arising from the actual work undertaken during the period 1 November to 31 December 2016. The report focused upon:

·  Any items of note arising from audit work conducted;

·  Any issues arising that require actions to be taken by Members i.e. Outstanding Audit Recommendations;

·  Performance information relating to the Internal Audit Service and Internal Audit Developments.

Members’ attention was drawn specifically to a number of items of note that had been identified, which included:

Resourcelink System

The Chief Internal Auditor informed that following his report to the Audit and Risk Management Committee on 22 November 2016, further work had been completed by Internal Audit and that all of the outstanding actions had been implemented. Additional work was scheduled for 2017/18 to verify and assess the effectiveness of the new arrangements.

Business Rates – Valuations

The Chief Internal Auditor reported that an audit had been undertaken to determine whether the controls within the Non-Domestic Rates valuations system provided reasonable assurance that operating data was accurate and reliable. He informed that the work had resulted in a number of recommendations to management to improve the control environment. Members noted that all recommendations had been agreed, and were currently being implemented. It was further noted that follow up work was scheduled for later in the year, the outcome of which would be reported to Members in due course.

Other

The Audit and Risk Management Committee was apprised that information on the current status of outstanding audit recommendations appended at Appendix 1 to the report, namely Information Governance and Security, ICT Business Continuity and Data Loss Prevention would form the basis of a verbal report of the Head of Digital (SIRO) later in the meeting (see minute 43, post).

The Chief Internal Auditor advised that all of the recommendations were currently Amber rated as being in indicating that progress is being made to address identified issues and actions are expected to be completed within the reported timescales.

Resolved – That the report be noted.