Agenda item

The Chief Internal Auditor presented the report to the committee stating that this was an audit on SGO/Kinship payments carried out some time ago which was unsatisfactory in its opinion. The Audit team had gone back and followed up the original audit, which resulted in a second Unsatisfactory opinion; this was the reason it was brought to Audit committee. Members then decided to call in the Head of Service and the manager to give assurances that issues would improve as a third audit visit would be required.

Information had been provided for the Committee with a background on the situation. This was a team that should have been set up but this did not happen effectively and issues identified previously were not addressed. The Chief Internal Auditor explained that the audit team could not therefore go back to that team and re-audit the situation as no progress had been made since the previous audit. An action plan was in place with timescales and management responsibilities to address the situation.

 Questions:

·       Councillor Thomas asked had there been national guidance on SGO payments and when did NCC implement it.

The Audit Manager confirmed that there was national guidance and there were issues about calculation of payments identified locally. The broader issue was how things were structured within the service to deal with payments.

·       Councillor Thomas expressed concern around the payments situation, and explained that the background circumstances in these cases were very often tragic as often grandparents have the SGO role and it was not easy. Financial support was then needed as those children often had special needs and Councillor Thomas stated that they were pleased audit would look further at this.

The Audit Manager confirmed that it was in the audit plan to go back again and that some progress had been made following the original audit. There had been a big change in the structure of the service area in terms of delivering support to families. There was new management in place and this would feed through into the subsequent audit. 

Councillor Thomas questioned the agreed management action on page 165 as the ‘By When’ action stated immediate and was this immediate from 2018 or immediate from now.

The Chief Internal Auditor confirmed that this action was immediate from date of discussion so it would be the date of the report and not 2018. Councillor Thomas stated that it would be useful to have that explained on the report for future reference, which was agreed by the Chief Internal Auditor.

Councillor Whitcutt stated that it was fair to the Head of Service that it was a difficult time at present in that service area and that the service manager was a conscientious person and would have attended if they would have been able to.

The Chair stated that taking the impact of Covid 19 into account the papers were fine to be left as they were at this point as issues were also moving in a positive direction.

Councillor Thomas stated that stresses should be recognised however, there were now two unsatisfactory audits of SGO payments and there was stress on families in relation to the family situation and therefore a clear system was needed and that it was being implemented properly and fully.

The Chair asked the Committee whether they would want the Head of Service to be called in to the Audit Committee.

Agreed:

The Audit Committee agreed for the Head of Service to be called in to the Audit Committee on the 29 January 2021.