Agenda item

Internal Audit Report - Direct Payments follow up report

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report presented by the Head of Internal Audit, which represented the results of an audit follow up review of the Direct Payments audit undertaken in 2017/18 and a further follow up in 2018/19.  The initial report presented to the Committee had given a limited assurance opinion and a follow up review was agreed with Adult Social Care and Support and the Committee had requested a further update in this area following progress being reported to the Committee in October 2018.  The report also provided a progress update on the recovery of overpayments identified as a problem area from a further audit report from 2015/16.

 

Patrick Birch, Strategic Lead for Adults Transformation, Anthony Patterson and Joanne Hayes, Professional Business Support were in attendance at the meeting and responded to questions from Members.

The Head of Internal Audit provided an overview of key actions completed prior to October 2018, the key actions completed between October 2018 and March 2019 and the outstanding actions that were being progressed.

 

The Chair, in referring to Appendix A to the report, sought confirmation as to whether the dates of the outstanding actions were on track for completion.  The Head of Internal Audit reported that there was a continuation of Direct Payments being taken up which was positive. He explained that this was in line with the Social Care Strategy on a national basis. There was a better grip on costs, which was as a consequence of all new Direct Payments now going through a Risk Assessment Panel.

 

A member of the public was in attendance at the meeting and wished to ask a question. As there was no provision on the agendas for members of the public to ask questions, the Chair Councillor Austen White, used his discretion to allow Mr Ferguson the opportunity to speak. Mr Ferguson was of the opinion that the reports presented to the Audit Committee in general and the minutes of meetings, did not clearly spell out the actions being taken by the Council to improve areas requiring improvement and the community benefits arising from such improvements. He felt that the focus appeared to be on how improvements would strengthen the Councils position only.  Mr Ferguson also held the view that there was insufficient challenge by the Committee in respect of reports presented to the Committee. The Chair assured Mr Ferguson that the role of the Committee was to challenge Officers on all aspects of audit work. Following further questions from Mr Ferguson, the Chair and Vice-Chair offered to meet with Mr Ferguson outside of the meeting to discuss the issues he raised.

 

In response to a question from the Vice-Chair, Councillor Richard A Jones about whether any additional significant issues being identified during the follow-up review, the Head of Audit commented that in the evolving environment the Council operates in; the Internal Audit Team was focussing its work on areas of significant risk and this area was not considered to be as high a risk area as it previously was.

 

The Committee was pleased to note that 19 out of the original 24 recommendations had been completed. In relation to overpaid Direct Payments, it was reported that the amounts outstanding should continue to fall as a number of initiatives were implemented including, earlier intervention when individuals got into debt. Officers of the Council were working more collaboratively across services and with external partners to ensure that this function was being managed effectively, and offered support to those requiring assistance. Also, an Officers Value for Money Group had been established and Direct Payments could be an area for this group to examine.

 

The Committee welcomed the report and were pleased to note an increase in the figures and continued uptake of Direct Payments.  Members acknowledged the robust systems that were now in place and the service was operating more effectively. In response to a question from the Chair, the Head of Internal Audit advised that there was no requirement for future reports on this issue to be brought back to the Committee, unless there was a downturn in governance and control in this area.

 

RESOLVED that the contents of the report, the actions taken and any outstanding actions, be noted.

 

 

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