Issue - meetings

To receive a report on the Audit & Standards Committee’s recommendations that have been referred to Council in relation to the provision of internal audit services.

The Director for Corporate Services

(a)  submitted a report that explained the Council’s current internal audit delegation would come to an end on 31 March 2022. The service was currently high performing and represented good value for money with a high level of resilience and access to specialist services should they be required;

(b)  advised as a result, the report, at appendix 1, proposed a new service level agreement was entered into to continue the delegation with the same internal audit team as recommended by the Audit and Standards Committee.

RESOLVED

Council:

(1)  DELEGATED its internal audit service to North Northamptonshire Council from 1st April 2022;

(2)  DELEGATED authority to the Director for Corporate Services in consultation with the Assistant Director for Governance and Democracy to finalise the delegation agreement with North Northamptonshire Council for the provision of internal audit services;

(3)  DELEGATED authority to the Director for Corporate Services to:

(a)  REVIEW the agreement every 5 years to ensure best value;

(b)  MAKE any in-year changes to the delegation agreement as required to reflect any legislative and/or organisational changes;

(4)  NOTED that the service level agreement was provided to the Audit & Standards Committee for approval before being finalised.

(Unanimous)

The Director for Corporate Services to submit a report proposing a new Service Level Agreement be entered into to continue the delegation with the same Internal Audit Team.

David Scott, Corporate Services Manager introduced the report, the purpose of which was to propose a new Service Level Agreement be entered into to continue the delegation with the same Internal Audit Team.

Mr. Scott advised that the current delegated service was scheduled to end on 1 March 2022 and the proposal to continue the delegation with the same Internal Audit Team would reflect the change in responsible authority (being North Northamptonshire Council) from 1 April 2022.  The current service was high performing, represented good value for money and provided the resilience needed across different specialisms.

Mr Scott confirmed that other partner councils were also proposing to continue the delegation.  He highlighted that the extensive research undertaken in 2017 remained valid and justifications for continuing the delegation were detailed at paragraph 5.4 of the report.

During discussion the following points were noted:

·         Members noted that the current service provided value for money and were supportive of the recommendations, with the addition of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) as finalised by the Director for Corporate Services in consultation with the Assistant Director for Governance and Democracy being submitted to this Committee for approval.

RESOLVED that the Committee recommended that Council:

1)    Delegates its internal audit service to North Northamptonshire Council from 1 April 2022;

2)    Delegates authority to the Director for Corporate Services in consultation with the Assistant Director for Governance and Democracy to finalise the delegation agreement with North Northamptonshire Council for the provision of internal audit services;

3)    Delegates authority to the Director for Corporate Services to:

i.    review the agreement every 5 years to ensure best value.

ii.   make any in-year changes to the delegation agreement as required to reflect any legislative and/or organisational changes;

4)    Notes that the Service Level Agreement (SLA) be provided to the Audit and Standards Committee for approval before being finalised.