Decision details

The Internal Audit Manager presented her report which summarised the work undertaken by Audit Services during the period April 2015 to August 2015 and provided the Council with assurance on the adequacy of its internal audit systems of control.

The Internal Audit Manager drew the Committee’s attention to the work surrounding debt collection and the team’s effort to help make the recovery policy more robust to help address the outstanding issues outlined in the report. She focused on the difficulty of debt recovery for particular areas such as Meals on Wheels and Span due to the vulnerable clientele, but was hopeful that, with the Corporate Debt Group, actions could be taken forward.

In addition she emphasised the team’s work in relation to the risks associated with Counter Fraud. She explained that Spelthorne had received £60k from the DCLG fraud fund which was being used to assist in the detection and prevention of tenancy fraud, right to buy applications, business rate evasion and avoidance and corporate or miscellaneous frauds such as legitimacy of council tax exemptions for students. The Committee noted that an official launch was being scheduled to raise public awareness of Housing Fraud in Surrey whereby posters were to be distributed alongside a press release to improve fraud detection.

The Committee were concerned with the need for documentary evidence with regards to a disaster recovery test for the iTrent payroll system from Tandridge Borough Council. The Internal Audit Manager explained that the Council was continuing to request the relevant information from Tandridge and was hopeful that an update would be provided soon.

Resolved that the Audit Committee note the Internal Audit Interim Report.