At a MEETING of the AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 26 September 2005.

Present:-

BAILIES

Charles D P FARQUHAR

Neil I C POWRIE

John CORRIGAN (substituting for Councillor Joe FitzPatrick)

COUNCILLOR

Fraser MACPHERSON

In Attendance:-

Pearl Tate, Senior Audit Manager, Audit Scotland

Councillor MACPHERSON, Convener, in the Chair.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I RISK MANAGEMENT PROJECT WORK (2005/2006)

There was submitted Report No 582-2005 by the Risk and Business Continuity Manager providing an overview of Risk Management project work approved to date for 2005/2006. The appendix to the report gave details of committed expenditure of 114,000 out of the budget provision of 180,000.

The Sub-Committee noted the contents of the report further noting that the Risk and Business Continuity Manager would provide additional reports on progress with future Risk Management project activity.

II EXTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS

There was submitted covering Report No 586-2005 by the Senior Audit Manager, Audit Scotland, together with the following reports relating to the 2004/05 audit which had been finalised:-

7         Dundee Discovery Card - Implementation and Management

7         Financial Strategy

7         Group Accounts

The Summary Findings in each report set out the principal focus of the review and summarised the main audit findings. The Action Plans contained detailed recommendations on the areas where further improvements could be achieved.

The Sub-Committee considered and noted each of the individual reports.

III INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS

There was submitted Report No 584-2005 by the Chief Internal Auditor providing the Sub-Committee with a summary of the Internal Audit reports finalised since its last meeting on 16 May 2005. Executive Summaries for the sixteen finalised reviews were provided at Appendix A of the report. The full reports were available to Members upon request.

The Sub-Committee noted the information contained within the report.

IV SCHEDULE FOR 2006 MEETINGS

There was submitted Agenda Note AN391-2005 giving details of the proposed meeting dates for 2006 as follows:-

Monday 23 January 2006

Monday 15 May 2006

Monday 25 September 2006

All meetings to commence at 9.30 am.

The Sub-Committee noted and approved the proposed timetable of meetings for 2006.

The Sub-Committee resolved under Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the undernoted items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 8 of Part 1 of Schedule 7(A) of the Act.

V INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS

There was submitted Report No 589-2005 by the Chief Internal Auditor providing the Sub-Committee with a summary of the Internal Audit Reports finalised since the last Sub-Committee meeting on 16 May 2005.

The Executive Summaries provided at Appendix A of the report gave details of specific locations and weaknesses found within the systems operated by the Departments concerned.

The Sub-Committee noted the information contained within the report.

VI RISK MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

There was submitted Report No 581-2005 by the Risk Business Continuity Manager updating Members on the progress made with developing the capabilities of the Council's Risk Management Information System. Reference was made to the Sub-Committee meeting held on 16 May 2005 which requested further reporting when the newly purchased risk management information systems capabilities had been developed.

The Committee approved the following recommendations:-

(a) to acknowledge the progress made with the development of the Council's new Risk Management Information System;

(b) to agree that Council losses be reported to each Audit and Risk Management Sub-Committee;

(c) to monitor future reporting, and to identify worsening loss trends requiring remedial risk management controls.

VII INSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT APPOINTMENT

There was submitted and noted Agenda Note AN392-2005 advising the Sub-Committee of the outcome of the appointment intimated to the meeting on 16 May 2005 (Article XI refers).

On behalf of the Sub-Committee, the Convener thanked the appointee and his staff for the work carried out in such a satisfactory manner.

Fraser MACPHERSON, Convener.