Scrutiny Committee - 23/04/2025

At a MEETING of the SCRUTINY COMMITTEE held remotely on 23rd April, 2025.

Present:-

BAILIES

Willie SAWERS

(for Nadia EL-NAKLA)

Kevin KEENAN

Fraser MACPHERSON

Derek SCOTT

COUNCILLORS

Jimmy BLACK

Lee MILLS

(for Christina ROBERTS)

Georgia CRUICKSHANK

(for Helen WRIGHT)

Lynne SHORT

Bailie Kevin KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 5th February, 2025 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I DECLARATION OF INTEREST

There were no declarations of interest.

II EDUCATION SCOTLAND (HMI) INSPECTION OF ST FERGUS PRIMARY SCHOOL

There was submitted Report No 135-2025 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service, reporting on the findings of the Education Scotland, His Majestys Inspectors of Education (HMI) visit to St Fergus RC Primary School in December 2024.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the contents of the report; and

(ii) to instruct the Chief Education Officer to monitor progress towards meeting the areas for improvement outlined in the report.

III INSPECTION REPORT ON FOSTERING AND ADOPTION SERVICE

There was submitted Report No 136-2025 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service, providing a summary of the Care Inspectorate inspection of the Children and Families Service Fostering, Adoption and Continuing Care Service published in December 2024 and January 2025, as detailed in Appendix I to the report.

The inspection was a follow-up to a previous inspection published in December 2022 and covered the same three categories of How Well We Support Peoples Wellbeing, How Good is Our Care and Support Planned and How Good is Our Leadership.

The Fostering, Adoption and Continuing Care Service improved in all three categories of inspection, with Adoption and Continuing Care moving from Adequate to Very Good in two categories. All three requirements and four of the five areas for improvement from the last inspection were met.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the content of the report, including significant progress made since the last inspection in all three categories and the recent implementation of the requirement and area for improvement within the stipulated timescale of 30th March, 2025; and

(ii) to request the Executive Director to ensure that all other areas for improvement were acted on and provided routine updates as part of the services annual report on Our Promise to Care Experienced Children, Young People and Care Leavers 2023/2026.

IV FIRE AND RESCUE QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE REPORT - 1ST OCTOBER, 2024 TO 31ST DECEMBER,2024

There was submitted Report No 137-2025 by Area Commander Todd, providing information relating to the third quarter October, 2024 to December, 2024 on the performance of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service against the priorities, outcomes and performance measures detailed within the Local Fire and Rescue Plan for Dundee, to facilitate local scrutiny.

The Committee agreed to note, scrutinise and question the content of the report.

V INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS

There was submitted Report No 126-2025 by the Chief Internal Auditor, submitting a summary of the Internal Audit Reports finalised since the last Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee agreed to note the information contained within the report.

VI INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN UPDATE AND PROGRESS REPORT

There was submitted Report No 127-2025 by the Chief Internal Auditor, submitting an update on the progress towards delivering the 2024/2025 Internal Audit Plan; the audits from previous years plans that were not complete in June 2024; information about the number of open internal audit recommendations, progress towards implementing the new Global Internal Audit Standards as they apply to the UK Public Sector (GIAS (UK Public Sector); and the annual report on the activities of the Scottish Local Authority Chief Internal Auditors Group.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the progress with the Internal Audit Plan;

(ii) to note progress with the implementation of agreed internal audit recommendations;

(iii) to note progress with implementation of the GIAS (UK Public Sector) compliance action plan; and

(iv) to note the Scottish Local Authority Chief Internal Auditors Group (SLACIAG) annual report.

VII 2025/2026 INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN

There was submitted Report No 128-2025 by the Chief Internal Auditor, submitting the Internal Audit Plan for the 2025/2026 financial year.

The Committee agreed to review and approve the 2025/2026 Internal Audit Plan as detailed in Appendix A to the report.

VIII INTERNAL AUDIT STRATEGY AND MANDATE AND CHARTER

There was submitted Report No 129-2025 by the Chief Internal Auditor, submitting to the Committee the Internal Audit Mandate and Charter and the Internal Audit Strategy required by new Global Internal Audit Standards (UK Public Sector) (GIAS (UK Public Sector)).

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to approve the Internal Audit Mandate and Charter as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report including any required updates; and

(ii) to note that the Strategy as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report was designed to aid Internal Audit in achieving the agreed mandate and confirm this position or make suggestions for amendments.

IX DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AUDIT SCOTLAND ANNUAL AUDIT PLAN 2024/2025

There was submitted Report No 134-2025 by the Executive Director of Corporate Services, submitting the above report that described how Audit Scotland would deliver the audit of Dundee City Council for the year ending 31st March, 2025.

The Committee agreed:-

(i) to note the information included in the Audit Plan which was attached report as an Appendix to the report; and

(ii) to note that the outcome of the 2024/2025 audit would be reported to the Scrutiny Committee on 24th September, 2025.

X OTHER REPORTS RELEVANT TO THE REMIT OF THE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

There was submitted Report No 130-2025 by the Chief Internal Auditor, advising of reports submitted to Tayside Contracts Joint Committee, Tayside Valuation Joint Board, Tay Road Bridge Joint Board, and Tay Cities Regional Deal Joint Committee that were relevant to the work of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee agreed to note the content of the reports listed at Appendix 1 to the report.

Kevin KEENAN, Convener.