The report of the Deputy Chief Executive & City Treasurer and the Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management is enclosed.

The Committee considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer and the Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management that provided Members with a summary of the work of the Internal Audit Section from April to September 2019, including progress toward delivery of the annual audit plan, a summary of assurance opinions on completed audits and a summary position on the implementation of Internal Audit recommendations. Focus was on the work produced in the second quarter of the year July to September.  The opinions and statistics had been shared with Directorate senior managers for discussion; to agree actions; and would be used to inform an overall annual assurance opinion in March 2020.  

The Chair stated that he welcomed the format of the Executive Summaries that had been provided throughout the report.

A Member commented upon the Limited Assurance given for the governance arrangements between the Council and the Manchester Local Care Organisation (MLCO). The Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management stated the challenges arose due to multiple organisations, acting as commissioners and providers and their respective reporting mechanisms and decisions making arrangements. He stated that whilst this was a complex landscape he reassured Members that non were acting beyond their legal power or authority. He stated that he was confident that this could be resolved and added that all partners were committed to this.

The Member further commented that KPIs needed to be agreed and monitored for the Manchester Local Care Organisation so that the benefits to residents could be monitored and assessed. The Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer reported that KPIs needed to be appropriate and she stated the clear line of accountability rested with the Executive Director, Adult Social Services and her Deputy. She added that the benefits of the MLCO and the Integrated Neighbourhood Teams were beginning to be realised by preventing people going into hospital unnecessarily and moving people safely out of acute hospital care into a community setting. 

A Member requested that further to the report that had been considered by the Committee at their October meeting she still had concerns in relation to Adult Social Care and recommended that a further report on all of the outstanding recommendations identified by Internal Audit for Adult Services be submitted for consideration at a future meeting. The Member also stated that the Executive Member for Adult Health and Wellbeing and the Executive Director, Adult Social Services should be in attendance.

A Member enquired what were the arrangements for the incidents reported where management did not agree with an internal audit assessment. The Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management informed the Committee that this was flexible and could be negotiated as long as Internal Audit were satisfied that appropriate actions were taken to address any identified risk.

In response to the Corporate Services, Integrated Commissioning and Procurement information provided a Member requested that further details on all low value contracts and associated timescales be provided. The Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management stated that he would circulate information on these outside of the meeting.

Decisions

The Committee recommend:

1. To receive a report on the all the outstanding recommendations identified by Internal Audit for Adult Services be submitted for consideration at a future meeting and that the Executive Member for Adult Health and Wellbeing and the Executive Director, Adult Social Services be in attendance.

2. To receive an update report on the Management Oversight and Supervision – Children’s Services be submitted for consideration at a future meeting and that the Deputy Director Children’s Services and the Executive Member for Children and Schools be in attendance.

3. That the Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management circulate information on the value of contracts referenced within the Integrated Commissioning and Procurement information.

4. To confirm the proposed changes to the Internal Audit Plan 2019/20, subject to the comments from the Committee above.