The report of the Head of Audit and Risk Management.

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Audit and Risk Management which summarised the current implementation position and arrangements for monitoring and reporting internal and external audit recommendations, in line with PSAA requirements.

The report provided information on:

• The standard process for follow up on management actions on high-risk recommendations
• The current implementation position, including outstanding audit recommendations (over 12 months), Significant / Critical Overdue Recommendations (less than 6 months), as well as those not yet overdue.

An overview of all outstanding recommendations was appended to the report.

Key lines of enquiry of enquiry discussed in the meeting were in relation to outstanding recommendations in respect of:

• Mental Health Casework - the development of processes for reconciling safeguarding referrals and the outcomes of these between the Council and the Trust
• Transitions of social care from Children’s to Adults Services
• Section 106 agreements

In introducing the report, the Head of Audit and Risk Management referred to a discussion at the Committee’s November 2021 meeting about the implementation of recommendations about the frequency of Planning for Permanence meetings.  The Deputy Director of Children’s Services attended the meeting and explained that the policy around planning for permanence had since been revised to bring about a greater focus on the individual circumstances of the child / young person.  These meetings were now scheduled to take place before a child’s second review meeting and was felt to imbue more meaning and purpose to that measure.  In terms of the frequency of those meetings, a quantitative measure was delivered through a monthly dashboard that is routinely considered by the Corporate Parenting Panel (CPP).  A member agreed that the matter had been well debated and carefully considered by the CPP with the issue of finding appropriate placements remaining high on its agenda.

With regard to Mental Health Casework, a member expressed concern that the recommendation had not been implemented, mindful of the length of time that had elapsed.  Whilst it was acknowledged that the impact of the global pandemic had more than likely adversely impacted progress, the implication on safeguarding of a vulnerable cohort was highlighted as a concern and that appropriate rigor and scrutiny should therefore be applied. It was also noted that no revised completion date for this action had been submitted.  Members noted that reference to the delay had been attributed to challenges around staff training during the pandemic and the interface between the Council’s Liquid Logic and the Trust’s own platform.  Whilst it was acknowledged that there had been some change to strategy, the detailed reasons for the delay and barriers to implementation remained unclear.  The Committee resolved to request that the Director of Adults Services provides a formal update on this specific issue for the next meeting of the Committee.  It was also suggested that the response should encompass all of the outstanding recommendations made in connection with Adult Services in light of safeguarding considerations.  The Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer agreed that a formal response from the Director was necessary but gave assurance that in the absence of the outstanding recommendations being implemented, other measures were in place to ensure that cases were appropriately reviewed during the significant additional challenge faced by Adult Social Care colleagues throughout the pandemic .  

Decision

1.    To note the report

2.    To schedule a report for the next meeting of the committee which provides in depth detail on the barriers to implementation of recommendations yet to be implemented for Directorate for Adults.