Agenda item

The Committee considered a report which provided a progress update on the implementation of the Internal Audit Plan 2017/18. Part A(i) of the report provided a progress report on the Audit Plan 2017/18 and Part A(ii) provided a recommendations scoring matrix. 

The Committee noted that with regard to Part B of the report, there were no fundamental issues to report. 

Part C of the report detailed priority 1 recommendations relating to reviews of other systems and establishment audits and included reviews completed since April, 2017 where systems had one or more fundamental control weaknesses or involved reviews following agreement by the Chair of Audit Committee and the Audit and Risk Manager was brought to the Committee.  This section included details of a review of Llanelli Leisure Centre and Departmental Contract Management.

The following observations/issues were raised on the report:-

In response to a concern raised regarding the robustness and frequency of cash checks at Llanelli Leisure Centre, the Senior Sports and Leisure Manager clarified that cash checks were carried out multiple times throughout the day, including end of day, and that unannounced checks on each operator were made annually in line with financial regulations (recently upskilled staff so that not reliant on Business Support Unit, increasing capability to check at all times of day).

It was highlighted from the report that the basic fundamental of overall staffing at Llanelli Leisure Centre was operating below standard.  The Head of Leisure explained that the findings were part of a broader report in 2016/17 and stated that many improvements had been implemented over recent months.  The Senior Sports and Leisure Manager further explained the complexity of staff management and that the Centre currently relied heavily upon on a cohort of casual staff to cover the areas such as swim teaching, where around 100 lessons are run per week. The Senior Sport & Leisure Manager reported that the leisure centre was currently operating a convoluted rather than a high risk system which from an audit perspective could be deemed as not robust.

It was requested that an update on this matter be reported to the Audit Committee in 6 months.  It was further commented that it would have been beneficial if the report had included improvements that had already been made.

It was asked how other Leisure Centres manage casual staff in order to ascertain best practice. The Senior Sports and Leisure Manager explained that Carmarthen Leisure Centre were utilising a much better system which was in the process of being refined in readiness to be replicated by Llanelli Leisure Centre. 

It was asked if the system at Carmarthen Leisure Centre had been audited.  The Senior Sports and Leisure Manager confirmed that Leisure Centres were audited as part of an annual program and Carmarthen had just been audited with report imminent. The Head of Leisure added that the system within Carmarthen Leisure Centre operated using more modern techniques but planned to ensure best practice in this area before being adopted in Llanelli Leisure Centre.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that:

3.1       for monitoring purposes, the 2017/18 Internal Audit Plan update be received;

3.2       the Committee receive a further update on Llanelli Leisure Centre in 6 months.