Agenda item

In accordance with Minute 6 of its meeting held on the 6^th January, 2017 the Committee received the 6 monthly progress report on the Supporting People Service’s Action Plan, summarising the work undertaken to date to achieve improvements in the grant and contract management processes, as identified in the 2015/16 Internal Audit of the Supporting People Programme Grant 2015/16.  It was noted that good progress was being achieved against the action plan which was being monitored by the Supporting People Planning Group, chaired by the Director of Community Services.

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

·        In response to a query raised regarding budget monitoring, the Safeguarding and Commissioning Manager explained that the new process for budget monitoring introduced in October, 2016 had identified an under spend of the grant received from Welsh Government.  The underspend occurred as a result of efficiencies being made and an inability to reallocate in the time permitted.  The Committee noted that a submission was made to Welsh Government to carry forward the surplus money in order for it to be allocated to specific projects considered in line with the anti-poverty strategy but unfortunately was declined.  In light of this, work had been carried out with strategic leads within the Authority to allocate budgets to service providers in order to spend the money on short-term projects enabling improved outcomes.

Furthermore, the Committee were reassured that officers were continuously monitoring the budget to ensure that spend did not go into arrears.

·       With regard to the report, an update was requested in relation to procurement.  The Safeguarding and Commissioning Manager stated that in terms of the business administration of finance, internal processes had been improved which included a transfer of responsibility from a single officer to the business support team.  The procurement department currently manage a range of care providers and ensure that all contracts are duly signed.  Any exemptions for extensions for contracts are managed and reported in line with Council Procedure Rules.  The Director of Corporate Services added that the Welsh Government system procurement database ‘Bravo’ was utilised to record all procurement processes which ensured that there was an information trail.

It was suggested that the Committee received a report on the Council’s procurement processes.  The Head of Revenues and Financial Compliance stated that she would prepare a report for the next Committee meeting.

·        It was asked if there was any evidence of improvements made by the Welsh Government in terms of their administration of the Supporting People Programme Grant (SPPG).  The Wales Audit Office representative stated that whilst improvements had been made there was a significant amount of work was still required. 

The Director of Corporate Services added that the even though the SPPG was made up of a mix of funds from both Welsh Government and the local authority, the Welsh Government had declined to administer the grant. 

Initially when the funds combined to one grant, no auditing took place however, over the years the audit process had been enhanced. 

·        It was asked how the SPPG was monitored and if it had ever been to a scrutiny committee.  The Safeguarding and Commissioning Manager stated that to date the SPPG had not been to a scrutiny committee, however the SPPG was currently monitored quarterly by the Supporting People Operational Group where the work plan and its projects were presented for scrutiny and comment. 

It was requested that a report to include a detailed breakdown of fund allocation with regard to the SPPG to be brought to the next Audit Committee meeting.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED:

6.1       that the report be received;

6.2       that the Committee receive a report on the council’s procurement process at its meeting in March;

6.3       that the Committee receive a report to include a detail breakdown SPPG fund allocation its meeting in March.