Agenda item
Internal Audit Plan 2019-20
- Meeting of Senedd Commission Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, Monday, 25 March 2019 10.30 (Item 4.)
- View the background to item 4.
Minutes:
ACARAC
(02-19) Paper 4 – Internal Audit Plan 2019-20
3.1
Due to this meeting being so soon after the February
meeting, there were no internal audit reports to present. Any reports approved before the June meeting would
be shared with the Committee in advance.
3.2
Gareth confirmed that he was covering the role of
designated Data Protection Officer for the Commission and explained the
arrangement that had been put in place with the office of the Public Services
Ombudsman for Wales to provide cover for the data protection and GDPR function
during a period of maternity leave.
3.3
Gareth had also been involved in discussions with
the Electoral Commission around proposed changes to governance arrangements
contained in the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill. He agreed to provide a note of potential
implications for the Assembly Commission when more information was available.
3.4
In relation to the review of procurement, Committee
members discussed how the Commission could better engage with small Welsh
suppliers. One member of the Committee
advised of attendance at a meeting with the local Chambers of Commerce where
this issue had been discussed. Dave Tosh
agreed to discuss with Ann Beynon and Jan Koziel (Head of Procurement) options
to engage with relevant organisations to inform the Commission’s procurement
strategy to better understand supply chain barriers to engaging with the public
sector.
3.5
The Committee questioned the focus of audit work on
the Business Directorate. Gareth and Siwan
Davies had discussed the timing of future audits and the scope of that work,
but Siwan was in the process of appointing a Head of Committee Service, who
would be responsible for leading this work.
3.6
The Chair welcomed the opportunity to be involved in
discussions with Gareth and Siwan on the terms of reference for the end to end
Committee review.
3.7
Gareth thanked the Committee for their comments and
was happy to receive further suggestions about his audit plan by email. He agreed to share the review of the
Leadership Team and Executive Board with the Chair and was happy to re-schedule
the sickness absence review to ensure a report was approved in time for the
autumn Public Accounts Committee (PAC) scrutiny session.
3.8
Gareth confirmed that his annual report, to be
presented in June, would capture any outstanding recommendations.
Actions
–
(3.4) Gareth to provide a note of
potential implications for Assembly Commission governance arrangements arising
from proposals relating to the Electoral Commission contained in the Senedd and
Elections (Wales) Bill.
–
(3.5) Dave to discuss
with Ann Beynon and Jan Koziel options to engage with relevant organisations to
inform the Commission’s procurement strategy to better understand supply chain
barriers.
–
(3.6) Gareth and Siwan to
engage in discussions with Bob on plans for assurance reviews within the
Assembly Business Directorate.
–
(3.8) Committee members
to provide comments to Gareth on the 2019-20 Internal Audit Plan.
–
(3.8) Gareth to share his
report on the review of Leadership Team and Executive Board with Chair when
available.
- (3.8)
Gareth to bring forward the sickness absence review to ensure a report is
approved in time for the autumn PAC scrutiny session.