Isle of Anglesey County Council - Audit Letter 2001-2002
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audit 2001/2002 Annual Audit Letter Isle of Anglesey County Council INSIDE THIS LETTER PAGES 2-3 • Key messages PAGE 4 • Accounts PAGES 5-8 • Financial aspects of corporate governance PAGES 8-14 • Use of resources PAGE 14 • Closing remarks Reference: NW263A2002AALfinal.doc Ceri Stradling Author: Kevin Thomas December 2002 Date: audit 2001/2002 Isle of Anglesey County Council • Systems of internal financial control. KEY MESSAGES • Arrangements for the prevention and detection of fraud and corruption. The purpose of this Letter Use of resources This Annual Audit Letter summarises for members • Wales Programme for Improvement. the more important matters arising from our audit • Performance management/improvement for 2001/2002 and comments on other current reviews. issues. We have produced separate reports during the year on completion of specific aspects Our audit has addressed the requirements of the of our work, which have been discussed in detail Code of Audit Practice and we have worked with with officers. the Council to maximise the benefits of the integrated audit approach. We have reviewed The Audit Commission has circulated to all your arrangements for dealing with risks and we audited bodies a statement, which summarises have undertaken more detailed work in selected the key responsibilities of auditors. Our audit has areas of higher audit risk. been conducted in accordance with the principles set out ...
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| Publié par | Zowyong |
| Nombre de lectures | 29 |
| Langue | English |
Extrait
audit 2001/2002 Annual Audit Letter Isle of Anglesey County Council
I N S I D E T H I S L E T T E R
P A G E S 2 - 3 • Key messages
P A G E 4 • Accounts
P A G E S 5 - 8 • Financial aspects of corporate governance
P A G E S 8 - 1 4 • Use of resources
P A G E 1 4 • Closing remarks
Reference: Author: Date:
NW263A2002AALfinal.doc Ceri Stradling Kevin Thomas December 2002
audit 2001/2002 K E Y M E S S A G E S The purpose of this Letter This Annual Audit Letter summarises for members the more important matters arising from our audit for 2001/2002 and comments on other current issues. We have produced separate reports during the year on completion of specific aspects of our work, which have been discussed in detail with officers. The Audit Commission has circulated to all audited bodies a statement, which summarises the key responsibilities of auditors. Our audit has been conducted in accordance with the principles set out in that statement. What we say about the results of our audit should be viewed in the context of that more formal background. Background to the audit In another demanding year, the Council has faced major issues that include: • implementing the requirements of the Wales Programme for Improvement • ongoing legislative change, most notably the implications of the Local Government Act 2000 • the ongoing impact of the foot and mouth disease outbreak on the island. Audit objectives Our audit work is based on the significant financial and operational risks that the Council faces and is structured around three main elements: Accounts • Opinion. • Regularity. Financial aspects of corporate governance • Overall arrangements. • Legality of financial transactions. • Financial standing. Annual Audit Letter Audit 2001/2002
Isle of Anglesey County Council
• Systems of internal financial control. • Arrangements for the prevention and detection of fraud and corruption. Use of resources • Wales Programme for Improvement. • Performance management/improvement reviews. Our audit has addressed the requirements of the Code of Audit Practice and we have worked with the Council to maximise the benefits of the integrated audit approach. We have reviewed your arrangements for dealing with risks and we have undertaken more detailed work in selected areas of higher audit risk. Accounts The Council successfully met the 30 September deadline for producing the Statement of Accounts, despite the absence of key members of finance staff during the summer. The audit of accounts is currently ongoing and the Council appears to have complied with the new financial reporting standard on retirement benefits. The working papers produced to support the statement are of a generally high standard. Financial aspects of corporate governance Overall arrangements The Council needs to develop effective controls in relation to the evaluation and management of operational and financial risk. The introduction of the Wales Programme for Improvement provides the Council with a risk assessment methodology for several areas, and the Council should seek to develop and extend its use.
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audit 2001/2002 Financial standing The Council received a decision from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in September 2002, which indicated that approximately £445,000 relating to housing benefit subsidy should be repaid. Previously, the Council had prudently set aside funds to cover the full potential liability of approximately £2.2 million. As a result, there was a reduction in the provision for DWP repayment and, combined with a number of other changes, the Council increased its general balances from £1.16 million at 1 April 2001 to £3.70 million by 31 March 2002. This is consistent with its plan to increase general fund balances to a level of about 5% of expenditure over the medium term, to provide a more stable financial base. The Council felt justified in asking the DWP to reconsider its decision, given the evidence supplied and the Departments stance at other authorities. So far, this has been unsuccessful and it is currently considering, with advice from its legal advisors, whether to seek a formal judicial review to challenge the Departments decision. Use of resources Performance management is being developed within the Council, but several of the elements required for an effective system require significant development in order to support a comprehensive performance management framework that delivers improvement. There is also a need to ensure that performance information produced is accurate and complete so that robust assessments of service performance can be made. The Councils 2002/2003 Improvement Plan provides a solid foundation for the development of a plan which fulfils its intended strategic role. It is well set out, using plain language and a clear and consistent format. It represents a significant improvement over last years Best Value Performance Plan (BVPP), in terms of both content and quality.
Annual Audit Letter Audit 2001/2002
Isle of Anglesey County Council The Council has developed a clear work programme to move towards its Whole Authority Analysis (WAA). Our initial view is that it should be capable, if applied properly, of delivering an analysis that identifies the key issues for the Councils strategic and operational management of both its corporate and service functions. The Council needs to ensure that it allocates sufficient resources, and applies dynamic and robust project management through the Corporate Policy Unit and the Performance Management Strategy Group to ensure that its objectives are achieved. Our reviews of the Councils arrangements in respect of community strategy, Supporting People, waste management, e-Government, and telecommunications systems controls have identified examples of good practice and encouraging progress. We have also made, and agreed with the Council, a number of recommendations in order to secure further development and improvement. The Council has made significant progress in addressing the issues arising from our earlier reviews of private sector capital grants, and the planning and control of early retirement.
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audit 2001/2002 Accounts The Council successfully met the 30 September deadline for producing the Statement of Accounts, despite the absence of key members of finance staff during the summer. The audit of accounts is currently ongoing and the Council appears to have complied with the new financial reporting standard on retirement benefits. The working papers produced to support the statement are of a generally high standard. We are required to audit your financial statements and to give an opinion as to whether: • they present fairly the Councils financial position • they have been prepared properly in accordance with relevant legislation and applicable accounting standards. There have been a number of changes this year to the way in which local authority accounts have to be prepared. The key change this year relates to the basis of accounting for retirement benefits as required by the Financial Reporting Standard 17. The full requirements of this standard will be introduced over three years, with the aim of providing clearer information on the Councils total obligations to fund the retirement benefits of its staff. The Council has responded effectively to this change and ensured that the additional information required to be disclosed was obtained from the fund actuary. The notes to the balance sheet show that the gross value of the Councils pension liabilities currently stands at some £119.29 million, with net liabilities of £22.29 million.
Annual Audit Letter Audit 2001/2002
Isle of Anglesey County Council Final accounts preparation The Accounts and Audit Regulations (1996) require that local authorities complete their annual accounts for approval by members no later than 30 September. This deadline was met, with the Statement of Accounts being presented to, and approved by, a meeting of the full Council on 26 September 2002. This was despite the fact that the Councils Accountancy Manager and a senior accountant both resigned in July and had not been replaced. The accountancy team had already been weakened by the absence, on maternity leave, of a Group Accountant. Both vacancies have now been filled, and the Accountancy section once more has a full complement of staff. We also acknowledge that, in response to our recommendations made last year, the Council has satisfied the requirements of CIPFAs Accounting Code of Practice, by ensuring that all fixed assets were revalued prior to the production of the 2001/2002 Statement of Accounts. However, the Council will still need to demonstrate its consideration of any impairment to the value of fixed assets prior to the production of the 2002/2003 Statement of Accounts. Audit opinion We anticipate issuing an unqualified audit opinion on the Councils Statement of Accounts before 31 December 2002. Rights of the public to the Council s accounts Local electors have statutory rights to inspect the Councils accounts, to ask questions of the auditor about items contained within the accounts, or to formally object to the legality of items of account. We have dealt with a number of questions from members of the public throughout the audit in respect of this years accounts and two formal objections relating to the 2000/2001 Statement of Accounts are still in progress.
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audit 2001/2002 Financial aspects of corporate governance Overall arrangements The Council needs to develop effective controls in relation to the evaluation and management of operational and financial risk. The introduction of the Wales Programme for Improvement provides the Council with a risk assessment methodology for several areas, and the Council should seek to develop and extend its use. Financial standing The Council received a decision from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in September 2002, which indicated that approximately £445,000 relating to housing benefit subsidy should be repaid. Previously, the Council had prudently set aside funds to cover the full potential liability of approximately £2.2 million. As a result, there was a reduction in the provision for DWP repayment and, combined with a number of other changes, the Council increased its general balances from £1.16 million at 1 April 2001 to £3.70 million by 31 March 2002. This is consistent with its plan to increase general fund balances to a level of about 5% of expenditure over the medium term, to provide a more stable financial base. The Council felt justified in asking the DWP to reconsider its decision, given the evidence supplied and the Departments stance at other authorities. So far, this has been unsuccessful and it is currently considering, with advice from its legal advisors, whether to seek a formal judicial review to challenge the Departments decision.
Annual Audit Letter Audit 2001/2002
Isle of Anglesey County Council Overall arrangements Risk management The Council should have effective controls in place in relation to the evaluation and management of operational and financial risk. At present, it does not appear to have a high level strategic approach to risk assessment, and no one has been assigned with the responsibility for co-ordinating risk assessment at a corporate level for the Council. There are examples of a proactive approach to some aspects of operational risk management, such as through the Councils insurance arrangements, but there is less evidence of a co-ordinated approach to strategic risk management. The introduction of the Wales Programme for Improvement provides the Council with a risk assessment methodology for several areas, and the Council should seek to develop and extend its use. Financial Regulations and Standing Orders A Council needs to operate under a robust framework of financial control in order to maintain and improve its overall performance in respect of financial stewardship and control. Underpinning this framework, is the requirement to have in place complete and comprehensive Financial Regulations, Standing Orders and Contract Standing Orders, which are adhered to throughout the organisation. Under its new constitution which was adopted on 7 May 2002, the Council revised a number of its Financial Regulations, which now include: • Council Procedure Rules (formerly Standing Orders) • Financial Procedure Rules (formerly Financial Regulations) • Contract Procedure Rules (formerly Contract Standing Orders). It has also subsequently revised and/or introduced the following policies and procedures: • protocol for member/officer relations • policy on dealing with bullying and harassment of staff
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audit 2001/2002 • whistle blowing policy • corporate anti-fraud and corruption strategy • complaints procedure. Following the implementation of all these new or revised policies, it will be important to assess their effectiveness. One of the results of these changes is that a number of the Councils existing policy documents are now considered to be out of date. As a result, the current Probity Pack, which is designed for training new staff, has not been issued to new starters for some time. There is a risk that new and existing staff may not have received adequate advice in this area and may not be fully aware of their responsibilities under the Councils rules and regulations. Legality of financial transactions Roles and responsibilities The Councils Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer are key to the effective operation of its arrangements to ensure the legality of the Councils operations, and reviewing any transactions with significant financial consequences. The Council experienced difficulties in replacing its Monitoring Officer who retired in September 2001. This inevitably introduced some risk for the Council to ensure that it was complying with all relevant statutory requirements. The Councils new Monitoring Officer started on 27 May 2002 and has subsequently provided evidence of the Councils co-ordinated approach to responding to new legislation, and to the communication of resultant responsibilities to staff. This now needs to be developed further and we are currently in the process of providing guidance which summarises all key relevant existing legislation and the action necessary to ensure compliance.
Annual Audit Letter Audit 2001/2002
Isle of Anglesey County Council Large Scale Voluntary Transfer (LSVT) of the housing stock The Council has been considering stock transfer as an option for the future management of the housing stock for some time. If the transfer proceeds, it would represent the most significant single financial transaction undertaken by the Council since its formation. The need for compliance with Welsh Assembly Government guidance, engagement with stakeholders and employment of consultants requires robust project management. The potential impact of the transfer upon the Council in terms of the financial consequences, future arrangements for the delivery of services and any proposed warranties or contracts for services that may be considered if tenants vote in favour of transfer, will need to be fully considered. Systems of internal financial control Under the Audit Commission Code of Audit Practice, we are responsible for reviewing the arrangements the Council has in place to assure itself that its systems of internal financial control are operating effectively. It is the responsibility of the Council to ensure that it has adequate systems of internal financial control. It should have systems in place which produce reliable financial information and there should be proper accounting records and controls in place. Internal Audit plays a vital part in assessing the effectiveness of those systems. Our review of arrangements found that there were generally good controls in place relating to the majority of these issues. A main exception, however, is the lack of procedure notes for most of the key financial systems, including payroll, debtors, creditors, housing benefits, Council Tax and NNDR. The Council should endeavour to ensure that procedure notes are in place for all significant business-critical systems to inform both current and future employees about their proper operation.
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audit 2001/2002 Internal Audit A key aspect of any system of internal financial control is an effective Internal Audit function. A detailed assessment of Internal Audit has been undertaken and this review covered the full range of the Internal Audit sections activities and assessed them against the standards set out in the CIPFA Code of Practice for Internal Audit. This assessment included a review of specific work that Internal Audit had carried out in the year. The significance of assessing the Internal Audit section is that much of its work underpins the internal control system of the Council. The overall conclusions of the review were that the work performed by Internal Audit provided the Council with sufficient assurance on the operation of its internal financial controls, and we were satisfied with both the coverage and quality of the work completed. We also made a number of recommendations for further improvement which are included in the detailed report. Financial standing 2001/2002 budget There was a significant increase of approximately £2.4 million made available to the Council by the Welsh Assembly Government following a review of its Standard Spending Assessment formula. A number of other factors, including out-turn expenditure for 2001/2002 being under budget, the reduction in the provision for DWP repayment referred to below, and delays in starting some activities, have led to an increase in reserves and general balances from £1.16 million at 1 April 2001 to £3.7million by 31 March 2002. This supports the Councils plan to increase general fund balances to a level of about 5% of expenditure over the medium term, to provide a more stable financial base.
Annual Audit Letter Audit 2001/2002
Isle of Anglesey County Council
Capital programme At previous audits, we highlighted our concerns regarding the amount of slippage incurred on the Councils capital programme. Although capital resources had not been lost as a result of this slippage, it has an impact on the realisation of the Councils objectives. We have reviewed progress made by the Council in this area, and this is reported below as part of our follow up work on our earlier review of the Councils private sector housing programme. Housing benefit subsidy The Council set aside funds of £2.2 million to settle a potential liability in respect of housing benefit subsidy. The Council has been pursuing this issue with the DWP, and received a decision in September 2002 which indicated that approximately £445,000 of this should be repaid. The Council felt justified in asking the DWP to reconsider its decision, given the evidence it had submitted and the Departments stance elsewhere, but this was unsuccessful. It is currently considering, in conjunction with its legal advisors, whether to seek a formal judicial review in respect of this decision. Schools balances Schools balances increased during 2000/2001 by £0.588 million, increasing the earmarked balance to £2.140 million. These balances have continued to increase during the year to £2.486 million. The Council has established controls in relation to these balances. The Education and Leisure Department visits each school three times per year to review expenditure, and to match this to individual development plans. It also annually requests that schools which have a balance greater than 5% of their annual allocation, or greater than £25,000, to explain the reasons, and any proposed expenditure plans, in line with their development plans. Regular reports are made to committee on the level of schools balances. In addition, a budgetary control review is included as part of Internal Audits rolling programme of schools audits.
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audit 2001/ 002 2 The Council will need to assess the effectiveness of the controls it has established, and continue to monitor the overall level of schools balances. Arrears In last years Letter, we expressed concern that, similar to many other Welsh authorities, arrears in housing rents were increasing. This year has seen a further rise in the level of arrears by 17% from £247,000 to £288,000, even though this level is still relatively low in comparison with other Welsh authorities. In addition, gross Council Tax arrears have risen by 22% from £0.990 million to £1.203 million, and gross NNDR arrears have risen by 22% from £0.541 million to £0.658 million. The effects of foot and mouth disease have inevitably impacted on these trends, but the Council should continue to monitor arrears, and take appropriate action where necessary. Arrangements for the prevention and detection of fraud and corruption Policy The Council should have adequate arrangements in place to identify and address fraud and corruption risks. The Council has established arrangements, but our review of risk management arrangements above indicated that there does not appear to be an overall co-ordinated approach to identifying these risks. A new corporate anti-fraud and corruption strategy was adopted in September 2002. A key component of the Councils framework to prevent and detect fraud and corruption should be the existence of effective reporting arrangements for employees and other individuals to convey allegations or concerns. These arrangements should also encapsulate the requirements of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA), in that a whistle blowing policy should be established and promoted throughout the organisation. In order to address these requirements, a new whistle blowing policy was adopted in September 2002. The Council needs to ensure that these new policies are incorporated into induction training for new starters and that existing staff and members receive update training, where appropriate. Annual Audit Letter Audit 2001/2002
Isle of Anglesey County Council
The Council has adopted a new constitution and part of these arrangements was the adoption of the Welsh Assembly Government model codes of conduct for members and for officers. The new constitution includes a standards committee which has been in place for a number of years. Gifts and hospitality and registers of interests A separate review was undertaken to examine registers of interests, gifts and hospitality for both members and officers. As a result of the introduction of the new constitution, a number of policies have been updated. The arrangements for members have been largely in place for some time and include registers of interests and of gifts and hospitality, and the requirement to complete a declaration form. The arrangements for staff are not at the same stage. Accordingly, not all staff have completed a declaration of interests, or recorded the offer and receipt of gifts and hospitality. As a result of all the new or updated policies, it would be beneficial for staff to be issued with a handbook to include all relevant information, such as conditions of service and the code of conduct. Use of resources Performance management is being developed within the Council, but several of the elements required for an effective system require significant development in order to support a comprehensive performance management framework that delivers improvement. There is also a need to ensure that performance information produced is accurate and complete so that robust assessments of service performance can be made. The Councils 2002/2003 Improvement Plan provides a solid foundation for the development of a plan which fulfils its intended strategic role. It is well set out, using plain language and a clear and consistent format. It represents a significant improvement over last years BVPP in terms of both content and quality.
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audit 2001/2002 The Council has developed a clear programme of work to move towards its Whole Authority Analysis (WAA). Our initial view is that it should be capable, if applied properly, of delivering an analysis that identifies the key issues for the Councils strategic and operational management of both its corporate and service functions. The Council needs to ensure that it allocates sufficient resources, and applies dynamic and robust project management through the Corporate Policy Unit and the Performance Management Strategy Group to ensure that its objectives are achieved. Our reviews of the Councils arrangements in respect of community strategy, Supporting People, waste management, e-Government, and telecommunications systems controls have identified examples of good practice and encouraging progress. We have also made and agreed a number of recommendations in order to secure further development and improvement. The Council has made significant progress in addressing the issues arising from our earlier reviews of private sector capital grants, and the planning and control of early retirement. Wales Programme for Improvement The Welsh Assembly Government introduced the Wales Programme for Improvement with effect from 1 April 2002. It builds on Best Value principles and has introduced changes in the approach to delivering continuous service improvements. This years audit of the Councils Improvement Plan, which replaced the BVPP, included: • a detailed follow up of progress made against the 22 recommendations made in last years BVPP report, as well as a review of progress made against the five milestones which were set • an assessment of overall progress in implementing the requirements of the Wales Programme for Improvement and the continual improvement of services.
Annual Audit Letter Audit 2001/2002
Isle of Anglesey County Council
Last year, we issued a qualified opinion on your BVPP which reflected inaccuracies and omissions in performance information and targets. In order to address this issue, the Council developed a quality assurance process, which included the provision of detailed guidance to staff and an interim audit. This was carried out in conjunction with us in May 2002. As a result, the Council has made significant progress in improving the accuracy of its performance information, but there is still a need to develop its quality assurance process to ensure the completeness of performance information and the robustness of target setting. Until this is achieved, the ability to rely on a comprehensive performance management framework to deliver service improvements will be undermined. The Councils 2002/2003 Improvement Plan provides a solid foundation for the development of a plan which fulfils its intended strategic role. It is well set out, using plain language and a clear and consistent format. It represents a significant improvement over last years BVPP in terms of both content and quality. The Wales Programme for Improvement focuses on the requirement for effective performance management. It shifts the emphasis from Best Value Reviews and Inspections to specifically requiring authorities to demonstrate that they manage performance effectively. Several of the required elements for effective performance management within the Council still require significant development. This is of concern, given the recommendations we have previously made, and the achievement of milestones agreed with the Council. Our review of the Councils current performance indicates that it generally compares favourably with other authorities in Wales. This gives it a solid base from which to seek continuous improvement. However, there has been significant under-achievement in performance against the targets the Council set itself last year. This means that the Councils aspirations and strategic intentions could be undermined by a lack of effective performance monitoring. Moreover, the Council has a poor track record in implementing statutory recommendations which may indicate that it has limited capability for achieving future improvement.
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audit 2001/2002 During the course of the year, a number of the Councils Best Value Reviews have been subject to inspection by the Best Value Inspection Service. One of these reviews examined the Councils Planning Control service. The original review was completed in December 2001, and the inspection included a follow up of a number of areas which were examined by District Audit in our earlier Probity in Planning report. This report highlighted a number of concerns about the service. Despite the issues raised in our earlier report, and the time the Council had had to address those issues, the inspection report highlighted that the Council had a poor track record in responding to the District Auditors report and recommendations on Probity in Planning. It concluded that the service was poor, and had uncertain prospects for improvement. The Council has subsequently developed an action plan to address the findings of the inspection report, and we have now found some evidence that the service has improved since it was reviewed. However, the report highlighted limitations regarding the Councils capability for improvement and needs to be viewed in the context of the comments we have made in respect of the Councils corporate approach to the improvement agenda, and the need to develop an effective performance management system. The Council has developed a clear programme of work to move towards its WAA, including use of a matrix that will enable each function or service, within the Council, to be assessed according to a number of success factors. Our initial view is that it should be capable, if applied properly, of delivering an analysis that identifies the key issues for the Councils strategic and operational management of both its corporate and service functions.
Annual Audit Letter Audit 2001/2002
Isle of Anglesey County Council
The Council needs to ensure that it allocates sufficient resources, and applies dynamic and robust project management through the Corporate Policy Unit and the Performance Management Strategy Group to ensure that the timetable set is adhered to, with new and realistic targets being set. The Councils management team has already demonstrated its commitment to this process. It has established a task and finish group, led by the Corporate Director of Planning and Environmental Services, to oversee the completion of the WAA. We are continuing to work with the Council to support its progress in responding to the Wales Programme for Improvement. We recently held a workshop for officers on performance management, Performance Indicators and target setting principles, and their link to the WAA. We are also in the process of reviewing and acting as a challenge to a number of departmental risk assessments. Preparing a community strategy Part 1 of the Local Government Act 2000 (the Act) came into force on 18 October 2000. Section 4 of the Act introduced a requirement for local authorities to prepare community strategies for their areas. The Welsh Assembly Government published guidance on the preparation of strategies in July 2001. Guidance on developing Community Strategy Partnerships (CSPs) is awaited. Final guidance on the use of the new local Council power to promote the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of their area has also been published. Recent legal changes have, therefore, created a new framework within which local authorities can develop a community leadership role. Most local authorities are at differing stages in their preparation of community strategies. The Welsh Assembly Government has not set a deadline for the completion of strategies, but it is expected that all local authorities will have the key components of a strategy in place prior to the next council elections.
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audit 200 /20 1 02 The Council began the process of producing a community plan with a conference in September 2000. Progress was subsequently hindered by the outbreak of foot and mouth disease on Anglesey in 2001. A county forum, which allows all interested parties to express their views, has now been established. The forum is used to determine the means by which a community plan will be developed. A steering group has been established by the forum to undertake more detailed work on its behalf. The Council has, therefore, commenced the process of preparing a community strategy and some of the essential elements are in place. Lead members and officers have been identified, an initial timetable has been prepared and a steering group has been established. The establishment of the county forum has provided a means of consulting with a wide range of agencies and the public in accordance with Welsh Assembly Government guidance. The forum also ensures that the Council is not seen as the sole driver of the process, and provides a good foundation for the production of a community strategy. The Council now needs to ensure that other foundation elements are put in place. These include: • the establishment of formal terms of reference for the county forum and the steering group to ensure their operation as a CSP is in accordance with the Welsh Assembly Government guidance the establishment of a project plan for the • partnership, setting out detailed actions, responsibilities and timescales for all partners • the collation of data that will allow the partnership to better understand community profiles, a review of all current partnerships and a review of all current and planned public sector activity • the development of a shorter term action plan to implement the agreed objectives through actions by the partners in the county forum • the provision of sufficient resources to support the process, and adequate training.
Annual Audit Letter Audit 2001/2002
Isle of Anglesey County Council
Supporting People Supporting People is a new policy and funding system for delivering support to help vulnerable people in England and Wales live independently in the community. Central Government and the Welsh Assembly Government have set a series of interim deadlines for local authorities, in advance of the key implementation deadline of April 2003. The scheme requires the input of significant resources to review existing provision, carry out a comprehensive assessment of needs and arrange for any key service gaps to be filled. These activities need to be underpinned by the development of appropriate financial and IT systems and partnership arrangements with a wide range of statutory and voluntary agencies and service-user groups. We have provided the Council with a snap-shot and reported on progress against the milestones set by the Welsh Assembly Government for completion by March 2002. The Council should now consider the following main issues: • A strategic framework as part of developing the Supporting People operational plan should be developed as a matter of priority. • Six of the ten key milestone tasks for completion by March 2002 had not been completed by April 2002. • The value of transitional housing benefit awards will determine the amount of funding under the Supporting People policy in April 2003. The Council should analyse the value of transitional housing benefit claims awarded to ensure that it is supporting schemes appropriately and that scheme limits are known. • The Council should ensure that it works with partners to ensure that the assessment form to assess needs meets local requirements. • The staffing, financial and information requirements of the Supporting People policy should be considered, and sufficient resources should be dedicated to its implementation. • A purchasing and commissioning framework for the Supporting People policy should be established.
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