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Scrutiny and Audit

What is the Scrutiny and Audit Committee?

The Scrutiny and Audit Committee is a central Committee of Aberdeenshire Council. 

Who are the Scrutiny and Audit Committee?

The Scrutiny and Audit Committee is made up of 12 Councillors, working in a non-political, cross party way. The Committee is Chaired by Councillor Peter Bellarby and Councillor Amanda Allan is Vice-Chair. Other members are Councillors Nan Cullinane, Sandy Duncan, Tom Fleming, Ian Gray, Fergus Hood, Andy Ritchie, Debra Storr, Mike Sullivan, Ian Tait and Robert Thomas.

What it does

The Committee reviews the performance of the Council, looking at the effectiveness of Council policies and Service delivery and identifies any potential improvements.

Part of the Committee’s work involves carrying out an annual programme of reviews or investigations into aspects of the Council’s policy implementation and service delivery.  In order to carry out its work successfully, the Committee needs to seek information from Councillors, Council employees, external witnesses and services users.

The Committee has adopted the following principles of operation:

  • Open
  • Transparent
  • Investigative
  • Deliberative
  • Evidence-based
  • Accountable
  • Responsive
  • Inclusive
  • Influencing
  • Flexible
  • Proactive
  • Non-partisan
  • Outward Looking.

The Committee has formal audit responsibilities which include:

  • Reviewing financial statements and compliance with relevant codes of practice
  • Reviewing the activities of Internal Audit including its annual work programme
  • Managing all aspects of the Council's relationship with the External Auditors
  • Reviewing internal control systems and risk assessment procedures.

 

In April, 2010, additional powers were given to the Committee to (a) review the treasury management policy and procedures and make recommendations to the responsible body and (b) review and challenge treasury management activities within the context of the risk management policy.

In March, 2011, the Committee was given an additional role to monitor service savings across the Council’s various functions.

These additional functions are carried out in the formal meetings of the Committee.

The Committee Handbook, created in 2007, has been updated in 2011 to properly reflect these changes.

 

What we do not do

The Committee does not make policy and does not take decisions about the operation of Council Services, but it may make recommendations to Council on policy matters.

Contact

committee.services@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Committee Dates

View the Scrutiny and Audit Committee Dates.

Programme of Work, 2010/ 11 and 2011/12

Investigations

Measuring the effectiveness of Scrutiny and Audit investigations, (Investigation No. 19); and Investigation No. 20, (a review of previous Investigation No. 10), Decentralisation of decision-making were submitted for Council consideration on 30 June, 2011 when they were approved, along with appropriate action plans to pursue the recommendations.

Arising out of the Measuring the effectiveness report, the Committee have agreed to consider the matters raised regarding the selection of topics for investigation, the support provided by officers to the Committee, and the manner of undertaking investigations. This work will be resolved prior to May 2012.

The production of an annual report on the work of the Committee was also approved by Council on 30 June and members are currently considering how this should best be done. The determination of when the most appropriate year end of work, to trigger self reflection and assessment of what has been achieved, has yet to be made.

The report on an investigation on Waste is currently with the Strategic Management Team for consideration of the Committee's recommendations. It is expected that this investigation will be reported to Aberdeenshire Council in early course.

The Committee has been working, since February, 2011, on an investigation into Community Planning and Empowerment, chosen as a topic in May 2010.

Choice of Topics, 2011

In considering topics deferred from previous years, the Committee agreed that no investigation be taken in respect of the three topics deferred from 2009/10 and 2010/11, (Early Years Service, Childcare Partnership/Corporate Parenting and Housing Provision - Challenges and Obligations,) due to the work already in process elsewhere on these matters.

Following a detailed briefing from Officers on current issues facing separate aspects of the Property function, it was also agreed, in September 2011, that this not be pursued at present due to other improvement work ongoing, but that a formal update be reported to the Committee in March, 2012.

The Committee confirmed, after detailed consideration of proposed topics for investigation in 2011/12, that there was no immediate appropriate proposal to be pursued. It agree to defer the selection of formal topics for investigation until greater clarification is achieved on progress of other work, including the review of the Committee’s operating processes and procedures and staff support, the collation of an annual report, the conclusion and signing off of current investigation work, and other work relating to the additional remits which the Committee has recently been given relating to service saving monitoring and treasury management. If an urgent issue were to be identified for which a Scrutiny and Audit investigation would be beneficial, the Committee will be receptive to consider this along with its other work commitments.

The Committee has decided not to leave a determined choice of investigation to its successor following the Local Government Election in 2012.

 

Reports

In May, 2011, the Committee agreed that reports be sought on (a) the new initiatives being pursued by the Housing & Social Work Service in respect of the availability, allocation and funding of accommodation for homeless persons; and (b) Waste – reasons for missed collections and issues relating to the complaints about containers not being returned to their collection point after emptying.

At the same meeting, it was agreed that additional information be sought from services on the under noted potential investigation topics:

:(a) Winter School Closure - Working Group review of policy;

(b) the progress, remit and reporting timescale for the current review of Allocation Policy for Affordable and Council Housing; and

(c) the reporting timescale and remit of the review of GLOW, to be carried out by the Director of Education, Learning & Leisure, and details of the financial spend to date on GLOW .

In September, 2011, on receiving additional information from services, it was agreed that formal reports on GLOW and Winter School Closure be requested.

The scheduled work programme anticipates that the reports will be submitted as detailed below:

  • Waste – reasons for missed collections and issues relating to the complaints about containers not being returned to their collection point after emptying (September, 2011);
  • An update on the new initiatives being pursued by the Housing & Social Work Service in respect of the availability, allocation and funding of accommodation for homeless persons ( November, 2011);
  • Snow closures of schools (November, 2011) ;
  • GLOW (November or December, 2011) ; and
  • Update on property (March, 2012)

Reports have been already been received on some of the topics requested above and and form part of the agendae for the formal meetings of the Committee, and are available, online, at Aberdeenshire Council - Committees and Meetings - Scrutiny and Audit Committee.

 

Investigation Reports and approved evidence to date

Further Information