Agenda item

John Scott, Audit Manager:

a.    presented the Internal Audit progress report to the Audit Committee, which covered the following areas:

·         Progress against the plan

·         Summary of audit work

·         Implementation of audit recommendations

·         Current areas of interest relevant to Audit Committee

b.    advised that the 2017/18 Audit Plan was virtually complete, with final reports issued in relation to:

·         Vision 2020 (Substantial Assurance)

·         Procurement ( Substantial Assurance)

·         Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Limited Assurance)

c.    highlighted two other audits nearing completion in respect of Planned Maintenance and Council Tax

d.    outlined the current 2018/19 Audit Plan schedule as detailed at Appendix 2 to his report

e.    provided performance details of planned work for the 2018/19 audit at Appendix 4 to the report

f.     presented an overview of medium and high priority recommendations overdue and not yet due, as at 15 March 2018 at paragraph 8 and Appendix 5 of the report

g.    invited members’ questions and comments.

Simon Colburn, Assistant Director, Health and Environmental Services, updated Audit Committee on progress with the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation, which received limited assurance from its recent Audit as follows:

·         Officers were taking action to ‘shore up’ the weak areas identified by the audit.

·         The service area had been aware of many of these issues and the audit had helped to shape our future work programme.

·         He had requested that the area be re-audited in December 2018 to ensure all outstanding issues had been completed.

·         Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation was an important part of the service areas work. Of the last 130 licences issued, no properties had been identified as having Category 1 hazards.

·         He was confident that there were no licensed properties that were unsafe or properties remaining unlicensed in error.

·         An action plan was in place to address the issues identified.

·         A further update would be provided to Audit Committee in December 2018 following re-audit of the HMO service area.

Members discussed the content of the report in further detail, raising queries as follows:

·         When a property adopted flexible use between a HMO/private house, how was this monitored on Council records?

·         : All HMO’s must comply with relevant legislation. The database was shared with other officers within the authority including the Planning Section who were alerted of any changes. He would formally collaborate with the Head of Planning to ensure this particular matter was monitored.

·         How would the new HMO legislation coming into effect on 1 October 2018, which required registration of properties less than three storey in height impact on the council’s workload?

·         : The new regulations would require the same level of scrutiny. An additional post would be recruited to carry out inspections, subject to Executive approval.

·         Did the Council liaise with the housing office at the University of Lincoln?

·         : Yes, an ongoing working group included representatives from the University. A mechanism was also in place to share any complaints raised by students.

·         Arrangements put in place to deal with the new HMO legislation should be considered by Policy Scrutiny Committee in October 2018. Would concerns such as the need to provide gas certificates be covered within the adoption of a revised enforcement policy to reflect the new legislation? This would be need to be considered by Performance Scrutiny Committee once the policy had time to become embedded.

·         : Action to update the enforcement policy was included within the relevant service area’s work programme. A signed off statement would be presented to Policy Scrutiny Committee confirming the new standards/legislation for HMO’s and that information and intelligence received was shared with the Planning Manager. Automatic reminders would be generated to ensure copies of gas certificates were forwarded to the council by landlords. Meanwhile, the authority had the power to enforce HMO conditions under primary legislation and was able to prosecute offenders or serve prohibition notices as and when required.

·         Should elected members approach officers with HMO concerns were they entitled to relevant information on any properties not registered?

·         : It was difficult to confirm this due to GDPR legislation, however, feedback would be given to complainants.

·         The target dates for Boultham Park Refurbishment Programme and Western Growth Corridor had been extended again. When would these actions be finalised?

·         : Completion of the revised Boultham Park Refurbishment Programme Partnership Agreement had been extended a further three months to allow work to be finalised with the Legal Team. Review of the Health and Safety Plan for the Transport Hub was pending subject to work on the top floor of the new Central Car Park still being finalised. A further update would be provided to members of Audit Committee at the next meeting to be held on 19 July 2018

RESOLVED that

1.    The request for the Assistant Director, Health and Environmental Services to formally collaborate with the Head of Planning to ensure properties having adopted flexible use between a HMO/private house be monitored on Council records be actioned.

2.    A further update be provided to Audit Committee in December 2018 following the re-audit of the HMO service area.

3.    A further update be provided to Audit Committee on 19 July 2018 in respect of target dates set for Boultham Park Refurbishment Programme Partnership Agreement and the Health and Safety Plan for the Transport Hub.

4.    The contents of the report be noted and further monitoring arrangements be continued.