Rossland targeted for provinical audit following Jason Ward affair
By Contributor
Basia Ruta, British Columbia’s Auditor General for Local Government (AGLG), announced the first performance audits involving a number of local governments.
The first three planned performance audit topics, which will be reported on by March 31, 2014, relate to cost containment. The fourth and fifth topics relate to the management of key risks to local governments and are expected to be reported by Aug. 31, 2014.
One individual report for each local government will be selected for audit. The planned audits are:
1. Achieving value for money in operational procurement
Initial local governments scoped for audit include: City of Vernon, Corporation of Delta, City of Revelstoke, Comox Valley Regional District, Fraser-Fort George Regional District and District of West Vancouver.
2. Local government performance in managing policing agreements and police budget oversight
Initial local governments scoped for audit include: City of Port Alberni, City of Surrey, City of Merritt, City of Williams Lake, City of Victoria and City of New Westminster.
3. Learnings from Local Government Capital Procurement Projects and Asset Management Programs
Initial local governments scoped for audit include: City of Cranbrook, City of Rossland, District of Sechelt, District of North Vancouver, City of Dawson Creek and City of Campbell River.
4. Local Governments Role in Ensuring Clean Drinking Water
Initial local governments scoped for audit have not yet been determined. These will be disclosed on the AGLG website – www.aglg.ca – once identified.
5. Managing the Inherent Risks of Limited Human Resources within Small Local governments
Initial local governments scoped for audit have not yet been determined. These will be disclosed on the AGLG website – www.aglg.ca – once identified.
“These audit topics and the selection of local governments were developed following best efforts for a comprehensive performance audit planning process that began shortly after I began work as AGLG early this year,” Ruta said. “This process included extensive consultation with local governments and other stakeholders on issues most relevant to them in their efforts to deliver value for the tax dollars they spend.” “
The planned audits and reporting dates are subject to change,” Ruta added. “Local governments initially identified as part of the survey or planning phase may be revised.”
The performance audit planning process is described in some detail in the AGLG’s 2013-14 – 2015-16 service plan, which can be found at the AGLG website: www.aglg.ca The performance audits will be carried out by the AGLG using audit teams that include contracted auditors and AGLG staff. For 2013-14, KPMG has been contracted to assist with performance audit projects one and three and Grant Thornton has been contracted to assist with performance audit project two.
Both were selected through a competitive procurement process conducted by Shared Services BC on behalf of the AGLG.
Work on the three 2013-14 performance audit topics will begin almost immediately. Planned performance audit projects four and five will begin later this fiscal year. NOTE: Each year, the AGLG will publish updates to its performance audit themes in the office’s Annual Service Plan.
After the release of each annual service plan, the AGLG is committed to providing a list of the planned audits over a 12-to-15-month rolling period.
This article is a press release from the Auditor General for Local Government.
