FI14306

Request

Pease could you provide me with copies of the audits directly overseen by [redacted] from August 2022 - July 2023 inclusive. One in particular drew complaints of bullying by [redacted] from the auditor, it is this particular one that I seek.

Response

The Head of the East Kent Audit Partnership has advised that there have been no audits undertaken at Dover District Council that drew complaints of bullying.  

 

There were two audits undertaken during the time period you have provided for the service area mentioned.  The two audits in question have both been reported to the Council's Governance Committee and are available on the Council's website.  All the significant issues that led to recommendations are listed in the bullet points in the Executive Summary for each report presented to the Governance Committee, as set out the links set out below. 

 

  • Car Parking & Enforcement: No Assurance, at Follow Up revised to Reasonable Assurance - Governance Committee Report 29 June 2023 See Paragraph 2.7 - Agenda Item No (dover.gov.uk)
  • Safeguarding:  Limited Assurance, yet to be Followed Up  - Governance Committee Report 28 September 2023 See Paragraph 2.3 - Agenda Item No (dover.gov.uk)

 

The Community Services Manager gave a detailed presentation responding to the car park and enforcement audit and this was minuted by the committee as follows: Councillors and Elections (dover.gov.uk).

 

The Head of the East Kent Audit Partnership has confirmed that the Head of Service had requested the car park and enforcement audit be undertaken early (it was planned, but a request was made for it to be brought forward) as he had just taken over managing the service, wanted to know what any issues might be, and was committed to ensuring improvements were introduced, as is the manager of the service. The ‘no assurance’ opinion was as he inherited managing/being responsible for the service, and it is the management actions that attained the revised opinion to Reasonable Assurance. (The assurance definitions are also in the public domain in each quarterly update report.)

 

The Head of the East Kent Audit Partnership has consulted with the two auditors undertaking the above audits and both have confirmed that there are no allegations regarding any bullying in respect of the work undertaken.  I can therefore confirm that the Council holds no information regarding any audits that drew allegations of bullying.