A key focus for our Local Government team is in Assurance and Risk Management. See below for more information on how we can assist in areas including external and internal audit functions, and advice around internal controls.
Assurance
- Do you have the optimum balance between internal and external provision of assurance services?
- Are you confident you are dealing with the priorities in your audit plan?
- Can you place total reliance on the information your IT systems generate?
- Are you able to accurately manage the information around the collection of revenue such as parking fines, rates payments and other charges?
- How can you be sure you are compliant with legislation?
Total transparency around your external and internal audit functions is paramount to councils needing not only to provide stakeholder confidence, but also make strategic decisions based on the integrity of the information provided.
For more information on assurance services, click here
Risk Management
- Do you have the framework in place to provide clarity and consensus on the key risks facing the council?
- Is your risk management framework fit for purpose or is it overly complex and theoretical?
- Is the management of enterprise wide risks effectively embedded?
- Is the reporting of risk up and down the council relevant, timely and sufficient to enable effective mitigation?
- Do you consistently avoid ‘surprises’ relating to the materialisation of risks that you had / should have been able to foresee?
- Are your internal audit, business continuity, fraud prevention and other assurance functions efficiently and effectively integrated with your risk management processes?
- If you have answered no to any of the above, how can you be confident that you are meeting good practice risk management and governance standards?
In light of increasing public scrutiny, risk management has assumed significant prominence in councils over recent years. As a result, more and more councils require assurance that extends beyond their financial statements to include their internal controls.
For more on risk management services, information click here
