Audit service expands to cover two more councils

AN INTERNAL audit service that covers Bridgend County Borough Council and the Vale of Glamorgan Council is set to expand to cover two further local authorities.

The shared service, which is hosted by the Vale of Glamorgan Council, started in 2013.

Both Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil councils are now looking to join it.

Presenting a report before cabinet members at Bridgend Council on Tuesday June 19, the interim head of finance Gill Lewis told councillors the collaboration would reinforce business resilience, expand the range of audit expertise available and support the delivery of a more efficient service.

She said: “This isn’t a service which is in any away failing or not achieving its objectives, it’s deemed to be a success but it is a small service and it’s currently unable to deliver the audit plan with its own resources because of an inability to recruit to the posts.

“In the past it has had to buy in services from a larger partnership to make sure the audit plan is delivered and that’s not sustainable.

“We have considered a number of different ways of looking at this and this opportunity emerged.

“If we have a much larger team with a much better careers structure and opportunities, then it will fulfil not only a sustainable service but, if it proves to be an effec- tive service and one that people like and want to buy, there may be opportunity to provide that service to others that are struggling in the same way as we have done.”

The plans are subject to an agreed partnership agreement and contract.

The proposal involves all existing employees remaining as part of the new regional service on current grades and terms and conditions.

Council leader Huw David said: “This is another example of collaboration that hasn’t been driven by Welsh Government, it’s been delivered and driven locally by local authorities.

“It will be a more effective service and more efficient.” THERE have been more than 150 cases of measles reported in Wales since the start of the year – nearly three times as many as last year.

Young people heading off on holiday to Europe, where there are large outbreaks of measles, are being encouraged to check they have had both MMR doses.

From the start of the year up to June 17 a total of 155 suspected cases of measles were reported in Wales to Public Health England (PHE), which collects reports for England and Wales.

Cases across England and Wales have now exceeded 1,500 in 2018. The number of reports is 2.7 times higher than the 58 cases reported in the same 24 weeks in 2017.

In the 24 weeks ending June 17, some 1,525 suspected cases of measles were reported to PHE across England and Wales.

There were 713 cases reported in 2017 as well as 753 in 2016, 618 in 2015, and 1,055 in 2014.