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CAUBO Internal Audit Seminar – VFM/Performance Auditing Carol Bellringer June 15, 2008. Outline. VFM/Performance auditing in the Office of the Auditor General, Manitoba Process overview Measuring success Examples of VFM audits issued by the OAG and other legislative auditors.
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CAUBO Internal Audit Seminar – VFM/Performance Auditing Carol Bellringer June 15, 2008
Outline • VFM/Performance auditing in the Office of the Auditor General, Manitoba • Process overview • Measuring success • Examples of VFM audits issued by the OAG and other legislative auditors
VFM auditing at the OAG • OAG mandate – prohibits comments on the merit of policy • VFM vs Special Audits • Evolution of practice – VFM auditing standards/assurance standards • Purpose • Challenges – future auditing standards • Solutions
Process overview • Determining audit focus • Audit planning • Audit field work (evidence gathering) • Audit reporting • Public reporting (report to the legislature)
Determining audit focus • Knowledge of business including issues and risks • Audit objectives • KEY COMMUNICATIONS • Correspondence with senior officials • Meet with senior officials, discuss operational issues and risks
Determining audit focus • Internal sign-off with executive team • Priorities within the office • Staffing considerations • Budget and scheduling issues • Sensitivities?
Audit planning • Criteria • Audit Plan • KEY COMMUNICATIONS: DM/CEO meeting to discuss draft criteria • DM/CEO acknowledgement of the suitability of the audit criteria and audit plan
Audit planning • Objectives • Scope • Approach • Timeliness
Audit field work (evidence) • Facts • Findings • Conclusions • Recommendations • KEY COMMUNICATIONS: • Ongoing with officials on emerging findings • Senior officials updated periodically • Wrap up with officials
Audit field work (evidence) • Internal updates • Consistency with previously issued reports • Differences from past reports • Have similar recommendations been made before? Why not implemented? • ROOT CAUSE
Audit reporting • Draft report • Final report • Meetings with officials to discuss draft • DM/CEO given the opportunity to include comments – meet if necessary • Final report to Ministers – 14 days required by Auditor General Act
Audit reporting • Editing in-house – result is as intended to be issued • Consider errors/tone/ “big picture” • Anyone “named” given the chance to review the report • Tight time frame but with some flexibility • GOAL is buy-in
Public reporting (RTL) • Must be tabled in the Legislature prior to public distribution • In-session vs out-of-session • Media • Mailing to interested parties (“green policy”) • Cannot be accessed under FIPPA until released
Measuring success • Follow-up process starting in year 3 • Public Accounts Committee • Department of Finance follow-up • Informal follow-up • Other measures
VFM audits issued by the OAG • Audit of the Department of Conservation’s Management of the Environmental Livestock Program • Audit of the Province’s Management of Contaminated Sites and Landfills • Audit of Workplace Safety and Health • Audit of the Child and Family Services Division, Pre-Devolution Child in Care Processes and Practices
Other audits issued by the OAG • Special Audit: Rural Municipality of La Broquerie • Special Audit: Image Campaign for the Province of Manitoba • Special Audit: Property Transactions in the Seven Oaks School Division
Livestock Program • Regulation vs other Canadian jurisdictions • Processes to ensure operators comply with the key provisions of the Regulation? • Did Department use information to further its efforts to protect surface and groundwater from contamination? • Sufficient consultation on common issues?
Livestock Program - Regulation • Livestock Manure and Mortalities Management Regulation under The Environment Act • Legislation to ensure the protection of the environment from potential harmful effects of livestock manure and mortalities • Legislation was more comprehensive and proactive than in some other provinces
Livestock Program - Regulation • Areas not addressed or more stringent in other jurisdictions: • Controls where operators have multiple species • Minimum acceptable storage capacity for manure storage • Controls to address the effects of chemical fertilizers combined with manure application • Submission of contingency plans • Controls re: winter spreading
Livestock Program - Issues • Described the Regulation in the context of other Provincial initiatives • Subsequent issuance of the report of the Clean Environment Commission • Moratorium by the Provincial Government on expansion in certain areas • Lobbying by producers & environmentalists
Contaminated Sites • Entities in the Government Reporting Entity and Municipalities • Required to comply with Public Sector Accounting (PSA) Standards • Must report and/or disclose in Public Accounts its environmental liabilities • Province requires municipalities to comply with PSA standards • Includes Manitoba’s Universities and Colleges
Objectives • Whether processes were sufficient to identify contaminated sites and estimate costs associated with remediation of these sites for financial statement accounting/disclosure? • Monitoring by the Department of Conservation to ensure compliance? • Licensing, permitting and monitoring landfills to ensure compliance? • Finance’s compilation of costs re: remediation adequate? Province and municipalities reporting liabilities re landfills?
Conclusions • Policies and procedures for the management of contaminated sites were not sufficient • Majority, policies and procedures not in place • Majority not preparing financial statements in accordance with PSA standards
Conclusions • Conservation’s monitoring procedures were not sufficient • Finance’s processes for the compilation of costs were sufficient • Did not address liabilities for mines or buildings containing asbestos
Other reports • Enhancing Audit Committee Practices in the Public Sector (2006) • A Guide to Leading Edge Internal Auditing in the Public Sector (2006) • www.oag.mb.ca (reports and resources)
Other reports British Columbia: • Government's Post-secondaryExpansion - 25,000 Seats by 2010 (December 2006 • Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and TechnologyValue-for-Money AuditAccountability Relationship of the Ministry With the Science Council of British ColumbiaMinistry Role in the College System • http://www.bcauditor.com/AuditorGeneral.htm
Other reports Alberta: • Accountability in the Education System (2004) • April 2008 report: • Non-credit programs (clarify standards and expectations, monitor) • Recommendations from Financial Statement audits, information technology • www.oag.ab.ca (searched for education – 38 reports)
Other reports Ontario: • 2007: Universities, Management of Facilities • 2006: Community Colleges, Acquisition of Goods and Services • 2005: Student Assistance, follow up • www.auditor.on.ca