Auditor general to outline 2012 work plan

The city's auditor general will focus his attention on the impact of changes to road design as the first potential audit of 2012.

Brian Bigger will present to the city's audit committee Nov. 2 his 2012 Audit Work Plan, which is designed to list, in order of greatest priority, audit projects planned for the year.

The proposed work plan will outline how resources allocated to the auditor general’s office may be used during 2012.

Bigger and his staff will set out to evaluate engineering, managerial and financial controls over asphalt grinding assets and tendering specifications, and to evaluate the impact of changes to road crossfalls (where roads drain water in one direction, most commonly when a road curves) in the costs of repair road construction, remediation and replacement.

Bigger is also looking for the green light to plan audits of the city's policies and procedures of procurement cards, as well as the city's expenditures and compliance controls in regard to grants, contributions, sponsorships, donations and support.

Also included in the 2012 work plan is an audit of the city's procurement budget and bid review procedures, water and wastewater and emergency construction activities, purchase cost agreements and the Falconbridge ISF roads project.

The City of Greater Sudbury formalized the appointment of an auditor general in September 2009. The auditor general “reports to council and is responsible for assisting council in holding itself and its administrators accountable for the quality of stewardship over public funds and for achievement of value for money in municipal operations.”

The audit process was designed to comb through many areas of the organization, and it will result in improving overall city operations by strengthening management controls, improving accountability and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of municipal services, Bigger stated in the report.

Posted by Arron Pickard