"THIS is a road map of what we need to do internally."
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That was Councillor Mark Kellam's reaction to the findings from an internal audit into Oberon Council's contract and project management processes.
A summary report of the audit's findings was presented to councillors at Oberon Council's most recent ordinary meeting.
Risk management and financial management organisation Centium was employed by Oberon Council to undertake the internal audit after both Oberon and Lithgow councils agreed to have audits of contract and project management in 2019 because they were deemed to be areas of risk.
The audit process started in February 2019.
IN OTHER NEWS AROUND OBERON:
Corporate service director Lynette Safranek's report said the final report sets out the results of the audit, along with findings and management actions to help reduce identified risks and improve controls for contract and project management activities.
The preliminary findings in the report were presented and discussed with various staff at the Agreed Management Action Workshop held on May 15, 2019 in Oberon, according to Ms Safranek's report.
The audit identified one low risk, seven medium risks and three high risks.
Part of Centium's 49-page executive summary report says that management framework controls are not well-designed and/or are not consistently operating as intended.
The report says council has adequate processes to evaluate and ensure projects make good business sense, in terms of time, resources and benefits, and are clearly linked to council's objective, but they are only partly effective. The controls are not well-designed and/or are not consistently operating as intended.
Cr Kellam said it was a well-constructed audit and raised a number of matters, including record-keeping.
Cr Andrew McKibbin said council obviously needs improvement and "we should take the benefit of the audit".
Mayor Kathy Sajowitz said processes are in place for improvement and the general manager will report back to council quarterly on implementing the recommendations.