Archived decisions
Audit Ref No |
Recommendation |
Priority |
Post responsible |
Service Management Tean |
Response |
Action Date |
Follow Up date |
Date Closed |
HIGHTOWN FIRE STATION 2008/09 | ||||||||
3.13 |
The authoriser should sign overtime claims and also put their service number on the claim so that they can be identified. |
Low |
Service Delivery Administration |
Assistant Chief Officer - Service Delivery Response |
Agreed |
30/09/2009 |
25/08/2009 10/09/2009 |
27/10/2009 |
3.23 |
Access to the inventory records should be restricted to designated staff and the track changes facility enabled. |
Medium |
Service Delivery Administration |
Assistant Chief Officer - Service Delivery Response |
Agreed |
30/09/2009 |
25/08/2009 10/09/2009 |
27/10/2009 |
3.25 |
Full details should be recorded for all inventory items e.g. full description of asset, serial numbers, date of receipt and any disposals. |
Medium |
Service Delivery Administration |
Assistant Chief Officer - Service Delivery Response |
Service Delivery Administration is currently reviewing the Service Order and procedure which is being piloted at a wholetime station. It will then be rolled out o all stations. |
30/09/2009 |
25/08/2009 10/09/2009 |
27/10/2009 |
3.27 |
The inventory list should be fully reviewed and updated, to include all items deemed portable and attractive. |
Medium |
Service Delivery Administration |
Assistant Chief Officer - Service Delivery Response |
Service Delivery Admin is currently reviewing the Service Order and procedure which is being piloted at a wholetime station. It will then be rolled out to all stations |
30/09/2009 |
25/08/2009 10/09/2009 |
27/10/2009 |
3.33 |
Spot checks should be done on the indent pads to ensure that requests are appropriate and authorised and that pages run sequentially. |
Low |
Station Manager |
Assistant Chief Officer - Service Delivery Response |
The Station Manager monthly carries out spot checks. |
30/09/2009 |
25/08/2009 10/09/2009 |
27/10/2009 |
WINCHESTER FIRE STATION 2009/10 | ||||||||
3.37 |
To ensure that transactions are recorded correctly, the social club account should be reconciled monthly to the bank statement. |
Medium |
Station Manager |
Assistant Chief Officer - Service Delivery Response |
All monthly bank statements are collated and reconciled against a spreadsheet annually, this can be done monthly. |
30/09/2009 |
26/08/2009 10/09/2009 |
10//09/2009 |
3.38 |
Receipts should be completed for all cash income for the social club, to comply with Financial Regulations. |
Low |
Station Manager |
Assistant Chief Officer - Service Delivery Response |
Spreadsheet kept of membership and cash income, but no cashbook kept. |
30/09/2009 |
26/08/2009 10/09/2009 |
10//09/2009 |
3.41 |
An annual Audit Certificate for the social club should be sent to headquarters to comply with Service Orders. |
Medium |
Station Manager |
Assistant Chief Officer - Service Delivery Response |
Agreed |
30/09/2009 |
26/08/2009 10/09/2009 |
10//09/2009 |
INSURANCE 2008/2009 | ||||||||
3.12 |
A document should be produced to detail the claims procedure; this should be made available to a number of staff to ensure adequate cover is available during periods of absence of key personnel. |
Medium |
Performance Review Manager and Deputy |
Director of Corporate Services |
Agreed |
Quarter 2 2009/10 |
N/A |
29/10/2009 |
3.16 |
A value should be placed against all items lost as part of an insurance claim. The claim should be supported with details of replacement values and confirmatory detail regarding the listed items i.e. inventory lists. |
High |
Performance Review Manager and Deputy |
Director of Corporate Services |
Agreed - processes will be put in place to ensure that wherever practical, claims are supported with replacement values |
Quarter 2 2009/10 |
N/A |
29/10/2009 |
3.25 |
We recommend that the procedure for the recording of uninsured losses is reviewed to ensure that this is effective and maximises the income received. |
Low |
Performance Review Manager and Deputy |
Director of Corporate Services |
Agreed |
Quarter 2 2009/10 |
N/A |
29/10/2009 |
COMMUNITY FIRE SAFETY 2008/09 | ||||||||
3.16 |
Inventories should be in place for all areas relating to the Community Safety Directorate and guidance should be sought from the Inventories Service Order relating to Authority procedures. The inventory should include: make, model, serial number, cost, date of purchase, disposal date and the location. |
2 |
Group Managers Community Safety |
Director of Service Delivery |
All Community Safety items will be inventoried in accordance with Service policy. This will be achieved in conjunction with the Senior Administration Manager. An electronic system of inventory records will be explored. |
01/02/2009 extended to 30/04/2009 further extended to 30/09/2009 |
03/02/2009 29/06/2009 26/08/2009 |
22/09/2009 |
3.17 |
Annual checks should be carried out and evidenced by an independent member of the team to ensure that all items can be accounted for. |
Medium |
All Community Safety Group Manager's |
Director of Service Delivery |
A system of independent checks and recording will be instigated and managed by each Group Manager. |
Commence April 2009 to 30/09/2009 |
03/02/2009 29/06/2009 26/08/2009 |
22/09/2009 |
3.18 |
In accordance with the Authority's Inventory Service Order, items should be visibly marked as a security measure. |
Medium |
Group Managers in Community Safety |
Director of Service Delivery |
All identified community safety items will be security marked in accordance with HFRS policy. |
01/02/2009 extended to 30/04/2009 extended to 30/09/2009 |
03/02/2009 29/06/2009 26/08/2009 |
22/09/2009 |
ANDOVER FIRE STATION 2009/10 | ||||||||
3.5 |
Any surplus imprest account cash should be banked promptly and a record held in the cash tin to support this. Care should be taken to avoid these occurrences in future. |
Medium |
Station Administrator |
Assistant Chief Officer Service Delivery Response |
All surplus monies have been banked. Instructions given to Admin that this should be the custom in future. |
31/10/2009 |
N/A |
19/10/2009 |
3.6 |
Property Services should be contacted to remove the station payphone, bank any income and cease any rental charges, as applicable. |
Medium |
Station Manager |
Assistant Chief Officer Service Delivery Response |
Emailed Property Services Manager about the payphone on 21/10/09. |
31/10/2009 |
N/A |
19/10/2009 |
3.11 |
Firefighters should be reminded of the importance of initialling all entries on TOIL records in confirmation of claims made. |
Medium |
Watch Managers |
Assistant Chief Officer Service Delivery Response |
All 31 Watch Managers were informed that they must reinforce this message at a station management meeting on 07/10/09. |
31/10/2009 |
N/A |
19/10/2009 |
3.12 |
All TOIL records should be initialled by managers to indicate authorisation of the TOIL taken/utilised. |
Medium |
Watch Managers |
Assistant Chief Officer Service Delivery Response |
All 31 Watch Managers were informed that they must reinforce this message at a station management meeting on 07/10/09. |
31/10/2009 |
N/A |
19/10/2009 |
3.13 |
Where possible, care should be taken to ensure that accumulated TOIL time does not exceed 50 hours, in line with regulations. It is appreciated that this may, on occasion, be unavoidable and a note should be made on the respective records where this may apply. |
Medium |
Watch Managers |
Assistant Chief Officer Service Delivery Response |
All previous hours in excess of this were accumulated when the station was day-crewed and under strength. Only one person still has hours in excess of 50 hours from this period. |
31/10/2009 |
N/A |
19/10/2009 |
3.14 |
Care should be taken to ensure that split days of overtime are recorded on separate lines, to improve the audit information trail. In addition, all claims should be readily backed up by evidence of events supporting overtime claims. |
Medium |
Watch Managers |
Assistant Chief Officer Service Delivery Response |
All 31 watch managers were informed that they must check all signatures on claim forms at a station management meeting on 07/10/09 |
31/10/2009 |
N/A |
19/10/2009 |
3.19 |
Care should be taken to ensure that all controlled stationery is fully accounted for, to ensure all retained claims are valid. It is appreciated that the new Garton system will obviate this. |
Medium |
Station Manager |
Assistant Chief Officer Service Delivery Response |
The old retained claim pad has been destroyed by Station Administration; it should have been removed when the Retained Management System briefings were delivered by Station Support. |
31/10/2009 |
N/A |
19/10/2009 |
3.20 |
Care should be taken to ensure that all missed drills are made up. Regular checks of the station office diary should be made to ensure this occurs. |
Medium |
Watch Managers |
Assistant Chief Officer Service Delivery Response |
Retained Duty System junior officers have been informed that the "Diary system" needs extra information as to when the make-up has been completed |
31/10/2009 |
N/A |
19/10/2009 |
3.21 |
All copy Retained Duty System claim forms should be fully supported by the signatures of authorising officers to confirm that payment is agreed. |
Low |
Watch Managers |
Assistant Chief Officer Service Delivery Response |
Message re-enforced with 31 Retained Duty System junior officers. This will only occur when the Retained Management System is "down". |
31/10/2009 |
N/A |
19/10/2009 |
3.26 |
All unused service indent forms should be held under lock and key at all times, to ensure their security is not compromised. |
Low |
Station Administrator and Watch Managers |
Assistant Chief Officer Service Delivery Response |
With no history of indent pad abuse and no suitable system for securing the pad no further action will be taken |
31/10/2009 |
N/A |
19/10/2009 |
3.27 |
Authorisers of indents should avoid brackets where several entries are involved and individual authorisations made for each line. In addition, all indents should be ruled-off to prevent additions to the indents following authorisation. |
Medium |
Station Administrator and Watch Managers |
Assistant Chief Officer Service Delivery Response |
All 31 watch managers and station administrators were informed that they must carry out this procedure at a station management meeting on 07/10/09 |
31/10/2009 |
N/A |
19/10/2009 |
OVERTIME SYSTEM 2008/09 | ||||||||
3.7 |
All overtime claims forms should be retained in line with HFRS policy and procedure. |
Low |
Workforce Support Manager - Human Resources |
Director of Human Resources |
All overtime claim forms are kept either by the Hampshire County Council external customer group or by HFRS when processed here. |
In place |
03/09/2009 |
03/09/2009 |
3.9 |
The authoriser should print and sign their names for clarity and add their job title or service number. |
Medium |
Workforce Support Manager - Human Resources |
Director of Human Resources |
Claim forms have been amended to include authorisers' printed names and signatures. |
In place |
03/09/2009 |
03/09/2009 |
3.11 |
The signatory list should be updated to include all of the names and signatures of staff who are permitted to authorise claims. |
Medium |
Workforce Support Manager - Human Resources/Finance Team |
Director of Human Resources |
Process change for starter packs - now includes FM/2/10 `Authorised Officers Record' to update authorised signatory list. Leavers are actioned by Finance from leaver reports. |
In place |
03/09/2009 |
03/09/2009 |
3.13 |
All claimants should sign their TOIL records in line with HFRS policy. |
Medium |
Station Support |
Assistant Chief Officer - Service Delivery |
Station Support team have been requested to ensure this requirement is actioned on stations. |
31/10/2009 |
22/10/2009 |
22/10/2009 |
3.15 |
The authoriser signing the TOIL records should also write their service number on the record to make it easier to identify them where applicable. |
Medium |
Station Support |
Assistant Chief Officer - Service Delivery |
Station Support team have been requested to ensure this requirement is actioned on stations. |
31/10/2009 |
22/10/2009 |
22/10/2009 |
EMERGENCY CATERING 2009/10 | ||||||||
3.17 |
We recommend that the Catering Manager reviews why a member of the catering team's hours are not always charged to the emergency catering budget. |
Low |
Station Manager Strategic Projects and Specialist Response |
Director of Strategic Projects and Specialist Response |
Completed |
Immediate |
N/A |
22/10/2009 |
3.27 |
The imprest reconciliations should be signed by the team leader who prepares them and the member of finance who reviews them. |
Medium |
Station Manager Strategic Projects and Specialist Response |
Director of Strategic Projects and Specialist Response |
Completed |
31/10/2009 |
22/10/2009 |
22/10/2009 |
3.29 |
Management should consider purchasing a small wall safe with a key pad to restrict access. |
Medium |
Station Manager Strategic Projects and Specialist Response |
Director of Strategic Projects and Specialist Response |
Completed |
31/10/2009 |
22/10/2009 |
22/10/2009 |
HUMAN RESOURCES 2008/09 | ||||||||
3.7 |
Consideration should be given to the market testing of suppliers providing an advertising role for vacant posts in the press in order to ensure continued value for money. |
Medium |
Human Resources Manager (Workforce Planning) |
Director of Human Resources |
We will liaise with our Hampshire County Council (HCC) colleagues to check the tendering arrangements that are currently in place and check the date of review. We currently adopt the same supplier as HCC. |
explore options in September 2009 |
21/08/2009 28/10/2009 |
09/11/2009 |
3.22 |
We recommend that Station Administration staff should be afforded `read only' access to the Human Resources `Access' database to ensure sound security of data. |
Medium |
Human Resources Manager (Workforce Planning) |
Director of Human Resources |
This aspect is being processed with the IT helpdesk team. |
Review June 2009 |
29/06/2009 1/09/2009 21/10/2009 |
09/11/2009 |