18 June 2019
Executive Council met this morning with one substantive item of business on the Open Agenda which was a request to establish a new Special Fund – the Internal Audit Service Trading Special Fund. The Financial Secretary introduced the topic and explained that establishing a Special Fund Trading Account would allow SHG’s Internal Audit function to improve governance arrangements for the provision of Internal Audit services to non-SHG organisations. The creation of the trading account will promote transparency and allow expertise and skills which have been difficult to source on-Island, to be utilised more efficiently, providing much needed assurance to various entities whilst at the same time building on-Island capacity for the future.
A healthy discussion followed where Members debated whether the service would be affordable, especially to the smaller entities, and also whether there would be committee oversight of the setting of tariffs for the service provision. Members were also concerned that the entities would be compelled to use the service.
Members approved the request on the condition that the entities would have a choice in determining whether they wanted to use SHG’s Internal Audit Service and that SHG’s Audit and Risk Committee would have oversight of the fees and charges to be levied for the service. It was also noted that this arrangement, whilst facilitating good governance at a time when the Island’s economy is developing, would be reviewed after a period of two years.
Members also expressed concern regarding the recent incident which took place in Pretoria and were pleased to note that the victims, and indeed all of the patients and their Carers were being supported by MSO including receiving counselling and pastoral support. In the meantime, SHG through the Governor’s Office would be issuing guidance, consistent with that provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for people travelling to South Africa.
ExCo
18 June 2019