City committed to management oversight improvements

[guest]

Ottawa –City management agrees with all 45 recommendations in the six new audits and two fraud and waste-related reports tabled today by Auditor General Ken Hughes in his 2013 Annual Report. Many recommendations have already been implemented and the remainder are underway.

“I would like to acknowledge the important role that the Auditor General plays in helping the City identify practices and processes that need more consistency, rigour and improved oversight,” said City Manager Kent Kirkpatrick. “Management is committed to finding better ways to monitor, measure and assess the work we do in order to improve overall performance, streamline operations and deliver value to Ottawa residents.”



Highlights of key recommendations already implemented or in progress:

Audit of Ethics​

• Management agrees with all eight recommendations. The implementation of all recommendations is underway, with significant progress made on four of them.
• Results of an all-staff survey suggested the ethical climate at the City is quite strong.
• The City’s Code of Conduct is sound and the Fraud and Waste Hotline for reporting alleged violations is effective.
• Future circulations of the Code of Conduct will highlight the existing whistleblower protection clause to enhance awareness among staff that retaliation for reporting violations is not tolerated.
• The allocation of an FTE (Full Time Equivalent position) to implement all of the recommendations in this audit will be identified for Council consideration in the draft 2016 Budget.

Audit of the Environmental Legislated Approvals Process

• Management agrees with all five recommendations; three of the recommendations have been implemented and the remaining two will be implemented this year.
• The City has a strong understanding of the environmental assessment (EA) process and performs EAs efficiently.
• The City does extensive public consultation during these studies, including gathering feedback and compiling and considering comments.

Audit of Specific Contracts and Processes in Fleet Services Branch

• Management agrees with all eight recommendations; four of the recommendations have been implemented and implementation of the remainder is underway.
• The audited parts and tire contracts were competitively awarded.
• The Auditor General’s recommendations have been incorporated into the new standing offer process.
• The City will engage a private and independent Fairness Commissioner to ensure all bids for the parts contract receive a thorough, fair and equitable review.

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Audit of OC Transpo Business Planning Process for Cancellation of Bus Trips​

• Management agrees with the two recommendations; both will be implemented this year.
• Superintendents and Transit Supervisors of the Transit Operations Control Centre have a consistent understanding of which routes are considered priority and should not be cancelled; and which routes should be used to fill a service priority.
• The review of the Trip Cancellation Standard Operating Procedure will be completed by the end of Q2 2015 and any required changes will be implemented and reviewed on an annual basis.
• Management will communicate service delivery issues that are known in advance to customers immediately, and will communicate when a previously scheduled trip is able to resume operation.

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Audit of OC Transpo Business Planning Process for Lost and Found​

• Management agrees with all seven recommendations; five of the seven have been implemented and the remaining two are currently being implemented.
• A competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process for the lost and found contract was initiated by OC Transpo in late 2014; the RFP incorporated enhanced financial reporting, electronic tracking systems and security measures to protect both information and contents.
• The practice of allowing employees to keep unclaimed lost and found items was discontinued.
• Agreements authorized under delegated authority, are reported to the Transit Commission and Council.

Audit of IT Governance

• Management agrees with all nine recommendations; six of the nine recommendations have been implemented and implementation of the remaining three is underway.
• The City has hired a new Chief Information Officer / Director of IT Services.
• The IT Governance Model has evolved over the past number of years with the Senior Management Committee (SMC) assuming direct oversight of the IT Roadmap and its implementation in April of 2014.
• As part of the planning process for identifying departmental and/or corporate initiatives requiring ITS resources, client departments are required to complete a corporate business case which specifies the business value and any expected performance measures, such as the estimated return on investment (ROI) and planned project timelines.

Fraud and Waste Review of City’s Acquisition of Land for Soccer Fields

• Management agrees with all three recommendations; two of the three recommendations have been implemented and implementation of the remaining one is substantially complete.
• Management will ensure that appraisals for all property acquisitions are completed in accordance with the City’s Acquisition Policy and that supporting documentation is retained in accordance with the City’s Corporate Records Management Policy.
• Finance staff, in conjunction with the City Clerk and Solicitor department, have reviewed the circumstances around the issuance of the donation tax receipt and confirmed that the City’s Donation Receipt Policy/Procedures and Canada Revenue Agency legislative requirements were adhered to.

Fraud and Waste Review of City Funding to the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama

• Management agrees with all three recommendations; all three have been implemented.
• Processes for improved tracking; follow-up and documentation for Section 37 and 41 agreements under the Planning Act; and tracking of community benefits and loan agreements have been put in place.
• Management has put greater controls in place to monitor deficits and will be in a better position to decline funding to groups that may pose a risk to the City in terms of their ability to repay loans or honour financial obligations.
• Management will continue to include provisions to reduce annual funding amounts owing to the City and will work with Legal Services and Finance to identify and collect amounts owing that are at risk and initiate claims to improve recoveries.

The Fraud and Waste Hotline serves as an additional mechanism to advance Council’s vision of increasing public confidence in City government through increased transparency and accountability. Management takes swift action to resolve issues, including applying disciplinary measures if appropriate.



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