Internal Auditors have admitted that it’s their fault an audit report appeared before a powerful Powys County Council committee nine months late.

At a meeting of the Governance and Audit committee on Wednesday, September 10, councillors and independent lay members received an audit report from SWAP (South West Audit Partnership) on the council’s Catering and Cleaning department.

SWAP had been tasked with providing assurance on the department’s performance and said that they found a: “Failure to provide a cost-effective catering service within budget.”

Eight recommendations were given to the department to implement, including coming up with a business plan.

Before the report was presented, committee Chairwoman and independent lay member, Lynne Hamilton said: “I just want to put on record the fact that I’m really disappointed that this report is dated January 2025.

“It concerns me that the report is coming to the committee nine months after its completion.”

She asked for an explanation.

SWAP Assistant Director Ian Halstead explained that the tracking system they use showed July as a target date to complete the report rather than January.

Mr Halstead said: “I must hold my hands up and say that we are sorry, and we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen again.

“It was a genuine mistake I’m afraid.”

Mrs Hamilton said she “appreciated” that SWAP had owned up to the mistake.

SWAP Senior Auditor Kate Ryde said: “The audit found that the service still use paper forms to collect data, which slowed down how quickly information reached senior managers.

“Some issues were also passed down verbally.

“The process could have caused delays, especially since staff are spread all across different locations in the county.

“The audit suggested switching to electronic methods like digital questionnaire to make things quicker and clearer.”

Ms Ryde added: “The report was well received, and the service responded by creating an action plan.”

Cllr Graham Breeze (Powys Independents – Welshpool Llanerchyddol) said: “It is disappointing, there was no business plan, and we’ve been far too slow moving across to digital systems.”

Head of Planning and Regulatory services Gwilym Davies explained that the department was passed over to him last year following a senior leadership team restructure.

Mr Davies said: “When catering came under me we did work on the integrated business plan, it’s in place, adopted and been signed off by the portfolio holder.”

He added that it was “quite clear” that the service needed ICT (Information and Communications Technology) investment.

Mr Davies said that the department had been sending physical letters that needed to be transported between sites.

Mr Davies said: “We have secured digital investment and that will really help drive forward communication.

“People will be more accessible but it is still a work in progress.”

The department falls under the cabinet portfolio for Customers, Digital and Community Services, held by Cllr Raiff Devlin (Liberal Democrat, Talybont-on-Usk) since May.

Cllr Devlin said: “I just want to take the opportunity to assure members that most of those improvements have already been undertaken.

“It is an absolute priority of mine.”

The committee noted the report.