Elements and Performance Criteria
- Identify council operations subject to controls
- Follow optimum control standards
- Organisational plans are monitored to ensure goals and objectives are adequately met by business practices.
- Financial management systems and practices are researched to ensure that they comply with audit procedures, accounting standards and identified levels of risk.
- Management practice emphasises accountability of staff and office bearers with regard to systems, procedures and transactions.
- Maintain control over council's assets
- Decisions about assets, purchases and disposals are made in accordance with current plans, budgets and guidelines.
- The council or authority's assets are recorded in accordance with recognised accounting procedures.
- Clear guidelines regarding the appropriate use of assets are documented and made known to employees and councillors.
- Security of assets is supported by appropriate insurance and physical and systems controls.
- All aspects of asset usage and recording are subject to audit control and are monitored by management.
- Measure performance and compare with standards
- Performance reporting is undertaken to establish progress against goals and objectives.
- Tender and contract management is informed by specialist or legal advice and risk management analysis.
- Work practices are monitored by routine reporting to establish whether current practices meet or exceed the demands of community stakeholders and ethical standards.
- Opportunities for improvement are identified, documented, recommended for action and prioritised to ensure responsible and efficient usage of resources.
- Account for discrepancies and recognise good performance
- Theft, loss and damage are noted and reported to appropriate authority for investigation and prosecution.
- Claims against insurance policies are undertaken as appropriate for theft, damage or loss.
- Good performance resulting in savings or efficiencies is recognised and reinforced by management.
- Repairs are effected and inoperable assets or facilities are removed from public access.
- Implement risk management procedures
- Operating liabilities are scrutinised through regular review, incident reporting and management scrutiny of contemporary standards of best practice.
- Issues where shifting community, business, government or social standards may expose the council or authority to risk of litigation are identified for discussion, resolution and strategic response.
- Risk management processes are supported and reinforced at all levels of council.