Council staff face quiz over standards shortfall

Managers of two services must inform the council of the work they are doing to address concerns raised in an internal audit

Councillors are to quiz managers over "unsatisfactory" standards in two areas of their authority following internal audits.

Deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS) at Stoke-on-Trent City Council - the systems to ensure vulnerable adults are protected when they cannot consent to care - received negative feedback in the probe.

Facilities management also drew criticism.

Members from both offices are to attend a meeting of the audit committee - which has been discussing the findings - to explain steps to address the issues raised.

In facilities management, problems in regulatory compliance, training, and budgetary management were uncovered.

Committee member Andy Platt raised concerns that such issues had been discussed before.

"It keeps coming back, doesn’t it? This has been going on for as long as I’ve been here," he said.

"There’s something here that needs sorting out."

The report into DoLS was issued in February, and gave staff 10 recommendations.

Concerns were raised over the management of agencies, and the management and administration of data and performance information.

"This is one where management are really keen to make sure that those weaknesses are corrected as quickly as possible, and I know work is ongoing to do that," said Claire Potts, a senior council audit manager.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.