4. OPERATIONAL BUDGET REVIEWS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES -
Office of the Auditor General

EXAMEN DES BUDGETS DE FONCTIONNEMENT DES SERVICES ADMINISTRATIFS - BUREAU DU VÉRIFICATEUR GÉNÉRAL

Committee Recommendation

That Council approve the final 2008 Operational Budget of the Office of the Auditor General, as presented in the attached updated 2008 operating budget pages.

Recommandation du comité

Que le Conseil approuve le budget final de fonctionnement de 2008 du Bureau du vérificateur général, tel que présenté dans les pages mises à jour du budget de fonctionnement de 2008 ci-jointes.

Documentation

1. City Council report dated 15 February 2008 (ACS2008-CMR-CSE-0019).

2. Extract of Minute, 22 February 2008.

Report to / Rapport au :

Long Range Financial Plan Sub-committee

Sous-comité du plan financier à long terme

and Council / et au Conseil

15 February 2008 / le 15 février 2008

Submitted by/Soumis par : City Council / le Conseil municipal

Contact Person/Personne ressource : Diane Blais,
Committee Coordinator / Coordonnatrice du comité

City Clerk’s Branch / Direction du greffe

(613) 580-2424 x, 28091 Diane.Blais@Ottawa.ca

City Wide / À l'échelle de la ville

Ref N°: ACS2008-CMR-CSE-0019

SUBJECT:	OPERATIONAL BUDGET REVIEWS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES – OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL
OBJET :	EXAMEN DES BUDGETS DE FONCTIONNEMENT DES SERVICES ADMINISTRATIFS – BUREAU DU VÉRIFICATEUR GÉNÉRAL

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Long Range Financial Plan Sub-Committee recommend Council approve the final 2008 Operational Budget of the Office of the Auditor General, as presented in the attached updated 2008 operating budget pages.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Sous-comité du plan financier à long terme recommande au Conseil d’approuver le budget final de fonctionnement de 2008 du Bureau du vérificateur général, tel que présenté dans les pages mises à jour du budget de fonctionnement de 2008 ci-jointes.

BACKGROUND

In December 2007, during its deliberations on the 2008 Budget, Ottawa City Council approved a motion calling on the Long Range Financial Plan (LRFP) to conduct operational budget reviews for administrative services.

At its 9 January 2008 meeting, Council considered and approved a subsequent motion, which amended the schedule for the LRFP’s review of the various branches.

DISCUSSION

In order to assist the LRFP in its work, Financial Services staff has provided updated budget pages for the various branches being reviewed. These pages have been revised to reflect any changes approved by Council during its budget deliberations.

The budget pages for the Office of the Auditor General are attached to this report and are numbered sequentially, however they also include the reference page to the 2008 Draft Budget document in case members of Council have made notes in their budget books and want to refer to them.

CONSULTATION

This item will be advertised in the local dailies as part of the Public Meeting Advertisement on Friday preceding the Long Range Financial Plan Sub-Committee Meeting.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Any changes approved by Council will amend the City’s 2008 Operating Budget.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Document 1 - Updated 2008 Operating Budget Pages – Office of the Auditor General

DISPOSITION

Staff from the various branches to implement any changes approved by Council.

OPERATIONAL BUDGET REVIEWS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES - Office of the Auditor General

EXAMEN DES BUDGETS DE FONCTIONNEMENT DES SERVICES ADMINISTRATIFS - BUREAU DU VÉRIFICATEUR GÉNÉRAL

ACS2008-CMR-CSE-0019 CITY WIDE / À L'ÉCHELLE DE LA VILLE

Mr. A. Lalonde, Auditor General (AG), spoke to a PowerPoint slide presentation, which served to provide the Committee with an overview of the structure, mandate, performance results and budget of his office. A copy of this presentation is held on file with the City Clerk.

Councillor Desroches acknowledged the value of the Auditor General’s Office, but at the same time, he noted that sometimes, there were costs associated with implementing the AG’s recommendations and he asked for his views on this. Mr. Lalonde expressed sensitivity for this issue. He advised that there was collaboration with the City Manager in this regard, to determine where things could be done within existing resources and where additional resources were required. Furthermore, he indicated he was always very careful when making such recommendations.

Responding to a question from Councillor Brooks, Mr. Lalonde indicated he believed that an organization the size of the City of Ottawa should have an Audit Committee, though he suggested such a Committee may only need to meet three, four or five times per year. He felt such a structure would allow members of Council to discuss his reports in more detail and would streamline the process for bringing his reports forward and having Committee and Council deal with them.

Councillor El-Chantiry suggested giving direction to staff to review this as part of the mid-term governance review.

Councillor Jellett referenced the number of audits being conducted annually by the OAG and the process and timelines for bringing these forward to Committee and Council.

Mayor O’Brien noted this was the subject of a motion that had recently been tabled by Councillor Wilkinson. With respect to the notion of having an Audit Committee, he suggested this should be reviewed in the context of the roles and responsibilities of all the standing committees, which would be addressed as part of the mid-term governance review.

That the Long Range Financial Plan Sub-Committee recommend Council approve the final 2008 Operational Budget of the Office of the Auditor General, as presented in the attached updated 2008 operating budget pages.

CARRIED