Merton Council is under scrutiny following an internal audit that revealed inconsistencies in the checks carried out on agency workers. The audit, presented at the Governance, Standards and Audit Committee meeting on 3 July 2025, highlighted concerns over Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and mandatory training for temporary staff.
The Internal Audit Annual Report identified several areas needing improvement, including agency contracts. The report stated that there needs to be proper approval for off-contract agency workers, confirmation of DBS checks, and timely completion of leavers forms.
The audit made 202 recommended improvement actions, including 15 priority 1 actions, with 12 outstanding. The Annual Governance Statement also highlighted the need for updated departmental schemes of management and reviewing financial regulations and procedures.
The Director of People and Culture Change introduced a report on the use of temporary workers and consultants, and HR demographics data, noting in particular the reduction in spend on agency and contractor spend between June 2024 and December 2024 and the improved benefits offer to all staff at London Borough of Merton. The committee noted the report.
The Governance, Standards and Audit Committee Annual Report for 2024-25 demonstrated the work undertaken by the committee during the year in promoting good governance and fulfilling its terms of reference. The committee met six times during the year and provided an independent and high-level focus on the risk management framework, internal control environment, and the integrity of the financial reporting and annual governance processes.