The City of Cranbrook will be among the first municipalities to be audited by the province's new Auditor General for Local Government.
The city will be audited under the Learnings from Local Government Capital Procurement Projects and Asset Management Programs along with the City of Rossland, District of Sechelt, District of North Vancouver, City of Dawson Creek and City of Campbell River.
The audit is one of three planned to be reported by March 31, 2014 and two more to be finished by Aug. 31, 2014. It is listed as number three out of the five audits.
"These audit topics and the selection of local governments were developed following best efforts for a comprehensive performance audit planning process that began shortly after I began work as AGLG early this year," Basia Ruta, the auditor general for local government, said.
"This process included extensive consultation with local governments and other stakeholders on issues most relevant to them in their efforts to deliver value for the tax dollars they spend."
Ruta added that the planned audits and reporting dates could change, and local governments initially identified as part of the survey phase (planning phase) may be revised.
The performance audit planning process is described in some detail in the AGLG's 2013/14 – 2015/16 service plan, which can be found at the AGLG website (www.aglg.ca). The performance audits will be carried out by the AGLG using audit teams that include contracted auditors and AGLG staff. For 2013/14, KPMG has been contracted to assist with performance audit projects one and three and Grant Thornton has been contracted to assist with performance audit project two. Both were selected through a competitive procurement process conducted by Shared Services BC on behalf of the AGLG.
The new office said that work on the three 2013/14 performance audit topics will begin almost immediately. Planned performance audit projects four and five will begin later this fiscal year.