Auditor didn’t understand cities, says UBCM report

The municipal watchdog didn't have much of a grasp as to how local governments work, according to a new Union of B.C. Municipalities study of the auditor general for local government.

The provincial body surveyed 17 of the 18 local governments that have already been involved in the AGLG audit process, including the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George.

"The most striking finding from the survey is that only one of the 17 respondents agreed that AGLG staff and contractors demonstrated knowledge of local government during the audit process," said a UBCM report on the survey.

"This knowledge gap had multiple impacts on audit processes and the selection of audit topics."

For example, several communities had their performance in managing police services audited, even though they are subject to an agreement that is negotiated between the federal and provincial governments.

Another audit was reportedly cancelled after $20,000 in staff time and other costs by the municipality had already been spent trying to comply with a process for a year with something that was outside the AGLG's jurisdiction.

"In other cases, a lack of local government knowledge led to additional meetings and repeated information requests," resulting in many hours of reported education and explanation, said the report.

The UBCM launched the survey in the spring out of a concern the province was moving forward on making changes to the AGLG office without local government input.

"In particular, the responses highlight how the lack of knowledge by the AGLG staff and contractors with regard to local government operations coupled with frequent turnover in the staffing of audit teams contributed to the inefficiency of the AGLG office," said the report.

Earlier this year the government had an independent review of the office completed by Chris Trumpy, who made five recommendations to improve its effectiveness. Local governments were not interviewed as part of Trumpy's work.

UBCM's survey focused on the AGLG operations as opposed to the audit findings, since only three of the 18 planned audits were completed at the time.

Since the office announced its slate of 18 audit targets in 2013, only five have been released to date. Reports on Vernon, West Vancouver and North Vancouver are scheduled for release between now and September.

The report examining how the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George hires suppliers to provide various goods and services does not yet have a release date.

"The experience of local governments with AGLG operations affects how they view the outputs of the office," the survey report said.

"If the office is uninformed with regard to local government operations, fails to meet deadlines, appears to be disorganized and mishandles information, the integrity of the office is diminished and its credibility is undermined."

The report also offered three recommendations apiece for the AGLG office and the Audit Council - its five-person oversight body - as well as the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.

Each set suggested consultation with local governments. The ministry was also called on to commit to undertaking an independent review of the office of the AGLG within two years of the next auditor general being appointed.

The original auditor general for local government, Basia Ruta, was fired in the spring after two years on the job.