Despite aspects of the auditor general for local government's office getting overhauled this summer, work is supposed to continue on a report for the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George.
The most-recent three-year service plan for the office sets out that the remaining 15 communities awaiting reports from audits announced in 2013 will be completed this year, though no specific dates are identified.
The regional district was selected as one of the original 18 communities to undergo the first batch of performance audits, with its focus on how local governments hire suppliers to provide various goods and services.
This year was a tough one for the municipal watchdog, with criticism that the office had only produced less than a handful of reports in its two-year mandate, eventually leading to the dismissal of inaugural auditor general Basia Ruta in the spring.
On Friday, the B.C. government released a report calling for changes to the office's operations. A three-week review by Chris Trumpy highlighted gaps in accountability standards (such as performance benchmarks), definitions of roles and responsibilities and other procedures within the office as well as the level of oversight allowed by the appointed audit council.
Changes are expected to be made through amendments to the legislation governing the office as well as internally.
"The intention of the review was to position the office for success moving forward and to build a more effective auditor general for local government office that is accountable to government and the taxpayers of British Columbia," said Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Coralee Oakes in a press release.
"When implemented, the amendments proposed for the governing legislation, together with the recommendations coming from the independent report, will address shortfalls, provide opportunities for collaboration on and pre- and post-audit initiatives, strengthen existing roles and responsibilities and increase accountability to taxpayers."
In the service plan, the acting auditor general for local government acknowledged the variety of pitfalls detailed in Trumpy's report that plagued the office's first two years.
Among the reasons given for the delay in reports was what Trumpy's report called overly aggressive timelines of the initial 10 months for 18 audits, as well as needing to rely on outside contractors to complete the audit work.
"These challenges combined to cause the office to lose credibility as a result of falling short of timeline commitments and changing of staff on assignments," Arn van Iersel wrote.
There is still merit in the office, he wrote. "It has the potential to play a very positive role in assisting local governments in their accountability to taxpayers and in improving the operations of local governments," van Iersel wrote, pointing to the published reports from Rossland, Sechelt and Delta.
"Given that local governments collectively spent approximately $8 billion in 2013, even small improvements adopted across many local governments can easily repay taxpayers' investment in the AGLG. But there is much work to do."
The AGLG has an annual budget of $2.6 million.
