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Finance, Planning & Strategic Control
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| Funding |
| 5.1 The agency’s resource
requirements are considered as part of the Department’s inputs to the Northern
Ireland Public Expenditure Survey. The agency’s expenditure is subject to in-year
monitoring and estimates and gross running costs control but the agency may subsequently
seek to move to a more flexible regime. |
| Corporate and Business Plans |
5.2 The Chief Executive
will prepare each year, for approval by the Minister, a 3 year Corporate Plan and a
Business Plan which covers the first of these years. |
| Corporate Plan |
| 5.3 The Corporate Plan will be rolled
forward and updated each year. It will reflect the outcome of the annual Public
Expenditure Survey and will set out : |
 the Chief Executive’s strategy for achieving the agency’s aims and
objectives;
strategic targets;
an assessment of the external factors which influence the agency’s
activities and key planning assumptions;
a forecast of financial and manpower resources;
efficiency objectives, strategies and plans;
the personnel training and development strategy;
the information systems strategy; and
such additional information as the agency may be required or decide to
provide.
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| Business Plan |
| 5.4 The Business Plan will set out in more
detail the agency’s activities for the first year of the Corporate Plan period and
will include :- |
key performance targets set by the Minister;
priorities and other targets;
budgets;
the work programme and expenditure profile;
the key assumptions, including those about resources, which will underpin
targets;
an Efficiency Plan including initiatives to improve performance, value for
money and quality of service, and details of those activities which will be subject to
competition during the year.
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| Approval |
| 5.5 The Chief Executive will submit the
Corporate and Business Plans to the Minister for approval each year. The Minister will
normally consult the Ministerial Advisory Board before approving the plans. The plans will
be published. The Minister or the Chief Executive may seek to review the Business Plan in
the course of the year to reflect changes in policies, resources or priorities. Approval
of these plans will constitute authority for the agency to conduct its operations
accordingly. |
| Annual reports and Accounts |
| 5.6 Within 2 years of launch, the Chief
Executive will prepare commercial style accounts on an accruals basis. After the end of
each financial year, the Chief Executive submits an Annual Report and Accounts to the
Minister. Pending the issue of an Accounts Direction to the agency, these will be placed
in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament before the Summer Recess, and published.
Following the issue of an Accounts Direction, the Accounts will be audited by the
Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland and laid before Parliament, also
before the Summer Recess, together with the Annual Report which will review the operations
of the agency and will show how it has performed against its targets. The Chief Executive
is required to provide relevant information to the principal Accounting Officer for the
preparation of the Department’s Appropriation Accounts. |
| Financial Delegations |
| 5.7 The Chief Executive has the authority
to approve all expenditure which is consistent with the Corporate and Business Plans and
which is in accordance with the delegations set out at
Annex C which will be reviewed from time to time. |
| Capital Investment |
| 5.8 The Chief Executive will ensure that
appropriate investment appraisal of all projects is carried out, taking account of such
guidance as the Department of Finance and Personnel may issue from time to time. Major
capital decisions will be considered in the context of discussions leading to the approval
of the Corporate and Business Plans. The agency will undertake post implementation reviews
to determine whether projects have achieved their objectives. |
| Value for Money |
| 5.9 The Chief Executive is responsible for
obtaining value for money in the procurement of goods and delivery of services. Subject to
value for money considerations, the Chief Executive will implement a range of efficiency
measures including the strategic contracting out of areas of work in accordance with an
agreed programme and timetable set out in the Corporate and Business Plans. The Chief
Executive is responsible for the standard and value for money of any work contracted out
and for ensuring that security and confidentiality safeguards are maintained. |
| Support Services |
| 5.10 The core of the Department will
continue to provide support services in accordance with the service level agreements and
other arrangements between the core of the Department and the agency. The core of the
Department will, for the purposes of the agency’s accounts, inform it of the notional
cost of all services provided . The core of the Department may charge the agency for the
supply of any service, subject to the Chief Executive assuming responsibility for the
associated budget . Once a budget has been allocated, the Chief Executive may continue to
obtain that service from the core of the Department or may, following appropriate notice,
seek to obtain it from an alternative provider, if satisfied that better value for money
can be obtained. |
| Internal Audit |
| 5.11 The Chief Executive is responsible
for ensuring that adequate arrangements exist for the provision of an internal audit
service which accords with the standards contained in the Government Internal Audit Manual
(GIAM) and the companion Government Information Systems Audit Manual (GISAM). These
services will continue to be offered by the Department’s Internal Auditor and
notional costs notified to the agency. The Chief Executive may seek alternative
arrangements. The core of the Department will undertake periodic reviews to determine if
such arrangements accord with the established standards. The Department’s Principal
Establishment and Finance Officer and the nominated official (para. 3.5) will have a right
of access to all internal audit reports. The Department’s Internal Auditor has a
right of access to the agency to perform work necessary to give an independent assurance
to the principal Accounting Officer who shall be entitled to receive all internal audit
reports. |
| External Audit |
| 5.12 The agency is subject to external
audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland who has the right to
conduct value for money studies relating to the agency’s activities. |
| Reviews of Efficiency and
Effectiveness |
| 5.13 The Chief Executive is responsible
for the efficient, effective, economic and equitable management of the agency and also for
keeping under continuous review the structures, staffing levels, business processes and
other specialist services for the agency. |
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