Riverside County Auditor-Controller Ben J. Benoit revealed the Fiscal Year 2023/2024 Audit Plan at the County Board of Supervisors meeting yesterday. The plan aims to provide thorough audit coverage through a systematic series of audits and other audit-related activities. This disclosure is a testament to the county's pledge to uphold transparency and accountability according to the Riverside County news release.
In his remarks, Benoit credited the Audit Division for their tireless work during the last fiscal year and also thanked the county officials and department directors for their input on the countywide risk assessment. This process includes identifying risks linked to county operations, assessing their potential impact on organizational objectives, and examining how each risk is mitigated to prioritize the allocation of audit resources. The plan features 62 audit projects, including 22 mandated, 35 follow-up projects, four quarterly verifications of assets held by the County Treasury, and one procurement card monitoring report.
The Internal Audit Division, carrying out the Riverside County Audit Plan, aims to improve the departments' operations. It seeks to evaluate and enhance the internal controls set up by management via a diligent and methodical approach, striving to boost the efficiency of risk management and control.
According to the 2022-2023 Audit Plan, notable achievements from the previous fiscal year include the issuance of 54 internal audit reports, 60 areas for improvement identified through 23 mandated audit reports, 27 follow-up audit reports enforcing prior recommendations, and three verification reports. They've also addressed countywide issues in collaboration with Riverside County Information Technology and Human Resources, concluding rate methodology reviews for 11 departments, tackling 43 new incidents from the Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline, compiling the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards for the County's Fiscal Year 2021/22 Single Audit, and supervising audits of 82 special districts and joint power authorities.
For additional information on Riverside County's Fiscal Year 2023/2024 Audit Report, please click here.
