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VICTORIA – A financial management review in the Ministry of Children and Family Development is resulting in stronger spending controls to ensure that every available tax dollar goes toward the children and adults being served. The ministry has identified ways to improve procedures around contracting, spending, and financial reporting. These measures are now being implemented: · A multi-year audit plan has been developed and an executive audit committee will be created that will include the comptroller general. · The ministry is moving away from providing unconditional grants to organizations. · The ministry will move to a model of contracting in which clear service results are defined in contracts. More than 75 per cent of the ministry’s $1.38 billion budget for 2004/05 is spent with contracted service providers. · Grants to support transition planning for regional and community governance are being reviewed. Audits of grants to aboriginal planning committees will begin immediately and will focus on recommendations to improve future practice. · The ministry has set up a specialized unit to ensure that all contracting procedures comply fully with government standards. Several consulting contracts have been cancelled and others are being converted to staff positions. · An internal review of current ministry expenditures will make sure they are fully compliant with government policy. · The ministry has been working with ageing or obsolete information systems. A plan is in place to update the ministry’s data and financial management computer systems. The review began in September 2003 under a new senior financial team. Periodic reviews of this nature will become standard practice within this ministry. -30-
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