Annual Report 2014

City of surrey Overviews

Finance & Technology Department

The Finance & Technology Department delivers financial expertise, risk management, information technology services, advice and guidance to support all City operations. The Department provides responsive services and innovative solutions required to streamline City processes, facilitating gains in efficiencies. The Department leads process improvements and sets, as well as maintains, financial and information technology practices, policies and standards. The Department’s core services include:

FINANCIAL REPORTING Financial Reporting includes long-term financial planning, annual budget development, accounting, procurement and statutory financial reporting; this includes presenting an annual five-year financial plan which establishes financial and programming priorities. The Financial Reporting Division also keeps Management and Council informed about the City’s financial performance on a quarterly basis, ensuring the City meets its annual budget. In addition, this division coordinates the procurement of high quality, cost-effective goods and services, while ensuring all polices are followed and best practices implemented. The Procurement Section follows applicable legislation and ensures an appropriate public and competitive process is applied as required. management, accounts payable, and taxation. Staff calculate, levy, and collect property taxes, water and sewer billing and other payments to ensure completeness and accuracy, as well as monitor cash flow and invest funds for maximum return while minimizing risk and adhering to the City’s investment policy. Staff also ensure that all employees are paid correctly on a bi-weekly basis and that external vendor invoices are paid in a timely and cost effective manner. FINANCIAL SERVICES Financial Services includes payroll, investments, treasury, cash

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) Information Technology (IT) works to implement and support innovative technological best practices to maximize efficiencies in City service delivery, and improve customer service; as a corporate service, this includes providing all City departments with consulting, technology research, analysis, development, maintenance and support. RISK MANAGEMENT Risk Management provides service and expertise in risk management, insurance, claims, litigation and loss control. By incorporating Enterprise Wide Risk Management practices, they are able to identify, manage and reduce the overall cost of risk. INTERNAL AUDIT Internal Audit is responsible for reviewing business processes, policies and procedures for efficiency, control and compliance. It also investigates internal and external breaches of control, conducts specialized projects, investigates breaches related to the City’s Code of Conduct Bylaw, provides commodity tax services to the City and develops the annual Corporate Audit Plan.

2 0 1 4 A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S • Ensured that all financial transactions and reporting met appropriate statutory requirements. • Provided financial analysis and advice on City initiatives. • Used effective and efficient financial processes

• Continued to improve E-Finance services. • Improved the ease and speed of businesses submitting or changing a business license through a new online submission service enabling improved workflows and integrated applications while improving consistency of data collection between business units and improved collection of fees. • Moved to electronic file storage for Payroll and Cash Management.

• Continued training key staff on new financial system offering various sessions throughout the year focusing on different areas of the system. • Provided a leading edge security infrastructure taking full advantage of modern technologies and a defense in depth strategy to enable Internet, local network and wireless connectivity within the organization. • Continued to develop our new Financial System improving our Procurement & Accounts Payable functions.

and systems to safeguard the City’s assets. • Maintained and sustained IT assets through replacement and upgrade of aging application and technologies.

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