The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General has refused to approve the financial accounts of the College of Policing following major issues with its accounting and HR systems overhaul, leaving the college unable to manage its finances effectively.
The National Audit Office (NAO) has identified serious problems that arose when the College of Policing launched new accounting and payroll systems without addressing existing issues within the project. The college, which works to promote policing excellence in the UK, struggled to manage the transition from its previous SAP-based system to the Home Office's Oracle-based Metis system.
Issues with inaccurate data following this transition resulted in a £1.3 million overspend against the Home Office’s budget, delays in submitting its annual report to the NAO, and the college missing statutory deadlines for filing financial accounts with Companies House. This inability to manage its financial records has raised concerns about data integrity and potential unauthorized access.
In light of these defaults, Gareth Davies, the NAO's comptroller and auditor general, has formally “disclaimed” the audit opinion on the college’s 2023-2024 financial statements after the college failed to provide adequate evidence to support a significant portion of its financial data.
