Councillor Ann McLachlan introduced a report by the Strategic Director – Transformation and Resources which informed that the preparation and publication of an Annual Governance Statement (AGS) was necessary to meet the statutory requirement set out in the Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2011, Regulation 4(3).  Appended to the report were:

·  Appendix 1 – The Annual Governance Statement; and

·  Appendix 2 – The Significant Governance Issues Action Plan.

The Cabinet noted that it was necessary for the Council to have approved and adopted a Code of Corporate Governance that complied with the principles of the CIPFA/SOLACE Framework Delivering Good Governance in Local Government and to report publicly through the Annual Governance Statement the extent to which the governance processes outlined in the Code were operating effectively in practice.

The Framework identified the following six core principles of good governance:

·  Focusing on the purpose of the Authority and on outcomes for the community and creating and implementing a vision for the local area.

·  Members and officers working together to achieve a common purpose with clearly defined functions and roles.

·  Promoting values for the Authority and demonstrating the values of good governance through upholding high standards of conduct and behaviour.

·  Taking informed and transparent decisions which are subject to effective scrutiny and managing risk.

·  Developing the capacity and capability of Members and Officers to be effective.

·  Engaging with local people and other stakeholders to ensure robust accountability.

Councillor Ann McLachlan reported that the Council had made good progress since the withdrawal of its Improvement Board.  There were four items outstanding.  Last year there had been five and before that there had been 15.  Particular progress had been made with Asset Management and there was now a Strategy in place.  No new issues had been identified for 2015.

Councillor Ann McLachlan also reported that the Council had won the Local Government Chronicle’s Most Improved Council Award in 2015 and this achievement had shown that its peers in local government recognised the improvements it had made as a local authority. The Council had also been shortlisted for some other awards.

Councillor Phil Davies thanked Councillor Ann McLachlan for her hard work over the last three years which had helped to move the Council into the improved position it was now in and thanked the Officers who had worked with her on this.

RESOLVED:

That the Annual Governance Statement for 2014 - 15 be endorsed.