Decision details

Draft Annual Governance Statement

Decision Maker: Audit and Risk Management Committee

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Purpose:

This report presents Audit and Risk Management Committee with a draft Annual Governance Statement for consideration by members.

Decisions:

The Head of Financial Services and Acting S151 Officer presented the report of the Strategic Director Transformation & Resources, which identified and explained the planned approach for the production of the Council’s Annual Governance Statement for 2015/16. The report (in draft) provided an outline of the work required to prepare the Statement in compliance with statutory requirements set out in the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2011 and the principles identified in the CIPFA SOLACE Framework – Delivering Good Governance in Local Government. Members were invited to comment on the draft report with a final version of the Annual Governance Statement to  be reported to the Committee in September 2016.

 

The Head of Financial Services informed that the report outlined the approach and evidential basis used in the production of a robust and accurate Statement. The report explained how, using the six principles of good governance as listed in the document, that the Annual Governance Statement was not owned by the Audit Function, but remained a Council statement on the effectiveness of its governance processes.

 

The report set out, in a prescribed format, information on the following key areas:

 

  • Scope of Responsibility;

·  Purpose of the Governance Framework;

·  Overview of Council Progress;

·  The Governance Framework (6 principles);

·  Reviewing Effectiveness; and

·  Significant Governance Issues.

 

Members were advised and noted, that the number of significant governance issues had reduced further in 2015/16. One issue remained, and that further action was required to address organisational and managerial compliance with certain Council processes and procedures, including performance appraisals, absence management, contract procedure rules and mandatory training. Members noted that a Corporate Governance Group will lead the development of a robust action plan to address this particular issue).

 

Members commented on the subject of absence management, concerns regarding the descriptors used in the resident’s survey and various exchanges relating to these subjects in the past. A Member questioned whether matters had been understated or if procedures had not been followed or if organisational ‘culture’ was a t the heart of the matter.  The Head of Financial Services advised that the compliance issue, which could be viewed as covering  ‘culture’, remained as the outstanding significant governance issue. Members noted that the draft Statement would be signed by the Leader and the Chief Executive. The final version of the Annual Governance Statement 2015/16 would be presented to the next meeting of the Audit and Risk Management Committee.

 

A Member expressed his wish to challenge the report and requested that a vote be taken on the item. 

 

Following a show of hands, the vote was taken and carried (7:1)

 

Resolved – That

 

1)  the approach outlined with regard to the production of the Annual Governance Statement 2015/16, be endorsed and supported; and

 

2)  a final version of the Annual Governance Statement 2015/16 be presented to the Audit and Risk Management Committee in September 2016.

 

Report author: Lucy Barrow

Publication date: 29/06/2016

Date of decision: 13/06/2016

Decided at meeting: 13/06/2016 - Audit and Risk Management Committee

Accompanying Documents: