At the request of the Chair, the report of the Chief Executive in relation to Work Programme Progress and Associated Issues, to be considered by the Corporate Governance Cabinet Committee at its meeting on 16 November 2011, is presented for Members consideration.

At the request of the Chair, the report of the Chief Executive in relation to Work Programme Progress and Associated Issues, considered by the Corporate Governance Cabinet Committee at its meeting on 16 November 2011, was presented for Members consideration. The report had been prepared in response to the findings of the AKA Report on Corporate Governance, in order for a work programme to be developed to address identified weaknesses in corporate governance. It presented Project Initiation Documents (PIDs) for prioritised areas from the programme previously considered; discussed issues around how external support was to be acquired; and presented an initial summary timeline for the programme. The report also included a number of other issues considered at the previous meeting, including a review of Legal and Committee Services; the creation of a Policy Unit; and the creation of specific budgetary provision.

The Chair also circulated a briefing note for Members’ consideration, which included extracts from the Committee’s Terms of Reference and from Anna Klonowski’s presentation to Members on Corporate Governance. In response to a question from a Member as to how the Committee would be kept informed of the work of the Corporate Governance Committee, the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management indicated that agenda papers and minutes would be available in the normal manner and that he would present an update for Members’ information.

Resolved –

(1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management be requested to present an update on the work of the Corporate Governance Committee to the next meeting of the Committee.

At the inaugural meeting of the Committee held on 26 October 2011 Members had requested further development of the Comprehensive Work Programme.  Consequently, a report by the Chief Executive presented the Committee with Project Initiation Documents (PIDs) for prioritised areas from the programme previously considered; discussed issues around how external support was to be acquired; and contained an initial summary timeline for the programme.

The report also included a number of other issues considered by the Committee at its last meeting, including:

• a review of Legal and Committee Services;
• the formation of a Policy Unit; and
• the need for specific budgetary provision.

Some Members considered that a definition of the Lead Member’s role should be drawn up to provide clarity whilst others were of the view that it was wrong to be too prescriptive and that a single definition might not suit all ten of the Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs).  Ultimately, it was acknowledged that the Committee’s role was to test, debate and reach final decisions.

It was proposed that an information gathering exercise be undertaken, best practice models identified and options, based on experience, be reported to the Committee at a future meeting for its consideration.  Once the Committee was able to discuss this report, it was hoped that a consensus could be reached. on how to take the KLOEs forward.  The Chief Executive agreed that an email to this effect would be drafted and the three Group Leaders be consulted on it, before it was sent to all Members of the Committee for information and clarity.

The Committee considered the ten KLOEs in detail and noted their content.  The Chief Executive circulated a revisedlist of suggested Lead Members, Lead Officers and Managers for the ten KLOEs.  Councillor J Green offered support to Councillor S Foulkes the proposed Lead Member for KLOE 1 - Alignment of Corporate Planning & Budget Making Process and his offer was accepted.

Councillor S Foulkes referred to AKA’s Supplemental Report entitled ‘Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council’s Corporate Governance Arrangements: Refresh and Renew’ (The Corporate Governance Report) which had summarised organisational weaknesses which the Council had failed to address.  He informed that one of its criticisms was that Members’ involvement had not been sufficient.  This had now been addressed and improved as Members would act as a conduit and lead on each of the KLOEs.  It was noted that Lead Officers would be responsible for keeping Lead Members up to date and briefed on the KLOEs.

The Chief Executive also circulated a revised Appendix 2 to the Committee’s report which set out a revised procedure for recruiting external assistance to support the Corporate Governance Improvement Programme.  The Director of Law, HR and Asset Management reported that the revisions made closer reference to the recently revised Council’s Procurement Rules.  External assistance would now be procured in accordance with these rules.  Councillor Foulkes informed that there had been some concerns expressed about giving priority to AKA’s opinion and the Committee was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13