Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE POLICY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

For the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee to note the progress made against the Action plan for 2020/21. This Action plan was presented to the Committee as part of the final Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for 2019/20.

RESOLVED: That the progress made against the individual actions as outlined in the Action plan for 2020/21 at Appendix A be noted.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

(1)       The AGS must be considered by Members of the Committee and approved under Regulation 6(4)(a) of the Accounts and Audit Regulations (‘AAR’) 2015/234, before the Statement of Accounts;

(2)       The Committee is the legal body with responsibility for approval of the AGS; and

(3)       Reviewing the AGS Action Plan during 2020/21 will provide the Committee with assurances that NHDC is examining and where necessary improving its governance arrangements.

The Policy and Community Engagement Manager presented the report entitled Annual Governance Statement 2019/20: Updated Action Plan for 2020/21, including:

·                The report brought an update to the action plan 2020/2021;

·                The report was part of the final Annual Governance Statement which Members of the Committee considered at the meeting of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee in September; and

·                Drew Members’ attention to paragraph 8.2 on page 93 within the report and advised that all those actions outlined in Appendix A on page 95 within the report were on-going.

Councillor Ian Albert, Executive Member for Finance and IT, emphasised the importance of Members undertaking the Ethical Awareness Training detailed in Appendix A.

The following Members asked questions:

·                Councillor Adem Ruggiero-Cakir

In response to the question on the Gender Pay-Gap Group, the Chair responded that she had discussed this matter with the Acting Human Resources Manager  and was comfortable with  the work being undertaken regarding all areas of diversity and inclusion. She further added that the Gender Pay-Gap Group was now considering wider inclusion issues in terms of  diversity and protected characteristics.

The Service Director – Resources further reported that the Gender Pay-Gap Group formally changed its name to The Inclusion Group as it was now also looking at diversity and inclusion. The Terms of Reference had been drafted to reflect this. 

It was:

RESOLVED: That the progress made against the individual actions as outlined in the Action plan for 2020/21 at Appendix A be noted.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

(1)       The AGS must be considered by Members of the Committee and approved under Regulation 6(4)(a) of the Accounts and Audit Regulations (‘AAR’) 2015/234, before the Statement of Accounts;

(2)       The Committee is the legal body with responsibility for approval of the AGS; and

(3)       Reviewing the AGS Action Plan during 2020/21 will provide the Committee with assurances that NHDC is examining and where necessary improving its governance arrangements.