Issue - meetings

REPORT OF THE POLICY AND COMMUNITIES MANAGER

This draft Annual Governance Statement reviews the Council’s governance arrangements for the 2024/25 period. It also includes a proposed Action Plan to update and improve these arrangements for the next financial year (2025/26).

RESOLVED: That the Committee reviewed and commented on the draft AGS and Action Plan at Appendix A.

REASON FOR DECISION: 

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

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

(3)    Reporting the draft AGS and Action Plan at this stage provides an opportunity for the Committee to assess and comment on the draft, before it is finalised and brought back for approval.

Audio recording – 33 minutes 53 seconds

The Policy & Strategy Team Leader presented the report entitled ‘Draft Annual Governance Statement 2024/25 And Action Plan For 2025/26’ and highlighted that:

·       The report was a draft which gave the Committee the opportunity to comment on the draft.

·       The report was sent to SIAS, SAFS and KPMG for comments and the comments received by SIAS were contained in the report.

·       The assessment did not identify any significant governance issues, but there were areas for improvement included in the Action Plan, including increasing completion rates for essential training for staff, that sub-delegations were understood and cyber risks.

·       Actions related to Social Value were carried over from the previous Action Plan as they were not yet complete.

The following Members asked questions:

·       Councillor Paul Ward

·       Councillor Ruth Brown

In response to questions, the Policy & Strategy Team Leader stated that:

·       The Leadership Team had received a copy of the draft report and had chance to comment on the achievability of the Action Plan.

·       This Committee would receive an update on actions Autumn 2025 and Spring 2026 and was responsible for monitoring of the Action Plan.

Councillor Vijaiya Poopalasingham proposed and Councillor Paul Ward seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED: That the Committee reviewed and commented on the draft AGS and Action Plan at Appendix A.

REASON FOR DECISION: The AGS must be considered and approved by this Committee before the approval of the Statement of Accounts under Regulation 6(4)(a) of the Accounts and Audit Regulations (‘AAR’) 2015/234.