Agenda item

REPORT OF THE POLICY AND COMMUNITY MANAGER

This report presents the final Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for the year 2024/25. The Statement reviews the Council’s governance arrangements for the 2024/25 period. It also includes an Action Plan to update/improve those arrangements for the following financial year (2025/26). The report also includes a progress update on this action plan.

RESOLVED:

(1)   That the Committee approved the AGS, as amended, at Appendix A.

(2)   That the Committee noted the current position of the actions within the AGS Action Plan, outlined in Appendix B.

REASONS 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)   Reviewing the AGS Action Plan for 2025-26 will provide the Committee with assurances that the Council is examining and where necessary improving its governance arrangements.

Audio recording – 4 minutes 41 seconds

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

·         The Committee was required to consider the Annual Governance Statement (AGS) ahead of the Statement of Accounts.

·         The AGS confirmed that the governance processes required were in place and identified areas for improvement.

·         The draft AGS was presented to the Committee in 2025, following which the Action Plan, attached at Appendix A, was produced.

·         The AGS had been updated to be more in line with corporate branding.

·         However, two paragraphs had been missed from the final version, which related to improvements made to governance processes and a look ahead on governance arrangements. If approved, these paragraphs would be included in the final published version of the AGS.

·         There was an update on action 3 on the Action Plan and it had been confirmed that all sub-delegations were up to date and accurate within service areas.

The following Members asked questions:

·         Councillor Paul Ward

·         Councillor Vijaiya Poopalasingham

In response to questions, the Policy and Strategy Team Leader advised that:

·         She was unsure if limits relating to ICO compliance had been breached, but it would likely have been flagged as part of the AGS process if that was the case.

·         It was considered that anything less than 100% in terms of mandatory training completion was not good enough. The proposals staggered requirements to ensure that time was allowed to address the shortage in completed mandatory training.

·         Mandatory training had been in place for a number of years and therefore comparison data year-on-year could be provided.

·         CIPFA were aware of the gap existing between the end of a financial year and the consideration of the AGS, but this was not identified or considered an issue.

·         The AGS provided a review of the year, with the Action Plan looking forward, and the points in the Plan would be addressed as soon as possible.

Councillor Paul Ward requested that additional statistical information be provided to the Committee outside of the meeting regarding items included on the Action Plan.

Councillor Poopalasingham noted that it was positive to see the gap between the end of the financial year and the presentation of the AGS and thanked Officers for their work on this.

Councillor Daniel Wright Mason proposed and Councillor Stewart Willoughby seconded and, following a vote, it was:

RESOLVED:

(1)  That the Committee approved the AGS, as amended, at Appendix A.

(2)  That the Committee noted the current position of the actions within the AGS Action Plan, outlined in Appendix B.

REASONS 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)  Reviewing the AGS Action Plan for 2025-26 will provide the Committee with assurances that the Council is examining and where necessary improving its governance arrangements.