Issue - meetings

Members considered the progress with the Annual Governance Statement 2018/19 Action Plan.

This report detailed progress against the action plan, which had been agreed in July 2019.  The four issues that had been identified for development were:

1.    Risk Management – assessing the Authority’s overall ‘risk appetite’ and undertaking a review of strategic risks;

2.    Peer Review – hold a peer review to set improvement targets through a third party;

3.    Governance Review – work on the findings of the Governance Review carried out by Internal Audit;

4.    Member Induction and Training – induct new and returning Councillors and implement the Member Development Training Plan.

Two of these actions (Risk Management; Member Induction and Training) had been completed. 

The Peer Review would commence in the week beginning 20 January; all of the preparation for this had been completed.

The Governance Review related to a report from the Head of Internal Audit on the ethics and culture of the Authority.  The action plan was being worked through, was on track and had a completion date of 31 July 2020.

Following this introduction, Members asked questions of the Corporate Policy Manager.  Further information was provided:

·         There were around 18 individual actions as part of the Governance Review.  Some could be solved quickly; however others would require amendments to the Constitution.  The actions covered a range of issues such as Human Resources, the Constitution, and adherence to the 2018 CIPFA code.  There was a planned follow-up by Internal Audit due for the end of January;

·         The Peer Review had been requested by WLDC; best practice would be that this was undertaken approximately every five years.  This was overdue, as it was last carried out around ten years ago.  It contained a body of peers drawn from demographically similar Councils.

The review would look at a number of areas, such as:

o   Leadership;

o   Finances;

o   Governance;

Issues had been identified by WLDC and officers could point peer reviewers towards areas of help needed.  The review will be conducted over two and a half days, resulting in a report which would be discussed with the Leader of the Council, senior Members and the internal Management Team.  The report would highlight areas of improvement and things to consider.

External parties will talk to the peers on certain matters.

It was RESOLVED that Members were assured that the current position of the Annual Governance Statement Action Plan for 2018/19 will result in the completion of all relevant actions by July 2020.