Issue - meetings

Members heard again from the Corporate Policy Manager & Deputy Monitoring

Officer regarding the work of the Committee Effectiveness Working Group. He provided the background to the working group, explained that in March 2020, Members of the Governance and Audit Committee undertook a survey to assess the effectiveness of the Committee. The survey was based on advice offered by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) (2018) suggesting that it was useful for audit committees to undertake a self-assessment of their effectiveness. The findings of the survey were analysed and reported back to the Governance and Audit Committee in June 2020 and at that meeting the Committee agreed to form a working group of at least three members to further review the findings and devise an improvement plan which the Committee would oversee. He explained that the current report provided an end view of the work and it was proposed for the working group to be completed, with the previously agreed actions being now considered ‘business as usual’.

The Chairman commented that there was to be a discussion as to how to facilitate Members having earlier involvement in meeting papers and reports, however that was ongoing work through briefings and with Officers. He thanked the working group and it was

            RESOLVED that

a)    the Committee be assured that the actions will address the issues identified in the survey and improve the overall effectiveness of the Committee; and

b)    the Working Group be formally closed.