Agenda item

Annual Governance Statement 2020/21

Minutes:

The Accounts and Audit Regulations required the Council to review, at least annually, its governance arrangements and, following this review, to agree an Annual Governance Statement (AGS). It was also a requirement for the Council to demonstrate awareness of where weaknesses existed within the governance arrangements and to develop and implement appropriate improvement plans.

 

The AGS appended to the report at Appendix A comprised an assessment of governance arrangements and internal controls across the whole organisation against the Council’s Code of Corporate Governance and whether these were supported by robust assurance processes.  The review included:

 

           the robustness of the Council’s risk management, performance management, financial management, legal and regulatory, IT and human resources processes and having the evidence to support that these were in place;

           the governance arrangements in place for the management of partnerships;

           the work and effectiveness of the internal audit function; and

           assurances from those managing the business (i.e. Heads of Service) that the processes within their areas were robust and complied with.

 

The outcome of the review was set out in the Statement under the heading of Significant Governance Issues.

 

There were no outstanding issues from previous years and the work carried out by Internal Audit in 2020/21 did not highlight any significant concerns regarding the internal control environment.

 

Other issues and areas of emerging risk that might impact on the Council included Local Government Funding Review and Business Rate Retention Scheme reset , achieving a balanced budget, emerging new Corporate Plan, joint working, loss of staff and recruitment, property investment, U4BW ERP Implementation Project, major projects, trading with European Union and Northern Ireland, pandemic, climate change emergency and joint waste collection and street cleaning contract.

 

Members requested and it was agreed that, under the section in the Statement on emerging risks, the Emerging new Corporate Plan item be amended to include the Council’s aim to be customer centric, and that in the Major Projects item, more detail be given on the role and responsibilities of the Directors of Alliance Homes (Rother) Ltd.

 

Members noted that the six-monthly review of the corporate risk register would be reported to the September meeting of the Committee, along with the first service risk registers.  The relevant Heads of Service would be present to answer any Member questions.  Each major project also had its own risk register managed by officers, but if Members wished to consider an individual project’s register, it could be brought before the Committee.

 

The report demonstrated the robust approach the Council took to ensure good governance. The issues highlighted through inspection, both internal and external, provided assurance that the controls and procedures in place provided Members with a high degree of assurance.  The report highlighted the areas where improvement was required and the risks to the Council and its partners resulting from the poor economic climate and the associated impact on funding in the public sector.

 

RESOLVED: That:

 

1)         the Annual Governance Statement, as amended, be approved; and

 

2)         the Statement be signed by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.

 

(When it first became apparent, Councillor Barnes declared a Personal Interest in this matter as Vice-Chairman and Company Executive Director for Alliance Homes (Rother) Ltd. and in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct remained in the meeting during the consideration thereof).

 

(When it first became apparent, Councillor Thomas declared a Personal Interest in this matter as a Company Executive Director for Alliance Homes (Rother) Ltd. and in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct remained in the meeting during the consideration thereof).

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