Agenda item - Annual Governance Statement 2013/14

Report of the Executive Director of Finance & Resources (copy attached).

11.1         The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director of Finance & Resources in relation to the Annual Governance Statement 2013/13. The report presented the Annual Governance Statement for 2012/13 following completion of the annual review of the Council’s governance arrangements – including the system of internal control.

11.2         The Executive Director of Finance and Resources explained that the Officers’ Governance Board (which she chaired with representation from the Head of Legal & Democratic Services, the Head of Audit & Business Risk and the Risk Manager) internally communicated issues as they arose, and the work was driven by the annual internal audit plan, and the Board had concluded that there were no significant weaknesses in the statement. The action plans were quite broad, and they would help the Committee to know the direction of travel.

11.3         Councillor Wealls asked about whistle-blowing, and if this fed into the work of the board. In response it was explained that there was a separate policy with clear arrangements; however, this could also be reflected in the report. It was also stated that in the formulation of the statement consideration was given to the whistle-blowing policy and arrangements, and no issue was found with what was in place. Councillor Wealls went on to ask who had responsibility for signing off the policy, and it was confirmed that this responsibility had always been with this Committee (previously as the Standards Committee). The robustness of the policy would be challenged by Human Resources, but in the past it had also been bought to the Committee for consideration. Councillor Wealls stated he would welcome evidence of how the policy was tested, and the Executive Director echoed this and stated it was important to ensure the mechanisms allowed staff to feel comfortable about whistle-blowing. Councillor Deane added that it was important for people to feel they had been listened to.

11.4         Councillor Summers highlighted the recommendation, and suggested the Committee needed to consider the level of detail it wished to examine the statement. She went on to highlight openness and transparency within the Council, and asked if there was more room for the use of webcasting. In response the Head of Legal & Democratic Services explained that the contract for webcasting allowed for a fixed number of hours each year, but this was a matter that could be considered by a working group.

11.5         Councillor Sykes asked about the Modernisation Board, and in response the Executive Director explained that this was an Officer led board with a goal to ensure that the modernisation of the Council was delivered; it had a range of cross directorate initiatives and had been put together by the Chief Executive who chaired the Board. The outcomes were reported to Members, and an update would be produced every six months on the work – which had been included in the annual review. The work of the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) was also discussed, and it was highlighted that as there was a new chair there was the potential for some discussion about how it operated. It was identified that there was an element of duplication in the current arrangements and plenty of scope for a review. The City Management Board was now also led by the Chief Executive and included representation from all key responsible authorities and third sector bodies across the city.

11.1         RESOLVED:

(i)                 That the Committee consider and approve the Annual Governance Statement for publication.

(ii)               That the Committee note the actions to further develop and strengthen elements of the Council’s governance arrangements.