Agenda item - Draft Annual Governance Statement 2019-20

Repot of the Executive Lead Officer, Strategy, Governance & Law

That the Committee:

1)             Review the attached draft AGS and make recommendations to further strengthen governance to the Leader of the City Council and the Chief Executive.

2)             Note that the Leader of the City Council and the Chief Executive will be asked to confirm their agreement to the AGS by signing a hard copy of Appendix 1 which will be stored securely.  

3)             Note that the AGS once signed by the Leader of the City Council and Chief Executive will be published alongside the council’s Annual Accounts on the Council’s website.

9.1          The Committee considered a report of the Executive Lead Officer, Strategy, Governance & Law. The Annual Governance Statement (AGS) is a requirement of Local Authorities to report publicly on the extent to which they comply with their own Code of Corporate Governance (‘the Local Code’).

9.2          In response to questions raised, the Risk Management Lead explained that CIPHA guidance stated that there should be clear maps to strategic risks, and none could be identified for Good Governance Principle G however, this would be raised with the senior management team. Cell systems would be taken into account depending upon how they could be merged into workstreams and the work of Directorates and this would be taken forward as part of next year’s AGS. The Senior Lawyer clarified that a challenge to where a decision had been made but not implemented or dealt with, this could be addressed via a Members Letter to the relevant committee. The Risk Manager further clarified that the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture had been assigned as the lead officer for the Covid Recovery Program as this matter predominately dealt with the city economy.

9.3          RESOLVED- That the Committee:

1)             Review the attached draft AGS and make recommendations to further strengthen governance to the Leader of the City Council and the Chief Executive.

2)             Note that the Leader of the City Council and the Chief Executive will be asked to confirm their agreement to the AGS by signing a hard copy of Appendix 1 which will be stored securely.  

3)             Note that the AGS once signed by the Leader of the City Council and Chief Executive will be published alongside the council’s Annual Accounts on the Council’s website.