Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and

      Governance and appendix 1 that provided an Annual Governance Statement for review and adoption.

The Chairman introduced the report, noting the revised template, and called on the Programmes, Performance and Governance Manager, to present. The Manager took the Committee through the statement presented on a new template to reflect CIPFA best practice guidance. She informed the Committee that the reason the statement was being considered separate to the statement of accounts was to highlight the importance of governance and the Council’s analysis of governance arrangements over the 2019/20 financial year. Furthermore, the template had been updated to comment on Maldon District Council’s position against the seven principles of good governance identified by CIPFA and SOLACE (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) in 2016. She drew Members’ attention to the action table for the next year that set out a recommendation to receive quarterly reports at Performance Governance and Audit Committee, providing a tangible means to track governance matters. She concluded by saying that COVID-19 impacts would be dealt with in next year’s statement.

As there were no Members wishing to speak on this item the Chairman moved the recommendations in the report and they were duly seconded. The Chairman put the recommendations to the Committee and they were agreed by assent.

It was then noted that due to technical delays Councillor Swain had indicated a wish to speak. The Programmes, Performance and Governance Manager responded to his queries as follows:-

• That a Project Management Office existed, albeit virtual, with input from a number of Officers. The Project Administrator role sat with the Programmes, Performance and Governance team and administered a monthly Extended Leadership Team Board that met to review the corporate project list, missed opportunities log and lessons learned log.

• That the introduction to the report was written by BDO LLP and the remainder by Council Officers.

• That the Peer Review was available through the Local Government Association (LGA). This had not been put into practice as yet but may result in a recommendation through the action plan.

• That the Council consults regularly with a range of stakeholder groups and the public as appropriate to ensure openness and transparency.

In addition to the above the Chairman advised that the External Auditor also reviewed the Annual Governance Statement in tandem with the Statement of Accounts.

Following this clarification Councillor Swain wished it recorded that he abstained from the Committee’s general assent agreement on the recommendations.

RESOLVED

(i)              That the Annual Governance Statement at appendix 1 be approved;

(ii)            That the Performance, Governance and Audit Committee monitored the progress of the action plan;

(iii)          That a quarterly report of Annual Governance actions be provided for Performance, Governance and Audit committee review.