Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy and Resources (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Strategy and Resources presenting the Annual Governance Statement (AGS) 2023 / 24 attached at appendix 1 for review and adoption by the Committee.

The Chairperson introduced the report and deferred to the Assistant Director – Programmes, Performance and Governance to present the detail. The Assistant Director advised that the AGS followed the Council’s adopted template to reflect the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) best practice advice. It was noted that the report commented on MDC’s position against the seven principles of good governance identified by CIPFA and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (SOLACE) in 2016. In addition, comments on the Council’s arrangements against the CIPFA financial management code had been provided, particularly standard C, which addressed an action suggested in the recent Local Government Association finance peer review.

The first page of the appendix highlighted the achievements of the 2023 / 24 financial year in terms of governance arrangements. Overall, the Council performed well against the criteria for good governance, which was also highlighted by the internal audit statement from BDO. An action plan was included in the report to address those areas of challenge identified in the BDO report. Members were advised that a comment and question mark had been left in the Appendix in error and would be removed.

The Chairperson proposed that the recommendations set out in the report be agreed. This proposal was duly seconded and agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)             That the Annual Governance Statement (attached at Appendix A to the report) be approved and appended to the Statement of Accounts.

(ii)            That the Performance, Governance and Audit Committee monitors the progress of the action plan identified in the Annual Governance Statement through a quarterly report.