Issue - meetings

To update the Committee and provide assurance on the progress to address the significant governance issues identified within the 2022/23 Annual Governance Statement (AGS).

Mr Minesh Jani, Head of Audit and Risk Management, introduced the report.

The meeting heard that:

·      There was confidence that from a governance point of view, as an authority, the Council would to do everything it could to improve and to make sure that the right framework was set with the right behaviours and the right culture. For example, putting something into practice that was recommended, but was not a requirement for local authorities. The Council had a code for local governance but this needed to be updated and work was being done to make sure that the document was in place. It was important for the Council to ensure that it set out its standards clearly. However, the Council was still open to challenge and there many challenges as a public sector entity and these challenges would test the governance framework.

·      In relation to savings, local authorities had been required to make savings for a significantly lengthy period of time, each year making savings became harder. Officers were grappling with a difficult situation which was not going get any easier in the coming year. In that process however, there must be a mechanism by which the Council could assure itself that any savings proposals put forward had a realistic chance of delivery and they could be realised in due course. This was recognised in the Council and senior leadership colleagues had assessed that and were working through a process whereby there was a review of proposals and it would identify if the proposals were determinately possible. The delivery of savings also became important consideration as savings could be made, but by taking different routes. Ensuring the right infrastructure and the right framework for identifying and delivering savings was a prime consideration.

·      In relation to commercial property, the area was assigned nil assurance previously, there would be a new audit of commercial property. It was important that the governance had improved in that area. The findings of the audit would be reported back to the Committee. The audit had been completed but the auditors had not yet completed the report.

·      There had been times where attempts to implement new solutions had not gone as expected. Digital transformations were never necessarily straightforward or easy. Every year, attempts were made to identify areas where the level of risk was high and assurances were needed to try to program in some level of audit coverage to give assurances as early as possible. If there were things that are not going to plan, then this could be observed early on.

·      In the plan for last year, a review was programmed which was completed in 2023 for both Children's and Adults services and this had gone well. This would be helpful for the services, because the solutions that were sought were going to be more efficient and should provide more information. There were opportunities presented from these transformations.

RESOLVED

To note the progress reported