Decision details

Ian Young, Director for Governance, Finance and Public Services, presented a report on the Council's draft Code of Corporate Governance and draft Annual Governance Statement 2014/15 which the Committee were invited to comment on.

The Committee was informed that that the County Council had approved the current Code of Corporate Governance in 2008 and it was therefore due for review, a commitment made in the Annual Governance Statement for 2014/15.

The draft revised Code drew on CIPFA guidance which defined the following six core principles which should underpin a local authority's governance framework:

1.  Focusing on the purpose of the authority and on outcomes for the community and creating and implementing a vision for the local areas

2.  Members and officers working together to achieve a common purpose with clearly defined functions and roles

3.  Promoting the values of the authority and demonstrating the values off good governance through upholding high standards of conduct and behaviour

4.  Taking informed and transparent decisions which are subject to effective scrutiny and managing risks

5.  Developing the capacity and capability of members and officers to be effective

6.  Engaging with local people and other stakeholders to ensure robust accountability

The draft revised Code included an Action Plan and the Committee was informed that this would be updated when the Code was presented for approval at its meeting in June. Any comments on the draft Code which Members may have should be provided to the Director of Governance, Finance and Public Services.

The Committee were also asked to consider and comment on the draft Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for 2014/15 which would be presented for approval at the Committee's meeting in June.

The Committee was informed that there was still further work to be done with the AGS which would also need to reflect the Chief Internal Auditor's Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2015 which would include her opinion on the Council's internal controls which had been subject to audit during the year.

In relation to  Emerging Governance Issues, Members commented on the importance of ensuring that an effective risk management system was embedded in the Council and were informed that Management Team had made arrangements for a risk workshop facilitated  by Grant Thornton and that this work would inform the creation of a risk register. Once created this would be the subject of regular updates both to Management Team and Members, including the Audit and Governance Committee. 

Resolved: That the Committee:

1.  Noted the draft revised Code of Corporate Governance for the County Council and that any comments should be made to the Director of Governance, Finance and Public Services;

2.  Noted that a final version of the draft Code would be brought to the next meeting of the Committee in June for approval with a recommendation that once adopted the Code will be reviewed on an annual basis;

3.  Noted that a revised  Annual Governance Statement for 2014/15 would be presented to the Committee at its meeting in June and that any comments on the draft AGS should be made to the Director of Governance, Finance and Public Services