Issue - meetings

The Committee considered a report on the Council's Annual Governance Statement for 2020-21, as required by the Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2015. The Statement was underpinned by the Annual Opinion Report (April 2020 to March 2021) prepared by KPMG, who were the Council’s internal audit managers, which was considered by the Committee at its meeting held on 25 March 2021.

The Statement set out the Council's governance framework and procedures that had operated at the Council during the year, a review of their effectiveness, significant governance issues that had occurred and a statement of assurance. 

The Annual Governance Statement, which would be included in the Council’s statement of accounts for 2020-21, acknowledged the significant challenges (both financial and organisational) placed on the Council due to the Covid 19 pandemic, which came at a time when the Council was undergoing a major organisational transformation (Future Guildford), and the need to return to the good governance practices and processes that the Council normally prided itself upon.  The significant governance issues identified during the year, were reported in Appendix 1 section 6.

Where areas for further improvement had been identified, the necessary action would be taken to implement changes that would further develop our governance framework.

The Committee noted that the report had also been considered by the Executive at its meeting on 20 July 2021.  The Executive had commended the Annual Governance Statement to the Committee for adoption, subject to the following comments:

(a)   In Part A of the table in Section 3 of the Annual Governance Statement, the Corporate Governance & Standards Committee does not appear to have considered the Email Signature Guidance for Councillors proposed by the Corporate Governance Task Group.

(b)   In Part B of the table in Section 3 of the Annual Governance Statement, add the following:

·       “The Council has a petition scheme to enable anyone who lives, works, or studies in the borough to create paper petitions, or use the e-petition facility, to ask the Council to take action in respect of any matter on which we have functions, powers, or duties.”

(c)   The Corporate Governance and Standards Committee to receive a mid-year update report on significant governance issues that arose in the financial year relating to the AGS.

During the debate, the following points were raised/clarifications made:

·       The Leader of the Council commented on the mitigating circumstances around the areas in respect of which performance had not been to the standards the Council expected. Notwithstanding the considerable challenges caused by the pandemic, the Council still maintained and delivered essential services to residents. The Leader indicated that the Council would address the significant issues highlighted and was confident that the new performance management framework would assist in bringing performance back to acceptable levels. 

·       In relation to the comment in (a) above from the Executive, the Committee noted that it would be necessary to refer the Email Signature Guidance for Councillors back to the Corporate Governance Task Group before the matter was submitted formally to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18

Decision:

That the Council’s Annual Governance Statement for 2020-21, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report submitted to the Executive, be commended to the Corporate Governance and Standards Committee for adoption at its meeting on 29 July 2021, subject to the following comments:

(a)   In Part A of the table in Section 3 of the AGS, the Corporate Governance & Standards Committee does not appear to have considered the Email Signature Guidance for Councillors proposed by the Corporate Governance Task Group.

(b)   In Part B of the table in Section 3 of the AGS, add the following:

·       “The Council has a petition scheme to enable anyone who lives, works, or studies in the borough to create paper petitions, or use the e-petition facility, to ask the Council to take action in respect of any matter on which we have functions, powers, or duties.”

(c)   The Corporate Governance and Standards Committee to receive a mid-year update report on significant governance issues that arose in the financial year relating to the AGS.

Reason:

To comply with the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, the Council must prepare, approve, and publish an Annual Governance Statement.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

None

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None

The Executive considered the draft Annual Governance Statement (AGS) that was required under the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015. The AGS detailed the governance framework and procedures that had operated at the Council during the year, a review of their effectiveness, significant governance issues that had occurred and a statement of assurance. The AGS was supported by the Annual Opinion Report (April 2020 to March 2021) as prepared by KPMG, the Council’s internal audit managers. The draft AGS would be included in the Council’s statement of accounts for 2020-21. The report would be considered by the Corporate Governance and Standards Committee at its meeting on 29 July 2021, and any comments from the Executive would be reported to that meeting. The Corporate Governance and Standards Committee had the authority to approve the AGS.

It was noted that 2020-21 had been an extraordinary challenging year for the Council in terms of addressing the Covid Pandemic, implementing Future Guildford with significant staff structural changes and an ongoing budgetary shortfall. The challenges had affected the governance of the Council which was reflected in the internal audit report’s recommendation of ‘partial assurance with improvement’s required’. The Leader of the Council reflected on the reasons for improvement and with close monitoring looked forward to an improved audit report next year. The Leader requested that there be an interim report halfway through the year to provide an indication of progress and improvement.

The matter of email signature guidance as referred to the Corporate Governance and Standards Committee Task Group would be considered by full Committee in the near future. It was proposed that public petitions that had been received throughout the year should be summarised with outcomes and included in the AGS.

RESOLVED:

That the Council’s Annual Governance Statement for 2020-21, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report submitted to the Executive, be commended to the Corporate Governance and Standards Committee for adoption at its meeting on 29 July 2021, subject to the following comments:

(a)   In Part A of the table in Section 3 of the AGS, the Corporate Governance & Standards Committee does not appear to have considered the Email Signature Guidance for Councillors proposed by the Corporate Governance Task Group.

(b)   In Part B of the table in Section 3 of the AGS, add the following:

·        “The Council has a petition scheme to enable anyone who lives, works, or studies in the borough to create paper petitions, or use the e-petition facility, to ask the Council to take action in respect of any matter on which we have functions, powers, or duties.”

(c)   The Corporate Governance and Standards Committee to receive a mid-year update report on significant governance issues that arose in the financial year relating to the AGS.

Reason:

To comply with the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, the Council must prepare, approve, and publish an Annual Governance Statement.