Agenda and minutes

The Chairperson welcomed everyone to the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on the 12^th January 2023 were approved as an accurate record.

Members of the Committee were provided with an overview and summary of the self-assessment.

Officers referred to specific areas of the assessment, providing Members with an explanation to how the information had been collated from a variety of resources. Members were informed the assessment had been devised at a Corporate level with three focal questions considered.

Evidence had been formed from the use of internal evidence, regulatory reports and constitutional engagement feedback within the 21/22 financial year.

Information within the assessment also relates to the authorities Corporate Plan Annual Report for the year 2021/2022. Members were also informed of the eight core activities assessed against the WLGA toolkit, each developed by Heads of Service.

Officers went on to outline the actions listed, however it was noted to members the actions were not newly created and could be found with the Annual Governance Statement Plan 21/22 and the Councils current Corporate Plan.

Members were keen to highlight a few typo errors within the report and recommended the following.

P.12 ‘What and how and we do better’ to be reviewed and confirmed.

P.21 Government should read Governance

P.42 To insert ‘of’ between ‘mindful’ and ‘the assessment’.

P.52 Insert ‘it’ between ‘is’.

P.44, 48 of the report pack (Page 30 of the assessment) – the date is to be confirmed as either Mar 2024 or Mar 2023.

P. 49 – Typo error of MaR

Members queried if a recent audit had been conducted in terms of the risk management framework. Officers stated, there had not been an internal audit undertaken in recent times. However, in line with the proposed new policy and framework provision has been made in the audit plan for next year to undertake and audit of the compliance with the new policy and procedure and the results will be reported to a future committee.

Members requested a copy of the latest Risk Register and were informed the report was scheduled at Cabinet Board on the 22^nd February and once processed copies would be forwarded on.

Members provided positive feedback to the assessment as a whole and thanked Officers.

Decision: The Committee agreed to support the assessment to Cabinet Board for Decision, scheduled for the 22^nd  of February 2023.

Members of the Committee were provided with an overview to the circulated report.

Members were given an update to the action plan as recommended by the Auditor General. Officers were able to clarify all agreed actions had been implemented, and of which would be used in any future governance situations.

Decision: That the report be noted for information purposes.

Any urgent items at the discretion of the Chairman pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

No urgent items were received.

That pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded for the following items of business which involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 12 and 15 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A of the above Act.

RESOLVED:        that pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded for the following items of business which involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 12, 13 and 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

Annex 1 had been circulated as a private item in additional and support to agenda item 5 – Independent External Governance review – update report.

Officers provided a brief overview of the document.

Decision: That annex 1, alongside agenda item 5 be noted for information purposes.