Decision details

Non Key Decision

Councillor S Davies, Leader, presented the joint report of the Chief Financial Officer and the Monitoring Officer, attached to which was the draft Annual Governance Statement for 2018/19.

Under the Accounts & Audit Regulations 2015, the Council was required to produce an Annual Governance Statement, and it was best practice that it was signed by the Leader and Managing Director of the Council. The Statement accompanied the Annual Accounts.  The Statement included an action plan to ensure that the Council continued to improve its existing governance arrangements. The action plan attached to the 2017/18 statement (implemented during 2018/19) had been reviewed and updated and was appended to the report.

The Annual Governance Statement and Local Code of Good Governance outlined that the Council was continually reviewing and improving its procedures to maintain and demonstrate good corporate governance, and that it had in place robust systems of internal control. The Council could be assured that during 2018/19, including during organisational and personnel changes, the existing governance arrangements had continued to support proper governance.  Assurance for the Annual Governance Statement was provided by all areas of the Council including senior management, Members, the Chief Financial Officer, the Monitoring Officer and internal audit.

The Council’s current Code of Good Governance, had been approved in June 2018 to reflect the CIPFA/SOLACE updated framework including revised principles and guidance but further application and good practice had been received during the year and the local code had therefore been updated further.  The Code continued to reflect the Council’s culture and values, including the “Being the Change” document.

RESOLVED – that the Annual Governance Statement 2018/19, attached as Appendix A to the report, be approved and that the information in the report be noted.