The Cabinet Member for Finance, Governance and Customer Services presented, for approval, the Annual Governance Statement (“AGS”) for the year 2025/26, in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015.
Councillor Hannington said that the AGS for 2025-26, formed part of the Council’s statutory responsibilities and accompanied the Statement of Accounts.
This AGS provided an assurance that the Council continued to operate with strong, transparent and accountable governance arrangements and it drew on a wide range of evidence, which included internal audit, external audit, risk management, service assurance statements, complaints and standards activity and the Council’s financial and performance monitoring.
The Council’s vision was clear to protect, care and invest to create a better borough where people could grow up, work, prosper and grow older with confidence and opportunity. The Council Plan set out how it delivered this, guided by five priorities and the Council’s longer-term Vision 2030, which described the ambition it shared with partners for the future of the borough. To achieve this vision, the Council recognised the need for strong governance and sound financial management.
Despite continued financial pressures in 2025-26, the AGS gave an assurance that the Council had responded responsibly, had put in place robust savings and management plans that protected frontline services, where possible.
No significant governance failures had been identified this year. Instead, the AGS had highlighted consistently strong governance, which had been delivered despite the national pressures facing local government. This strength was driven first and foremost by the efforts of the Council’s staff, whose hard work, resilience and commitment ensured that the Council continued to operate to a high standard, and their contribution was evident throughout this statement.
These were hallmarks of a Council that took its responsibilities seriously and delivered them well. The past 12 months had also brought some exceptional successes for the Council and its community. The Council continued to be a high performing authority that put residents at the heart of everything it did. A highlight included being awarded Council of the year in 2025 by the Local Government Chronicle - national recognition of the strength, ambition, and impact of the Council’s work.
The Council’s staff and its dedication and professionalism were the reason the Council continued to deliver such strong governance. Despite national pressures, they consistently went above and beyond for the borough’s residents, and the strength of this statement was a direct reflection of their hard work and commitment.
The Council continued to maintain robust financial management, strong oversight of major programmes and clear, well-documented decision-making processes. Its scrutiny arrangements remained effective, constructive and transparent, and the Council’s commitment to openness was demonstrated through its public reporting and the continued expansion of digital access to meetings.
The AGS also identified the areas where the Council would continue to strengthen its governance in the years ahead. These included financial resilience, particularly in light of ongoing pressures being experienced nationally within the local government environment.
Workforce capacity, especially in specialist areas where national recruitment challenges persisted. Cyber security and information governments, where the Council continued to invest and adapt to an evolving threat landscape.
Governance of major programmes, ensuring consistent oversight, risk management and benefits realisation. And finally, regulatory and community safety responsibilities, which included household standards and the Council’s domestic abuse commitments. No matter how good the Council’s governance was, it was considered to be good practice to take proactive action to address identified challenges.
The Council’s governance action plan for 2026-27 set out clear, targeted actions to address these areas. This demonstrated the Council’s commitment to continuous improvement, forward planning and proactive risk management.
Overall, the AGS showed that this Council continued to uphold high standards of governance, managed risks effectively, and remained focused on delivering the best possible outcomes for its residents. It reflected an organisation that was well run, well led, and well prepared for the challenges ahead.
This AGS provided reasonable assurance that the Council's governance arrangements and internal systems of control were effective and fit for purpose.
In supporting the recommendations, a Cabinet Member said the report provided assurance that Telford and Wrekin Council continued to maintain strong and effective governance arrangements and that it remained committed to transparency, accountability and the continuous improvement in the way services were delivered and decisions were made.
The Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group said that he fully welcomed the report, which was important particularly since many failed local authorities up and down the country had not taken governance seriously at all.
The Leader of the Conservative Group said that Telford and Wrekin had a long history of good governance and that others, not too far away, had suffered and had considerable problems.
RESOLVED that the Annual Governance Statement 2025/26, attached as Appendix A to this report, be approved.