Issue - meetings

This report presents a draft Local Code of Corporate Governance, for consideration and approval by Executive Members. 

RESOLVED: (i)         That the Code of Corporate Governance at Annex 1 to the report be approved.

                        (ii)        That the intention to prepare an action plan to address any identified weaknesses in the Council’s existing governance arrangements within the Annual Governance Statement and, where agreed, in the Single Improvement Plan be noted.

REASON:      To enable the Council to comply with best practice and legislation in respect of its corporate governance arrangements.

Members considered a report which presented a draft Code of Corporate Governance for their consideration and approval.

The draft Code, detailing the governance arrangements that the Council currently had in place and structured around the six core principles set out in the CIPFA/SOLACE Framework, was attached as Annex 1 to the report.  Overall responsibility for each element of the governance framework was identified in section 5 of the Code.  Arrangements for monitoring compliance and effectiveness were set out in section 4.

The Officer Governance Group supporting production of the draft Code had been responsible for co-ordinating an overall review of the Council’s governance arrangements, the early outcomes of which had been reported to Audit & Governance Committee on 31 March 2009.  In addition, Internal Audit had conducted an annual review of the Council’s internal control environment.  Any areas of significant control weaknesses identified would be published in the Annual Governance Statement (AGS) and might feature as priorities in the refreshed Single Improvement Plan for 2009/10.  The Code of Governance would be updated as required, in line with any improvements.  Responsibility for monitoring the Code would rest with the Audit and Governance Committee.

Having noted the comments of the Shadow Executive on this item, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That the Code of Corporate Governance at Annex 1 to the report be approved. ¹

                        (ii)        That the intention to prepare an action plan to address any identified weaknesses in the Council’s existing governance arrangements within the Annual Governance Statement and, where agreed, in the Single Improvement Plan be noted.

REASON:      To enable the Council to comply with best practice and legislation in respect of its corporate governance arrangements.