Audit & Governance Committee	16^th June 2021
Report of the Director of Governance

Public Interest Report – Action Plan update

Summary

1. Further to discussion of the Public Interest Report and associated action plan at Full Council on 4^th May 2021, this report updates the Committee on the action plan.  Attached at Annex A is a detailed copy of the Action Plan for discussion.

Recommendation

2. Audit & Governance Committee note and comment on the detailed Action Plan attached at Annex A.

          Reason:  So that the Committee are kept up to date on the Plan as agreed by Full Council. 

Background

3. An Extraordinary Council meeting on 4^th May 2021 formally responded to a Public Interest Report issued by the Council’s external auditor which outlined their findings from a review of the severance payments made to the former Chief Executive.  Members accepted the recommendation of the report and the associated Action Plan.

4. This Action Plan has now been developed further with additional detail included to outline how the required actions will be achieved.

Consultation

5. The purpose of this report is to consult with members of the Committee.  In addition, the Plan has been discussed with key Officers and regular meetings to review progress are in place with the Chief Operating Officer. 

Options

6. Not applicable.  The Action Plan is required to respond to the Public Interest Report and the Committee is asked to consider any additions or amendments.

Council Plan

7. Effective Governance is vital and underpins all of the council’s aims and objectives outlined in the Council Plan.

Implications

8. The implications are:

· Financial – there are no financial implications to this report. 

· Human Resources - there are no human resource implications to this report.

· One Planet Council / Equalities - there are no One Planet Council or equality implications to this report.

· Legal - there are no legal implications directly arising from this report but issues may arise during the course of the delivery of the Action Plan which will be the subject of legal advice as and when necessary or required.

· Crime and Disorder - there are no crime and disorder implications to this report.

· Information Technology - there are no information technology implications to this report.

· Property –there are no property implications to this report.

· Other – there are no other implications to this report.

Risk Management

9. The non-delivery of this Action Plan would have significant risks in relation to Governance and effective decision making.  The reporting of this Plan, along with future reports on progress in delivering the Plan, mitigate these risks to an acceptable level.

Contact Details
Author:	Chief Officer responsible for the report:
Janie Berry Director of Governance & Monitoring Officer Debbie Mitchell Chief Finance Officer Trudy Forster Head of HR	Ian Floyd Chief Operating Officer
	Report approved	√	Date	06/2021
Specialist Implications Officer(s) None
Wards Affected:  List wards or tick box to indicate all			All	√

For further information please contact the author of this report.

Background Working Papers

· Agenda for the Extraordinary Meeting of Council on 4^th May 2021 which includes the Public Interest Report and Action Plan.

Annexes

· Detailed Action Plan