AUDIT & GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE	1 December 2021
Report of the Director of Governance

Progress against the Action Plan prepared in response to the Public Interest Report: Response from the Local Government Association

Summary

To receive the initial report from the Local Government Association in response to the Committee’s request for their views with regards the Council’s approach to delivery of the Action Plan prepared in response to the Report in the Public Interest dated 19^th April 2021.

Background

The Council is required to address the recommendations set out in the Report in the Public Interest dated 19^th April 2021, and accepted by Full Council on 4^th May 2021.  An Action Plan was also approved by Full Council and Audit & Governance Committee has been asked to oversee the delivery of the Action Plan.

Work to address the various aspects of the Action Plan continues.

At their meeting on 16^th June 2021, the Audit & Governance Committee commissioned the support of the Local Government Association and approved their scoping document as to how support can be offered to deliver the Action Plan. 

Since the approval of the scoping document, the Local Government Association has continued to be provided with all necessary updates.

In response, the Local Government Association has now prepared its initial report which is attached at Annex One of this report.  For ease of reference, the Scoping document dated 14^th September 2021, and approved by the Audit & Governance Committee on 29^th September 2021, is attached at Annex Two of this report

Implications

Financial – None directly arising from this report.  The Council is a member of the LGA and therefore the support from the LGA is at nil cost.

Human Resources (HR) – None directly arising from this report.

Equalities – None directly arising from this report.

Legal – As detailed within this report, the Council has received and accepted the Report in the Public Interest dated 19^th April 2021, and therefore is required to undertake necessary steps to address the highlighted recommendations.  The various individual steps required in addressing these recommendations may in themselves require legal advice.   

Crime and Disorder, Information Technology and Property - None directly arising from this report.

Recommendations

To receive the initial report from the Local Government Association in response to the Committee’s request for their views as regards the Council’s approach to delivery of the Action Plan prepared in response to the Report in the Public Interest dated 19^th April 2021.

Reasons for the Recommendation

The Audit & Governance Committee is required by Full Council to monitor the delivery of the Action Plan prepared in response to the Public Interest Report.

Options

There are no other options for the Committee to consider on this occasion.

Author &  Chief Officer responsible for the report:	Janie Berry, Director of Governance & Monitoring Officer
	Report Approved	X	Date	17^th November  2021
Specialist Implications Officer(s):  Debbie Mitchell, Chief Finance Officer and Section 151
Wards Affected:  List wards or tick box to indicate all					All	X
For further information please contact the author of the report

Annexes:

Annex One – Report prepared by the Local Government Association

Annex Two – Scoping Document dated 14^th September 2021

Background Papers:

Agenda, Reports and Minutes of the extraordinary meeting of Full Council dated 4^th May 2021

Agenda, Reports and Minutes of the Audit & Governance Committee