Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Interim Section 151 Officer.

The report is the draft version of the Council’s Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for 2023/24.  This was circulated to all Corporate Leadership Team members on 15^th May 2024 for approval by 24^th May 2024.  Provided there has been no material change in governance issues, this will be issued as final alongside the statutory Annual Financial Accounts, later in the financial year.

Audit Committee is asked to approve the Annual Governance Statement prior to signing by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.

Officer contact John Pearsall on telephone number 0161 474 4033 or email john.pearsall@stockport.gov.uk

The Interim Section 151 Officer submitted a report (copes of which were circulated) which was the draft version of the Council’s Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for 2023/24.  This was circulated to all Corporate Leadership Team members on 15^th May 2024 for approval by 24^th May 2024.  Provided there has been no material change in governance issues, this will be issued as final alongside the statutory Annual Financial Accounts, later in the financial year.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         Members asked how often the local code is reviewed?  In response, the Committee was advised that a thorough review was carried out every three years.

·         Members requested further clarification relating to problems that other Local Authorities had had with governance issues and what Stockport could learn from this.

·         The section of the report relating to the Nolan principals and how Stockport was complying with the principles was welcomed by the Committee.

·         Members requested some further information relating to the transformation that was mentioned in the report and queried whether the transformation steering group had been formed?

·         Members commented that it was impressive how much work had been done in such a short time in relation to TLC and asked for details on what had been learned as a result of this?

·         A short discussion took place in relation to governance and structure of other arm’s length companies.

·         The Committee queried whether the work on the review of effectiveness was ever externally validated?

·         In response to a question about public understanding of different financial challenges, the Committee was advised that there is much more understanding than there used to be.  In part, this was due to more focus groups and a communication pan involving members of the public.  The Audit team were always looking at new ways of getting the message across.

·         Members asked about staff awareness of risk, particularly in relation to cyber threats and business continuity.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted prior to signing by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.