Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Governance Group.

The report details the draft version of the Council’s Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for 2021/22. The final AGS has been considered by Corporate Leadership Team and the Corporate Governance Group and, provided there has been no material change in governance issues, will be issued as final alongside the Annual Statement of Accounts in September.

The Committee is recommended to give approval the Annual Governance Statement prior to signing by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.

Officer Contact: John Pearsall on 0161 474 4033 or email: john.pearsall@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Governance Group submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which detailed the draft version of the Council’s Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for 2021/22. The final AGS had been considered by Corporate Leadership Team and the Corporate Governance Group and, provided there were no material change in governance issues, would be issued as final alongside the Annual Statement of Accounts in September.

The following comments were made/issues raised:

·         The Chair of Audit Committee that the information on page 14 of the report relating to ‘what is governance’ was very well written and accessible.

·         In response to a Member question relating to whistleblowing, the Committee was informed that there was a very clear Whistleblowing policy in place.  It was agreed that a link to the whistleblowing policy would be placed on the Council’s website before the Statement was issued in September.  It was important to foster a culture that allowed people to make whistleblowing allegations and be confident in the knowledge that they would be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.  The whistleblowing policy also formed part of the Council’s Constitution.

·         In response to a Member question relating to corporate business continuity, the Committee was advised that real time rehearsals of potential emergencies or disasters did take place regularly.  As an example a rehearsal had taken place recently relating to cyber security.  Following these rehearsals a process of learning takes place and steps can be streamlined to make them more efficient.  Policies are regularly updated to enable continuous improvement.

RESOLVED – (i) That the report be noted.

(ii) That approval be given to the Annual Governance Statement prior to signing by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.