Agenda item

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services and the Monitoring Officer.

The report sets out proposed revisions to the Council’s Financial Procedure Rules.

The Constitution Working Party at its meeting on 25 November made the following comments:

·         The proposed changes to the Financial Procedure Rules are supported by operational guidance.

·         The proposed changes remove outdated terminology and clear up ambiguity where there was doubt over interpretation.

·         None of the proposed changes were as a direct result of fraud or corruption within the Council.

·         The Financial Procedures Rules had been written in such a way so as to accommodate possible changes to the job titles of senior Council Officers.

·         The Financial Procedural Rules may have to be revisited to accommodate partnership working with the health service, for example changes resulting from a review of the Health and Wellbeing Integrated Commissioning Board.

·         It was confirmed that budget holders were required to ensure that financial records ie documents supporting a payment or an item of income received were retained for six years or the periods specified by statute if longer.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the proposed changes with a view to the revised Financial Procedure Rules and consequential changes, as set out in the schedules, going forward via the Executive Meeting for adoption by the Council Meeting on 28 January 2016.

Officer Contact: Steve Houston on 0161 474 4000 or email: steve.houston@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services and the Monitoring Office submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out proposed revisions to the Council’s Financial Procedure Rules.

It was reported that the Constitution Working Party at its meeting on 25 November had made the following comments:

·         The proposed changes to the Financial Procedure Rules are supported by operational guidance.

·         The proposed changes remove outdated terminology and clear up ambiguity where there was doubt over interpretation.

·         None of the proposed changes were as a direct result of fraud or corruption within the Council.

·         The Financial Procedures Rules had been written in such a way so as to accommodate possible changes to the job titles of senior Council Officers.

·         The Financial Procedural Rules may have to be revisited to accommodate partnership working with the health service, for example changes resulting from a review of the Health and Wellbeing Integrated Commissioning Board.

·         It was confirmed that budget holders were required to ensure that financial records i.e. documents supporting a payment or an item of income received were retained for six years or the periods specified by statute if longer.

The Executive Councillor (Support and Governance) (Councillor Iain Roberts) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

RESOLVED – That the Executive be requested to recommend the Council Meeting to approve the changes to the Constitution set out in report.