Issue - meetings

Corporate Governance

Meeting: 10/12/2014 - Audit Committee (Item 43)

Additional documents:

Decision:

(a) That the updated Code of Corporate Governance shown in Appendix 2 to the report be agreed;

(b) That the process for preparation of the Annual Governance Statement as shown in Appendix 3 to the report be endorsed; and

Minutes:

The Democracy & Governance Manager presented a report to agree the annual update of the Code of Corporate Governance and the preparation process for the Annual Governance Statement (AGS) 2014/15.

Following a number of agreed changes made to the Code of Corporate Governance last year, only a small number of amendments were suggested as an update. Members’ views were sought on the process for preparing the AGS including the questionnaire for Overview & Scrutiny Chairs which reflected changes agreed at an informal meeting of the Committee in response to a suggestion by Ms. Amanda Hughes of Wales Audit Office at the June 2014 meeting. The improvements to the process agreed and adopted last year would continue.

Following a question by Mr. Paul Williams, Ms. Hughes felt that the approach taken by the Council was reasonable and welcomed the opportunities created for greater Member involvement.

The Chief Executive said that the process had been strengthened through the approach for a greater level of officer and Member challenge. The Democracy & Governance Manager reported on the actions taken by the Working Group to scrutinise the questionnaires returned by Chief Officers to ensure that the self-assessments were justified by appropriate evidence.

RESOLVED:

(a) That the updated Code of Corporate Governance shown in Appendix 2 to the report be agreed;

(b) That the process for preparation of the Annual Governance Statement as shown in Appendix 3 to the report be endorsed; and