Agenda item

To provide the Audit Committee with an update on progress made on the actions identified in the Annual Governance Statement 2015-2016.

The Committee considered the Action Plan following the mid-term review of the Annual Governance Statement 2015-2016. The report was presented by Mr. Towers, who explained the statutory background to the Annual Governance Statement which was designed to provide assurance around the governance framework of the Council. He explained that Members and officers had inputted into the self assessment and the action plan had been developed to build upon the existing assurance process. Mr Towers further explained that efforts to consult with a wider group of respondents was an action contained with the current plan. Mrs Greenhalgh, Chief Internal Auditor added the mid-term review had proved to be a very useful process in checking progress on developments.

Mr Towers responded to several questions from the Committee. Asked how the Leadership Charter would be used, he explained that the current Individual Performance Appraisal (IPA) exercise consisted largely of operational management objectives and that a new approach was now being examined to identify different leadership behaviours, values and principles. He confirmed that going forward, managers would be asked to explain if and how they felt their objectives had been met, during the appraisal interview.

The Committee asked whether the whistleblowing policy was linked into fraud awareness training and what the timelines were regarding progress.  Mrs Greenhalgh explained that it was hoped that whistleblowing training and awareness raising would be in place by the end of the financial year.  She acknowledged that the take up for fraud awareness training was still low and that areas of the Council considered to be most important in terms of the training were now being targeted.

Asked about progress on the review of ethical principles, Mrs Greenhalgh confirmed that this would be focussed on in the next six months.

The Committee discussed the issue around performance management, identified within the report as needing to be more robust and the data more accessible. Mr Jack acknowledged that performance management data was inconsistent across the organisation. Some of the data was considered to be too cumbersome and needed to be streamlined. A great deal of data was in existence but it did not necessarily support current decision making processes and was not altogether complete across the Council.

The Committee asked questions around the proposal for an independent member to be appointed to the Audit Committee and the information that was contained within the action plan in support of that. Mr Towers explained that the proposal had been developed in conjunction with best practice and that the Committee had been supportive when the Action Plan had been agreed in June 2016 and now the Leader of the Council had confirmed his support.

The Committee discussed the issue around managing risk with reduced resources and asked whether this would have an impact on the Corporate Risk Register. Mrs Greenhalgh explained that the Risk Register was currently in the process of being reviewed and a report would be presented to the Committee in due course.

Members asked about the prospects for progress against the action plan in six months’ time. Mr Towers explained that when the 2016/2017 Annual Governance Statement was produced, it would include an update as to progress against the mid-term review actions. Asked about any budget implications for the plan, he explained that if it was felt that a budget risk existed, it would be highlighted within the report.  No additional budget requirements had been identified in the current action plan.

The Committee agreed to note the report.

Background papers: None.