Agenda item

To consider adopting a local code of governance, as recommended in the Annual Governance Statement Action Plan.

Mr Mark Towers, Director of Governance and Partnerships presented a proposed Code of Governance for consideration by the Committee. He noted that the Annual Governance statement action plan, as agreed by the Audit Committee in November 2020, had identified that in terms of good practice the adoption of a local Code of Governance was recommended. The mechanics of the Code were already in place as the Council utilised the principles in the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Delivering Good Governance publication (2016)when it undertook its Annual Governance Statement Self-Assessment, but Mr Towers explained that the adoption of a code with these principles at its centre would clearly evidence how governance was being monitored in Blackpool.

The Committee was informed that the governance framework at Blackpool Council comprised the systems and processes, culture and values which the Council had adopted in order to deliver on the principles of good governance as defined by CIPFA. These principles had been used in recent years to compile the Annual Governance Statement and form the heart of the proposed Code of Governance. The approach at Blackpool had taken the form of using 15 thematic strands to document its assessment against the principles. Mr Towers asserted that this had been informally recognised as the ‘Blackpool Governance Framework’. In undertaking the drafting of the code, a further strand was being recommended, that of ‘Ethical and Responsible Governance’ to reflect the Council’s focus on climate emergency and equalities and diversity.

Mr Towers reported that an interim Annual Governance Statement had to be published by 1August 2021 to accompany the draft annual accounts. The final Annual Governance Statement and final Statement of Accounts had to be agreed by the Committee by 30September 2021. He recommended that, as Director of Governance and Partnerships, he be delegated to authorise that an interim Annual Governance Statement be published by 1August 2021 following consultation with the Chief Executive, Leader of the Council and Chair of the Committee.

A Partnership Governance Framework had also been recommended as part of the Annual Governance Statement Action Plan. Mr Towers explained that as this document would normally be based on the structure of the local Code of Governance, when this code was agreed by the Committee it was being recommended that a draft Partnership Governance Framework be brought to a future meeting of the Committee.

The Committee questioned how the Code of Governance would be utilised to effectively improve the Annual Governance Statement. Mr Towers advised that the thematic strands were not as currently visible to the Audit Committee and stakeholders, but that once they had been included as part of the Constitution, Members would be made more aware of them and Officers would be better able to identify supporting evidence over the course of the year due to the more prominent structure being in place.

Resolved:

1.       That the Audit Committee recommend to Council the adoption of the Code of Governance as presented and that this forms part of the Council’s Constitution;

2.      That the Audit Committee be authorised to update the ‘Blackpool Governance Framework’ section at the end of the Code (specifically the supporting evidence for each of the thematic strands) each year when it produces the Annual Governance Statement, but any changes to the content of the Code be referred to full Council (not including changes in legislation or decisions made from time to time by or on behalf of the authority);

3.      That a report be brought back to a future meeting of the Committee on a Partnership Governance Framework, building on the same principles as set out in the local Code of Governance;

4.      That the Director of Governance and Partnerships be authorised to publish an interim Annual Governance Statement by 1August 2021 following consultation with the Chief Executive, Leader of the Council and Chair of the Committee.