Issue - meetings

The Council must conduct its business in accordance with the law and proper standards. Public money is to be safeguarded and its decision making process is open and transparent.

The purpose of the Local Code of Corporate Governance is to inform the community how the council will conduct its business and how it will comply with the principles of good governance outlined in the CIPFA/SOLACE Corporate Governance Framework 2016. The Code has been updated to take into account the revised framework.

RECOMMENDATION

That the committee approves the revised Local Code of Corporate Governance

The Local Code of Corporate Governance informs the community how the council will conduct its business and how it will comply with the principles of good governance outlined in the CIPFA/SOLACE Corporate Governance Framework 2016. The Statement summarised how the Council meet their corporate governance responsibilities.

Members questioned if a risk assessment of the effectiveness of home working had been undertaken. The Head of Corporate Services confirmed the following:

·       A framework of support and monitoring put in place

·       Individual risk assessments undertaken for all staff by line managers, and reviewed by the Health and Safety Officer

·       Increased frequency of 1:1 meeting and a revised template to include home working discussions

·       Remote Managing training courses for managers

·       All staff offered a place in the office for when they want/need to come in

·       An Agile Working Policy

Members raised concern remote working had a detrimental effect on officer availability for telephone calls, although alternative contact options were available via TEAMS. Members also questioned if the Council were moving to hybrid working and if a review of hardware/software and security had been considered. The Head of Corporate Services advised no permanent decision had yet been made, but a soft phone option for all officers would be implemented within the next 12 months.

Members considered the Framework and questioned the process if someone believed the principals had not be correctly executed. The Head of Corporate Services confirmed that a resident could make a formal complaint, and staff have whistleblowing or a fraud element available to them.

Members questioned the frequency of policies, visions and plans being updated and reviewed, and if an additional column for this could be included. The Head of Corporate Services confirmed all policy with review dates by service area is held separately. In addition, departments introduced these into their service plans, or they become terms of reference for a committee.

Members raised concern the Council had been failing on version control and documents over last 18 months, and while Annual budget setting was unusual last year, budgets and revisions had been difficult to follow. The Head of Corporate Services acknowledged big changes and uncertainty had made forecasting difficult and recognised the need to identify a process to ensure consistency moving forwards.

DECISION

The committee approved the revised Local Code of Corporate Governance.