Agenda item

The Committee considered a report which contained the draft Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for 2021/22. This was the second AGS for Buckinghamshire Council and related to the second year of the Council’s operation as a unitary authority. Recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic was a key feature of the year. Mr Glenn Watson, Principal Governance Officer attended to present the report.

The CIPFA guidance advised that an AGS should contain an Opinion as to the effectiveness of the governance arrangements, given by the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council. The draft AGS contained such an Opinion for 2021/22 based on the assurances contained within it:

“the Council’s governance arrangements in 2021/22 were sound and provide a robust and effective platform for achieving the Council’s priorities and challenges in 2022/23. It is our opinion that this has remained the case despite the very real challenges of providing services during a period of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The draft AGS was formed taking in to consideration feedback from Business Managers and Directorate Leadership Teams; Members of this Committee and the Corporate Management Team. The draft also reflected the conclusions reached in various annual, and other reports received by Council, Cabinet and Committees which related to aspects of governance during 2021/22. The report also reflected the work of this Committee in overseeing governance.

Key points raised during discussion included:

·    Members welcomed that there would be a change in the presentation format to the AGS from next year.

·    A Member highlighted that there were six Select Committees, rather than the four noted in the draft AGS and raised that there was a low level of detail included about the work of the Council’s Select Committees in holding decision makers to account. It was further suggested that more emphasis be included on the different roles of committees. It was also raised that the reference to the timeliness of code of conduct processes and the nature of the complaints received and their outcomes were on the work programme of the Standards and General Purposes Committee, rather than the Audit and Governance Committee as noted in the draft AGS.

·    A Member recognised that the Senior Leadership Team was referenced in the covering report however was not referred to in the AGS itself. It was raised that thought should be given to those residents who were not IT conversant and how they would be able to view the final version of the AGS once published. Further, a Member suggested that reference be made to GDPR in addition to the Council’s complaints, whistleblowing, anti-fraud and corruption and anti-money laundering policies.

·    Concern was raised that that the AGS presented a very positive statement and did not pick up on lessons learnt throughout the year and areas for improvement. A Member gave an example of the Risk Management Group having commented at times in the year, that directorates often operated at a greater level of risk than Members were comfortable with.

·    A Member noted that the statement referring to Community Boards, which read very positively did not necessarily reflect the views of all stakeholders involved with the Boards and he raised that a number of Town and Parish Councils were not entirely satisfied with their respective Boards operation.

·    A Member commented that with the exception of Ofsted, he believed that CMT could further reflect on the priority actions and provide more substantial improvements within the document. It was also highlighted that whilst the SEND Ofsted inspection report was released in April, the majority of the work had been undertaken throughout 2021/22 and this had not been reflected within the AGS.

·    The Chairman reminded Members that at the previous meeting of this Committee, it was agreed that Mr Watson would write to Members to seek their input on the draft AGS, to which a limited number of responses from Members were received, although it was accepted that this was over the summer holiday period. Members were invited to write or speak to Mr Watson before close of play on 14 October with their comments. The draft AGS would then be brought back before Members at the Committee meeting in November for approval.  For future years it was requested that Members of the Committee had earlier sight of the draft to allow additional time for comments.

ACTION: Committee Members to contact Mr Watson individually with comments on the draft AGS prior to close of play on 14 October 2022.

RESOLVED:

That the draft Annual Governance Statement 2021/22 be noted and brought back to the Committee on 23 November for approval.