Issue - meetings

Report by the Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer.

Councillor John Brady, Cabinet member for Finance, Performance and Risk presented a report which sought Cabinet’s comments on the draft Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for 2011/12. The AGS would also be considered by the Standards Committee on 30 July. The views of Cabinet and the Standards Committee would be considered by the Audit Committee as part of its final approval of the AGS on 7 September 2012.

Cllr Brady explained that the AGS demonstrated how the Council was meeting the six principles of good governance adopted in its Code of Corporate Governance.

Cllr Brady referred to the views of the Audit Committee when it initially considered the AGS at its meeting on 20 June 2012 as recorded in the minute of the meeting as presented. Cllr Brady explained that he was satisfied that the AGS had been amended in light of the comments of the Audit Committee.

Resolved:

(a)  That the draft Annual Governance Statement be supported.

(b)  To note that the draft Annual Governance Statement would be revised in the light of any comments by Cabinet, the new Standards Committee, and ongoing work by the Governance Assurance Group before final consideration by the Audit Committee on 7 September 2012 and publication by 30 September 2012.

Reasons for Decision

To prepare the Annual Governance Statement 2011/12 for publication in accordance with the requirements of the Audit and Accounts Regulations.