Agenda item

Report of the Chief Executive which presents the draft Annual Governance Statement.

Report of the Chief Executive which presents the draft Annual Governance Statement.

As in previous years, the production of the AGS has been co-ordinated by the Governance Group, an officer group chaired by the Chief Executive in his capacity as Head of Paid Service.

The Governance Group has considered the following sources of assurance:-

Internal - existing policies and procedures, internal review activity (at both Member and officer level), Directors’ and Heads of Service’s Management Assurance Statements, the work of the Shared Internal Audit Service, Performance Management, Procurement and Risk Management.

External - the work of the Council’s External Auditors.

The Annual governance statement went through Standards Committee on 1 June 2020 and it was recommended to come to Audit Committee on 25 June 2020 for approval.

Members were asked to note that there were no significant governance issues highlighted in the annual governance statement for the last financial year.

Question from Councillor M.Birleson stating that it is quite worrying that covid-19 is having a significant diverse effect on the economy, it is also effecting the services that the Council deliver. Councillor Birleson stated we should be monitoring quite closely to see how we can support/ continue to support the homeless and rough sleepers. Also she said the financial pressures which amount to £7million will have a big effect on the council’s services.

The Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) answered the questions saying that the Council has been really pro-active in the way we have dealt with the Covid-19 situations and all the actions are summarised in the May’s Council report and Cabinet meeting to highlight the £7million budget pressure. The May Cabinet report mentioned the scale of challenges that we are facing and Welwyn Hatfield is not alone. We will continue to work with the Government for further funding, there has been a further updated report to Cabinet in June 2020 which considered the Council’s response to covid-19 and there will be a further report to Full Council in July 2020.

Councillor M.Bireleson asked if we have been put forward for government funding for Welwyn Hatfield Council?

The Corporate Director (Resources, Environment and Cultural Services) answered the question saying that out of the £7million budget pressure that we have so far, we have received £1.28million and the Leader of the Council has written to the Secretary of State quite early on to seek his commitment to give the council more funding, not just to Welwyn Hatfield but to the local government sector as a whole. The letter was appended in the Cabinet in May and we will continue to work within our capacity – the S151 officer is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the society of district treasurers. We will continue to work with the LGA to lobby for more funding to the local government sector.

Councillor D.Bell (Executive Member, Resources) stated that there was no reference to the Peer Review. It was a positive aspect of the governance and got positive feedback from peers.

RESOLVED:

(1)     Considers and, once satisfied, approves the Draft Annual Governance Statement.

(2)     Authorises the Chief Executive, in conjunction with the Leader of the Council, to make any subsequent amendments to the Draft Annual Governance Statement necessitated by the comments made by the Audit Committee,

(3)     Recommends its certification by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.