Issue - meetings

Annual Governance Statement Update

Meeting: 15/01/2018 - Audit, Governance and Standards Committee (Item 73)

73 Annual Governance Statement Update pdf icon PDF 57 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Mrs Angela Woodhouse, the Head of Policy, Communications and Governance, introduced her report updating progress against the Annual Governance Statement Action Plan for 2017/18.  Mrs Woodhouse advised the Committee that the four Councillor Briefings on the General Data Protection Regulation scheduled to be held prior to Service Committee meetings during January would commence at 5.00 p.m.

 

It was noted that the Action Plan was produced and published with the Annual Governance Statement for 2016/17.  It focused on areas identified in the Annual Governance Statement as requiring additional action and assurance including engaging with local people; Member and Officer relationships; risk management; decision making; information management; contract management; and internal audit reviews with weak assurance ratings.  Action had been taken in all areas as set out in Appendix A to the report.

 

In response to questions, the Officers explained that:

 

·  The internal audit review of the Hazlitt Theatre had found weak controls to be in place.  Only one recommendation, relating to a low priority issue, was outstanding, and the service was now rated as sound.

 

·  The internal audit review of Park and Ride had found weak controls to be in place.  Only one recommendation relating to contract monitoring procedures remained outstanding, but since contract monitoring was a high priority area, the assessment remained as weak.

 

Arising from the discussion, Mrs Woodhouse undertook to liaise with the Corporate Health and Safety Adviser and to circulate details of when fire drills last took place at Maidstone House, The Link and Terrace and the Town Hall.  She also undertook to provide an update on progress against the action plan which had been created following the Member/Officer Leadership Team Away Day, including timescales.

 

RESOLVED:  That the Annual Governance Statement Action Plan 2017/18 update be noted.