Issue - meetings

To receive and comment on a report setting out the Council’s draft Annual Corporate Governance Statement.

The Committee considered a report setting out the draft Annual Corporate Governance Statement 2016/17.

There was a statutory requirement for the Council to produce an Annual Corporate Governance statement which reviewed the effectiveness of the Council’s control systems and formed part of the final accounts for each financial year. The Statement set out the governance arrangements in place at the Council, highlighted any key issues identified during the year and summarised progress made towards addressing any previously identified issues.

It was reported that the Council’s Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer considered the Council’s governance arrangements to be adequate and effective.  Whilst no significant governance issues had been identified in 2016/17 a number of minor issues that might impact on the Council’s ability to operate effectively had been identified, including the purchase of Camberley town centre, the Council becoming the lead authority for the Joint Waste Partnership and the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulations, and these would be monitored through the planned work of the Council.

Arising from Members’ questions and comments the following points were noted:

·         In the Key Elements section the reference to the Council holding all meetings in public would be clarified to make reference to exemptions under Section 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

·         It was clarified that the Talk Surrey Heath initiative was a live internet broadcast not a podcast.

·         It was requested that an update be provided on the review of security arrangements that had arisen from the 2016/17 theatre audit.

·         It was agreed that more details of the Council’s Citizens Panel would be circulated including information relating to how the panel’s membership was refreshed and what subjects the panel had been consulted on.

RESOLVED that the contents of the report be noted and approved.