Issue - meetings

To consider a report on the Annual Governance Report Action Plan and progress to date with its implementation.

The Committee considered progress with the Annual Governance Report Action Plan as set out at Appendix 3 to the report.

The Annual Governance Report had been presented by the Audit Commission to the Audit and Governance Committee on 27^th September 2012. The Council had been issued with a partially qualified opinion on its provision of value for money. The Auditors had concluded that the Council had adequate arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness except forweaknesses in its arrangements to develop business proposals and manage significant projects. The AGR had included four recommendations intended to improve the Council’s arrangements to secure value for money.

In response to the recommendations, a detailed action plan had been approved by Cabinet on 10^th December 2012 and reported to Council on 13^th December, together with the Audit Commission Annual Audit Letter. The Letter had provided recognition of the progress already made by the Council in securing value for money this financial year and the strategic and ambitious direction of travel for the future, through a new vision for Cheshire East.

The Interim Chief Executive advised the Committee that the Action Plan contained a set of quite revolutionary changes to the way the Council had operated previously.

RESOLVED

That

(1)  the AGR Action Plan and the positive endorsement on its progress as acknowledged in the Annual Audit Letter be noted; and

(2)  the further improvements put in place to date against the AGR Action Plan be noted.