Issue - meetings

To receive and agree the proposed final Annual Governance Statement 2021/22 for signature by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.

The committee received a report from the Executive Director of Corporate Services that provided details of the Annual Governance Statement for 2021/22. Once agreed and signed by the Leader and Chief Executive, the Annual Governance Statement 2021/22 will accompany the Statement of Accounts.

It was noted that the committee had received a draft Annual Governance Statement in September 2022. The draft document had been updated to include four arising significant issues relating to ASDV Governance, Planning, Cheshire East Safeguarding Children’s Partnership Governance and the Public Interest Report.

The committee discussed the role of the Scrutiny Committee and how its role links with Service Committees and the Audit and Governance Committee. It was highlighted that it was important to record these links and therefore details of work undertaken by this committee should also be included in the Annual Governance Statement.

The committee also discussed an urgent decision taken to Children and Families Committee regarding the All Age Carers Hub. This had previously been discussed at the Audit and Governance Committee in September 2022 as a concern about governance, and it was requested that this was also included in the Annual Governance Statement.

RESOLVED:

That the Audit and Governance Committee agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council to:

(1)  Sign off the Annual Governance Statement for 2021/22, with the requested additional references included, once the audit has concluded, and Statement of Accounts has been signed off and supplementary letter has been received from the Auditors:

(2)  Notify Audit and Governance Committee Members of the final signed Annual Governance Statement being published on the Council’s website.