skip to main content

Agenda item

To approve the proposed work programme for the implementation of the Act.

Decision:

To approve the Work Programme

To request an update for the Committee meeting in October 2021

 

Minutes:

Submitted – the report of the Monitoring Officer seeking the Committee’s approval to the draft work programme in response to Legislation that introduces a number of changes and powers in relation to the governance of Local Government in Wales. Members were reminded that the Full Council (4 March 2021) had resolved that the Audit and Governance Committee would keep an overview of the work in response to the provisions and requirements of the Act and the proposed work programme in place to address these measures in a timely and appropriate manner.

 

Following the Committee's approval of the work programme a report will be submitted to the Corporate Governance Group drawing attention to the possible risks together with a series of further reports to the Council, The Cabinet, The Standards Committee and the Democratic Services Committee regarding the provisions of the Act and the relevant elements.  It was added that elements of the work were already underway and a working group of officers had been identified to implement the work.

 

In the context of the Audit Committee, it was noted that there were several changes to the Committee's responsibilities, and it was acknowledged that a few would be far reaching. A brief overview was given of the aspects that will need to be prioritised:

-       take an overview of the Council's specific performance monitoring functions - guidance will be set out by the Legislation and the process will have a formal procedure.

-       name of Committee - the Act notes the need to establish a Governance and Audit Committee.

-       keep an overview of the Council's complaints procedure and ensure an effective complaints system

-       review the Audit Committee membership by May 2022 - the membership will transform the whole Committee and the need to have a detailed discussion regarding the implications on the Committee's governance was highlighted.

 

Thanks was given for the report

 

In response to a question about the role of the Committee regarding complaints arrangements and if this would make the process easier for individuals to submit complaints, it was noted that the Committee's responsibility was to ensure that the procedure and its performance were working. In response, it was stated that the Standards Committee was already looking at the complaints process and having two committees giving an overview would duplicate the work.  In response, the Monitoring Officer noted that the two committees were two different systems - complaints monitoring of the code of conduct was the responsibility of the Standards Committee, while the Audit and Governance Committee was responsible for an overview of complaints about the Council's services and corporate arrangements. 

 

In response to a comment that appointing lay Members would be difficult bearing in mind aspects such as the background, political balance, unbiased attitude, payments, influence and suitability, the Monitoring Officer noted that guidelines were being prepared to give guidance on the arrangements and the suggestion that careful forward planning was required was accepted. It was suggested that a similar system to that of the Standards Committee was adopted, where an Interview Panel is established to be responsible for appointments. In terms of payments, it was explained that the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales had already highlighted that every lay member will receive payment per day.

 

In response to a question regarding permitting job sharing and how this would work, the Monitoring Officer noted that a piece of work needed to be completed to consider if this was realistic.  He stressed the need for an appropriate and transparent system.

 

During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made by Members:

·         That collaboration with the Principal Councils would raise suspicion about the loss of powers

·         That the introduction of Corporate Joint Committees (CJC) would be an attack on democracy   

·         That CJC undermined local powers 

·         Will there be a right not to stand / join CJC?

 

In response to concerns about the CJC, it was noted that 3 joint committees had already been established in the north and it was necessary to comply with and build a framework around legislation requirements.

 

RESOLVED

 

To approve the Work Programme

To request an update for the Committee meeting in October 2021

 

Supporting documents: