Agenda and minutes

20 July 2023

It was moved by Councillor Neil Buttle, seconded by Councillor Steve Flitter and

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting of the Governance and Resources Committee held on 20 July 2023 be approved as a correct record.

Voting

06 For

00 Against

02 Abstention

The Chairman declared the motion CARRIED.

To enable members of the public to ask questions, express views or present petitions, IF NOTICE HAS BEEN GIVEN, (by telephone, in writing or by email) BY NO LATER THAN 12 NOON OF THE WORKING DAY PRECEDING THE MEETING. As per Procedural Rule 14.4 at any one meeting no person may submit more than 3 questions and no more than 1 such question may be asked on behalf of one organisation.

There was no public participation.

Members are required to declare the existence and nature of any interests they may have in subsequent agenda items in accordance with the District Council’s Code of Conduct. Those interests are matters that relate to money or that which can be valued in money, affecting the Member, her/his partner, extended family and close friends. Interests that become apparent at a later stage in the proceedings may be declared at the time.

There were no declarations of interest.

To answer questions from Members who have given the appropriate notice.

No questions were received.

This report provides information about the external audit plan for the 2022/23 accounts.

Alastair Newall from Mazars LLP introduced a report which provided information about the external audit plan for the 2022/23 accounts. It was noted within the report that the Council’s external auditor, Mazars LLP, provided an Audit Strategy Memorandum on an annual basis which covered the forthcoming audit of the Council’s financial statements. This document, included as an appendix to the report, summarised the audit approach, highlighted significant audit risks and areas of key judgements, and provided the Committee with details of the audit team.

The external auditor requested that the Audit Strategy Memorandum for financial accounts for the year ending 31 March 2023 be brought to Members’ attention. It was noted within the report that the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (amended) stated the deadline for completion of the audit relating to the 2022/23 accounts as 30 September 2023. Members were presented with details of the audit scope, approach and timeline, they were also informed of the intention for the audit to be completed in time for a report on the outcome to be presented to the Committee at the February 2024 meeting.

It was moved by Councillor Steve Flitter, seconded by Councillor Mark Wakeman and

RESOLVED (unanimously)

That the External Audit Strategy Memorandum for the year ending 31 March 2023 be received and agreed.

The Chair declared the motion CARRIED.

The District Council publishes an Equality, Consultation and Engagement Plan which sets out how the Council will meet its public sector equality duties, and what consultation and engagement activities are proposed for each year. This report provides an update on progress against the 2022-23 actions set out in the Equality, Consultation and Engagement Plan 2022-24.

The Policy Manager introduced a report which updated Members on the progress made against the 2022-23 actions set out in the Equality, Consultation and Engagement Plan 2022-24.

The public sector equalities statutory duty comprises of a general equality duty and a specific duty. The Council must comply with both, the details of which were presented in the report. The Council must ensure due consideration is given to the aims of the duty in all its decisions. The paragraph on 'Equality implications' in every committee report was added to remind Members that although Officers have had regard to equality issues when preparing reports, Members should also consider equality issues in order to meet the Equality Duty.

It was noted within the report that the Council had a comprehensive Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy which detailed how the Council met the requirements of equality legislation and provided the context for the Equality, Consultation and Engagement Plan. The Council’s Equality Objectives for 2022-24 were agreed by the Governance and Resources Committee on 22 September 2022. The Equality, Consultation & Engagement Plan 2022-24 set out performance measures/targets which were detailed in appendix one and two to the report.

It was moved by Councillor Steve Flitter, seconded by Councillor Mark Wakeman and

RESOLVED (unanimously)

That Progress against the actions in the Equality, Consultation and Engagement Plan 2022-24 (as set out in Appendices one and two) be received.

The Chair declared the motion CARRIED.

The Derbyshire Dales Plan (corporate plan) is the District Council’s primary policy document.  It establishes the Council’s policies and priorities and sets the framework for allocating resources through the forthcoming budget and service planning process. This report includes the results of extensive consultation with Derbyshire Dales residents, as well as an independent evidence base that objectively sets out statistics about the District Council’s area. The report reiterates the commitments of the Council’s leadership.  Finally, the report sets out for approval a process and timescale for completing the new Derbyshire Dales Plan for the period 2024-2028.

The Policy Manager introduced a report informing Members of the results of extensive consultation with Derbyshire Dales residents, as well as an independent evidence base that objectively set out statistics about the Council’s area. The report sought Member approval for the process and timescale for completing the new Derbyshire Dales Plan for the period 2024-2028.

The Corporate Plan set out the aims of the Council for the coming years and listed the key improvement projects. The current Corporate Plan was adopted by Council in March 2020. With the election of a new administration in May 2023, it was necessary to identify the Council’s highest priority services and projects for the future. The preparation of a new corporate plan provided the opportunity to set out the District Council’s priority services and projects, and to ensure that appropriate budgetary and staffing provision could be made to deliver these.

The report set out the work completed to date on the new corporate plan, including the extensive consultation and hard evidence gathering that had been undertaken to help inform Members’ prioritisation, alongside the new administration’s own aspirations. It sought agreement to the remaining process and timescale for developing and adopting the new plan. It was proposed that the corporate plan now be termed the Derbyshire Dales Plan. This would better reflect the fact that the plan is largely outward-looking, not just a plan for the Council but mostly it was the Council’s vision for the Derbyshire Dales.

It was moved by Councillor Steve Flitter, seconded by Councillor Mark Wakeman and

RESOLVED (unanimously)

1.    That the evidence base set out in Appendix 2 and summarised in section 2(D) of the report be received and used to inform corporate prioritisation and planning.

2.    That the resident’s consultation results set out in Appendix 1 and summarised in sections 2(C) and 2(E) of the report be received and used to inform corporate prioritisation and planning.

3.    That corporate prioritisation and planning should take into account staffing levels and financial resources.

4.    That the process and timescale for completing the development and adoption of the Derbyshire Dales Plan set out in the report be agreed.

The Chair declared the motion CARRIED.

This report is an annual report on the Council’s compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act.

The Legal Services Manager introduced the annual report on the Council’s compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act.

Background information was provided within the report which included descriptions of the functions of Information Governance, the statutory obligations of the Council, and information regarding the Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Regulations processes. The report also provided information on the responsibilities of the Information Governance Officer and the Information Governance Board.

The report presented Performance Indicator Data for the 2022/23 year, in addition to the data for the two previous years to allow for comparison. The lack of benchmarking information was noted within the report, as Council’s are not required to submit any annual information to the Information Commissioners Office there was therefore no published data available that could allow for comparison with other similar authorities.

The report also summarised the main developmental activities planned for 2023/24, these included improving the Council’s compliance with the Information Commissioners Office Accountability Tracker, reviewing and updating the Council’s Information Asset register, and further developing the ‘self-service’ approach to information management advice and guidance.

It was moved by Councillor Neil Buttle, seconded by Councillor Mark Wakeman and

RESOLVED (unanimously)

That the Data Protection and Information Governance Annual Report 2022/23 be accepted.

The Chair declared the motion CARRIED.

The Annual Governance Statement provides an overview of how the Council’s governance arrangements operate. This report covers the annual review to ensure that governance arrangements remain effective. The report shows the extent to which the Council has complied with its own code of governance and describes significant governance issues, alongside an explanation of what actions have been taken to bring about required improvements, and what work is still to be done.

The Director of Resources introduced a report which covered the annual review of the Council’s governance arrangements. The report showed the extent to which the Council had complied with its own code of governance and described any significant governance issues, alongside an explanation of what actions had been taken to bring about required improvements, and what work was still to be done.

It was noted within the report that confidence in public sector governance was of critical importance given the significant investments by the government and council taxpayers in local services. Members were informed that the Annual Governance Statement (AGS) should not be seen as a dry financial requirement, but as an important public expression of what the Council has done to put in place good business practice, high standards of conduct and sound governance.

Appendix 1 to the report detailed the Annual Governance Statement for 2022/23. It was consistent with the CIPFA/SOLACE publication ‘Delivering Good Governance in Local Government’. The layout of the Annual Governance Statement reflected the layout of the Council’s Code of Corporate Governance and the CIPFA/SOLACE guidance. It also took into account of the standards and requirements of the CIPFA Financial Management Code.

It was moved by Councillor Steve Flitter, seconded by Councillor Stuart Lees and

RESOLVED (unanimously)

1.    That the Annual Governance Statement for 2022/23 is approved.

2.    That the significant governance issues be noted and the action plan to address them be approved.

The Chair declared the motion CARRIED.

The Council’s Risk Management Policy and Strategy requires the Chief Executive to report to Members, on the Council’s risk management arrangements and how key strategic risks are being managed. This report describes the Council’s risk management processes and working practices, which ensure that risk management arrangements continue to be effective, timely and fit for purpose.This report also asks Members to approve an updated Risk Management Policy and Strategy.

The Director of Resources introduced a report which described the Council’s risk management processes and working practices, which ensure that risk management arrangements continue to be effective, timely and fit for purpose, providing the Council with the correct levels of insight and support in relation to its risk exposure. The report also sought Member approval of an updated Risk Management Policy and Strategy.

The Council’s Risk Management Policy and Strategy, approved by the Governance and Resources Committee in March 2021, required the Chief Executive to report to Members, by way of an annual report on the Council’s Risk Management arrangements and how key strategic risks are being managed. This report described the current risk management processes and working practices, which had been developed to ensure they continue to provide the Council with the correct levels of insight and support in relation to its risk exposure. The report illustrated the strategic risks and scores them as high (red), medium (yellow) or low (green) and showed the actions that are planned to mitigate or reduce the risks.

It was noted that risks were regularly reported to the Risk Continuity Group (which includes all members of the Corporate Leadership Team as well as other key colleagues), ensuring that risks, risk management etc. were challenged and reported effectively. Members were informed that further guidance on the Council’s risk management processes and procedures could be found in the Risk Management Policy and Strategy dated September 2021. An updated version was proposed at Appendix 1.

It was moved by Councillor Roger Shelley, seconded by Councillor Mark Wakeman and

RESOLVED (unanimously)

1.    That the annual report and risk management arrangements be approved.

2.    That the Risk Management Strategy and Policy 2023-2025 be approved.

The Chair declared the motion CARRIED.

This report summaries Treasury Management activities and the out-turn position against Prudential Indicators for 2022/23.

The Director of Resources introduced a report summarising Treasury Management activities and the out-turn position against Prudential Indicators for 2022/23.

Members were informed that the Authority had long adopted the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy’s Treasury Management in the Public Service: Code of Practice (the CIPFA Code) which required the Authority to approve treasury management mid-year and annual reports.

The Authority’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2022/23 was approved at a meeting on 24th March 2022. The Authority had invested substantial sums of money and was therefore exposed to financial risks including the loss of invested funds and the revenue effect of changing interest rates. The successful identification, monitoring and control of risk remained central to the Authority’s treasury management strategy.

Appendix 1 to the report detailed the Prudential Indicators for 2022/23.

It was moved by Councillor Mark Wakeman, seconded by Councillor Neil Buttle and

RESOLVED (unanimously)

1.    That the Treasury Management Out-turn position for 2022/23 be approved.

2.    That the Prudential Indicators contained in Appendix 1 be approved.

The Chair declared the motion CARRIED.