Agenda item

4.00 pm

Report by Monitoring Officer

In 2016 CIPFA & SOLACE produced an updated guidance and framework with the identified principles that should underpin the governance of each local authority, and a structured approach to assist individual authorities to achieve good governance, “Delivering Good Governance in Local Government: Framework 2016 Edition.” The Council’s Code of Corporate Governance is based upon this guidance.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to approve the Local Code of Corporate Governance.

The Audit & Governance Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Governance recommending that the Committee approve the Local Code of Corporate Governance.

The report was presented by Anita Bradley, Director of Law and Governance.

In the subsequent discussion, the following points were raised.

(a)  In Appendix A: Actions and behaviours taken by the council that demonstrate good governance, on Page 23 of the report, in the column section Principal: (C) Defining Outcomes in Terms of Sustainable Economic, Social and Environmental Benefits, it was proposed that climate change and environmental issues should be overriding concerns in the issues to be taken into consideration, as listed under the column: Council Actions and Behaviours, and that the issues to be taken into consideration should be reworded to reflect this overriding concern and to prevent any of the qualifications and considerations as presently listed being used to undermine the priority that should be accorded to climate change and environmental issues.

(b)  In Appendix B: Oxfordshire County Council’s Evidence of Good Governance on Page 26 of the report under the column headed (B) Ensuring openness and comprehensive stakeholder engagement, it was noted that there was no reference to the Council website and communications.

Ms Bradley stated that she would look at including suitable references to the Council website and communications in the document.

(c)   Also, in Appendix B, on Page 27 of the report under the column headed (A) Behaving with integrity, demonstrating strong commitment to ethical values, and respecting the rule of law, and the reference to “Delivering the Future Together Champions”, Ms Bradley stated this was a reference to the Council’s “Change” agenda and she could provide information to Members on this, if necessary.

(d)  It was noted that the items listed in Appendix A: Actions and behaviours taken by the council that demonstrate good governance, reflected legal obligations and, therefore, it was not appropriate to give climate change and environmental issues a higher priority in the list of considerations which, it was proposed, should remain as they were and not be altered and/or amended.

The Chair noted that Appendix B included a column headed: (C): Defining outcomes in terms of sustainable economic, social, and environmental benefits, and that, on page 27 of the report, in the rows entitled Evidence of Good Governance, there was a reference to “Equality and Diversity and Inclusion Framework, Equality and Climate Impact Assessments”.

The Chair added that it was a part of the Council’s culture to refer to the climate emergency.

(e)  In response to a member’s question, Ms Bradley stated that the reference to the 190 “Delivering the Future Together Champions” was to Members of Staff within the Council’s organisation and staff structure, and not a reference to Elected Members. She stated she would clarify what was meant by “Champions”, as referred to in the appendix.

As there were no more questions, the Chair drew the discussion to a close.

NOTED

The meeting ended at 3.50 p.m.

………………………………………………………in the Chair

Date of signing ………………………………………………...