Issue - meetings

(A briefing note by John Medler, Assistant Director – Governance and Monitoring Officer)

The Committee received an update on progress against actions arising from the Annual Governance Statement (AGS), presented by the Group Manager – Insights & Transformation. The AGS formed a key part of the Council’s governance framework and provided assurance that arrangements were in place to deliver good governance in line with the CIPFA/SOLACE principles.

The update focused on improvement areas identified in the previous statement and confirmed that work was ongoing to strengthen financial planning and governance processes.

Two key actions were highlighted:

·         Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS): A revised process had been implemented to improve financial planning, monitoring, and reporting, ensuring greater transparency and resilience in budget setting.

·         Proxy Voting and Virtual Meetings: The Council was monitoring government proposals for new arrangements to allow remote participation and proxy voting. Further guidance was expected nationally, and implementation will follow once legislation is confirmed.

The report provided assurance that no new governance risks had emerged since the last update and that existing actions remained on track.

Resolved:

That the update be noted.