Issue - meetings

The report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services is attached.

The Leader and Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Borough-wide Leadership, Councillor Robinson presented the report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services providing a review of the work undertaken by the Council’s four Scrutiny Groups during 2021/22.  The Leader invited each of the Scrutiny Group Chairmen to deliver a brief summary of the work of each Group over the year.

Councillor Combellack, former Chairman of the Corporate Overview Group, reminded Council that on becoming Mayor, she had stood down as Chairman of this Group.  Councillor Combellack stated that she had found the position very rewarding and welcomed the more proactive, inclusive scrutiny regime, which was now successfully in place.  Council noted that the Group had scrutinised the impact of Covid-19, both on the Council’s staff, ways of working, delivery of services and residents, and she thanked officers for their hard work during such challenging times.  Councillor Combellack in particular thanked officers responsible for producing the Covid reports, which had been so extensive, that it had required two reports, to look at both internal and external factors.  The Council’s resilience throughout the pandemic was highlighted, and the Group had scrutinised the positive and negative aspects of the Council’s working practices throughout that period, with that analysis added to the Council’s Response Programme, should a similar event occur again.  Councillor Combellack advised that she had continued to meet with other councillors and councils via the virtual East Midlands Council meetings to exchange views and ideas. It was hoped that through training and improved communication, Councillors would have a better understanding of the value and process of scrutiny in policy making, including a simpler scrutiny matrix, which it was hoped all Councillors were using.

Councillor Combellack concluded by thanking all Scrutiny Group Chairmen and Vice-chairmen for their valued assistance throughout the year and wished them all the best in their roles.

Councillor Virdi, Chairman of the Governance Scrutiny Group referred to the importance of scrutiny in challenging and influencing how Council made its decisions, to ensure the continued delivery of high quality services.  Council was reminded that the Group had a broad spectrum of responsibilities to scrutinise, and actions taken to ensure the probity and soundness of the Council’s decision making.  Councillor Virdi stated that over the past year the Group had judiciously and robustly scrutinised the Council’s finances, approach to risk as well as other corporate issues, including the Statement of Accounts, Annual Governance Statement, Capital Investment Strategy, Annual Fraud Report, and Internal Audit and Risk Management reports.  Councillor Virdi highlighted key points in the report, which included the positive comments from the Internal Auditors that the Council had a substantial system of internal control in the highest rating, which was a significant achievement.  A positive Going Concern Assessment had been achieved; the Council had healthy returns based on its Capital Investment Strategy, the Annual Audit letter had provided reasonable assurance that the Council’s financial statements were free from material error, together with a positive performance on the Council’s commercial property  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34