Agenda item

Heather Wills, Principal Advisor – Improvement

The Chair invited Heather Wills (HW), Principal Adviser Improvement, to introduce the report.

HW set out some of the background to the project for members and explained that the first stage involved mapping all the current elements which provide assurance for local government and support improvement. Officers were now working with the sector, professional associations and others to quantify the current framework. This work was being informed by a Sounding Board, comprising representatives from CIPFA, SOLACE and Lawyers in Local Government. This current engagement would run until the end of August with the results being reported to Improvement and Innovation Board and LGA Board in October 2023. Members would then be asked to agree a second phase of engagement with the sector to consider the potential for improvements to the current framework. Parallel to this, officers were working on a response to the Government’s recent consultation on draft statutory guidance on the Best Value duty and members were asked to delegate sign off of this response to IIB Lead Members.

Members’ comments and questions:

·     Clarification was sought on the audience for the map and framework and what it was looking to achieve. HW explained that this exercise was a starting point aimed at shining a light on the complexity of the current system. Ultimately it was hoped that a version could be developed for different audiences – members, officers and the public – to try and improve transparency and accountability.

·     It was suggested that a version of the map and framework be developed specific to different governance models and tiers of local government.

·     The importance of the wider body of members in a council taking ownership of governance and properly scrutinising their Annual Governance Statement was emphasised.

·     Alternative definitions of reassurance and assurance were put forward – reassurance being when someone tells you that something is OK and assurance being when someone demonstrates to you that it is OK. A council with a culture of strong governance would have a good balance of these two aspects. It was suggested that the definitions of principals and their agents in paragraph 10d needed revisiting.

·     The balance between organisations looking at assurance/reassurance and innovation was considered important.

·     In the diagram, it was suggested that the Local Government Ombudsman may sit better in the ‘Central Guidance/Codes/Regulations’ box.

·     It was suggested that individual Cabinet Members in a council should have direct oversight of the effectiveness of governance arrangements within their directorate, feeding into the wider council review of annual governance arrangements.

HW reassured members that, as suggested, the work being undertaken would be used to inform support materials for councillors and councils to help them in their assurance and oversight role around governance.

Decision:

Improvement & Innovation Board:

1)    Noted the report and agreed that their feedback be incorporated into the work programme and next steps.

2)    Agreed to delegate to Lead Members the approval of the LGA’s response to the Government’s consultation on statutory guidance for local authorities on the Best Value duty.