To consider the draft Annual Governance Statement for 2017/18.

The Committee considered a report which sought the Committee’s approval of the Council’s draft Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for 2017/18.

A copy of the draft Annual Governance Statement was attached at Appendix A to the report.

The Principal Lawyer, LGSS Law Ltd referred to paragraph 5 of the report and advised that the wording in the first sentence should be amended by deleting the words ‘the beginning’ and replacing them with ‘section 6’.

Points and comments included:

·         The Chairman commented on how the AGS developed from year to year and the document was not merely a reworking.  He then referred to a reference in section 7 of the Statement to a strategic risk of failure to deliver community cohesion within the context of demographic growth in Central Bedfordshire and how it continued to have an impact on governance.  In response the Director of Resources reminded the meeting of a national report regarding community cohesion.  He explained how, to achieve this locally,  the Council involved town and parish councils, volunteers and community organisations in community engagement.

·         A Member referred to a reference in the Statement to another strategic risk which related to a failure to deliver a major transformation programme within Children’s Services.  He commented that the transformation was not taking place as quickly as he believed it would.  The Director acknowledged that savings had not been achieved as envisaged and, as a result, the issue had been readdressed and was being monitored.

RESOLVED

that the draft Annual Governance Statement for 2017/18 be approved subject to the correction of any typographical errors.