Issue - meetings

Annual Governance Statement

Meeting: 30/06/2008 - Audit and Governance Committee (Item 13)

Introduction of the new Annual Governance Statement

Members are asked to note that the Governance reporting requirements for councils have changed again.  As from the 2007/08 accounts year (ending 31 March 2008), councils are now required* to produce an 'Annual Governance Statement' instead of the previous Statement on Internal Control.  The Annual Governance Statement should set out the Council's arrangements for directing and controlling the organisation, its decision-making processes and the ways in which it leads the community.

 

The statutory timetable for publishing the new Annual Governance Statement is the same as that for publishing the annual statement of accounts, i.e. 30 September 2008 in respect of the 2007/08 accounts year.  The Annual Governance Statement must be as up-to-date as possible at the publication date.  Therefore the Annual Governance Statement will be presented to the Committee at its next meeting on 24 September 2008 for its formal approval. 

 

The Committee is asked to note a related matter.  The Executive considered report 24/08 on Council Aspirations for Future Performance Inspections at its meeting on 6 June 2008.  The Executive resolved that officers should not expend any additional effort than that already provided for in Service Plans on the annual use of resources assessment and production of the Annual Governance Statement.  In practice this means that the Annual Governance Statement will be drafted to meet the minimum statutory requirements (minute Ex.18 refers).

 

* Required by Accounts & Audit Regulations (Amendment) Regulations 2006 statutory Instrument 564/2006; Circular 03/2006 from the Department for Communities and Local Government; CIPFA/SOLACE Governance Framework; and, CIPFA Statement of Recommended Practice 2007 - Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting. 

Minutes:

The Committee noted that the Governance reporting requirements for councils had changed once more.  As from the 2007/08 accounts year (ending 31 March 2008), councils were now required to produce an 'Annual Governance Statement' instead of the previous Statement on Internal Control.  The Annual Governance Statement had to set out the Council's arrangements for directing and controlling the organisation, set out its decision-making processes, and identify ways in which it led the community. 

 

The statutory timetable for publishing the new Annual Governance Statement was 30 September 2008 for the 2007/08 accounts year.  The Statement had to be as up-to-date as possible at the publication date.  Therefore, Members noted that the Annual Governance Statement would be presented to the Committee for formal approval at its next meeting on 22 September 2008. 

 

The Committee was also asked to note a related matter.  On 6 June 2008, the Executive had considered report 24/08 on Council Aspirations for Future Performance Inspections.  The Executive had resolved that officers should not expend any additional effort, than that already provided for in Service Plans, on the annual Use of Resources Assessment and on the production of the Annual Governance Statement.  This meant that the Annual Governance Statement would be drafted to meet the minimum statutory requirements (minute Ex.18 refers).  Members noted the Executive's decision. 

 

RESOLVED

 

(a)       that the change in governance reporting requirements be noted; and

 

(b)       that the Executive's decision regarding resources to be allocated to the annual Use of Resources Assessment and on the production of the Annual Governance Statement be noted. 


 

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