Issue - meetings

The Leader of the Council submitted a report presenting the 2016/17 Annual Governance Statement and the 2017/18 Annual Governance Statement Action Plan.  The Head of Strategic Finance provided a summary of the report.

The Chairman sought and was provided with clarification from SIAS on the issue of Substantial and Moderate assurances on financial and non-financial systems.  He explained processes and protocols in relation to levels of assurance.

Councillor J Wyllie stated that IT was an issue that continually came up as an area of concern.  The Director explained that the Council was constantly working on its security and had action plans in place to make the systems more reliable, including cyber security and in adhering to new guidelines, so that the Council kept up to date. 

In response to a query by the Chairman, the Head of Strategic Finance provided an overview of the new finance planning and reporting system which would provide information on invoicing, debtors, general ledger functions and generally provide an integrated financial system.

The Chairman raised the issue of the impact of Welfare Reform changes in terms of the provision of more support for services.  The Director referred to the support provided by revenues staff, a third of whom made up the Council’s workforce and the successes achieved. 

Performance, Audit and Governance Scrutiny Committee supported the Annual Governance Statement 2016/17 and noted the risks, as now detailed within the 2016/17 Annual Governance Statement and the 2017/18 Action Plan.

RESOLVED – that (A) Annual Governance Statement for 2016/17 be supported; and

(B)   the risks detailed within the 2016/17 Annual Governance Statement and the 2017/18 Action Plan, be noted.