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Terms of Reference:
1. To be responsible
for the scrutiny and review of the decisions and performance of the
Council;
2. To carry out the
functions falling within the Committee’s area of
responsibility as set out below, working within the budget and
policy framework approved by Council, except where these functions
remain the reserve of the Council or have been delegated to another
Committee within the Council’s scheme of delegation.
3. To seek assurance
of the existence and application of key policies and strategies as
well as undertaking scrutiny of performance monitoring to evaluate
whether expected outcomes are being achieved in accordance with the
Council’s Strategic Plan.
4. To establish
Sub-Committees to progress work of the Committee.
5. To decide on
matters falling within its responsibility or delegate decision
making to Directors of the council. However, this does not prevent
the Committee from choosing to exercise the function itself.
Areas of Responsibility:
a. Overall
responsibility for audit and governance frameworks (including
functions of an audit committee);
b. Oversee compliance
with the Council’s duties concerning Best Value;
c. Monitor
implementation of agreed recommendations and actions from both the
Internal and External audit reports;
d. Monitor progress
on the Council’s Annual Plan on a quarterly basis;
e. Review and approve
the Annual Governance Statement;
f. Exercise
scrutiny over the Council’s budget; the management of its
budget, capital programme, treasury management, reserves, revenue
borrowing and assets and the audit arrangements thereof, plus
associated strategy and policies;
g. Exercise scrutiny
of the quarterly budget monitoring reports;
h. Exercise scrutiny
and approval (where applicable) of the annual Statement of
Accounts, financial outturn, and external audit reports;
i. Receive an annual report
setting out the activities relating to compliance with key council
policies including (but not limited to) Anti-Bribery,
Anti-Corruption, Whistleblowing policies, Modern Slavery and
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion;
j.
Receive and review the Local Government Ombudsman’s annual
report;
k. Receive and
review, on a quarterly basis, the latest version of the key
performance indicators and targets from each Committee which seek
to ensure the provision of cost effective, quality services to the
community (as part of the Council’s own performance
management regime);
l. Review
and/or scrutinise decisions made, or actions taken, in connection
with the discharge of any of the Council’s functions and make
reports and/or recommendations to full Council where necessary;
m. Undertake, in specific
circumstances, pre-scrutiny reviews relating to Council services,
projects or services;
n. Exercise the right
to call-in, for reconsideration, decisions made but not yet
implemented by any Policy Committee.
In carrying out its responsibilities the Committee will:
1. Work in
partnership with other Policy committees and Sub Committees.
2. Have consideration
to the Corporate Risk Management Strategy, Key Performance
indicators and any other actions relevant to the Committee under
scrutiny;
3. Have oversight of
any matters of interest or concern relevant to this Committees
remit.
To make recommendations regarding:
a. Matters with
significant budgetary and/or policy implications arising from
Internal or External audit reports.
b. Matters with
significant budgetary and/or policy implications arising from the
reviewing and scrutinising of the performance of the Council in
relation to its policy objectives, performance targets, Committee
Work Plans and any Government sponsored assessment regime.
c. Matters with
significant budgetary and/or policy implications arising from
presentations by representatives of outside organisations about
services which have a significant impact upon local residents.
d. Consideration of
any Councillor Call for Action.
e. Changes to this
Committee’s Terms of Reference.
f. Other
matters under the Committee’s jurisdiction which, by virtue
of statutory provision, must be determined by full Council.
To Resolve:
a. Matters in
connection with 2 (a) to (c) above with no significant budgetary
and/or policy implication.
b. Decisions to refer
matters to Policy Committees.
Delegation to Officers:
1. To the Chief
Executive and Directors, the power to implement Council/Committee
policies and deal with the day-to-day management of services
relevant to this Committee, including the discharge of all
functions of the Council, except for those which are identified
above as reserved for determination by the Council, Committee or
Sub-Committee.
2. The officers
referred to in 1. above have the power in turn to delegate to other
officers of their choice, the power to deal on their behalf and in
their name with any of the above functions. Such delegation shall
be in writing and signed by the relevant SMT Member and may contain
such limitations or be subject to such conditions as that Officer
shall decide.
3. Where committee
delegated action has been taken by officers in 1. and 2. above, or
the use of urgency powers has been exercised by the Chief Executive
or Director this must be reported back to the Chair and Vice Chair
at the next available meeting.
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