Issue - meetings

This report seeks the Committee’s formal approval of the Annual Governance Statement and the arrangements made for its preparation as part of the 2015/16 financial statements.

The Committee received a report seeking its approval to the Annual Governance Statement and the arrangements made for its preparation as part of the 2015/16 financial statements. It was noted that the Strategy and Resources Committee had already approved the Annual Governance Statement in principle at its meeting on 21 June 2016, pending any comments from the Audit, Crime & Disorder and Scrutiny Committee.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Confirmed the adequacy of the arrangements made for preparing the Annual Governance Statement (AGS).

(2)          Endorsed the 2015/16 AGS prior to it being certified by the Chief Executive and Chairman of the Strategy and Resources Committee.

This report summarises the Council’s financial performance for 2015/16, seeks approval to the Annual Governance Statement for 2015/16 and notes the carry forward of capital provision for schemes where costs will be incurred in 2016/17.

The Committee:

(1)          Received the report on financial performance for 2015/16;

(2)          Agreed the Annual Governance Statement (circulated separately to the Agenda);

(3)          Noted the carry forward of provision of £2,065,000 for capital schemes to be added to the 2016/17 capital programme;

(4)          Agreed that delegated authority be granted to the Head of Finance in consultation with the Vice Chairman of Strategy and Resources Committee to make any amendments to the draft Annual Governance Statement.

A report was presented to the Committee which summarised the Council’s financial performance for 2015/16 and which sought approval to the Annual Governance Statement for 2015/16.  In particular, the Committee was asked to note the carry forward of capital provision for schemes where costs would be incurred in 2016/17.

The Committee was informed that, as at the date of the meeting, the surplus on the General Fund for 2015/16 had increased from the £62K set out in the report to £67K and the Working Balance as at 31 March 2016 was £3,171K.  This latest position had been reported in the set of papers setting out the General Fund Summary Position, major budget variances and capital expenditure position for 2015/16 issued to all councillors the previous week.

The following points were noted:

·                     The difference of £900k in relation to CIL was a result of the timing of invoices and not a shortfall in anticipated income: the receipt of certain CIL monies was staged and the draft accounts were required to reflect the actual position;

·                     The Annual Governance Statement was due to be reported to the Audit, Crime and Disorder Committee on 28 June 2016.  In the absence of the Chairman on the particular date signature was required, the Vice Chairman would be signing off this legal document on his behalf;

·                     Increased costs in relation to on-street parking were a result of a reduction in income rather than an increase in expenditure

Having noted the excellent job done by officers in producing a balanced budget against a difficult financial backdrop, the Committee:

(1)          Received the report on financial performance for 2015/16;

(2)          Agreed the Annual Governance Statement (circulated separately to the Agenda);

(3)          Noted the carry forward of provision of £2,065,000 for capital schemes to be added to the 2016/17 capital programme;

(4)          Agreed that delegated authority be granted to the Head of Finance in consultation with the Vice Chairman of Strategy and Resources Committee to make any amendments to the draft Annual Governance Statement.