Decisions

The Executive considered a report regarding the key announcements of relevance to local government in the Government’s legislative agenda for 2022/23, and the potential opportunities and implications for Stevenage.

In response to a question, it was confirmed that there was no appetite at District or County Council level for a single Unitary Authority in Hertfordshire.

It was RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

The Executive considered a report providing an update on the Council’s Climate Change Strategy and initiatives.

Councillor Speller, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change advised the meeting of his enthusiasm to collaborate with the Community, Officers, Members and also with young people to ensure that the work undertaken on engagement was effective.  He agreed that the next report to Executive on Climate Change should be delayed and brought to a later meeting to allow enough time for sufficient progress to be made.

Officers agreed to provide a written update to Members relating to the Additional Insulation Project and in particular clarification as to whether double or triple glazing should be installed in the social housing properties within the Scheme.

It was RESOLVED:

1.         That the report be noted.

2.         That further details on the community engagement and stakeholder relationships be received at the September 2022 Executive.

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other options considered:  As contained in report.

The Executive considered a report seeking approval of the Council’s key priorities and areas of focus for 2022/23 for inclusion in the Annual Report, and which would form the basis of corporate performance reporting for the year.

Executive agreed that due to the on-going cost of living crisis, an Executive Member task force would be established to consider the implications for residents.  The Group’s findings would be reported back to Executive Members.

Members thanks were expressed towards those Council Departments, in particular the Communities and Neighbourhoods and the Stevenage Direct Services Teams, who had been instrumental in ensuring that Stevenage Day was hugely successful on 12 June 2022 following a 2 year break due to the Pandemic.

It was RESOLVED:

1.         That the proposed priorities for 2022/23, as set out in the report, be agreed.

2.         That these priorities be included in the Annual report for 2021/22, to be reported to the Executive in July 2022.

3.         That the priorities form the basis of the Future Town Future Council programme and inform the corporate performance suite for 2022/23, with progress against this being reported to the Executive on a quarterly basis.

4.         That a Cost of Living Task Force be established including The Leader of the Council and Executive Members Councillors, Barr, Briscoe, Henry and Thomas with a view to considering the implications of the crisis and reporting their findings back to the Executive

Reason for Decision:  As contained in report.

Other Options considered:  As contained in report.

None.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.          That the reasons for the following reports being in Part II were accepted, and that the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Thanks were expressed to the Communities and Neighbourhhods Team for their work around the recent Jubilee events including the lighting of the Beacon in the Town Centre and the Picnic in the Park event in Fairlands Valley Park.

It was RESOLVED that the following Minutes of meetings of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Select Committees be noted –

Overview & Scrutiny Committee – 10 March 2022

Community Select Committee – 16 March 2022

Overview & Scrutiny Committee – 22 March 2022

Environment & Economy Select Committee – 23 March 2022

Community Select Committee – 29 March 2022

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meetings of the Executive held on 4 March 2022 and 16 March 2022 be approved as correct records for signature by the Chair.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Robin Parker CC (observer) and apologies for lateness from Councillor Jeannette Thomas.

At this juncture, the Chair welcomed new Executive Members Councillor Sandra Barr - Communities, Neighbourhoods and Co-operative Council and Councillor Simon Speller - Environment and Climate Change to the meeting.  She also thanked outgoing Executive Members, Councillors Rob Broom noting his significant efforts to bring the Co-operative Neighbourhood Programme to life and John Gardner for his work over many years on the Environment and Regeneration Portfolio.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Corporate Performance and Improvement Officer presented Annual Governance Statement (AGS) and Local Code of Corporate Governance for 2021/22.

In response to a Member’s question, the Strategic Director (CF) commented that the determination of what was in the “public interest” in terms of the AGS related to ensuring that the Council had the best possible governance principles in place to act in residents’ best interests, including appropriate and robust controls, whilst recognising that actions could be implemented to achieve continuous improvement.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That the changes to the Council’s Local Code of Corporate Governance, as attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

2.          That the Council’s 2021/22 Annual Governance Statement, as attached at Appendix 2 to the report, be recommended for approval by the Statement of Accounts Committee.

The SIAS Client Audit Manager presented a report in respect of the SIAS Annual Assurance Statement and Annual Report 2021/22.

In response to a number of Member questions, the SIAS Client Audit Manager stated that:

·            he accepted that the report was of a technical nature, and would endeavour to remove as many technical terms as possible from future versions;

·            the efficiency/effectiveness of audits generally depended on the adequacy of audit fieldwork, which was led by an evidence-based approach.  Audits were also subject to an internal quality review, as were any judgements made;

·            in Paragraph 1.3 of the report, the phrase “business as usual” referred to the situation going forward, rather than suggesting that the Council had returned to its pre-pandemic position;

·            he would ensure that the abbreviations “C, H, M and NA” shown in the Audit Plan (Appendix A) were explained earlier in the document in future versions; and

·            in Paragraph 3.5 of the report, the Landlord Health and Safety Follow up audit did include Council tenanted and leasehold properties.  It covered areas of building compliance, such as gas, electrical and water safety.

In relation to the cancelled IT Resilience audit, the Strategic Director (CF) advised that it was hoped that the resilience of the shared IT service would be addressed via the recently established Joint SBC/EHC ICT Executive Committee.

It was RESOLVED:

1.          That the Annual Assurance Statement and Internal Audit Annual Report 2021/22 be noted.

2.          That the results of the self-assessment required by the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS) and the Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme (QAIP) be noted.

3.          That the SIAS Audit Charter, as attached at Appendix D to the report, be approved.

4.          That it be confirmed that the scope and resources for internal audit were no subject to inappropriate limitations in 2021/22.

The Committee received a verbal update from Ernst & Young in respect of the 2019/20 and 2020/21 External audit of SBC accounts.

It was RESOLVED that the verbal update from Ernst & Young regarding the 2019/20 and 2020/21 External audit of SBC accounts be noted.

The Committee received a tabled set of revised Terms of Reference, which contained minor amendments.

It was RESOLVED that the Terms of Reference for the Audit Committee, as agreed by the Annual Council meeting on 25 May 2022, and with the minor amendments as per the version tabled at the meeting, be noted.

It was moved, seconded and, following a vote, RESOLVED that Councillor John Gardner be elected as Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee for the 2022/23 Municipal Year.

None.

It was RESOLVED that:

1.         Under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraphs 1 - 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2.          Members considered the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determined that the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighed the public interest in disclosure.

None.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Audit Committee held on 28 March 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Tom Wren and Mr Geoff Gibbs (Independent Co-opted Non-voting Member).

There were no declarations of interest.