Issue - meetings

The Mayor and Executive Member for Adult Social Care submitted a Special Urgent report for Executive’s consideration.

The purpose of the report was for Executive to consider and approve proposals to draw down from the Corporate Contingency Budget in order to fund additional resources to deliver elements of activities identified as part of the next phase of the Corporate Governance Improvement journey, as identified in the Corporate Governance Improvement: Next Steps report approved at full Council on 5 July 2023.

The Council faced significant financial challenges during 2023/24 and over the medium-term, as reflected by the conclusion in the recent CIPFA review reported in February 2023 and in the External Auditor’s Annual Report for 2020/21, considered by the Corporate Affairs and Audit Committee, on 29 June 2023.

Phase three of the Council’s Corporate Governance Improvement Plan was reported to Council for information on 5 July 2023. The diagram below sets out its structure. The report sought funding to support action in relation to two of the programmes of work that will be delivered by the overall improvement plan. As the Plan continued to be scoped and developed collaboratively with the Advisory Panel that was outlined in the 5 July 2023 Council meeting, there may be further reports brought forward on resourcing to this body. Reports on progress against the plan, scoping etc would be taken to Corporate Affairs and Audit Committee and full Council.

OPTIONS

Other options relating to the use of existing finance staff and the recruitment of suitably experienced permanent staff to undertake the work required were considered. However, the lack of existing capacity and the requirement to deliver improvements at pace, as outlined in this report, meant those options were not suitable.

ORDERED that Executive:

1.     Note the requirement of additional resources across corporate support services to support delivery of the financial recovery and resilience programme of work within the Corporate Governance Improvement Plan

2.     Note the requirement for initial funding to commence elements of work within the Cultural Transformation programme of work within the Corporate Governance Improvement Plan

3.     Approve the total additional expenditure of up to £491,800 associated with these additional resources, along with the necessary procurement activity to be funded from the available Corporate Contingency Budget.

REASONS

The Corporate Governance Improvement Plan ensured an inclusive approach to addressing the issues identified in the CIPFA diagnostic work and EY’s Value for Money judgement and that the Council’s commitments were appropriately resourced to support successful delivery of the essential activity with the corporate governance improvement plan. Failure to effectively tackle the fundamental issues identified by the Council’s External Auditors, CIPFA and the Council could result in government intervention.

As the report associated with Agenda Item eight was deemed Special Urgent, decisions arising will come into force immediately and are not subject to call in procedures.