Brought forward at the discretion of the Chairman;
Minutes:
A.20/21
The Chairman advised that he had agreed for one urgent item to be raised at this meeting that related to a recommendation arising from the Executive meeting held on 2 December 2021 (Minute E.69/21 refers) that read as follows:
‘That the Audit Committee consider the learning from the governance review of the Community Housing Programme and its application to the Council’s wider programme management function.’
The Leader introduced the report that set out the key findings of the Governance Review into the Community Housing Programme, which proposed a broad range of recommendations to improve the Governance Framework around the remaining projects; the majority of which had already been implemented.
During the introduction it was highlighted that the Senior Leadership Team had a lack of capacity at that time which had resulted in additional pressure being placed on the Extended Leadership Team and that the Community Housing Programme had been run as a separate module with most of the Officers involved having subsequently left the Council. The Leader outlined that the report recognised past errors, but with the reformed Council Constitution and enhanced governance measures that had since been put in place, the published report showed the establishment of an effective framework, enabling the programme to be taken forward with the necessary checks and balances in place.
In the ensuing discussion, particular reference was made to:
(a) the lack of timescales for the actions outlined at Section 10.2 of the published agenda report to be implemented. In the absence of any timescales, two additional recommendations were PROPOSED and SECONDED as follows:
1. That officers be tasked with applying timescales to those actions identified at Section 10.2 of the presented agenda report; and
2. That a progress update be provided to the Committee in six months’ time.
When put to the vote, these additional recommendations were both declared CARRIED;
(b) appreciation was expressed for the honesty that was contained within the published agenda report;
(c) the need for increased Member involvement in such projects. The Committee agreed that there was a need to ensure increased Member involvement, in particular the importance of seeking the input of local Ward Members from the offset was recognised;
(d) the lack of affordable housing generated by the Programme;
(e) the role of the Internal Audit Service. In light of the risks associated with the Programme, a Member questioned as to why it had not been reviewed earlier by the Internal Audit Service. In accepting the point, it was noted that the COVID pandemic had placed a significant impact upon the Internal Audit Work Plan. However, one of the lessons learned from this review (which had been undertaken in consultation with the Internal Audit Service) was the need for the Service to be far more involved (from the offset) in similar projects in the future.
It was then:
RESOLVED
That the Committee has considered the learning from the Governance Review of the Community Housing Programme and its application to the Council’s wider programme management function (as set out in the detailed minutes above) and also requests that:
1. Officers be tasked with applying timescales to those actions identified at Section 10.2 of the presented agenda report; and
2. A progress update be provided to the Committee in six months’ time.