Agenda item

To consider progress made against the Improvement Plan as at August 2022.

Resolved:-

(1)     that progress against the Improvement Plan up to 4 August 2022 be received;

(2)     to receive the Improvement Plan Risk Register;

(3)     to receive the changes made to the Improvement Plan;

(4)     to receive any recommendations or comments made by Budget and Corporate Scrutiny Management Board following their meeting on 22 September, and to note that any comments or recommendations made by Audit and Risk Assurance Committee at their meeting on 29 September will be reported to a future Cabinet meeting.

                  Consideration was given to the progress made against the Improvement Plan up to 4 August 2022.

                  Progress had been made across all areas with slippages in some areas.  The Cabinet received feedback from the Budget and Corporate Scrutiny Management Board following consideration of the Improvement Plan at their meeting held on 22 September 2022. The Audit and Risk Assurance Committee would also receive the report on 29 September 2022; any recommendations or comments would be noted and reported back.

The Chair of Safer Neighbourhoods and Active Communities Scrutiny Board, on behalf of the Vice Chair of Economy, Skills, Transport and Environment Scrutiny Board, questioned why the report did not include the Combined Authority as partners of the Council.

The Leader of the Council stated that the Improvement Plan contained a theme focusing on Partnerships and Relationships. This theme had a workstream on Sandwell’s Regional and sub-regional presence. This contained a set of actions to ensure that opportunities for Sandwell were being maximised through the Council’s participation in key regional and sub-regional bodies (including the Combined Authority, and Black Country LEP). The LGA were conducting a follow up Corporate Peer Challenge visit in October 2022 and the CA were included in the list of stakeholders for this visit. The Corporate Peer Challenge will include a consideration of whether there has been a shift to the council focusing more externally. The review findings would help to capture our progress in this area. As part of the assurance process around the Improvement Plan, Grant Thornton and Cipfa were also conducting follow up reviews. The Improvement Plan would be refreshed following the outcomes of these 3 external review visits.

In addition, it was confirmed that guidance would be issued to report authors to include this information. In addition, Scrutiny Members could request this information from report presenters to aid scrutiny’s consideration of the breadth of consultation.

                  Reasons for Decision

The Value for Money Governance Review was undertaken as part of the external auditor’s role to provide assurance on the council’s arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources. As the report includes statutory recommendations the council had a legal obligation to respond appropriately.

The Directions issued by the Secretary of State were a statutory requirement and the council had a legal obligation to respond appropriately. Failure to do so would likely result in further intervention measures.

Reviewing progress against the Improvement Plan enabled senior officers and members have oversight of delivery, and take corrective action, as necessary.

Alternative Options Considered

There were no alternative options to consider.

Agreed:-

(1)     that progress against the Improvement Plan up to 4 August 2022 be received;

(2)     that the Improvement Plan Risk Register be received;

(3)     to receive the changes made to the Improvement Plan;

(4)     that the recommendations and comments made by Budget and Corporate Scrutiny Management Board following their meeting on 22 September, be noted and any comments or recommendations made by Audit and Risk Assurance Committee at their meeting on 29 September to be reported to a future Cabinet meeting.