Issue - meetings

Consideration of recommendation AU 23/29 of the Audit Committee of 24 July 2023

Consideration was given to the recommendations of the Audit Committee of 24 July 2023 in respect of the annual review of the Local Code of Corporate Governance.  Proposed amendments to the Code were relatively minor with no significant activity having taken place since July 2022 that impacted upon corporate governance arrangements.

However, the Audit Committee had recommended that section 3.2 of the Code be reviewed to incorporate a reference to the Climate Change Action Plan for 2023/24.

RESOLVED:  That the proposed amendments (set out at Annex 1) be approved and the Local Code of Corporate Governance be adopted; subject to further review of section 3.2 to reference the Climate Change Action Plan 2023/24.

This report informs Members of the outcome of the annual review of the Local Code of Corporate Governance.

The joint report of the Chief Executive and the Director of Central Services informed Members of the outcome of the annual review of the Local Code of Corporate Governance. 

The Local Code was last reviewed in July 2022 and at the time required a number of material amendments due to a number of activities that had taken place which had consequences for the Local Code, including the LGA Peer Review Challenge 2022, changes to the executive governance arrangements, the adoption of a new Kent Code of Conduct for Councillors and an internal audit of the Local Code of Corporate Governance.

The proposed changes to the Local Code were relatively minor in nature, with no significant activities having taken place since July 2022 that impacted the Council’s corporate governance arrangements.  The revised Code was attached as Annex 1 to the report.

In response to Members, section 3.2 of the Local Code would be reviewed to incorporate a reference to the Climate Change action plan for 2023-24.

Members recognised their role as a Committee in sections 6.1, 6.3 and 6.4 of the Local Code. 

RECOMMENDED: That the amendments to the Local Code of Corporate Governance, as set out at Annex 1 to the report, be approved and commended to Council for adoption.

*Referred to Council