Agenda item

Consider report by the Chief Executive on the Annual Governance Statement 2020/21 and Annual Assurance Statement 2020/21 to the Scottish Housing Regulator. (Copy attached).

8.1       With reference to paragraph 5 and 6 of the Minute of 23 June 2020, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Executive presenting for approval the Annual Governance Statement 2020/21 and the Annual Assurance Statement 2020/21 in respect of landlord services provided by the Council.  The report explained the CIPFA/SOLACE Framework ‘Delivering Good Governance in Local Government’ (2016), urged local authorities to review the effectiveness of their existing governance arrangements against their Local Code of Corporate Governance, and prepare a governance statement in order to report publicly on the extent to which they comply with their own code on an annual basis, including how they have monitored the effectiveness of their governance arrangements in the year, and on any planned changes for the coming period.   The Annual Governance Statement 2020/21 at Appendix A to the report, in compliance with the CIPFA/SOLACE Framework, provided details of the Council’s Governance Framework, the annual Review of Framework undertaken, Improvement Areas of Governance and overall opinion.   In 2019, the Scottish Housing Regulator (“the Regulator”) revised its Regulatory Framework.  This placed a new requirement on all social landlords to submit an Annual Assurance Statement to the Regulator by the end of October each year.  Section 8 of the Annual Assurance Statement 2020/21 of the Service Director Customer and Communities, at Appendix B, was designed to meet this requirement of the Scottish Housing Regulator. 

8.2     The Service Director Customer and Communities presented the Annual Assurance Statement 2020/21 in respect of landlord services provided by the Council in Appendix B and summarised the Council’s governance arrangements.  She also highlighted the two main areas where improvements could be made.  With regard to the Gypsy/Travellers site at Tweedside Caravan Park, Innerleithen she acknowledged that the site did not yet meet the Scottish Government’s minimum standards.  However, engagement continued and the Housing Regulator was satisfied with progress.  In response to a question, the Service Director Customer and Communities explained that because of increased demand due to the pandemic, the Council had also utilised a site at Selkirk to accommodate travellers.  A review of anticipated demand would be undertaken to ensure the most appropriate arrangements for travellers going forward.  In respect of the Homelessness Service the Service Director Customer and Communities advised that there was still some scope for improvement and Appendix 1 to the report detailed the works in both those areas still to be carried out.  In response to questions regarding the Assurance Statement to the Scottish Housing Regulator, the Homelessness Service Manager advised that the areas requiring completion were improving service user involvement and consistency in performance reporting.  In conjunction with Internal Audit, an action plan had been developed in order to achieve a more consistent, robust service with the substantial works completed within the next six months.  Further actions would be added to the plan so it would become a rolling programme of work.  The Chief Officer Audit and Risk explained that the planned piece of work had been deferred in 2020/21 because of capacity in the Service but this was scheduled to commence over this quarter.  Audit work would also cover other elements in terms of temporary accommodation and any findings and conclusions would be reported back to the Audit and Scrutiny Committee.  With regard to homelessness, the Manager advised that they had been able to provide emergency accommodation over the past 12 months to keep people safe and were now revisting the developmental agenda.   The Service Director Customer and Communities suggested a further recommendation be added  ‘that  an update report be presented to the Audit and Scrutiny Committee outlining progress in the areas set out in Appendix B to the report’ and this was agreed.

8.3     The Chief Officer Audit and Risk summarised the Council’s annual assurance process by way of background information for Members of the Committee and highlighted the main points from the Annual Governance Statement 2020/21 at Appendix A to the report, which was the output from that process.  

DECISION

AGREED to:-

(a)     Note the details of the Annual Governance Statement 2020/21 as detailed in Appendix A to the report and that it reflected the risk environment and governance in place to achieve objectives, and acknowledged the actions identified by Management to improve internal controls and governance arrangements;

(b)     Approve that the Annual Governance Statement 2020/2 (Appendix A) be published in the Council’s Statement of Accounts 2020/21;

(c)     Note the details of the Annual Assurance Statement 2020/21 in respect of landlord services provided by the Council (Appendix B), the further self-assessment information (Appendix 1), and Scottish Borders Council Annual Assurance Statement 2020/21 to the Scottish Housing Regulator (Appendix 2) and acknowledged the actions indented by Management to improve arrangements; and the actions identified by Management to improve internal controls and governance arrangements;

(d)     Approve the Annual Assurance Statement 2020/21 in respect of landlord services provided by the Council (Appendix B) be submitted to the Scottish Housing Regulator along with the Summary Statement of Self-Assessment of Compliance against Regulatory Framework (Appendix 1) and Scottish Borders Council Annual Assurance Statement 2020/2021 to the Scottish Housing Regulator (Appendix 2); and

(e)     Request that an update report be presented to Audit and Scrutiny Committee in 6 month’s time, outlining progress in the areas set out in Appendix B (Assurance Statement to the Housing Regulator) to the report. 

MEMBER

Mr Middlemiss left the meeting. 

ADJOURNEMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 12.35 am and re-convened at 12.40 am.

SCRUTINY BUSINESS