Agenda item

Consider report by Acting Chief Executive.  (Copy attached.)

         With reference to paragraph 11 of the Minute of 24 November 2022, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Acting Chief Executive providing the third formal update from the Inquiry Review Group which was established to progress the work identified following the independent investigation into the Council’s handling of concerns raised about a former Scottish Borders Council employee.  The report brought forward a number of reporting templates relating to a number of actions and sought Council approval to consider these actions as complete.  The report also sought approval to alter the frequency of reporting in response to the level of progress and the number of completed actions now achieved.  It was explained that there were 14 actions which remained to be brought before Council to be approved as completed.  As detailed in the report, these were either time dependant on collective work with other authorities or linked to actions which were time dependant, subject to legal determinations or awaiting audit activity.  It was proposed therefore than in order to afford responsible officers the time to complete this small number of actions to a satisfactory conclusion, that reporting verbally at each Council meeting was ceased and that a written report be brought to Council with comprehensive updates on a quarterly basis.  It was intended that the final approvals would be brought to Council by the end of April 2023.  Members welcomed the progress to date.

         DECISION

         AGREED:-

          (a)     to approve the actions contained in Appendix 1 to the report as being complete;

          (b)     that the Inquiry Action Plan Group meet on a monthly basis rather than fortnightly;

          (c)     to approve the proposal for communication with stakeholders at the conclusion of all actions and request that this plan be shared with Council for approval in the next report; and

          (d)     that reporting to Council would be undertaken by written report on a quarterly basis and monthly verbal updates would cease.