Agenda

Members of the Committee will be asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed.

The minutes of the meeting held on 22^nd November 2023 are attached and Members will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

The Director of Corporate Services submits a report to the Governance and Audit Committee which presents the Risk Management and Business Continuity Policy Statement and Strategies which provide an effective framework for Leicester City Council to management and respond to key risks facing its services and support the delivery of its Business Plan.

The Committee is recommended to note the report.

The City Barrister and Head of Standards submits a report to the Governance and Audit Committee which advised on the performance of the Council in authorising Regulatory Investigation Powers Act (RIPA) applications from 1^st July 2023 to 31^st December 2023.

The Committee is recommended to receive the report and note its contents and make any recommendations or comments it sees fit either to the  Executive or to the City Barrister and Head of Standards.

The Head of Internal Audit Service (HoIAS) submits a report to the Governance and Audit Committee which provides:

a)    A summary of progress against the 2023-24 Internal Audit Plans

b)    Summary information on progress with implementing high importance recommendations.

c)    Summary of progress against the Internal Audit Plans.

d)    Commentary on the progress and resources used.

e)    Brief details on an independent external quality assessment of Leicestershire County Council’s Internal Audit Service

The Committee is recommended to note the contents of the report and make

any comments to the HoIAS or Director of Finance.

The Director of Finance submits a report to the Governance and Audit Committee for approval, updates to the assurance and corporate governance processes at Leicester City Council and to approve the Local Code of Corporate Governance.

The Committee is recommended to approve the Local Code of Corporate Governance.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO NOTE

Under the law, the Committee is entitled to consider certain items in private where in the circumstances the public interest in maintaining the matter exempt from publication outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. Members of the public will be asked to leave the meeting when such items are discussed.

The Committee is recommended to consider the following reports in private on the grounds that they contain ‘exempt’ information as defined by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, as amended, and consequently that the Sub-Committee makes the following resolution:-

“that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following reports in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, because they involve the likely disclosure of 'exempt' information, as defined in the Paragraphs detailed below of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and taking all the circumstances into account, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the information as exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

Paragraph 3

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person

(including the authority).

The Head of IT Operations submits a report informing the Committee of the work carried out by DDaT in relation to Cyber Security during the May 2023 to October 2023 reporting period.