Eitem ar yr agenda

I ystyried adroddiad gan y Pennaeth Archwilio Mewnol (copi'n amgaeedig) sy'n rhoi diweddariad ar gynnydd gweithredu'r cynllun gweithredu a oedd yn cyd-fynd â’r adroddiad Archwilio Mewnol ar Ddiogelu Corfforaethol ym mis Awst, 2015.

CSSIW Reports:-

Prior to consideration of the Corporate Safeguarding Report, the Corporate Director: Communities (CDC) confirmed that it was the agreed procedure for the Corporate Governance Committee receive and consider external reports.  She explained that due to time constraints and the scheduling of meetings it had been necessary to present the CSSIW Annual Performance Evaluation 2014/15 Report to a formal Council meeting for acceptance by a given date.  It had also been intended that the Area Manager would present the report prior to vacating his post, however he had been unable to attend the respective Scrutiny Committee meeting.

The CDC explained that the report had been presented to the Performance Scrutiny Committee on the 10^th December, 2015, and had been the subject of a thorough and challenging debate.  She explained that the CSSIW Report had reflected on the Annual Report of the Statutory Director of Social Services, which would also be presented to the Performance Scrutiny Committee.

Members were informed that the report had been thoroughly scrutinised, and it was confirmed that future CSSIW Reports would be presented to the Corporate Governance Committee in a new format.  The CDC agreed that details of the new format to be adopted by the CSSIW be conveyed to the Chair, and presented to the Scrutiny Chairs and Vice Chairs Group.

The Chair confirmed that the minutes of the Performance Scrutiny Committee had been circulated to Members of the Corporate Governance Committee, and Members agreed that the CSSIW Report had been the subject of a thorough and challenging debate.

Corporate Safeguarding Report:-

A report by the Head of Internal Audit (HIA), which provided an update on progress in implementing the Action Plan (AP) which accompanied the Internal Audit report on Corporate Safeguarding in August 2015, had been circulated previously.

The report provided information on how the Council was implementing improvements in corporate safeguarding since the issue of the Internal Audit report in 2015.  The audit report had given a ‘Low Assurance’, so the Committee had requested a progress report to ensure that the issues highlighted were being addressed.

The Internal Audit follow up report,          Appendix 1, indicated that good progress had been made with implementing the AP.  Governance had been improved and the Safeguarding Panel had a more focused work programme to enable it to prioritise its work and monitor performance.  It was confirmed that there was now more dedicated resource being applied to Corporate Safeguarding through the Chair of the Panel increasing his involvement, including meetings with Service Panel representatives.

There was still some work to do to ensure that members of staff and Elected Members were aware of their responsibilities for Corporate Safeguarding, including a promotion campaign to launch the new Corporate Safeguarding Policy.  In addition, the planned corporate training module would need to be developed and implemented with Elected Members being required to attend mandatory Corporate Safeguarding training sessions.  Members acknowledged that given the progress made with the Action Plan, the assurance rating had improved to ‘Medium’.

The Chair expressed the view that the initial intention that Corporate Safeguarding be implemented across the County had not been fully implemented.  However, he acknowledged that although many of the issues in the Action Plan had been addressed there were still issues outstanding.  Councillor H.H. Evans explained that Members and officers were aware of their Safeguarding responsibilities.  He explained that the Chair of the Panel had been robust in his intentions of promoting the delivery of the Corporate Safeguarding agenda, with the level of debate and challenge having increased.  The Chair informed the Committee that it was his intension to attend the next meeting of the Panel as an observer.

Mr P. Whitham expressed concern that deadlines pertaining to the follow up reports had slipped, particular reference being made to promotion and training aspects.  The Committee supported Mr Whitham’s suggestion that a further progress report be presented to the Committee in September, 2016.

The Corporate Director: Communities (CDC) acknowledged that some of the deadlines had not been achieved.  However, she explained that the process would be ongoing with some aspects being continued on a permanent basis.  One of the main aspects had been raising awareness across the Council.  A business item would again be presented to the June, 2016 Council Briefing meeting with regard to Corporate Safeguarding, and Members would be encouraged to attend.

Following further discussion, it was:-

RESOLVED – that the Corporate Governance Committee:-

(a)          receives and noted the contents of the report.

(b)          agrees that a progress report be presented to the September, 2016 meeting of the Committee, and

(c)          requests that Members be encouraged to attend the Council Briefing meeting to consider the Corporate Safeguarding item.

     (NS, IB to Action)