Corporate Governance

The Council operates 3 levels of assurance:

Tier 1: Business and Operational Management

The checks and controls that are in place to ensure that service areas deliver core activity, functions and services in the way intended.

Assurance includes:

• Clearly identified roles and responsibilities in job descriptions
• Leadership and Staff Competency framework
• Management meetings including Corporate Leadership, Senior Leadership, Department Management
• Team meetings and communications for dissemination of information from management
• Setting individual and team objectives that support the delivery of service area plans and the corporate business plan
• Measuring staff performance through regular discussion and formal performance reviews
• Self-assessment and continuous improvement review of service delivery
• Risk identification and mitigation plan delivery

Tier 2: Oversight and Support Arrangements

Internal checks and controls that provide assurance that Business and Operational Management is delivering as intended

• Review of Local Code of Governance
• Annual Governance Statement (PDF 498 KB) including annual officer declaration
• Corporate performance review and monitoring
• Action plan progress monitoring
• Risk management reviews and corporate risk identification at CLT and Standards & Audit Committee
• Programmatic approach to continuous improvement oversight including response to non-statutory Best Value Notice and Regulator of Social Housing inspection
• Service Area Plan approval and half-yearly progress reports at Service Committees
• Internal audit work programme via an independent third party (SIAP)
• Overview & Scrutiny Committee work programme [to follow]
• Standards & Audit Committee work programme [to follow]
• Member training and briefing programme
• Active participation in professional network groups across Surrey
• Counter-fraud provision via an independent third party (Reigate & Banstead BC) [to follow]
• Financial controls and reporting to Cttee [to follow]
• Health & Safety Officer Committee

Tier 3: External assurance and independent challenge

• SIAP annual internal audit opinion
• External audit and VFM opinion [to follow]
• Peer Challenge reports
• Inspectorate reports
• Ombudsman reports
• Reviews delivered by independent external parties
• Regular meetings between Senior Officers and external bodies including MHCLG, LGA, Regulator of Social Housing
• LGA facilitated top team training for co-leaders and CLT
• LGR Discovery process