Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Suzanne Bennett  Tel: 024 7683 3072 Email:  suzanne.bennett@coventry.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 71 KB

a)  To agree the minutes from the meeting held on 13 April, 2017

 

b)  Matters Arising

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 April 2017 were agreed and signed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

3.

Complaints to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 147 KB

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People) which set out the number, trends and outcomes of complaints to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) relating to Coventry City Council in 2016/17 and a comparison to previous years. The report also provided more detail about complaints that the LGO investigated, including the actions taken by the Council when the LGO upholds a complaint.

 

The LGO is the final stage for complaints about councils, all adult social care providers (including care homes and home care agencies) and some other organisations providing local public services. It is a free service that investigate complaints in a fair and independent way; and provided a means of redress to individuals for injustice caused by unfair treatment or service failure.

 

Coventry City Council’s complaints policy sets out how individuals could complain to the Council, as well as how the Council handle compliments, comments and complaints. The Council would inform individuals of their rights to contact the LGO if they were not happy with the Council’s decision after they had exhausted the Council’s own complaints process.

 

Every year, the LGO issued an annual letter to every Council, summarising the number and trends of complaints dealt with in each local authority. The latest letter, issued in July 2017 covered complaints to Coventry City Council between April 2016 and March 2017 (2016/17).

 

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet Member for Policy and Leadership:

 

1.  Considered the Council’s performance in relation to complaints to the LGO and

 

2.  Notes the Council complaints process and guidance, updated for 2017 in line with recommendations set out in the annual letter.

 

3.  Requests the Audit and Procurement Committee to review and be assured that the Council takes appropriate action in response to complaints investigated and where the Council is found to be at fault.  

 

4.

Risk Management Policy and Strategy pdf icon PDF 77 KB

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) which outlined proposals to introduce a new Risk Management Policy and Strategy for the City Council in line with the principles and best practise set out in the national framework for good governance in Local Government.

 

Coventry City Council last reviewed its Risk Management Policy which was based on best practice at the time. The context in which local government operates had changed significantly since then including a period of significant financial challenge, the growing devolution agenda and the introduction of a wide range of legislation that brought new roles, responsibilities and opportunities. National guidance in respect of Good Governance and Risk Management had been updated to reflect this, particularly the links between governance and financial management and the importance of long term planning. The revised Risk Management Policy and Strategy reflected the new guidance and how it could be used to strengthen corporate governance in the City Council.

 

The Risk Management arrangements were assessed annually as part of the Annual Governance Statement which was signed off by the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council.

 

The Risk Management Policy and Strategy would be submitted to the Audit and Procurement Committee in January 2018 for information.

 

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet Member for Policy and Leadership approves the Risk Management Policy and Strategy attached at Appendix 1 of the report.  

 

 

 

 

 

5.

Authority for Attendance - Conference/Seminar pdf icon PDF 53 KB

To seek approval for attendance at the Centre for Public Scrutiny Annual conference to be held in London on 6 December, 2017

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Policy and Leadership approves the attendance of Councillors Brown and Clifford and the Scrutiny Coordinators to attend the Centre for Public Scrutiny Annual Conference 2017 to be held in London on 6 December 2017.

6.

Outstanding Issues

There are no outstanding issues

Minutes:

There were no outstanding issues.

7.

Any Other Items of Public Business

Any other items of public business which the Cabinet Member decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

Minutes:

There were no other items of public business.