Issue - meetings

For the 2019/20 financial year, the first operating year of BCP Council, legacy Council Declaration of Interests, gifts and hospitality policies and procedures have been followed by officers.  

The BCP Council - Declaration of Interests, Gifts and Hospitality for Policy (for Officers) was introduced on 1^st April 2020 and made provision for retrospective ‘base’ declarations dating back to the start of BCP Council, 1 April 2019.

An effective corporate wide roll-out of the Policy has taken place and assurance can be provided that senior managers (tier4 officers and above) are complying with the requirements of the new Policy.

There have been no internal or external identified instances, whistleblowing or reports by any other means where an un-declared interest has led to any disciplinary action or led to reputational damage.  

The Head of Audit and Management Assurance presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'G' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

It was explained that the ‘BCP Council - Declaration of Interests, Gifts and Hospitality for Policy (for Officers)’ had been introduced on 1^st April 2020 and made provision for retrospective ‘base’ declarations dating back to the start of BCP Council on 1 April 2019. This replaced the arrangements for the first operating year of BCP Council when legacy Council policies and procedures had been followed by officers.  

It was reported that an effective corporate wide roll-out of the new policy had taken place and assurance was provided that senior managers (tier4 officers and above) were complying with the requirements of the new Policy. The operation and effect of the new arrangements was explained, including a helpful example of the form of declaration required and this now represented a significance piece of the corporate governance framework.

It was noted that there had been no internal or external identified instances, whistleblowing or reports by any other means, where an un-declared interest had led to any disciplinary action or to reputational damage.  

RESOLVED that Audit & Governance Committee note the annual review of Register of Declarations of Outside Interests and Receipts of Gifts & Hospitality by Officers (2019/20).

Voting: Unanimous