Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Strategy and Policy and the Head of Analysis and Insight

Elaine Fox, Corporate Policy and Performance Officer, presented the detailed report which informs the committee the outcome of the annual health check undertaken on the City Council’s significant partnerships.

Appendix 1 to the report identifies organisations considered as significant partnerships, appendix 2 provides the risk scoring for each organisation within different areas, appendix 3 provides the guidance and the health check question form, appendix 4 detailed recommendations for improvement for the Crime and Drugs Partnership and Midlands Engine, whilst appendix 5 provides verification schedule up to 2024.

The following points were highlighted and responses provided to committee members’ questions:

(a)  Every year organisations which are considered significant partners are requested to complete a governance survey which enables the City Council to identify the risk in being connected with each partnership. Partners are requested to rate their compliance has excellent (rating 1), good (rating 2), some key areas for improvement (rating 3), or many key weaknesses (rating 4), on a range of areas including finance, accountability and performance;

(b)  Last year there were 11 organisations considered as significant partners, but since the N2 Skills and Employment Board has ceased to operate, there are now only 10. This year’s survey includes an additional section with regard to GDPR at the request of the former Audit Committee Chair;

(c)  Where organisations rate themselves as 3 or 4, or are unable to assess the area requested, further information and/or a change in procedures may be requested. To ensure that rating interpretation is consistent, each organisation will undergo a full verification every 2 to 4 years;

(d)  The Green Nottingham Partnership is still developing some documents to which the ratings apply and was not able to wholly complete the survey but is due to be verified during 2019;

(e)  Nottingham City Safeguarding Children Board (NCSCB) had recognised concerns around future funding but is due to be replaced by a Strategic Management Board as of 1 April 2019;

(f)  Concerns have been raised with regard to the Crime and Drugs Partnership in that the decision-making structure of the organisation is not clear, particularly the role of the executive, and there is no formal recognition that the CDP does not meet the GDPR threshold for holding personal data and therefore does not have a specific GDPR policy. Whilst a risk log was maintained it had not been presented to the Board for formal recognition and there wasn’t a schedule for regular revision. However, all requests for supporting documents were thoroughly fulfilled and the response to the questionnaire was very thorough;

(g)  With regard to Midlands Engine, some documents were not provided despite repeated requests, a clear record of Board decision making and performance reporting could not be provided, the website did not provide access to basic governance documents and information, and whilst a risk register was discussed and monitored at Board meetings, when requested it was not provided. Recommendations were issued in response to all identified concerns;

(h)  In response to a member’s concerns that year after  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33