Communicating Good Governance Practical Advice Kai Vaksdal CONFORM

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Communicating Good Governance Practical
AdviceKai VaksdalCONFORM
Communicating Good Governance
Hitec in partnership with CIPFA Better Governance
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Communicating Good Governance

• Summary of key points
• Issues for Authorities
• How do we communicate Good Governance now?
• What does The Framework say?
• How do we do it now?
• What more can we do?
• Questions?

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Communicating Good Governance
Summary of key points These are all taken from
Delivering Good Governance in Local Government

• To achieve good governance, each authority should
  be able to demonstrate that it is complying with
  the core and supporting principles contained in
  the Good Governance Framework and should
  therefore develop and maintain a local code of
  governance appropriate to its circumstances,
  comprising the requirements for best practice

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Communicating Good Governance
Summary of key points

• Clear channels of communication should be in
  place
• Governance is about how local government bodies
  ensure that they are doing the right things, in
  the right way, for the right people, in a timely,
  inclusive, open, honest and accountable manner.

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Communicating Good Governance
Summary of key points

• Arrangements should exist to ensure compliance
  with relevant laws and regulations, and internal
  policies and procedures.
• Good governance leads to good management, good
  performance, good stewardship of public money,
  good public engagement and, ultimately, good
  outcomes for citizens and service users.

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Communicating Good Governance
Summary of key points

• The CEO advises councillors on policy
• The Authority has to provide assurances that (a)
  its governance arrangements are adequate and
  operating effectively in practice or (b) where
  reviews have revealed gaps, what actions are
  planned to ensure effective governance in the
  future.

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Communicating Good Governance
Summary of key points

• Communication (clear channels)
• Accountability (doing the right things)
• Ensure Compliance (with the Framework)
• Internal Policies (must be understood)
• Good Management (Proof, Pro-active)
• Good outcomes (Borough Public)
• Provide Assurances (Proof Certainty)

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Communicating Good Governance
Issues around Communicating Good Governance What
do the Guidance Notes and Framework actually say?

• Local Authorities need to identify systems,
  processes and documentation that provide evidence
  of compliance with the principles of good
  governance.
• Are the governance arrangements understood
  throughout the authority?

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Communicating Good Governance
Issues You need PROOF

• How do you currently ensure that your policies
  and procedures have been received, read and
  understood by every member of staff?
• Can you prove this to auditors, CEOs, members
  and senior management?
• How would you, your department and the entire
  organisation be affected? CPD, Appraisals, CPA

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Communicating Good Governance
But we use.

• Paper manuals / print outs / files
• Lost, thrown away, misfiled
• Not secure, copies everywhere
• Read receipt needs signature on more paper
• No understanding measurement
• Post and Hope

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Communicating Good Governance
But we use.

• Email / Electronic Delivery
• Ability to delete!
• Not secure - can be forwarded
• Read receipt equals close e-mail
• No understanding measurement
• Post and Hope

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Communicating Good Governance
But we use.

• Corporate Intranet
• Employee must take initiative
• Documents difficult to locate
• No read confirmation
• No understanding measurement
• Post and Hope

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Communicating Good Governance
What more can we do?

• Pro-actively deliver the right policies and
  procedures to the right people and get
  confirmation that they have been received, read
  and understood.

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Communicating Good Governance
What more can I do?

• Review, amend, agree and
• sign off new or updated policies and procedures
  internally then send out the latest version to
• the staff

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Communicating Good Governance
What more can I do?

• Receive regular, comprehensive reports on exactly
  who has received, read and understood all of the
  policies and procedures which the Borough needs.

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Communicating Good Governance
Summary of key points
Conform

• Communication (clear channels)
• Accountability (doing the right things)
• Ensure Compliance (with the Framework)
• Internal Policies (must be understood)
• Good Management (Proof, Pro-active)
• Good outcomes (Borough Public)
• Provide Assurances (Proof Certainty)

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Communicating Good Governance

• Communicating Good Governance will help you to
• Reduce the Risk of damage to Reputation and CPA
  Scoring
• Provide evidence of Better Governance, Best
  Practice and Risk / Performance Management
• Improve the Review/Approval process
• Reduce Costs

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Communicating Good Governance

• Communicating Good Governance
• Practical Advice
• Questions?
• Thank you for your time.
• Opportunity to speak with us afterwards.

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