URL: https://horsham.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=850

Decision Maker: Leader of the Council

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: Yes

Purpose:

Content: To approve the Local Code of Governance (“the Code”).   To delegate authority to the Director of Resources to update the Code annually, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and having regard to the views of the Audit Committee. The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (“CIPFA”) published an addendum to its document “Delivering Good Governance in Local Government: Framework” in May 2025.The addendum states that “CIPFA and Solace recommend that authorities adopt a local code of governance which sets out their governance arrangements, showing how governance principles are put into practice at their authority”.   The addendum recommends that local authorities adopt a more comprehensive local code of governance than before to provide stronger evidence of their alignment to good governance principles. The Council’s code has been rewritten to reflect the guidance contained in the addendum.   It is good practice for a local code of governance to be reviewed and updated regularly. To not have a local code of governance. If the Council does not have a local code of governance, the annual review of governance which takes place prior to the Annual Governance Statement being prepared would first need to identify the arrangements in place to meet good governance principles. Therefore, not having a code would impact the annual governance review and the Annual Governance Statement, and so was rejected.   To continue to use the existing local code of governance. This was rejected in favour of creating a more comprehensive and accessible code, aligned with the addendum, to better support the annual governance review. No conflicts have been declared.

Date of Decision: June 3, 2026