Governance Defined
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.
It comprises the systems and processes, and cultures and values, by which local government bodies are directed and controlled and through which they account to, engage with and, where appropriate, lead their communities.

Foundation

Bournemouth Borough Council is committed to effective leadership, which is the foundation for effective corporate governance. To this end, the Council commits to :

• Providing a vision for the local community and leading by example in decision making and other processes and actions.
• Members and managers conducting themselves in accordance with the highest standards of conduct.

Four Key Roles
Modern Councils have the following key roles :

• Partnerships are a key component for public service provision and Councils have a major role to play in leading partnership working. Bournemouth Council seeks to provide leadership to the community through its ability to act in an advocacy role and to promote the economic, social and environmental well-being of the area.
• Councils are responsible for ensuring the delivery of high quality services to their communities. In Bournemouth, this includes services provided :
  
  • on an in-house basis
  • by private sector contractors employed by the Council
  • jointly with other Councils or agencies
  • by the voluntary sector
• Bournemouth Council is accountable to tax payers for its stewardship and use of resources. It seeks to :
  • provide excellent value for money
  • make the best use of the resources available to it
  • protect the interests of local people.
• Bournemouth Council works with others to build a strong sense of community and to encourage individual citizens to play a full and constructive part in the lives and development of their community. Bournemouth Council is democratically accountable to its community.

Three Over-Arching Elements
The Council embraces the following three over-arching elements of good corporate governance and will continually strive to ensure that they underpin the delivery of services to the public :

• Openness and Inclusivity - being open through genuine consultation with stakeholders and providing access to full, accurate and clear information and seeking to ensure that all stakeholders and potential stakeholders have the opportunity to engage effectively with the decision making processes and actions of the Council.
• Integrity - including both straightforward dealing and completeness, based upon honesty, selflessness and objectivity and high standards of propriety and probity in the stewardship of public funds and management of the Council’s affairs.
• Accountability - the process whereby Members and officers are responsible for their decisions and actions, including their stewardship of public funds and all aspects of performance, and submit themselves to appropriate external scrutiny.

In order to ensure that these three elements underpin service delivery the Council commits to :

• Monitor their effectiveness in practice; and
• Review on a continuing basis to ensure that they are up to date. 

Six Core Principles
In accordance with the CIPFA / SOLACE Guidance, the Council recognises that the three over-arching elements need to be reflected in six core principles of service delivery as set out here. The Council will strive to ensure that within each of the six core principles, the three over-arching elements of good corporate governance are applied.

Monitoring and Maintaining the Code
Bournemouth Borough Council is committed to the principles of good corporate governance identified in the CIPFA / SOLACE Guidance and confirms its ongoing commitment and intentions though the development, adoption, monitoring and maintenance of the Local Code of Corporate Governance. The Council recognises that achieving high standards of corporate governance will encourage our stakeholders to have confidence in us and allow the Council to more effectively undertake the role of Community Leader.

Monitoring the Code
Compliance should be demonstrated through the “vowel” test recommended in the CIPFA / SOLACE Guidance :

• Accountability
• Effectiveness
• Integrity
• Openness and Inclusivity, and by keeping their arrangements
• Up to date

The Chief Executive and Leader make an Annual Governance Statement giving their opinion on whether the corporate governance arrangements are adequate and are operating effectively.
The Head of Law & Corporate Governance has been given responsibility for :

In addition, the Head of Internal Audit has been given the responsibility to review independently and to provide assurance within the annual report to the Administration and Value for Money - Audit & Governance - Overview Sub Panel on the adequacy and effectiveness of the Code and the extent of compliance with it.
The interim and annual reports of the Head of Law & Corporate Governance should report on any aspects of the Code that are not yet in place and propose appropriate steps to address the areas to further enhance the corporate governance arrangements. This approach to annual reporting should ensure that the principles of corporate governance are embedded in the culture of the Council and are transparent to stakeholders and partners.

Maintaining the Code
The interim and annual reports of the Head of Law & Corporate Governance should identify areas in which the Code has become out of date or irrelevant. The Head of Law & Corporate Governance will be responsible for updating the Code and for ensuring the ongoing relevance and application of the Code. The Council (represented by the Final Accounts Board) should discuss any significant revisions to the Code before their approval. Any significant revisions to the Code should be reported to stakeholders and partners.

This Code was adopted by Bournemouth Borough Council at its meeting on 26th June 2008.