8. Principle G
Principle G – Implementing good practices in transparency, reporting, and audit to deliver effective accountability
We will:
- Write and communicate reports for the public and other stakeholders in a fair, balanced and understandable style appropriate to the intended audience and ensuring that they are easy to access and interrogate.
- Strike a balance between providing the right amount of information to satisfy transparency demands and enhance public scrutiny while not being too onerous to provide and for users to understand.
- Report at least annually on performance, value for money and stewardship of resources to stakeholders in a timely and understandable way.
- Ensure members and senior management own the results reported.
- Ensure robust arrangements for assessing the extent to which the principles contained in the Framework have been applied and publishing the results on this assessment, including an action plan for improvement and evidence to demonstrate good governance (the annual governance statement).
- Ensure that the Framework is applied to jointly managed or shared service organisations as appropriate.
- Ensure the performance information that accompanies the financial statements is prepared on a consistent and timely basis and the statements allow for comparison with other, similar organisations.
- Ensure that recommendations for corrective action made by external audit are acted upon.
- Ensure an effective internal audit service with direct access to members is in place, providing assurance with regard to governance arrangements and that recommendations are acted upon.
- Welcome peer challenge, reviews and inspections from regulatory bodies and implement recommendations.
- Gain assurance on risks associated with delivering services through third parties and that this is evidenced in the annual governance statement.
- Ensure that when working in partnership, arrangements for accountability are clear and the need for wider public accountability has been recognised and met.