The Devon Assurance Partnership Committee met on Friday 13 March 2026 to discuss the partnership's performance, budget for the upcoming financial year, and its risk management framework. The meeting's agenda included an update report on the partnership's activities, the proposed budget for 2026/27, and a review of the partnership's risk update.

Devon Assurance Partnership Committee Update Report

The committee was scheduled to consider an update report on the Devon Assurance Partnership's (DAP) activities for the year to date. This report, prepared by the Director of Finance and Public Value, Angie Sinclair, was intended to provide an overview of the partnership's performance, including its financial position, new business ventures, staffing, and overall performance metrics. The report highlighted that the partnership's budget position was on track and that it remained stable in terms of new business. It also noted a continued investment in staff development, with an emphasis on both on-the-job training and formal qualifications. The report indicated that staff turnover was 7% above the target of 5%, a figure that had been questioned by members in previous meetings as potentially unrealistic. Customer satisfaction feedback remained high at 97%.

The report also detailed the development of a comprehensive Key Performance Indicator (KPI) framework for the partnership, designed to support both internal team performance management and external service delivery reporting. This framework was developed with input from the 2025/26 DAP Management Board and aimed to review the relevance of existing KPIs, which had historically focused mainly on Internal Audit activity. The report acknowledged that the KPIs needed to reflect the diverse group of organisations within the partnership and that work would continue to refine their applicability.

Devon Assurance Partnership 2026/27 Budget

The committee was also set to review and approve the proposed budget for the Devon Assurance Partnership for the financial year 2026/27. This budget, also reported by Angie Sinclair, Director of Finance and Public Value, was developed in consultation with the Devon Assurance Partnership Management Board. The proposed budget indicated an increase in employee costs, attributed to workforce restructuring and the potential for pay awards, alongside reductions in premises and supplies and services costs. The budget was balanced, with projected income from partner and external work offsetting the expenditure. The report noted a 3% increase in the Partner Day Rate, continuing the trend of subsidising partner service delivery through external income generation.

Devon Assurance Partnership Risk Update

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to reviewing the Devon Assurance Partnership's risk update. This report, prepared by the Director of Finance and Public Value, outlined high-level strategic aims to ensure the partnership's continued success and fitness for purpose. The report identified three core areas: People, Quality, and Growth and Sustainability. Each area was supported by detailed risk descriptions, using a Cause, Event, Impact model, with proposed mitigations and target risk scores.

Under the People theme, a key risk identified was Workforce Sustainability, Quality, Experience and Depth. The report detailed causes such as insufficient salaries, opportunities elsewhere, and inadequate training, leading to potential impacts like the inability to deliver core work and damage to relationships. Mitigating actions included a grow our own programme, recruitment of new staff, and seeking staff with transferable skills. The report noted a reduction in the current risk score for this area, indicating progress.

The Quality theme addressed the risk of Delivery of Quality in all outputs and interactions. Potential causes included insufficient training, high workloads, and a lack of motivation, with impacts such as reputational damage and loss of repeat business. Mitigating actions included an internal Quality Assurance process, development forums, and investment in training. The report indicated that while the current risk score was low, there was still a risk higher than the target score, particularly due to changes in the workforce.

The Growth and Sustainability theme focused on the risk of Partnership Growth and Sustainability. This encompassed risks related to changes in service offers, funding cuts, increased competition, and regulatory changes. Potential impacts included a reduction in staffing, loss of expertise, and a cycle of decline. Mitigating actions included reviewing the cost base, maintaining a mix of permanent and temporary staff, ongoing bid submissions, and seeking strategic partnerships. The report acknowledged that long-term pressures on public finances and local government reorganisation remained factors influencing this risk.

The meeting also included standard procedural items such as the election of a Vice Chair, Chair's announcements, apologies, and declarations of interest. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 25 November 2025 were also scheduled for confirmation.