Purpose

To report to Cabinet on the work undertaken by the Committee (which is an Executive Sub-Committee of Cabinet) during 2025/26.

Decision

The role of the Shareholder and Trust Committee was to ensure that the Council’s companies, limited liability partnerships and trusts acted in the interests of the Council as shareholder and in the case of trusts, sole trustee, and that best practice was being adhered to in delivering statutory arrangements. In doing so, the Committee contributed to the proper governance of the Council’s subsidiaries and trusts. This added level of governance continued to be vitally important in the context of the financial challenges many local authorities had faced over recent years with local authority companies and trusts. Understanding the risks and performance associated with wholly or jointly owned companies and trusts was a key task of the Committee.

Producing an annual report to reflect the work and outcomes achieved by the Committee throughout 2025-26 was considered good practice.

It was noted that Members of the Shareholder and Trust Committee were not directors, and did not have any direct involvement, in any of the subsidiary bodies.

RESOLVED that the Buckinghamshire Shareholder & Trust Committee Annual Report which details the work undertaken during 2025/26 be noted.