Issue - meetings

This report updates councillors on the position of the council’s Corporate Risk Register. The main updates are as follows:

·       The reporting of the Register continues in the updated format for this quarter;

·       One new risk has been added - CR8 - Inability to run an election/referendum;

·       Risk CR17 – Risk to Reputation of Place & Council if summer arrangements are not managed was removed during the quarter;

·       Material updates to the risks are summarised at sections 19-23.

On behalf of the Risk and Insurance Manager, the Head of Audit and Management Assurance presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The report provided the latest quarterly update on corporate risk and Members were reminded that the previously agreed revised reporting format now included a ‘direction of travel’ risk scoring and, in respect of each risk, included reference to the adopted risk response category. Definition of the four category types were set out and explained. The Committee was also informed that, as part of continuing development in terms of the reporting of risk registers, the format of the report for the Committee now also included a section for each risk which outlined the link to the relevant Corporate Objective(s).

Presentations had been made to a special meeting of the Committee on 01 December 2022 regarding corporate risks CR13 (Failure to deliver the transformation programme) and CR20 (Failure to adequately deliver the ambitions of the climate change emergency declaration) and the changes identified by the Committee at that time had been incorporated.

The Committee was advised of material updates to the register made during the quarter in addition to the updates made on an ongoing basis. These included changes to corporate risks CR15 (Effective People Strategy), CR8 (Inability to run an election/referendum) and CR15 (Risk to Reputation of Place & Council if summer arrangements are not managed).

In respect of risk CR8 (Inability to run an election/referendum) it was explained that it was usual to escalate the risk in the period of the run up to Local Elections. Members were also informed that risk CR17 (Risk to reputation of Place and Council if summer arrangements are not managed) had reverted to Service level.

In relation to CR20 (Failure to adequately deliver the ambitions of the climate emergency declaration), the Committee requested information about the proposed timeframe for consideration of a specific planned response and Action Plan and a timetable would be provided setting out the timetable for consideration through Overview and Scrutiny and Cabinet leading to a report to the Council meeting on 21 March 2023.

The Committee identified issues relating to corporate risk CR19 (Determination of planning applications) where further clarification would be provided.

There was also discussion about whether the issues relating to completion of the audit of accounts should be included as a corporate risk. The Chairman assured the Committee that all the steps being taken to resolve this important issue were being carefully recorded and consistently reported through to the Committee in order that effective monitoring of the situation was maintained at Audit and Governance Committee level with appropriate and relevant senior Members and Officers closely involved.

RESOLVED that the Audit and Governance Committee notes the update provided in this report relating to Corporate Risks.

Voting: Unanimous