Issue - meetings

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

·     CR08 – We may fail to run a fair and open election/referendum. This risk has been added during this quarter.

·     No risks have been removed or de-escalated during the quarter.

·     Material updates for this quarter are outlined in section 13.

The Risk and Insurance Manager presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The report provided an update on the position of the Council’s Corporate Risk Register. The main change during the quarter was the addition of CR08 (“We may fail to run a fair and open election/referendum”). No risks had been removed or de-escalated during the quarter. Material updates were outlined in section 13 of the report.

The Portfolio Holder for Destination, Leisure and Commercial Operations explained that CR27 was likely to remain on the risk register despite the allocation of Council funding for cliff stability works, due to ongoing changes in weather patterns. The Portfolio Holder for Finance indicated that CR23 also remained a risk due to the need to plan to meet the cost of the residual Dedicated Schools Grant deficit from Council resources.

The Risk and Insurance Manager was asked about the use of a risk radar and whether emerging risks were included in the report. She confirmed that emerging risks were considered and could be reflected in future reporting. Part of the team’s role was to undertake continuous “horizon scanning” to identify issues that may give rise to risk for the Council. The Chair suggested that further consideration may wish to be given to a horizon scanning exercise. In response to a question on CR04, it was agreed to circulate by email further information on how the Council was mitigating the risks associated with cybersecurity.

The Head of Audit and Management Assurance (HAMA) explained that the Council’s new Risk Management Policy had introduced a new level of ’Enterprise Risks’ which sat at the top of the risk framework. This would be implemented with a phased approach and Members were assured that there were no plans to change the level of detail reported to the Committee. He indicated that he could discuss further information about dashboards if required outside of the meeting.

A Member expressed frustration at the work still required to deliver adequate customer interfaces following the closure of the Transformation Programme (CR18), the reputational risk this posed to the Council and the impact on the vulnerable, particularly in the processing of blue badge applications.

RESOLVED that Members of the Audit and Governance Committee note the update provided in this report relating to corporate risks.

Voting: Agreed with no dissent