Agenda item

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The Corporate Performance Manager presented the report which set out the changes to the Corporate Risk Register since the last monitoring report to the 28 February 2022 meeting.  The report gave details of the risks falling into the ‘Very High’ category and the associated work being progressed to mitigate the effects.

The key issues were outlined as set out in the report.

The Committee’s attention was drawn to Section 2 of the report which provided an overview of the changes to the Corporate Risk Register.

Councillor Morley commented on the following entries in the corporate risk register:

·                1.1 Business Continuity and commented that instructions on how to access the business portal was contained on a briefing note on Insite and that he didn’t have Insite.

·                Hybrid meetings – score still amber and referred to the Informal Working Group which was looking at meeting arrangements.

·                1.3 Reputation Management and 5.2 Council Reputation and asked what was the difference?.  The Corporate Performance Manager explained that when a review of the register was undertaken it was anticipated that those two entries would be merged into one.

·                Where there were two risk registers they should be aligned to ensure consistency and gave an example of West Winch Housing Access Road

The Chair thanked Councillor Morley for his contribution.  Councillor Morley added that he would send other comments direct to the Corporate Performance Manager.

Councillor Ryves commented that consideration could be given to setting up a working party within the Audit Committee to look at risk in more detail.  The Chair thanked Councillor Ryves for his contribution but added that he was not in favour of a working party at the moment and commented that the Committee had received a copy of the risk register prior to the meeting and invited Members to pass any concerns/comments direct to the Corporate Performance Manager.

In response to questions from Councillor Ryves on the Guildhall, the Assistant Director Resources explained that commitment of the Borough Council to underwrite fund raising.  The Assistant Director explained that she was currently undertaking work to respond to the question on dilapidation works raised by Councillor Ryves. The Assistant Director advised that with regard to the underwriting, a further Cabinet report would be required.

Following questions from Councillor Ryves on the current situation with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and what mitigating factors the Borough Council could take to ameliorate distress.  In response, the Assistant Director Resources explained that there could be more discussion on how the hospital could approach alternative funding.  The Borough Council could lobby support for a new hospital.

Following further questions on the pay policy and any potential dispute including industrial action, the Assistant Director explained that staffing issues were covered in the corporate risk register and the financial plan which looked at the financial implications and considered under the context of the corporate risk register which sat over the top of those.

In response to Councillor Hudson relating to monitoring, spend etc of major projects the Portfolio Holder for Finance outlined the future process of monitoring major projects via the Member Major Projects Board.

Councillor Collingham referred to 1.16 General Data Protection Regulations and the new regulations with effect from May 2018 and suggested that the text be amended to read “new regulations which came into effect in May 2018.  The Corporate Performance Manager undertook to amend the text.

Councillor Collingham drew the Committee’s attention to 2.2 empty retail properties within the town centre and as a mitigation action the Council could include looking at opportunities which the authority could promote rather than rely on external funding opportunities such as the Towns Fund and Levelling up Bid.

Councillor Bambridge stated that she was pleased to see the change in risk for homelessness and also commented that the Council could consider pro active leisure activities such as crazy golf within an empty unit.

Councillor Gidney asked if an introduction note could be included within the risk register in relation to complex projects regarding inflation rates and their impact; including the differing the risks faced by commercial partners and the council.

Councillor Morley made the following observations:

·                Ideas/proposals from the Regeneration and Development Panel did not carry the same wait as those proposals from consultants and were not carried forward.

·                MMPB still had a lot of work to do to improve the Capital Programme.

Councillor Collingham concurred with the issues raised by Councillor Gidney and highlighted the request for the Audit Committee to receive a simpler summary of the overall major strategic risks.

Under Standing Order 34, Councillor Howard suggested that the above request be forcibly minuted.

The Chair thanked the Corporate Performance Manager for presenting the report and responded to comments and questions from the Committee.

The Chair thanked the Portfolio Holder for Finance for her contribution on this item.

RESOLVED: 1) The Committee considered the contents of the Risk Register and confirmed agreement with Management Team’s assessment of the risks to the corporate business plan.

2) A summary of the overall major strategic risks be included in future reports to the Committee.