Agenda item

To consider the Corporate Risk Register.

The Committee received the Corporate Risk Register.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·         The Chief Executive informed Members that COVID 19 had had a massive impact and had materially changed the risk environment.  Broad comments had been made on each risk in light of the COVID 19 crisis and the Committee would receive a fuller update at its next meeting in July.

·         The Deputy Chief Executive stated that there would be a fundamental rewrite of the Corporate Risk Register.  The Council’s emergency planning arrangements around risk and recovery would be looking at risk and recovery.

·         Councillor Burgess commented that the risk of a pandemic had been included on the Government risk register and questioned why it had not been included on the Council’s Corporate Risk Register previously.  She went on to ask how the Council was addressing the risk of a second wave of infection.  The Chief Executive commented that the Council was currently responding to the crisis and that a daily emergency response meeting was held to discuss risks.  Within the next month, a local control outbreak plan would be in place.  Other issues such as the strength of supply for PPE, were under consideration.  It was noted that the Government was introducing a clipper system to ensure more certain supplies of PPE.

·         The Deputy Chief Executive questioned whether a pandemic should previously have been included on the Council’s Corporate Risk Register and emphasised that risk management used a matrix of likelihood and risk.  The Chief Executive added that the Council was resilient and in a position to be able to respond should a second wave of infection occur.

·         Councillor Burgess asked about financial scenario planning over the next 3 years and the potential scale of the financial risk because of COVID 19.  The Deputy Chief Executive responded that there were a large amount of unknowns such as the local government finance settlement.  Similarly, the easing of lockdown might release some leisure income.  It was important that the Council was fully aware of what options it had available to it.

·         Councillor Burgess asked whether the Council had prepared sufficiently for a worst-case financial scenario.  The Deputy Chief Executive indicated that the Council was not moving towards a Section 114 notice.

·         With regards to the Climate Emergency risk, Councillor Ross was reassured that consideration was being given to preparation for possible droughts.

·         In response to a comment from Councillor Shepherd-DuBey, the Deputy Chief Executive stressed that the Climate Emergency work was not on hold, and that an officer group continued to meet.  He also continued to liaise with the relevant Executive Member.  The Climate Emergency Action Plan was under development and would be presented to Council in the near future.

·         Councillor Burgess emphasised the need for carbon reduction targets.  The Deputy Executive stated that these were being worked on.

·         Councillor Ross commented that the Risk Register did not refer to the current Local Plan.  The Chief Executive agreed that this should be included.

·         Councillor Sargeant welcomed the approach taken to the Corporate Risk Register.

·         Councillor Shepherd-DuBey emphasised that with large amounts of staff working from home it was vital that the Council have a robust IT infrastructure in place, and that this needed to be reflected within the Risk Register.  It was agreed that this would be referenced.

·         Members were informed of the Council’s emergency planning response which considered matters such as accommodation, staffing and IT.  When the first case had been identified in the Borough, an immediate response had been identified and uptodate service templates produced.

·         Councillor Shepherd-DuBey asked about lessons learnt from the Council’s initial response to the COVID 19 pandemic.  The Chief Executive indicated a paper would be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, which would decide how different aspects of the Council’s response would be scrutinised.

·         With regards to the risk around workforce, Councillor Shepherd-DuBey commented that no mention was made of how many staff could be unavailable due to sickness before the Council could no longer function.  The Deputy Chief Executive stated that planning assumptions of up to 25% of staff being unavailable had been considered.

·         With regards to Risk 2 ‘Corporate Governance’ and managing the impact of COVID 19 on this, Councillor Burgess felt that the wording was misleading and that the briefings with the Group Leaders were not transparent.  The Deputy Chief Executive emphasised that officers were briefing all parties as often as they could at present and the briefings still provided some challenge and steer.

·         Councillor Burgess felt that the actions identified to mitigate Risk 4 ‘Local Land Supply (including five year land supply)’ did not sufficiently address the issue, nor was the extension of the danger zone around AWE referred to.

·         With regards to Risk 6 ‘Safeguarding children and young people’, Councillor Burgess was of the opinion that there was insufficient further actions highlighted to address issues identified as a result of COVID 19 such as increased domestic abuse.  The Chief Executive reiterated that the current iteration of the Risk Register was light touch whilst the Council continued to respond to the crisis and that the Committee would receive a fuller update at their next meeting.

·         Councillor Burgess noted that overview and scrutiny were to monitor the risk around Brexit.  She commented that it was important that Brexit was included on the scrutiny work programmes.

RESOLVED: That the update be noted.