Agenda item

To consider the Corporate Risk Register Review.

The Committee received the Corporate Risk Register.

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

·       There was one new risk, Risk 20 Website replacement.  The Committee had previously asked that this be looked at.

·       Some risks had decreased.  The risk around cyber security had increased.

·       Councillor Gee expressed disappointment that the Director Children’s Services and Executive Member Children’s Services were not present to discuss the risk relating to the Safety Valve programme.  The Deputy Chief Executive commented that the Director and Executive Member would likely come to the Committee following the conclusion of the submission stage.

·       Councillor Gee sought an update on the Safety Valve programme.  The Deputy Chief Executive explained that the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) had been growing at an increasingly alarming rate over the last 3-4 years, and would have a £16million accumulated deficit by the end of the year.  The increase had started following a change in regulations around how money within the DSG could be used, and extending the age of those eligible for SEND support to 25 years old.  Under the Safety Valve programme, the Council was required to project forwards 5 years, based on specific evidence.  The Deputy Chief Executive commented that left unchecked it would have moved to approximately a £90million deficit.  It was noted that the Statutory Override which ring fenced the DSG was only temporary.  As Chief Finance Officer he was pleased that the Council had become part of the Safety Valve programme, and stated that whether the Council was successful or not in terms of securing financial support, the work undertaken already had been very beneficial.  He went on to highlight the importance of earlier support, a higher level of self-sufficiency, early intervention and prevention, and partnership working.

·       With regards to the Safety Valve risk, the Chair commented that there was a current deficit of £10million rising to £40million in 5 years, but without the Safety Valve mitigations it would be £90million.  The Safety Valve programmed aimed to balance the budget.  The Deputy Chief Executive confirmed that unchecked with no mitigations the deficit would escalate to approximately £90million.  With mitigations, the accumulated deficit would reduce to £40million.  In year 6 of the Safety Valve programme it was hoped the Council would have a balanced budget and there would be no further addition to the deficit.

·       Councillor Gee expressed concern if the Council was unsuccessful in securing funding under the Safety Valve programme and the impact that it could have on the Council’s General Fund balance.  The Deputy Chief Executive responded that he would expect by year 6 that the Statutory Override would no longer be in place and that the deficit would sit on the balance.  How much time the Council would have to respond to this was currently unknown.  He went on to outline that the financial plans presented to Overview and Scrutiny showed that for each of the next 3 years an additional 1% of council tax would go into an equalisation fund, which would help to pay for the mitigations not charged to the DSG, and form a fund that could contribute to the deficit.  The Deputy Chief Executive felt more assured that the recovery plan was in place.

·       The Chair requested that the Director Children’s Services and Executive Member Children’s Services be invited to a future Committee meeting once the status of the Safety Valve programme had been confirmed.

·       Councillor Smith sought further information around the website replacement project risk and asked for a more precise timeframe.  The Head of Digital indicated that the project had moved into the design phase.  Research had been carried out and concepts created based on this.  The design phase would be followed by development and delivery.  For the next 3 months the content would be built into the website and the relevant content from the existing platform, migrated to the new platform.  Build for a contingency site was scheduled for the end of February, and the concept would be tested mid March.

·       Councillor Smith questioned when user testing would begin for the website replacement project, and was informed that the majority of user research had been completed.  Additional user testing would take place in May/June.  Around 300 users had helped to map out the key user journeys, and this had helped to build the architecture of the site. 

·       In response to a question from Councillor Smith, the Head of Digital stated that the ‘beta’ version of the website would be delivered mid May depending on the success of the content upload. 

·       Councillor Maher asked about design.  He also asked whether work was being undertaken internally or externally, and if externally if there was anything in the contract which stated that the project must be delivered on time.  Members were informed that the Council was working with an external company to support the work, and that they were aware of the tight timescales.  The concept and design for the Homepage was in process of being signed off and it was hoped that the additional templates would be signed off by mid February.

·       Members were informed that robust governance arrangements were in place for the website replacement project.

·       Councillor Maher questioned whether the website would be built on internal or external services, and was informed that it would be built on external servers, but that a contingency version would be built on the internal servers.

·       Mike Drake was pleased to see the risk level of several risks reducing.  He questioned that if the specific mitigating actions were carried out the risk would reach the target level of risk.  The Assistant Director Governance explained that the Council’s needed to improve in making a connection between the current and target risk, and the gap between them being addressed through the mitigating actions.

·       The Chair queried why the Climate Emergency risk had reduced when it was still unlikely that the Council would meet its target of being carbon neutral by 2030.  The Deputy Chief Executive stated previously the scoring had taken a more worldwide perspective regarding climate change into account.  The positive movement of the risk related to the Council’s delivery against its own Climate Emergency Action Plan.

·       Members questioned why the risk around voter ID had reduced when the issue remained outstanding.  The Assistant Director Governance commented that the risk was still significant but some mitigations had taken place.  Some additional funding had been provided, guidance had been produced, and a national campaign to raise awareness had begun.

RESOLVED:  That the Corporate Risk Register Review be reviewed and that it be determined that the strategic risks were being actively managed.