Agenda item

The Director Finance, Property and Information Services will submit a report on a further review of the Strategic Risk Register undertaken in October 2016 and presenting the outcomes of that review.

The Director of Finance, Property and IT submitted a note presenting a report to be submitted to Cabinet on the 11^th January, 2016 on a full review of the Strategic Risk Register undertaken in October 2016 and presenting the outcomes of that review.

The report, which was presented by Mr A Hunt, Risk and Governance Manager formed part of the Committee’s assurance process where it was agreed that following the completion of the review of the Strategic Risk Register, the Committee consider the latest version and provide appropriate comments thereon.

The Register contained those high level risks that were considered significant potential obstacles to the achievement of the Authority’s Corporate Objectives.  It was important that the Register remain up to date and be reviewed regularly in order to accurately reflect the most significant risks to the achievement of objectives and facilitate timely and effective mitigations to those risks.

Following a review of the Strategic Risk Register in March 2016, a further review had been undertaken in October, 2016 the outcomes of which were detailed within the report.  Mr Hunt outlined in some detail the way in which the register had been reviewed together with the role of the Senior Management Team in this process.  He commented on the main components of the review and the items included.

The report outlined:

·         The introduction and background to the Strategic Risk Register

·         The distribution of the risks across the six concern rating classifications

·         The changes since the last review with the inclusion of an additional risk 3842 (Failure to ensure the transfer of 0-19 Services that are being transferred back into the Council Control to ensure customers remain safe, there is a continuous service and that during and after the transition period customers remain safe)

·         The two risks that had had their risk concern rating reduced:

o        Risk 3024 (Lack of educational attainment)

o        3034 (Failure to deliver the Medium Term Financial Strategy – ‘Failure of Future Council to achieve the required level of savings)

·         The significant /red risks and new and emerging risks and the risk mitigation actions

·         Other significant risks to the Strategic Risk Register

A further review of the Register was now programmed with other governance related reports relating to Corporate Finance and Performance Management in order for the Cabinet to receive and consider governance related reports as a broad suite of documents.

The report and Register indicated how assurance against significant risk was being managed appropriately and Appendices to the report provided details of:

·         The background to the Strategic Risk Register

·         The improved and worsened risks

·         The ‘direction of travel’ trends

·         The risks that had been completed/closed

·         The new and updated risk mitigation actions

·         A copy of the full Strategic Risk Register

Reference was also made to the embedding of the risk management culture throughout the Authority.

In the ensuing discussion, particular reference was made to the following:

·         In response to questioning the Director of Legal and Governance referred to Risk 3842 and gave details of the services which had been transferred to the Council in relation to the 0-19 Service.  He also outlined the reasons for the one off transitional cost of £442,000 which had been minimised but was unavoidable.  It was noted that there had been some initial issues with regard to integration with Council IT systems and this matter was being kept under review. The Risk and Governance Manager gave details of the risks that had been reported to Senior Management Team by the Director of Public Health

·         Some concern was expressed in relation to Risk 3794 in relation to the failure to influence the governance arrangements underpinning and controlling the emerging City region Devolution Deal.  Particular reference was made to the scrutiny and audit arrangements which it was suggested should be more aligned to the scrutiny and audit arrangements in Barnsley. In response, the Director of Legal and Governance explained the legal background to the establishment of the City Region arrangements.  It was noted that the Leader of the Council had stated that the scrutiny arrangements required to be developed, however, the initial effort had been focused on delivering the ‘Deal’

·         In relation to Risk 3047 (Failure to protect the population from preventable health threats) it was noted that this had changed from ‘amber 3’ to ‘amber 4’ – the report would be amended to reflect this.  The reasons for this were touched upon as were the plans to address the risk

RESOLVED that the report on the outcome of the recent review of the Strategic Risk Register in relation to the management, challenge and development of the Register be noted and the Committee continue to receive periodic updates as to the process of the actions taken and their impact on the Strategic Risk Register.