Issue - meetings

Recommendation AU 24/4 of Audit Committee of 15 April 2024 in respect of Risk Management

Consideration was given to recommendation AU 24/14 of the Audit Committee of 15 April 2024 in respect of risk management and the Strategic Risk Register (SRR).

Cabinet had due regard to the views of the Committee, the financial and value for money considerations and the legal implications and noted that the number of ‘red’ risks on the SRR had reduced to 4 as set out below:

·        Savings and Transformation Strategy

·        Local Plan

·        Implementation of Agile Software

·        Procurement

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the updates to the Strategic Risk Register since the last iteration with particular emphasis on those risks categorised as ‘RED’ be noted; and

(2)             The general positive ‘direction of travel’ be noted

(Decision Notice: D240058CAB)

Consideration was given to recommendation AU 24/14 of the Audit Committee of 15 April 2024 in respect of risk management and the Strategic Risk Register (SRR).

Cabinet had due regard to the views of the Committee, the financial and value for money considerations and the legal implications and noted that the number of ‘red’ risks on the SRR had reduced to 4 as set out below:

·        Savings and Transformation Strategy

·        Local Plan

·        Implementation of Agile Software

·        Procurement

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the updates to the Strategic Risk Register since the last iteration with particular emphasis on those risks categorised as ‘RED’ be noted; and

(2)             The general positive ‘direction of travel’ be noted.

The report provides an update on the risk management process and the Strategic Risk Register.

Members received an update on the risk management process and the Strategic Risk Register (SRR).   In January 2024, there were 7 risks categorised as ‘red’ as summarised below:

·       Savings and Transformation Strategy

·       Local Plan

·       Implementation of the Agile software system

·       Political factors including stability of political leadership and decision making

·       Homes for Ukraine Scheme

·       Carbon Neutral 2030 Aspiration

·       Safeguarding and PREVENT

Since last reported, and at the snapshot in time that the Management Team had reassessed the risks, Safeguarding and PREVENT, Political factors including stability of political leadership and decision making, Homes for Ukraine Scheme and Carbon Neutral 2030 Aspiration were no longer identified as RED risks.  However, Procurement had been added, giving a total of four remaining RED risks as follows:

• Savings and Transformation Strategy
• Local Plan
• Implementation of Agile software system
• Procurement.

At the request of Members, the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health provided an update on the management of the Agile project risk, which remained RED, during which reference was made to the report submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 4 April 2024.  Members asked that further updates in respect of the Agile project risk be provided at future meetings.

During discussion, attention was brought to ’Procurement’ which was identified as a significant weakness by Grant Thornton in their Annual Audit report.  Members received an update regarding this risk, in particular the imminent engagement of procurement resources following a decision by Cabinet on 2 April 2024.  It was therefore anticipated that the risk would be reduced at the next update.  

RECOMMENDED*: That the updates to the Strategic Risk Register since the last iteration with particular emphasis on those risks categorised as ‘RED’, as well as the general positive ‘direction of travel’, be noted.

*Referred to Cabinet