Agenda item

To consider the Risk Register and the risks contained within it. 

50.1           The report of the Corporate Services Group Manager, circulated at Pages No. 130-138, attached the corporate risk register which Members were asked to consider.

50.2           Members were advised that the Council’s overall risk management arrangements were overseen by the Corporate Governance Group and the corporate risk register, attached at Appendix 1, was a high level summary document which had been endorsed by the Corporate Leadership Team; changes to the register since the last update were highlighted in bold.  It was noted that the risk management framework, including the Risk Management Strategy and risk register, would be formally reviewed through the course of 2016/17.  This would be supported with training for relevant Officers and Members.  The review of the Risk Management Strategy had been briefly discussed at the Transform Working Group where there had been evidence of a shift in the risk appetite of the Council, for example, a will to explore commercial opportunities, which should be reflected in the new strategy.

50.3           With regard to Appendix 1, particular attention was drawn to business transformation which was a key part of the transform programme and a Digital Strategy was due to be presented to the Executive Committee at its meeting on 6 April 2016.  Economic growth was central to the new Council Plan and an Overview and Scrutiny Committee Working Group was currently in the process of reviewing the Economic Development and Tourism Strategy.  The Working Group needed more time to ensure that the strategy was comprehensive and the implementation date had therefore been amended to December 2016.  In terms of asset management, Members should be aware that the Executive Committee had recently approved the preparation of development proposals for the Spring Gardens and Oldbury Road site.  As mentioned under the previous Agenda item, the development of a new Workforce Development Strategy was on hold pending the return of the Lead Officer from sickness absence, however, assurance was provided that work would still be done in this area, e.g. training, without a formal strategy in place.  In relation to customer expectation, a Customer Care Strategy had been approved by the Executive Committee in March 2016 and the corporate standards included within the strategy, which set out what customers could expect when making contact with the Council, now needed to be rolled out.  In terms of the delivery of operational services, a client monitoring framework had been developed and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee was due to receive the second report since the transfer of waste services to Ubico at its next meeting.  Finally, business continuity had been identified as a Significant Governance Issue in the Annual Governance Statement and a desktop exercise had been held for Operational Managers in February which had provided the catalyst for more work during the year.

50.4           A Member felt that the register needed to be updated in relation to the new leisure centre which was entering the final phase of build work, as it would be necessary to ensure that the agreement was working properly before the handover of the facility to the operators.  The Corporate Services Group Manager felt that this was a valid point and undertook to update the risk accordingly.  It was subsequently

RESOLVED          That the information contained within the corporate risk register be NOTED.