Agenda item

To consider the risks contained within the Corporate Risk Register and assurance that the risks are being effectively managed.   

22.1          The report of the Head of Corporate Services, circulated at Pages No. 167-189, asked Members to consider the risks contained within the corporate risk register and assurance that the risks were being effectively managed.

22.2          Members were reminded that the corporate risk register was a high-level tool which helped management to consider what the corporate risks were and how they were being managed and it was brought to each meeting of the Audit and Governance Committee.  The key updates arising since the register was last presented to the Committee were set out at Pages No. 169-170, Paragraph 3.1 of the report.  It was noted that Reference 7. Waste Service, related to the risk around the effectiveness of the waste contract, was recommended for removal on the basis that the contract was now well-managed on the whole.  It would continue to be monitored by the Head of Community Services and could be brought back if anything significant was to occur in future.  Two key risks had been added to the register, the first of which was Reference 17. National Driver Shortage – this had been well-documented in the media and had the potential to impact upon waste collection rounds.  Regular discussions were taking place with Ubico which had strategies in place to mitigate the risk and two new drivers had recently been appointed which was positive news.  Nevertheless, drivers were being lost to the private sector which would inevitably have an impact on the Council’s waste service if it continued.  The second new risk was Reference 18. Waste Transfer Station which had been included to reflect the fact that Wingmoor Farm was the subject of a planning variation which was being determined by Gloucestershire County Council and, if refused, would prevent Tewkesbury Borough Council from taking waste to that site.  The only alternative in that situation would be to direct deliver waste to Javelin Park which would require considerable changes to waste collection rounds and would incur significant costs. 

22.3          In response to a query about possible alternative waste transfer stations, the Head of Community Services advised that there were no appropriate sites within a logical geographical area.  A Member questioned how likely it was that the planning variation would be refused and the Head of Community Services indicated that Tewkesbury Borough Council had been consulted on the proposal as a statutory consultee and its Planning Committee had objected to the proposal when it had considered the application in August.  A Member noted from the report that representation had been made to Gloucestershire County Council and she asked what had been said and how that related to the decision made by Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Planning Committee.  In response, the Head of Community Services explained that Officers from Tewkesbury Borough Council and Cheltenham Borough Council – which would also be impacted - had written to Gloucestershire County Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Planning Committees setting out their position but, unfortunately, Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Planning Committee had taken a different view.  It was now a question of waiting for a decision from Gloucestershire County Council.  He pointed out that a lot of calculations had been done in relation to the environmental consequences associated with the increased number of trips to Javelin Park – there would be around 9,000 additional vehicle movements which would generate 273 tonnes of carbon.  In addition, the waste collection rounds would need to be completely redesigned which had last been done in 2017 and was a significant task that inevitably disrupted the service for a temporary period.  In response to a further query regarding the reasons for the Planning Committee’s decision, the Head of Community Services indicated that Wingmoor Farm was a difficult site with a long history and its use as a waste transfer station had generated a lot of angst in the community in terms of potential odour and noise emissions.  The site had been operating as a waste transfer station for two years during which time it had not caused any problems aside from an isolated incident in 2020 when it was not operating properly.  If the site operated as set out in the current plan, it should not cause odour problems for the community.  A Member indicated that, as a Ward Councillor for an area impacted by the Wingmoor Farm site, she would dispute those claims but she accepted this was not the right place for that discussion.

22.4          Having considered the information provided, it was

RESOLVED          That the risks and mitigating controls within the corporate risk register be NOTED.