Agenda item

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

36.1          The report of the Head of Service: Audit and Governance, circulated at Pages No. 24-42, asked Members to consider the risks contained within the corporate risk register and assurance that the risks were being effectively managed.

36.2           The Director: Corporate Services advised that a column on direction of travel had been included within the corporate risk register, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, and dates had been included against actions so Members knew when they were due to be delivered and risk owners were accountable.  It was to be borne in mind that some of the risks were out of the Council’s control, particularly those in relation to the government and national financial picture, with some dates ongoing or unknown.  Since the last meeting, the score in relation to Ref. 1 Financial sustainability had been slightly reduced as there was confidence that a balanced budget could be delivered for the next couple of years, albeit there remained significant financial challenges in the medium to long term.  In terms of Ref. 11 – Migration of people, this risk had increased slightly as the asylum seeker hotel in the borough was due to close on 11 December 2023 which could mean an increase in the number of people approaching Tewkesbury Borough Council to be housed, although it was likely to be a bigger issue for Cheltenham Borough and Gloucester City Councils which were just across the border and more urban in nature.  It was proposed to remove risk Ref. 14 – Defra consultation as the government had confirmed it would not impose significant changes to the way local authorities collected their waste.

36.3          In response to a query regarding the rescoring of the risk around Ref. 1 - Financial sustainability, the Executive Director: Resources confirmed that Officers had relooked at the risk and, based on all the facts, it was felt that a score of 25 did not reflect the short-medium term position and that a score of 20 was more realistic at this point in time.  The Director: Corporate Resources indicated that those authorities who had got into the most financial difficulty had tended to lack good governance arrangements, or had made bad investments, which were not issues at Tewkesbury Borough Council as exemplified by the audit work taking place.  In terms of Ref. 11 – Migration of people, a Member asked whether engagement had taken place with those affected by the closure of the hotel to attempt to find a solution rather than them presenting to the Council and the Director: Communities confirmed that significant engagement was taking place and a taskforce was being set-up with the first job being to establish the real number of people affected – there had been suggestions it could be as many as 200 - and what they wanted to do, for example, those with refugee status would have the ability to work.  With regard to Ref. 14 – Defra consultation, a Member was under the impression the Prime Minister had made a statement about collection of food waste and asked if that had any implications for Tewkesbury Borough Council.  In response, the Director: Communities confirmed that the authority already collected food waste so was not impacted by that statement.

36.4          It was

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