Agenda item - Strategic Risk Register Review

Report of Interim Executive Director Finance & Resources (copy attached).

(1)  That the Strategic Risk Report (Appendix 1) be noted.

12.1    The Committee considered a report of the Interim Executive Director Finance & Resources which informed Members that the Committee had a role to monitor and form an opinion on the effectiveness of risk management and internal control.  As part of discharging this role it reviewed the Strategic Risk Register, recently updated by ELT on 22 April and 6 May 2015.   The Strategic Risk Assessment Report was attached as Appendix 1 and provided further detail on the actions taken (‘existing controls’) and planned actions (‘solutions’) to manage each strategic risk.   A summary of the whole risk register was set out in paragraph 4.4 of the report.  More detail was supplied in the appendix.  Each strategic risk had a responsible officer.  The report was presented by the Risk Management Lead.

12.2    Diane Bushell asked how embedded risk management was in the council.  The Risk Management Lead stated that a Risk Management Strategy Annual Progress report for 2014 was submitted to the last committee meeting.  Risk management training, including e learning was available to all the council staff.  

12.3    Councillor Druitt referred to page 95 of the agenda.  He considered that the column stating ‘immediate action required and need to escalate to the management level above.’  should have been placed immediately to the left of the column stating ‘Review & ensure effective controls’.  Councillor Druitt also raised questions about the colour coding.

12.4    The Risk Management Lead replied that some strategic risks were significant issues, so she was not surprised if there was not a shift between the risk levels on each risk from one report and the next given the 6 months timescale and the scope and complexity of the risks. Sometimes this happened but on this occasion risks were static but the report evidenced regular and realistic consideration; this was good practice. Only red or amber risks would be expected to be included in the Strategic Risk Register.  The Interim Executive Director Finance & Resources stressed that there was a focus on things that were critical to the Local Authority.  She would expect such issues to be red risks. 

12.5    RESOLVED -

(1)  That the Strategic Risk Report (Appendix 1) be noted.