Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director of Resources which highlighted the strategic risks facing the Council and which gave an insight into the work carried out by the Corporate Risk Management Group between June and September 2018 (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Risk, Insurance and Governance Manager informed the Committee that there were 26 strategic risks and highlighted the key changes in the quarter. Members were informed of new risks, and in particular 2 new risks in Children and Young People’s Services which related to the impact of the volatile and high-cost, demographic demands of looked after children, and secondly, the impact of increasing demand on the Dedicated Schools Grant budget for High Needs Block special educational needs services.

Mr Rudd referred to the risk ‘major interruption to IT Service Delivery’ and asked if the risk of cyber attack was taken into account. Members were informed that the risk schedule contained information about key risks, and the risk of cyber attack had been assessed as low because of the levels of controls in place. For information Members were informed that the electrical upgrade works would hopefully be completed the following week.

Councillor Robinson asked if work had been carried out to assess the risk of Brexit, particularly given the recent announcement regarding a proposed ‘deal’.   The Member was informed that this had been identified as an emerging risk and monitored at senior level but to date there had been no tangible proposals that could be risk managed. A Working Group had now been set up and the implications of Brexit would be included in future risk management reports to the Committee.

Resolved:

That the report provides assurance that strategic risks were being effectively managed within the risk management framework across the Council.