Agenda item

To provide an update to the Corporate Governance Committee on the Council’s Corporate Risk Register.

Members considered the Corporate Risk Register quarterly review report presented by Sam Anthony.

Sam Anthony drew member’s attention to the amendments shown in the report.

Members asked questions, made comments and received responses as follows;

1.    Councillor Booth asked if the Council have officers on standby in case of a natural disaster (page 106 of the agenda pack). Sam Anthony confirmed that there will be a rota of emergency on-call officers that cover throughout the year. This rota also ensures that officers are within a commutable distance to the district at all times. 

2.    Councillor Wicks asked if there was a minimum response time for these officers. Sam Anthony explained that officers are required to mobilise immediately in the instance of a natural disaster, subject to their commute.

3.    Councillor J Clark highlighted that the register does not include information about the work the Council undertakes with other partners in relation to natural disasters. Sam Anthony explained that ‘blue light services’ tend to lead on the immediate emergency response however local authorities are responsible for community recovery. Peter Catchpole added that the Council is a member of the Local Resilience Forum which includes all external organisations.

4.    Councillor Booth highlighted the reduction to risk 17 (page 109 of the agenda pack) and suggested this may need to be reassessed as a majority ruling party in Government may implement legislative changes which could impact the Council.

5.    Councillor Booth suggested that risk 3 (page 110 of the agenda pack) is amended to show the reduction in the likelihood of the current risk as the inherent risk has not changed. Sam Anthony agreed.

6.    Councillor Wicks asked how the Council mitigate in relation to IT and cyber security issues within partner organisations, such as Anglia Revenues Partnership (ARP). Sam Anthony confirmed that these are considered and partners have their own processes that feed into the Council’s recovery plans and risk management assessments.

7.    Councillor Booth recommended that the Council’s process for organisational change is not clearly articulated in the report (page 111 of the agenda pack). Sam Anthony agreed to incorporate this.

8.    Councillor Booth referenced risk 2 – Brexit (page 114 of the agenda pack) and stated that the wording needs to be amended in relation to the withdrawal agreement and a ‘no deal’ Brexit. Sam Anthony agreed to review this.

9.    Councillor Booth referenced risk 20 (page 121 of the agenda pack) in relation to the Council’s CIS. He stated that further information needs to be included in relation to the management of this risk and the governance arrangements. Sam Anthony agreed to review this.

10.Councillor J Clark referenced risk 7 (page 124 of the agenda pack) and asked if the Council have had any issues with unauthorised access into Council premises. Sam Anthony confirmed that procedures in place to mitigate this risk following the relocation of the March One Stop Shop to Fenland Hall.

11.Councillor J Clark asked that this is added and reflected in the appropriate Council risk registers.

12.Councillor Booth thanked Sam Anthony for her work on this report.  

The Corporate Governance Committee AGREED Appendix A to the report.