Agenda item

Review of Corporate Governance Risk Register

To consider the report of the Policy Officer.

 

Minutes:

The Policy Officer presented the Corporate Risk Register report which advised on the Council’s risk management progress, which the Audit and Governance Committee were responsible for monitoring and reviewing.

 

Members were informed that three new risks had been added to the register during the last quarter, and only one risk item was still high, remaining on the register until its full impact could be assessed. One risk score had been reduced in level and another risk had been removed. Members were informed that risks scoring four or below had also now been removed from the register.

 

The Policy Officer explained to Members, that the risk register was in the process of being examined by the Strategic Management Board, to determine which risks were exempt from disclosure. It was expected that the Corporate Risk Register would be changed to public Part 1 report for the next Audit and Governance Committee meeting in July 2019.

 

In response to questions from Members, the Policy Officer and the Chief Finance Officer responded that:-

 

·         The City Surveyor was satisfied with the fees and arrangements for the Clifton Hill Sports Centre site, and had considered, that it would not need to be added to the Corporate Risk Register. Any undervalue implications would be reported to Executive in accordance with Council policy. Should the extent of any undervalue require approval from the Secretary of State, then consent would also be sought at that time. 

 

·         Full Council had passed a resolution, that funding be made for the Riverside Centre. The Chief Finance Officer would consider whether a risk should be included on the Corporate Risk Register of not being able to fund the repairs/improvements to the Riverside Leisure Centre from the capital receipt delivered by the sale of Clifton Hill, if the sale proceeds fell short of the amount committed.

 

·         South West Water were the owners of the culverted watercourses risk, however there was an interpretation issue, of a decision taken in 1974, which had caused further delays. The Chief Finance Officer would speak to the Legal Team to attain more information to feed back at the next Audit and Governance Committee meeting.

 

·         There was an experienced Leisure and Contracts Manager in post, who would hold contracts to account. With the addition of the Procurement team and Legal support, contracts would be more indisputable. The Council was now in a much stronger position and lessons from past mistakes had been learnt.

 

·         The Chief Finance Officer would consult with the Housing General team to provide a response to Members, regarding why only one Sleep Safe Centre had opened for rough sleepers.

 

The Corporate Manager Democratic & Civic Support explained why a particular question from a Member had been refused by both himself and the Chief Executive & Growth Director. It was considered that the question did not relate to the remit of the Audit and Governance Committee or to an agenda item. He provided an overview of the Committee terms of reference and highlighted that the Audit and Governance Committee could not review decisions already taken by Full Council.

 

The Audit and Governance Committee noted the updated Corporate Risk Register.

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