Agenda item

To consider the report of the Chief Executive & Growth Director.

The Audit Manager presented the report and updated Corporate Risk Register which advised the Audit and Governance Committee of the Council’s risk management process. The Audit and Governance Committee was responsible for the monitoring and reviewing of the Council’s risks.

The report included the full details of the following changes to nine of the 14 risks added to the register and they were set out below in summary:-

• the Counter Terrorism and Community Cohesion and Safety; delivery of the Sport England and Local Delivery Pilot outcomes; lack of proactive and preventative investment and maintenance of assets and information governance failure were all managed as  low risks and following their removal from the Corporate Risk Register would be monitored at a service level;
• the ownership of a risk relating to the delivery of additional Council objectives and priorities had been moved to the Council’s Executive;
• an inability to deliver carbon neutral aspirations for Exeter by 2030 risk had increased from medium to high;
• the inability to manage and respond to the Covid-19 pandemic risk had been moved from high to low to focus on recovery; and
• two risks that remained classified as high related to maintaining the financial stability of the Council and the increased cost of the St Sidwell’s Point and Bus and Coach Station.

In response to questions from Members, the Director Finance and Audit Manager confirmed the following:-

• it had always been made clear that from a financial point the aspiration of the Council to deliver a Carbon Neutral position by 2030 required the support of local, regional and national partners. The Member’s suggestion of an urgent review of the Council’s Carbon Neutral aspirations was a matter for the Executive or Council to consider.
• the negotiations surrounding the St Sidwells Point Project have not been completed and discussions  between the contractor, Kier and the City Council were still ongoing with support from the Authority’s Legal Team. A requirement for any additional funding to deliver the project, would need to be considered by the Executive and Full Council.
• a review of governance of the Sport England Project had taken place and had been implemented in June 2020.  The strategic governance held by the Liveable Exeter Place Board included the Oversight Group and delivery management team.  A Community Engagement Strategy was being developed, based on the experiences of Wellbeing Exeter and work being undertaken in Wonford through the Community Sounding Board. The Strategy would be approved through the Place Board governance process. Internal Audit have included work on this area in their Audit Plan for 2021/22.
• the Council’s IT company, Strata have provided an assurance that there are no increased security risk from staff working remotely at home.  Staff were using the Council’s equipment and whilst they may use their own Wi-Fi, the connection was through a secure portal. The Audit Manager would seek further information for the Members from the IT security team.

A Member enquired whether detail received of a Health and Safety Executive prosecution should have been monitored and included in the Corporate Risk Register. The Director Finance agreed that health and safety was a key issue to address as a local authority.  Notwithstanding this isolated incident, Exeter City Council had good health and safety procedures in place and such matters were reviewed by the Council’s internal officer Health and Safety Committee to ensure any necessary learning was undertaken. If Members felt that this area should be considered as a higher risk, he would put the matter before the Strategic Management Board for discussion.

The Audit and Governance Committee reviewed and noted the updated Corporate

Risk Register.