Issue - meetings

To provide an update on the Council’s current strategic risks (report of the Interim Assistant Director – Governance enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Governance which provided an update on the Council’s current strategic risks.

In the absence of the Senior Change, Improvement and Performance Business Partner, the Assistant Director – Governance introduced the report and highlighted the following element of change since the previous Risk Report was issued:

·       Risk to the Councils’ strategic partnership arrangements – the senior leadership team felt it was prudent to increase the likelihood score at this time due to changes to leadership and the Councils’ political structure which could naturally bring in changes to strategic priorities.  Raising the risk profile ensured mitigations were given full priority and attention with any issues managed through the Leadership Team, close working between Portfolio Holders Partnership-wide, in addition to Partnership Stakeholder Board meetings quarterly to discuss matters of importance.

Members considered the report and made the following comments:

·       It was noted that many of the amber risks would be expected as they were out of the Authority’s control.

·       In response to a question relating to how colleagues at the other Partnership authorities were dealing with the risk around the Council’s strategic partnership arrangements, the Assistant Director – Governance commented that a similar training programme had been developed across the Partnership to ensure a consistent approach.  The degree of change at each authority had varied.  It was felt that the Partnership was currently in a good place and there had been no significant issues from members regarding it to date.

·       The Internal Audit Manager (Assurance Lincolnshire) confirmed that the Risk Management Audit had recently been completed and would be reported to the Committee in the next Risk Management Audit report.  There were some findings within the audit to improve best practice but it was generally positive.  In addition, later in 23/24 an audit was to be undertaken on the controls relating to higher strategic risks.

AGREED:

That after consideration of the Risk Report 23/24 and Appendix A which detailed the latest assessment of the Council’s strategic risks, the report be noted by the Committee.