Agenda item

To receive a report by Chris Swain, Risk Management and Reporting Officer.

The Risk Management and Reporting Officer introduced the report. At the time of the last Audit and Governance Committee 15^th January the level of overdue risks was at 59%. At the time of authoring the report there was now a 90% level of compliance, with 10% overdue in risk register updates. This was achieved by collective engagement with risk owners, risk champions and business partners. Targeting chasing of overdue risk was to be focused on with officer support and coaching where needed to improve the levels of compliance. 

Mr Roach commended that the dashboard was really good and useful for transparency and visibility. Overall, the percentage of overdue reviews had reduced. But the high risks were still a significant proportion. Place Services had 30 high risk, 60% overdue, Corporate Development had 21 high risk, 62% overdue and for Children Services 29% were overdue. He informed that those numbers did not sound as encouraging. For risk management, it was critically important that it was looked at in a prioritised way as there were so many risks to manage. The most important thing to do was to reduce extreme and high risks. He requested that the framework be adjusted to ensure prioritisation on the extreme and high risks, getting them under control, actions agreed and down to the target risk profile.

The Service Manager Business Intelligence and Performance in response added that the service had climbed a minor mountain getting to 90% compliance rate. The Risk manager and Reporting Officer would be attending monthly meetings with directors to look at risks. 

The Executive Director Corporate Development responded to questions around overall financial risk and in relation to children services and education budgets. He informed that it was a tough and challenging time for government finance and finances needed to be actively managed and services needed to be reshaped. Spend levels for Children Services were bucking the trend and stable and had not experienced massive growth in cost like other local authorities. Which was attributed to the leadership and management team in children services. The Path Finder Project was helping the service to perform relatively well through early intervention and joined up partnership. Approach to investment revenue and capital was paying off.  Adult Services were similar which provided grip and control since the Council was formed. With a similar approach to early intervention and investment in capacity. For the education budget, the high needs bloc was a significant risk financially. He was concerned about the continued academisation of schools and the financial implications on the Council as funding went straight from the government to the schools rather than to the Council. Which would impact the capacity to support and implications on overheads.

Cllr Cocking requested an update on the school on Portland Osprey Quay. The Executive Director Corporate Development responded that the school featured in the Safety Valve Agreement and planning assumption that SEND children would be receiving support at Osprey Quay. In terms of making it deliverable, it was in the hands of the Department for Education.

Noted.