Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Strategy. Performance and Governance that required the committee to undertake a quarterly review of the Corporate Risk Register as assurance that the corporate risks were being managed effectively.  Appendix 1 was attached to the report for this purpose.

The Chairman introduced the report and deferred to the Programmes, Performance and Governance Manager to present the detail.  She advised the Committee that this  report covered Q3 of 2021/22, (September 21- December 21) and the Corporate Risks.  Appendix 1 provided a full table of the Corporate Risk Register as at the end of December 2021. She drew Members’ attention to:-

Section 3.1.1 where risks had changed direction since quarter two:

·        R13 -  Failure to Manage the impact of Organisational change was

recommended for closure as it related specifically to Transformation work, and was now replaced with a more specific new risk R31- Resources and Operating Staffing structure was not sufficient for resilience;

• R14 – Unable to recruit and retain specialist staff – had increased in risk

score;

• R10 – Failure to develop Jobs for the population, and R3 Failure to target

services and influence partners to support housing needs for aging population have both seen a decrease in likelihood.

Section 3.1.2  emerging risks, these were areas where the risk score could increase in the next quarter based on how the organisation responded and adapted to national changes from the pandemic and climate change:

• R29 – Failure to deliver services as a result of COVID-19;

·        R14 – Unable to recruit and retain staff with specific skill sets in specialist

areas to meet the demands of the service;

• R31 – Resources and operating staffing structure is not sufficient for

Resilience.

In response to issues raised, officers provided the following information:-

·        That terminology in the covering report would be reviewed and risk mitigations would feature more prominently in future reports.

·        That where recruitment was proving difficult a number of strategies had been put in place including:- covering vacancies with overtime, agency, and through staff development.  Shared services had also been explored and were currently in place in licensing.

·        That advertising was nationwide now that the Council can offer agile working. Start dates for the new enforcement officers would be circulated to the committee.

·        That information on rough sleepers would be circulated after the meeting.

·        That, as per previous reports to this Committee, the Southminster Health Centre was in progress, awaiting a full business case from the National Health Service.

·        That partnership working was the best way to progress the South Maldon Relief road.  Considerable effort had already been invested in meetings with Essex County Council (ECC) regarding the potential shortfall in funding, as the relief road was integral to the infrastructure.  A written update on this would be circulated to committee members.

With reference to the South Maldon Relief road Councillor Fluker proposed that the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance issue an invitation to a staff member from Essex County Council’s Highways department to attend the next performance focused meeting of the Performance, Governance and Audit Committee to answer Member questions on the issue.  This was seconded by Councillor Stamp.

The Chairman put the recommendations in the report together with the aforementioned proposal to the Committee and they were agreed by assent

RESOLVED

(i)            That Members reviewed the Corporate Risk Register at Appendix1 and provided comment and feedback for consideration;

(ii)           That Members were assured through this review that corporate risk was being managed effectively;

(iii)          That Members challenged risk where the Committee felt that the Council’s corporate goals may not be achieved;

(iv)         That the Director of Strategy Performance and Governance issue an invitation to a member of Essex County Council’s Highways Department to attend the next performance focussed meeting of the Performance Governance and Audit Committee to respond to Member questions regarding the South Maldon Relief Road.