Issue - meetings

To receive the Corporate Risk Register.

The Audit, Governance & Procurement Lead Manager presented the Strategic Risk Register.

As set out in the Terms of Reference, the Audit Committee were responsible for overseeing the audit, governance and financial processes which included risk management.

The Corporate Risk Register had been updated and was a reminder of the details of the risks in delivering the Council’s priorities.  Other risks would be documented at a lower level within specific service area teams.

The main changes were two additional risks that had been added since June 2024.  Benchmarking exercises had been undertaken against other Local Authorities in order to ensure a robust approach as there were always lessons that could be learnt.  A number of these local authority registers included challenges in relation to the delivery of major partnership projects and this was now reflected in the Council’s own risks.  These were not of major concern but they had been introduced in order to give a greater level of prudence.

There were some clear links between risks against the Council’s priorities and further work to update the register this would be presented to the Audit Committee in January 2025.

During the debate, some Members felt that if there was no improvement in the Revenue Support Grant for Adults and Children’s social care in the next 3-4 years that the Council could be in a similar position to many other councils nationally.  It was important to look at the risks and take them on board and he thanked the Members for their due diligence.

The Audit, Governance & Procurement Lead Manager expressed that the Risk Register was a living document and that it set out common risks that local authorities across the country were facing.

The report was noted.