The Risk Management and Insurance Officer presented a report in order to explain the outcome of the Annual Risk Assessment, Appendix 1 to the report referred, and to also inform the Committee of the proposed risk management timeline contained in Appendix 2 of the Risk Management Policy. He advised the risks of the Council were linked to the Authority’s new Priority Themes.

He confirmed that the risk assessment had been reviewed in consultation with Corporate Directors, Business Managers and Heads of Service, and was considered by Senior Management Team. This identified the main risks facing the Council, their links to the new proposed priority themes, the likely impact of these on Council services and the wider County Borough, what is being done to manage the risks, and which individual is responsible for the Council’s response.

The main changes to the Risk Register were shown in paragraph 4.4 of the report, and the Risk Management and Insurance Officer gave a resume of these changes for the benefit of those present.

He confirmed that a scoring matrix was used, which takes into account both the likelihood of the risk taking place, as well as the impact of this if it occurred..

He further advised that the Risk Assessment would be subject to review in July and October 2016 by Senior Management Team, as part of the Corporate Performance Assessment and in November 2016 by the Audit Committee.

A Member referred to page 92 of the report and the Risk Description of School Modernisation, and the sale of public land. He asked what processes were in place in order to secure the best price possible for acquiring land upon which to provide new or combined modernised schools.

The Head of Finance and ICT confirmed that he would seek advice from the appropriate Department of the Council on the question and provide an answer to the Member accordingly, outside of the meeting.

A Member asked where he could find information regarding the extent of the Council’s Reserves, as he had not seen details regarding these in any recent reports on the MTFS that had been considered through the overview and scrutiny process.

The Head of Finance and ICT confirmed that details regarding the Council’s Reserves would be included in the report on the MTFS to be considered at future meetings of Cabinet and Council. Details regarding costs associated with any staff redundancies would also be included in this report he added.

A Member referred to page 85 of the report, and Maintaining the Infrastructure i.e. roads and highways. In relation to committing finance to any future such maintenance works, she asked if this was planned for B and other minor roads as oppose to A roads.

The Head of Finance and ICT confirmed that the Communities Directorate were working on a Business Case currently in terms of maintaining the highway infrastructure, and he was unsure as to whether or not this accounted for B roads.

A Member referred to paragraph 4.3 of the report, and a statement confirming that the 2016-17 Corporate Risk Assessment was fully aligned with the Council’s MTFS and Corporate Plan. She felt that future such versions of the Risk Management Policy should reflect this more clearly, and that this document needed to be cross referenced with the MTFS.

The Risk Management and Insurance Officer confirmed that this request could be accommodated.

A Member referred to the Inherent and Residual Risk scores and asked how these compared with similar or other risks in neighbouring local authorities.

The Risk Management and Insurance Officer confirmed that no benchmarking exercise had previously been conducted in relation to this. However, he would liaise with other authorities and endeavour to provide such information at a future meeting.

RESOLVED:                That Members considered the Annual Risk Assessment at Appendix 1 to the report, and updated Risk Management Timeline contained within Appendix 2 of the Risk Assessment Policy.