Issue - meetings

Report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services

The Head of Finance presented the Risk Management Progress Report which provided the Group with an update on the Council’s risk activity since the last meeting on 19 September 2024. She said that the Council’s Risk Management Group had met on 21 January 2025 to review risks on the register and to make recommendations.

The Head of Finance said that a Risk Management audit had been carried out in July 2022 by BDO and that the level of assurance given was a substantial rating for both design and operational effectiveness and that recommendations had been incorporated where necessary.

The Head of Finance explained that during 2023/24 BDO completed a desktop exercise evaluating risk descriptions following which and in line with best practice, the Council had revised some to make them clearer with the new descriptors being adopted into 2024/25 Service Plans.

The Head of Finance said that there were currently 38 corporate risks, with three new corporate and one new operational risk added. She explained that the three corporate risks related to local government reorganisation, which may result in some difficulty in recruiting and retaining staff, some break in service delivery and a risk to the Medium Term Financial Strategy given that it may not reach its five year term. She explained that the fourth operational risk related to a potential loss of housing benefit subsidy linked to potential supported housing providers but this was currently considered low risk.

Councillor Calvert asked about Rushcliffe Oaks Crematorium likelihood risk rating of two and the Head of Finance said that the business was still in its infancy and was in the process of developing a new customer base. She said that the Council carried out regular review of delivery against business case and confirmed that if the risk changed then the score would change also. She added that a report on Rushcliffe Oaks Crematorium had been presented to the Growth and Development Scrutiny Group and was included in quarterly budget reporting to Cabinet.

Councillor Polenta asked about loss of housing benefit subsidy and the Head of Finance said that accommodation was provided by a charity or registered provided who provided support and health care service for people who needed additional elements of care alongside providing the accommodation and due to the providers’ status, the Council was not able to claim back 100% subsidy on the rent allowances for those residents.

It was RESOLVED that Governance Scrutiny Group

a)    reviewed the contents of this report; and

b)    considered and made recommendations on risks that, in particular, are new risks or have red alert status or any risks that are not identified.