Issue - meetings

Report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services

The Head of Finance presented the Risk Management Progress Report. She confirmed that the Risk Management Group met on 9 September 2025 and reviewed and made recommendations on the risk register. She noted that the last audit was conducted in 2022 by BDO when the Council had received a substantial rating for design and operational effectiveness.

The Head of Finance said that training was provided for Councillors in 2023 and that refresher training had being arranged for early 2026, when the next Risk Strategy would be brought to the Group.

The Head of Finance took the Group through changes to the risk register. She noted that a new risk relating to loss of housing benefit subsidy for charity and non-registered providers had been added, that no risks had been increased and that risks that had reduced related to inadequate services resulting from LGR, difficulty recruiting and retaining staff linked to LGR, reducing new homes bonus, reductions in business rates base and interest rates risk. She said that risks removed from the register were the Flintham compulsory purchase order, borrowing costs and risk related to the Crematorium opportunity.

Councillor Chewings referred to the risk relating to the Crematorium generating new income to pay back its cost being removed from the risk register but noted that the risk relating to the Crematorium meeting its business models remained. The Head of Finance said that the removed risk related to the opportunity risk presented before the Crematorium had been built and that the risk of the Crematorium not meeting its business plan was a current ongoing risk.

Councillor Polenta asked about the risks related to charities and non-registered providers and asked about differences between the services. The Head of Finance said that it was for the charities to determine whether they became housing providers and explained that they may provide additional specialised services, such as mental health services, which could result in a higher benefits claim to the Council but that the Council could only claim housing benefit subsidy up to the weekly rental value of the residence as determined by the rent officer, which may result in a loss to the Council.

Councillor Thomas asked how much this risk amounted to and the Head of Finance said that this risk related to the possibility of a new facility in the Borough and that it could amount to around £200k per year dependent upon what the rent was set at. She said that the risk was deemed to be low but had been included on the risk register so that there was visibility on it.

Councillor Regan asked about the reduction in risk relating to staff morale and loss of staff due to LGR and the Head of Finance explained that the Council was not experiencing a high turnover of staff and was experiencing high applications for vacancies but said that the risk was fluid and may change.

Councillor Thomas asked about the reduction in NHB to yellow rather than green if there was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16