Agenda item

Simon Dennis, Corporate Improvement and Risk Manager, submitted the Risk Management Annual Summary 2023-24 and Corporate Strategic Risk Register update.

The report summarised the principal risk management activity that had been carried out in the Council throughout the past financial year.  It covered a wider range of topics than the regular report on the Corporate Strategic Risk Register and aimed to cover both the movements in strategic risks that had occurred over the period and the key elements of the Council’s risk management activity throughout the year.

The heat map derived from the Corporate Strategic Risk Register update at the end of 2023/24 showed the risk profile.  The total number of strategic risks remained at 13 over the period April 2023 to March 2024 with 2 risks removed in the year and 2 new risks added.  Of the risks that remained on the strategic register, 4 had decreasing risk scores, one saw an increase in its risk score and 6 remained constant.

The current heat map as at 16^th July, 2024, showed no risks had been removed and one risk had been added.  It showed that the long term pattern of assessed risk level had continued to broadly reduce over the last 2 years.  This reflected the continued increasing grasp on the key risks that needed to be managed at a strategic level and the improved risk position following the end of the Covid pandemic.  Since December 2022 approximately 43% of risks monitored at a strategic level had reduced in assessed level, 37% had remained stable and 20% had either increased or were new to the register.

The rollout of the online training was the final element in the refresh of the Council’s training provision.  91 M2 managers had attended training courses since the 2023 report with 280 having completed the training since its relaunch in January 2022.   The remaining 4 courses scheduled for the remainder of the calendar year were close to full capacity.  A face-to-face option has recently been introduced for the M2 manager course.  The impact of both options would need to be evaluated over the next 12 months.

Discussion ensued with the following issues raised/clarified:-

-        SLT09 (Hope and Confidence in Rotherham) – consideration should be given to increasing the impact score from 2

-        The reasons for the downgrading of risk rating for SLT10 (Business Growth)

Resolved:-  (1)  That the annual summary of risk management activity and updates to the Corporate Strategic Risk Register be noted.

(2)  That the Head of Communications/Assistant Chief Executive give consideration to increasing the impact score relating to SLT09 (Hope and Confidence in Rotherham) and report back to the September meeting of this Committee.

(3)  That the rationale for the downgrading of the risk rating for SLT10 (Business Growth) be submitted to the September meeting of this Committee.

(4)  That the Assistant Director, Customer Information and Digital Services, be invited to the September meeting of the Committee to present a report on PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network).

(Appendices 1 and 2 were exempt under Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Council) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A))