1.    INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

1.1     Effective risk management is a vital part of the Council’s governance, and contributes greatly to the successful delivery of services and key priorities. The Council has always recognised and supported the need to have effective processes to identify, evaluate and mange risks. This is set out in the Risk Management Framework and supporting appetite statement and guidance. These include a programme of monitoring and review for Officers and Members. As a result, we have been providing updates twice a year to this Committee to present risk information and detail how the corporate level risks are being managed.

1.2     We (Mid Kent Audit) have lead responsibility to co-ordinate and embed risk management processes across the Council. Our role includes reporting regular updates to Officers and Members, through the Corporate Leadership Team (CLT), Policy & Resources Committee and the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee. We also provide support and training to help ensure that risks are being effectively managed.

1.3     Having valuable and up to date risk information allows for both the management and oversight functions to happen effectively.  This report provides Members with:

·         Updates to each corporate risk

·         Horizon scanning of potential risks

·         Operational risk profile

·         Planned work for 2018/19

1.4     The update report is attached in appendix 1 and a full copy of the Corporate Risk register is attached in appendix 1A

2.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

2.1     In order for any risk management process to be effective it is vital that risk information is reported, that risks are monitored and that action is taken to manage risks to an acceptable level. This has been recognised by the Committee who have requested updates twice a year.

2.2     An alternative option would be for the Committee to change the frequency of our reporting of risks, or stop it altogether. This would however be contrary to previous requests.

3.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1     This report is largely for noting and for discussion during the meeting. This has been a valuable exercise in past meetings, and so the preferred option would be for these updates to continue in this format.

4.       RISK

4.1    The focus of this report is risk management. The update is presented for information only and so has no risk management implications.

5.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

5.1     All risks are allocated an owner, that is, someone in the Council who is best placed to co-ordinate a response and to monitor progress. Risk owners range from our Managers, Heads of Service, up to Corporate Leadership Team.

5.2     Risk owners provide their own updates and so all of the Officers identified in the report, and all of the Corporate Leadership Team, have been consulted on the content of this update.

6.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

6.1     Unless requested otherwise, we will continue to report risk updates to Members of this Committee every 6 months.

7.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

8.        REPORT APPENDICES

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

·         Appendix 1: Policy and Resources Committee Risk Update

9.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

The risk management framework (detailed guidance) was reported to Policy and Resources Committee in February 2016 and is publically available on the Council’s website.

The Council’s risk appetite statement was agreed by Policy and Resources Committee in October 2017 and is publically available on the Council’s website.