Cobtree Estate Risk Management Update

Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee			23^rd September 2015
Is the final decision on the recommendations in this report to be made at this meeting?				Yes

Cobtree Manor Estate Risk Management Annual Review 2015

Final Decision-Maker	�Cobtree Manor Estate Committee
Head of Service	Head of Commercial and Economic Development
Lead Officer and Report Author	Cobtree Officer
Classification	Non-exempt
Wards affected	Boxley

This report makes the following recommendations:
1. Endorse the risk assessment document attached as Appendix I to this report.

This report relates to the following corporate priorities:
Keeping Maidstone an attractive place for all: Ensuring that there are good leisure and cultural facilities

Timetable
*Meeting*		*Date*


Cobtree Manor Estate Charity Committee		23 September 2015

Cobtree Manor Estate Risk Management Annual Review 2015

1. PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 �To review the risk management report for 2015, and to consider if amendments need to be made to the risk management assessment for the operation and management of the charity.

2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

2.1 Cobtree Manor Estate covers a large area of land left in Trust to the people of Maidstone. The Cobtree Trust hold the freehold to the estate whilst the Cobtree Manor Estate Trust (CMET) have a 999 year lease. The land is administered on behalf of CMET by Maidstone Borough Council.

Governing Object

The governing object of the Charity remains that defined in the lease of the Cobtree Estate dated 13 July 1971 between the Cobtree Charity Trust Limited (the lessor) and the Maidstone Borough Council (the lessee).� The governing object is stated as:

�To hold Cobtree Manor and Cobtree Manor Estate for the benefit of the inhabitants of Maidstone and other members of the general public in one or other or all of the following ways:

By maintaining the Cobtree Manor Estate as an open space as defined by the Open Spaces Act 1906 and if the lessees think fit providing thereat facilities for organised games and other sports�.

ii)

With the consent of �[the Cobtree Charity Trust Limited and the Kent County Council]� in such other way for the benefit of the inhabitants of Maidstone and other members of the general public as the Council shall from time to time think appropriate.�

2.2 The Cobtree Manor Estate Committee has previously resolved to review the risks associated with the operation and management of the charity on an annual basis. This report is an update on last year�s report. A detailed risk assessment is set out in Appendix I.

3. AVAILABLE OPTIONS

3.1 The committee could choose to accept the updated risk assessment report set out in Appendix I as it is, with any minor amendments they would like to make. The new report reflects the latest situation with the management of the estate.

3.2 The Committee could choose to reject the risk assessment report set out in Appendix I and request that the risk assessment is done differently. The format used currently has been used for a number of years and has fitted the requirements of the estate. It is not currently considered necessary to change this.

3.3 The Committee could choose not to accept this year�s report and make no alterations to last year�s report. This is not recommended as in each year the risks change slightly and the risk assessment should reflect this and manage these new risks appropriately.

4. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1 It is recommended that the Committee accept the updated risk assessment report set out at Appendix I as it is. The new report reflects the latest situation for the management of the estate and sets out the ways in which all the identified risks to the charity are managed.

4.2 The appendix examines the risks that are monitored by the charity setting out the responsibilities of all the appropriate parties. Additional risks that have been identified this year are predominantly operational.� Both the Golf Course and Kent Life contracts are in the process of being renewed, presenting risks to the charity around the successful completion of the tender process. In addition to this the visitor centre/caf� has just opened and as a new enterprise will take some time to establish and become profitable, alongside this parking charges are to be introduced shortly which will again require careful management.

4.3 It is recommended that the report and its Appendix are endorsed as the risk management strategy for 2015.

5. CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

5.1 The risk assessment is not consulted on as it is an internal management report, reflecting best practice. Previous committee feedback has always been to endorse an annual risk management plan as set out in Appendix I.

6. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

6.1 Any changes resulting to risk management from this report will be communicated to staff as necessary and reflected in the day to day management of the estate.

7. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

Issue	Implications	Sign-off
Impact on Corporate Priorities and Charity objects	No implications.	Head of Commercial and Economic Development 11 Sep 15
Risk Management	Risk management is the subject of this report and the implications are set out in the appendix.	Parks and Leisure Manager
Financial	Implications depending on the successful management of the risks identified in the report.	Cobtree Accountant
Staffing	No implications.	n/a
Legal	No implications.	n/a
Equality Impact Needs Assessment	No implications.	n/a
Environmental/Sustainable Development	No implications.	n/a
Community Safety	No implications.	n/a
Human Rights Act	No implications.	n/a
Procurement	No implications.	n/a
Asset Management	Implications depending on the successful management of the risks identified in the report.	Parks and Leisure Manager

8. REPORT APPENDICES

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

� Appendix I: Cobtree Manor Estate Risk Management Annual Review, September 2015.

9. BACKGROUND PAPERS

None.