To receive a report from the Group Insights and Transformation Manager.

Suzanne Rolfe, Group Manager - Insights and Transformation presented Members with the Risk Management Report, pages 109 to 116 of the Agenda refer to provide Members with an overview of Risk Management within the authority.

Members were advised that the Strategic Risk Register had been reviewed at the quarterly risk clinic and by Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and the report provided Members with the Quarter 3 position statement as at 31 December 2022.  Members were informed that a draft Risk Management Framework for the Partnership was currently in development and would be presented to Committee for discussion and review following input from Internal Audit.  This would set out arrangements for risk appetite and changes to reporting such as heat maps and direction of travel, Paragraph 1 of the Agenda refers.

The summary of changes to the Risk Register was detailed at Paragraph 2, page 110 of the Agenda refers.

The Group Manager - Insights and Transformation advised Members that she had noted the items picked up at Item 6 with regards to the health and safety risk and the reference to the annual audit plan and would ask the lead officer to review the wording on that.

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

·       A Member asked that now the office relocation project was complete whether there had been a best value assessment, particularly protection against the estimated cost and the actual cost of the move.  The Group Manager - Insights and Transformation advised Members that she would ask the question and respond after the meeting.

·       A Member commented that there were still a number of risks on the register that related to Covid, however there were less that related to current risks, for example the economic risks as a result of the war in Ukraine, Brexit, high inflation and climate change. The Group Manager - Insights and Transformation advised Members that she would feed this back.

·       A Member queried if there was a timescale for the new version of the risk register.  The Group Manager - Insights and Transformation advised Members that the audit was underway and expected to receive feedback soon and would keep Members informed on the progress.

·       A Member referred to the difficulties around the increasing costs of internal drainage board levies which impacted on CORP002 ‘Uncertainty of future Lincshore flood defence scheme’, page 113 of the Agenda refers.  Due to the significance of this and the fact that this had been raised with government to address, it was queried whether it should be on the register as a separate risk.  Further to this, the Chairman considered whether this could be covered under CORP001 ‘’Reduction in government funding to deliver Council services and local priorities’.  The Section 151 Officer advised Members that the levies were originally funded through the Revenue Support Grants, so strictly speaking it was a reduction of the grant funding over a period of time that had resulted in the IDB pressures.

A Member added that following recent scrutiny on caravan sites, the Lincolnshire Fire Officer interviewed had been working closely with the Environment Agency Strategic Lead and could not stress enough that it was not if, but when the coast flooded and would continue to bring this up as a matter of great importance.  The Group Manager - Insights and Transformation responded that she would take the comments back for consideration.

A Member highlighted that he was aware that all insurance companies were now refusing to offer equity home loans in coastal zones from the beginning of 2023.

·       In relation to CORP0012 ‘Technology infrastructure failure’ it was highlighted that the likelihood was scored at ‘2’ and the impact was ‘5’ and considered that the likelihood should be increased to at least a ‘3’.  It was requested that this be reconsidered and also incorporated within the audit scope as well to look at in terms of technology failing.  The Group Manager - Insights and Transformation advised Members that she would refer back the comments for the wording in the score.

·       A Member asked whether amendments to the risk register could be highlighted in bold text so Members could more easily see where updates had been made.  It was further requested that the font size be increased.  The Group Manager - Insights and Transformation advised Members that this would be actioned for the next report.

·       A Member further requested that the matrix table be included on the next report for ease of reference.

There were no further comments or questions received.

Following which it was,

RESOLVED

That the Risk Management Report be noted.