Issue - meetings

Covid-19 Risk Register and Strategic Risk Register

Meeting: 08/03/2021 - Audit and Risk Committee (Item 9)

9 Covid-19 Risk Register and Strategic Risk Register pdf icon PDF 330 KB

[To provide an update on the key risks the Council faces and how it can gain assurance that these risks are being mitigated].

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Hayley Reid, Senior Auditor (Risk), presented an update on the

Strategic Risk Register and a Covid-19 Risk Register. The update detailed the risks faced by the Council as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and, the latest summary of the Council’s Strategic Risk Register as at Appendix 1 and 2.

 

The Committee were advised that 19 risks were included on the covid risk register, the following six of those were rated ‘red’:

  1. Businesses closing
  2. Reputation/loss of public confidence
  3. Medium Term Budgetary pressure
  4. Service providers – adults
  5. Impact on on-going projects and programmes
  6. Rise in unemployment

 

The Strategic Risk Register included 16 risks, that had one risk rated ‘red’:

  1. Medium term financial strategy.

 

Following questions, David Pattison, Director of Governance, clarified that the delays as per Covid risk 17 (impact on ongoing projects and programmes), had been minimal and regular covid testing and health and safety measures were in place on work sites.  It was agreed that an update on the impact of covid on key projects and the financial on the projects, be brought to a future Committee meeting.

 

Alison Hinds, Deputy Director for Social Care, reassured the Committee that the regular reports were received on all referrals made through MASH, the level of risk to children and the outcomes of these referrals. The Council worked with partners through the Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together Board that scrutinise the information on referrals. January saw an increase in referrals that were to be managed through the child protection policies. Individuals seeking help/guidance from external organisations had increased since lockdown, this was usually low level and often occurs before a formal referral would be made that would require investigating/police intervention.

 

Resolved:

  1. That the Council’s Covid-19 risk register which details the risks faced by the Council as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, as at Appendix 1, be noted.
  2. That the latest summary of the Council’s Strategic Risk Register, as at Appendix 2, be noted.
  3. That the verbal update on the Covid Risk 4 – Safeguarding Children from the Deputy Director for Social Care, be noted.

It was greed that details on the impact of covid on key projects and the financial cost of covid on the projects, be brought to a future Committee meeting.