(a)

the number of strategic risks currently being managed totalled 23; there were 8 red risks (the report detailed 7 and this was incorrect). The red risks referred to council expenditure exceeding resources, a pension fund accounting issue, the demand and complexity of demand in children’s services, cyber security, IT supply chain constraints, workforce constraints in adult social care, the SYDS approval body (sustainable drainage system approval body) and a risk of financial instability with CaterEd;

(b)

of the 8 red risks, there was planned scrutiny around the council’s budget and resources over the course of the next 6 to 9 months as the budget was prepared for February 2024; the pension fund accounting remained a discussion at the Audit and Governance Committee; the demand and complexity of children’s services was being reviewed by scrutiny specifically with regards to improvements that needed to be made following the recent Ofsted inspection; IT supply constraints and cyber security was listed as an item due to be considered at scrutiny in the near future; social care workforce constraints was under review by the Health and Social Care scrutiny committee; there was currently no scrutiny planned around Suds or CaterEd;

(c)

there was a new risk on the strategic risk register regarding the capacity within the senior leadership team in particular reference to statutory officers; there was an interim Section 151 Officer, an interim Monitoring Officer and several other gaps in management across the council. Mitigation was listed in the report and detailed the recruitment underway. A Chief Officer’s Appointment Panel was scheduled earlier in the week and there was due to be another at the end of the week;

(d)

there were 111 risks on the operational risk register, this number had reduced since the last time it was submitted to committee as there were a number of duplicate risks and some that were considered sufficiently mitigated. The operational risks related to children’s services, health and safety risks linked to trees, asbestos, data security, recruitment, home working and school transport budget;

(e)

Members were asked to consider if they wished to include any of the risks specified in the report on to the Audit and Governance Committee work programme for future consideration with the understanding that some scrutiny was underway in the scrutiny function of the council’s governance structure.