Agenda item

To consider a report from the Council’s Director of Resources on the Council’s Corporate Risk Register.

Councillor Butikofer queried why Risk CR 026 Impact of Economic fluctuations on the North Norfolk economy had been removed from the risk register at the last meeting.

Councillor Cushing suggested it was an assumption not a risk and that was why it had been removed. The Committee considered if the council received a multiyear funding agreement from the Government it would enable the council to mitigate against it and felt it was more of a risk rather than assumption and should be added back into the register.

Councillor Cushing queried in respect of CR037 cost and resources issues from prosecutions, enforcement action and litigation what the enormous overspends to budgets were.

The Director of Resources (DoR) advised that when the Council decided to take enforcement action the costs of that action and any possible subsequent legal action were not completely known or budgeted for which could result in a large overspend on a small budget.

The Assistant Director Legal and Governance stated that the council dealt with health and safety prosecutions that were often long processes with increasing levels of cost which are different to smaller, quicker enforcement action.

The Committee agreed that it would like more information on this to better understand the reasons.

Councillor Cushing asked whether CR024 People Resources, bearing in mind the External Auditor’s comments on staffing shortages in the Finance department, should be a higher score than shown.

The DoR considered it could be scored more highly as the council did have some recruitment issues and it would be reviewed in the register for the next committee meeting.

Councillor Cushing asked whether CR035 Failure to deliver the Local Plan should be marked as green with the effect that Nutrient Neutrality has had on the amount of new development in the district.

The Committee agreed that it would like more information on the rating to consider whether the rating needed amending.

Councillor Cushing commented on CR032 Fakenham new roundabout that as the council had yet to receive the funding for this work and it was due to start in September it didn’t look like it should be green at the moment.

The DoR advised that circumstances could have changed since the report was written and the score needed to be reviewed.

Councillor Bütikofer commented that the work on the North Walsham High Street in CR033 was finished that it should be removed. The Committee agreed that it should be removed.

The DoR suggested that a risk could be added to the register that covered the damage caused to the Council’s assets including buildings and outdoor spaces by climate change.

The Committee agreed that at this stage it wasn’t needed as a general risk and could be contained in the risk for the Cromer and Mundesley Coastal Management Schemes.

Councillor Cushing stated that in respect of CR038 Fakenham Leisure and Sports Hub and the delays in getting the government funding for this scheme which has been made worse by the general election the rating needed to be rewritten to include the funding as well as the timeline.

The Committee agreed that this should be reviewed.

Resolved – that

(A) that risk CR 026 Impact of Economic fluctuations on the North Norfolk economy be added back into the Corporate Risk Register,

(B) more information be provided on CR037 cost and resources issues from prosecutions, enforcement action and litigation,

(C) CR024 People Resources rating be reviewed,

(D) more information be provided on CR035 failure to deliver the Local Plan,

(E) CR032 Fakenham new roundabout rating be reviewed,

(F) CR033 North Walsham High Street Heritage Action Zone be removed, and

(G) CR038 Fakenham Leisure and Sports Hub risk be reviewed.