Agenda item

To provide an update to the Audit and Risk Management Committee on the Council’s Corporate Risk Register.

Members considered the report and made comments as follows:

·       Councillor Benney stated that LGR is listed on the plan and, in his opinion, the cost implication to the proposed changes have not been fully thought through and asked that, due to the amount of money which is going to have to be spent to dissolve the Council as well as the large amount of work which is going to have to be undertaken to prepare for LGR, whether the risk rating shown is sufficient. Deborah Moss stated that when LGR was added to the risk register she recalls that there was quite a deal of discussion whether or not it should be its own risk or whether it just automatically impacts on the other risks that are already present on the register but it was felt that due to its own importance that it needed its own entry. She added that every time that there is something that is discussed with links with LGR, they have been added as a sub risk under the LGR table.

·       Councillor Booth referred to page 79 which refers to the issue of no purchase order and no payment, and he questioned whether there are instances where the Council is asking for payment to suppliers without there being a purchase order. He added that if that is the case what is the impact especially if there are local tradespeople who will be effected? Sian Warren explained that the Council should be raising purchase orders for any required service and supply, but it has never been enforced. She added that with the Council moving the Agresso system to the cloud, it has been used as an opportunity to ensure that everybody is completing a purchase order. Sian Warren stated that with LGR, other local authorities have adopted that regime and it was felt that the Council should also be working in the same way going forward. Councillor Booth stated that it is likely to be a cultural issue where some departments have not raised purchase orders in the past and by changing that culture it should not really impact suppliers if the correct process is being followed. Sian Warren agreed.

·       Councillor Benney stated that every business and every organisation is open to fraud where there is money involved and fraud can be instances such as people claiming 25% single person discount for Council Tax when they are not entitled to it and even though reports are made to alert the Council that fraudulent claims are taking place there does not appear to be any follow up and that is quite serious fraud. He added that Anglia Revenues Partnership (ARP) deal with Council Tax and they need to be dealing with the instances of fraudulent claims, but it is having a financial impact on the Council, and he questioned whether there are steps that can be taken to address the instances of fraud which are taking place. Deborah Moss advised members that if there are any individual cases which members have referred to ARP and are not getting a satisfactory response then she will contact them. She added that the Council has signed up to the NFI initiative and for the one in December, a data gathering exercise is being undertaken of all the single person discount and election information and there will be a cross match between the two data sets and single person discount will get picked up. Deborah Moss added that each case will be investigated based on its risk assessment.

·       Councillor Mrs French stated that majority of fraud with Council Tax is the 25% Council Tax discount and that across all the authorities that use ARP it was recognised that there was £5 million pounds owed across the authorities and £2.5 million pounds owed locally. She explained that in September ARP have also won an award.

·       Councillor Booth referred to page 91 and stated that he notes that officers have been attending training with APM, and he asked whether there is a defined methodology. He added that he had noted that there is also some new project software which has been introduced. Deborah Moss stated that they do use one specific piece of software and she is not entirely sure what the qualifications which are attained will be used for but possibly to set the Council up for LGR and Inspire. She stated that there are 13 officers who are working towards or who have already gained the qualification with a further 8 spaces available.

·       Councillor Booth asked whether there is a defined project methodology process. Deborah Moss agreed to provide a verbal response at the next meeting.

·       Councillor Benney asked whether Deborah Moss has any indication on what type of impact the changes to employment law will have on the Council? He added that the Council could find themselves in a position where staff members need more management and time spent with them and he questioned whether there are any further resources which are planned to assist with the changes? Deborah Moss stated that would need to be a question for Sam King, Head of Human Resources.

·       Councillor Booth asked whether officers are comfortable as no changes to any of the scores have been made and he asked whether proper assessments are being carried out? Deborah Moss explained that the register was reviewed, and it was decided that there was nothing within the register which was effected in a significant way to effect the scores but once the final accounts are through then it will need to be revisited to check the scores.

Members AGREED to approve the latest Corporate Risk Register.