Agenda item - Strategic Risk Focus: SR2 Financial Outlook; SR25 Organisational Capacity as a result of Change and SR26 Council's relationship with Citizens

Report of the Executive Director, Finance & Resources (copy attached).

1)           That Members note the information provided in the Strategic Risk Assessment Report s in Appendix 1 (Strategic Risk Register Report).

15.1      The Executive Director, Finance & Resources as the Risk Action Owner for SR2: Financial Outlook, SR25 Organisational Capacity as a Result of Change and SR26: Council’s Relationship with its Citizens provided a verbal update on all three Risks.

15.2      Councillor Taylor noted that there was a trend during the financial year of initial overspend followed by strict controls to set a balanced budget at year end. Councillor Taylor asked what measures could be undertaken to minimise this fluctuation.

15.3      The Executive Director, Finance & Resources stated that a Section 151 Officer had to be confident that the budget projections were accurate. The nature of the services provided by the council meant that were complexities relating to unexpected demand that would not be possible to forecast. The Executive Director, Finance & Resources added that budget overspends were tightly monitored and assessed in order to establish more effective controls.

15.4      RESOLVED- That Members note the information provided in the Strategic Risk Assessment Report s in Appendix 1 (Strategic Risk Register Report).