Agenda item - Strategic Risk Focus: SR35, SR36, SR23 and SR30

Report of the Executive Lead Officer, Strategy Governance & Law

That the Audit & Standards Committee:

1)           Note in paragraphs 3.3 the changes to the council’s SRR as agreed at ELT on 20 November 2019.

2)           Note Appendix 1 for details of SR35, SR30, SR36 and SR23.

3)           Note Appendix 2 ‘Information on the council’s risk management process relative to Strategic Risks (SRs); and Suggested questions for Members to ask Risk Owners and officers on Strategic Risks’.

39.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Lead Officer, Strategy, Governance & Law that provided detail on the actions taken and future actions to manage each strategic risk.

39.2      In relation to SR35, Councillor Shanks asked if there was monitoring of the number of council staff that were EU residents and how many had left in recent years.

39.3      The Executive Director, Finance & Resources explained that this was not something formally monitored however, the council had advertised the support available to EU nationals and senior staff had provided assurance. Feedback would be provided to the Home Office on the issues raised by staff.

39.4      Councillor Hugh-Jones asked if was possible to reduce the risk impact when there were so many contingencies in the Brexit process.

39.5      The Executive Lead Officer, Strategy, Governance & Law explained that it was a fluid process and whilst there were differing views on the outcome and those were respected, the recent General Election had provided a degree of clarity although there remained many uncertainties.

39.6      Councillor Appich stated that as a EU national, she was thankful for the work of the officer and Member Group thus far and explained that she would be happy to help with the settled status scheme publication. In relation to the risk actions detailed on page 25 of the agenda, Councillor Appich asked if progress on the action was more advanced than the report suggested.

39.7      The Executive Lead Officer, Strategy, Governance & Law confirmed that was the case.

39.8      In relation to SR36, Councillor Shanks asked what would be required to reduce the risk level.

39.9      The Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture explained that any transformational programme required resource and a key challenge would be how to spend budgets and how to work differently and the scale of specialist work. The Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture noted that there had been some improvement to the budget position through the one-off funding allocated from the 2019/20 budget process and the Carbon Reduction Investment Fund. 

39.10   Councillor Moonan stated that there was a lot residents could do to assist with carbon reduction alongside the actions the council was taking and asked how this was being communicated.

39.11   The Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture explained that the officer Member working Group was currently developing a communication strategy.

39.12   Councillor Hugh-Jones noted that the Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) was due for completion at the end of 2020 and asked whether there was a need to complete that work more quickly. Councillor Hugh-Jones enquired as to the expertise of the council’s managing agents for the Downland Estate.

39.13   The Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture explained that the managing agents had presented to both the council’s Asset Management Board and the South Downs National Park Authority and both had been encouraged by the proposals therein. The Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture highlighted that there would be significant changes to the agricultural subsidy in the near future and central government were considering a different model of subsidy, one that promoted biodiversity and the council’s current managing agents were experts in this field. In relation to the LCWIP, the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture stated that for each workstream of the plan, there was a requirement for a clear pipeline of business cases for projects that was tangible and could be used to obtain funding. Of the initial programme, some actions were complete, some were in progress and it was important to remember that the Carbon Neutrality programme was a 10-year programme.

39.14   Councillor Nemeth thanked the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture for the presentation. Referring to the consequences listed on page 28, Councillor Nemeth noted that many related to international efforts to address climate change and asked if there could be distinguishment on actions that could be taken on a local level.

39.15   The Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture explained that the risk was relatively new and as it developed, and the programme progressed, it would be important to explain to residents what it meant to them and set out local actions.

39.16   Councillor Peltzer Dunn asked if any cooperation had been undertaken with major power suppliers on energy consumption as many neighbouring authorities had done.

39.17   The Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture explained that the Greater Brighton Economic Board was in the process of developing an Energy & Water Plan and the Greater Brighton Infrastructure Panel was attended by major energy providers. The Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture stated that the real challenge would be on heating in homes and how that could be de-carbonised and a whilst a good deal of work had been undertaken on the council’s housing stock, more focus on the private and commercial sector was required.

39.18   In relation to flood defence, Councillor Appich noted that the western seafront was not referenced and residents of both Wish and Central Hove wards had enquired as to the plan for this area.

39.19   The Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture replied that this section of seafront was important and whilst he was aware of ongoing discussion, the risk register detailed actions and current ideas for that section of the seafront had not yet been progressed to projects.

39.20   In relation to SR30, Dr Horne noted that the first risk on communication was an ambitious programme with a deadline for completion within ten weeks and sought assurance that progress was on track. There were also actions that needed assurances from bodies on a national and global scale and asked how that representation was or would be made.

39.21   The Chief Executive explained that the meeting of Budget Council in February would also be agreeing a new Corporate Strategy that encompassed a number of actions within that specific risk. Furthermore, there would be a partner document developed that would set out how the council intended to deliver those priorities and that would be produced by the end of the financial year. The Chief Executive explained that the council were looking outwards with established structures such as the City Management Board, Brighton & Hove Connected, Greater Brighton Economic Board and the Local Enterprise Partnership. The Greater Brighton Economic Board had recently agreed its inward investment strategy.

39.22   Councillor Shanks noted that there had recently been a high turnover of staff at senior level and asked how it was planned to mitigate this.

39.23   The Chief Executive replied that a good deal of work had been put into ensuring the correct governance structures were in place. There was a current review of the management structure considering how the existing structure could be strengthened. Furthermore, the Leadership Network that comprised of the top 100 managers met once a quarter on performance training and development.

39.24   RESOLVED- That the Audit & Standards Committee:

1)           Note in paragraphs 3.3 the changes to the council’s SRR as agreed at ELT on 20 November 2019.

2)           Note Appendix 1 for details of SR35, SR30, SR36 and SR23.

3)           Note Appendix 2 ‘Information on the council’s risk management process relative to Strategic Risks (SRs); and Suggested questions for Members to ask Risk Owners and officers on Strategic Risks’.