To receive a verbal update on risk management during COVID-19.
Minutes:
The Chairman invited Toby Eliot, Corporate Support Manager to give a verbal update on Risk Management during COVID-19.
The officer explained that day to day management of risk was overtaken by the need to respond to the pandemic. Senior Managers and Heads of Service were responsible for identifying risk and their attention was taken up responding to COVID-19. Risks could still be recorded and reviewed but officers were not chased regarding risks. The current risk process was mothballed due to the pandemic. However, new activities and risks were identified as part of the response to the pandemic. Having responded to the Novichok incidents a couple of years earlier Wiltshire Council knew what was required. The existing risk process was adapted and each response cell was able to record risks on a single register. Risks which could have an organisation wide effect were discussed with CLT weekly. At the end of the response phase nearly 200 risks had been identified and 25 risks were being reviewed by CLT weekly.
As the organisation moved from response to recovery a different approach was required and partner risks could be recorded as well. Risks were split into four themes and each theme had a separate risk register. Risks were identified as events that may get in the way of the stated recovery aims. These risks could be escalated to the overall risk register depending on their score.
Risks from the initial response were not lost, they could either be closed or moved to the relevant risk register at a service level. Internal risks were also recorded and all risks were monitored in service risk registers.
The Council had recently gone back into a response phase and there were 9 new internal cells managing risks, with a single summary register reviewed by CLT on a weekly basis. The risks were not the same as before but reflected the current situation.
The corporate risk management process would be resumed soon. It would take a minimum of a month to review, backdate and collate the information required. It was expected that a number of the risks defined during the response and recovery would become service risks and then move onto the strategic register. The impact of the last nine months would be reflected in financial risks and staffing risks. Some risks may need to be redefined and others closed and replaced.
The aim was to pull together risk management with a Q3 strategic risk register reported to the February 2021 Cabinet, however this would be dependent on the pandemic.
Regarding Council staff working from home, the impact on risk process was very low. The availability of senior staff time had impacted the ability to run the usual risk process however this had not been detrimental to risk management, as other processes were implemented.
Remote working had presented some risk, there had been concerns regarding bandwidth for example, however changes to the IT infrastructure had mitigated this. Data security, cyber security and staff health and wellbeing had increased risk scores, although they were well controlled. There were also opportunities in the new ways of working. The organisational recovery programme would be managing these risks going forward.
In response to comments from the committee the officer stated that there was a performance and risk management policy and a set of guidance regarding the process. It was confirmed that these would be sent to Members following the meeting and they could be reviewed at the next meeting.
In response to a question regarding risks associated with elected Members during COVID-19, it was confirmed by the officer that this had been considered and elected Members engagement and their ability to engage was a part of the process. Regarding decision making, which had been identified as a major risk, the right people had been involved in mitigating that risk.
The Chairman hoped that later iterations of the AGS would reflect risk management and governance changes as a result of COVID-19.
The Chairman stated that it had been hoped to restart the service area risk presentations, which had been halted due to COVID-19, however it was felt best to hold these in abeyance at the current time.
The Chairman thanked Mr Eliot for his update.