Agenda item

The Leader presented the report on the Council’s Risk Management Policy and Corporate Risk Register, which enabled the administration and officers to effectively identify, manage and monitor those risks which could prevent the Council from achieving its objectives in the Corporate Plan (2017-22) and undertake its statutory duties as a local authority.

The Quarter two risk report would also be presented to the Council’s Governance and Audit Committee in January (2022) to review the Council’s risk management process and governance arrangements.

At the end of quarter two the Council had 46 risks recorded across the Council’s eight service areas.

Those risks that were deemed to pose the most significant risk in the delivery of the Council’s Corporate Plan and services were escalated to the Council’s Corporate Risk Register for monitoring. 

At the end of quarter two 18 risks were recorded in the Corporate Risk Register:

·        Eleven Severe Risks (15 to 25);

·        Five Major Risks (7 to 14);

·        One Moderate Risks (4 to 6); and

·        One Low Risk (1 to 3).

Change in Direction of Risk Scores

In comparison to quarter one, 13 risks remained at the same risk score with four risks increasing and one risk score decreasing.

In the last quarter the Covid case rate had increased with the easing of restrictions.  The success of the vaccination programme had alleviated the most severe of illnesses in hospital settings but high rates of infection have been impacting staffing levels and attendances across school settings.

There was now new uncertainty with the new Omicron variant and residents and the Council would have to remain vigilant over the winter period.

Adult Social Care in Newport continued to see increasing demand on its services and this was affecting the Council’s ability to provide necessary service provision.

In Newport and Wales in general the Social Care sector was struggling to recruit and retain staff.  There were significant numbers of job vacancies and all care providers were experiencing difficulty in attracting new entrants whilst existing staff were being attracted to other sectors through the offer of better rates of pay and immediate financial incentives.

The Council was involved in local, regional and national discussions to ensure service users received the care packages they needed and to address the issues of recruitment and vacancies.

Following COP26 there was more emphasis for nations to decarbonise and reduce their impact on the environment.  The risk score increased to reflect a higher probability of global temperatures rising. 

The Council committed to reducing its carbon emissions to net zero carbon by 2030 and the Council made a good start to meet this target.  The Council would need to do more to make this a reality not only for the Council but across the City.

The Council drafted a clear plan for the next five years on the actions it needed to take to achieve this target.  The Plan was out for consultation and would be launched early 2022.

In November Newport Council declared an ecological and climate emergency that recognised the need to protect Newport’s local environments and reduce carbon emissions across the City.  The motion would ensure that all future decisions and policies made by Newport Council would be integrated across all areas of Council activity and the Council would lead by example through partnership working.

In the last quarter there was a wide ranging economic impact that were affecting the delivery of services in Newport.

This was most notably seen in the vacancies for HGV drivers and social care staff. 

Residents and businesses were also experiencing increases in the cost of goods and services with impacts on the supply of goods. 

The Council completed a Self-Assessment of Safeguarding which identified good practice being undertaken across the organisation.

With this self-assessment the Council had a good understanding of where further improvement needed to be made and to maintain good practice. 

This resulted in the overall risk score reducing to four.

Comments from Cabinet Members:

·        Councillor Cockeram mentioned in part of the Leader’s presentation, the pressure on Social Services in relation to staff vacancies and rates of pay.  The Cabinet Member mentioned that as an example, he was at a Regional Partnership meeting yesterday where they decided that they could not wait for Government to make the necessary arrangements to uplift the rates of pay, therefore the Regional Partnership Board discussed uplifting, as a region, domiciliary care pay.  To uplift domiciliary care as a Region by £1M saw their pay rise to only a £1, therefore it would take a lot of money to bring their pay up to a living wage. It was not much money but as a region, it was felt that the £1.8M winter plan money should be provided to domiciliary care staff.  

·        Councillor Jeavons mentioned that the Ash Die Back had changed the landscape of the city over the coming months because of the danger to public and buildings.  There would however be a replacement programme in place to replant trees.

·        Councillor Hughes took the opportunity to remind the public that the draft climate change plan is out for public consultation until end of December 2021 and all details were on the Newport City Council Website and Social Media platforms.

·        Councillor Davies wanted to advise colleagues where the Council was with Red Rag in relation to demand of ALN and SEN support and provision.  The Council was still waiting for implementation guidance from WG under the new ALN Act.  There were delays in light of the pandemic and concern was raised by officers and the Cabinet Member raised concern to the WLGA as to what the priorities and provisions would be in relation to funding so that Education Services could move on and come out of the Red Rag Status.  School Budgets were now in amber and the cabinet member was pleased to report that there were only three schools with deficit budgets and in talks with those schools to ensure that support and budget management is implemented.

·        Councillor Harvey referred to the covid recovery cases increased day by day and wanted to assure the public that the Council was just all a phone call away to provide support.

·        Councillor Mayer mentioned that cyber security was red as unfortunately people will still find a way to access data.  The assets also showed red this was a massive thing we have to deal with and part of it was caused by new normal as the council try to rationalise how to operate the services.

·        Councillor Truman also suggested that there was great uncertainty for forward planning because of new variant, but must plan ahead properly.  Additionally, Brexit was also an issue, such as HGV drivers, economy, energy costs, employment costs but the council would meet those challenges.

Decision:

Cabinet considered the contents of the Corporate Risk Register and continued monitoring these risks and the progress of actions being taken to address the risks identified in the report.