Agenda item

Consider presentation on corporate risks by Director Infrastructure and Environment.

3.1       The Chair introduced Director Infrastructure and Environment to give a presentation on corporate risks in the Infrastructure and Environment Service.  A slide pack had been circulated from the Director Infrastructure and Environment which included a breakdown of risks across the service.  The Director Infrastructure and Environment answered questions from Members based on the content of the presentation.  With regards to the risk that revenue budgets not being included in the revenue costs of projects once they had been completed, this had been identified as a key risk where there was ongoing work.  External resource was sought to establish a Programme Management Office (PMO) to focus on the way projects were established.  The PMO was due to be established by the end of March 2023.  Work was also undertaken which would focus on the development of project business cases.  With regards to revenue implications of projects, the Director Infrastructure and Environment advised the risk was in a better position where a finance working group was established to liaise with projects to review financial implications.  Dashboard reporting was due to be established to support the production of reports on projects and their financing.  Revenue implications had always been part of project initiation; however work was being undertaken to improve the position of the project finance risk.

3.2       It was explained that a Chief Officer Estates had not been advertised yet.  The position would capture work on property management, property and estates maintenance, architects and facilities management.  With regards to the progress of sales of land and property, the Director Infrastructure and Environment advised that consideration should be given to priorities with regards to the disposal of assets depending on the asset due to be sold.  Focus was given to assets that were higher risk to the organisation, particularly in consideration of the capacity of officers.  The Chief Executive advised that sales of parcels of land usually took place under delegated authority; however progress on sales normally took time where assets were of higher profile and required investment to be brought into productive use.  Place Making also formed part of considerations in the selling of assets to ensure there was a positive impact on a particular settlement.  After references to the United Kingdom’s exit of the European Union was highlighted by Members, the Director Infrastructure and Environment assured the Committee that the risk register was reviewed along with the Corporate Risk Officer and that the description of the relevant risk would be updated.  The Chief Officer Audit and Risk informed Members that second line monitoring would take place to address mitigation actions with assigned owners to assure Members that risk mitigation took place that underpinned the slide deck presented to the Committee.  Members responded that while the verbal update was welcome, written confirmation of actions having took place would assure the Committee.  The Director Infrastructure and Environment advised that he would be happy to bring back an update to the Committee on changes to the Environment and Infrastructure risks following the work on the establishment the PMO, recruitment on the Chief Officer Estates and detailed insight into service risks.  The Chair further requested that updates are brought forward with an evaluation on SBC work on climate change including on uptake of mandatory training.  It was explained that climate change mandatory training had not been established for long and that monitoring would be undertaken.

DECISION

(a)       NOTED the update;

(b)       AGREED that the Director Infrastructure and Environment would bring back an update on service risks following the establishment of the Programme Management Office (PMO).