Officers are developing a plan for improving risk management across the Council.
Following feedback from the Council's internal audit team, an action plan will immediately be brought forward to address gaps in governance, risk management and assurance capacity and skills. This will form part of the Council’s ongoing Adaptation & Renewal strategy which is working to respond to the challenges of Covid-19.
The decision to bolster the Council's internal processes was outlined in a report to members of the Policy and Sustainability Committee today (Tuesday 6 October), ahead of a detailed update which will be tabled at a meeting of the Governance, Risk and Best Value Committee next month.
Council Leader Adam McVey said:
The Council’s internal audit team do a brilliant job in helping us scrutinise and respond to issues. While no critical findings have been raised in their annual report, it does highlight some areas for improvement and a need for greater risk assurance. Particularly in light of the current circumstances, it's really important that we have robust approaches to managing risks in place, so we’re ensuring that services respond as quickly and appropriately as possible to make progress against the issues highlighted.
Depute Leader Cammy Day said:
Our Adaptation and Renewal programme is playing a crucial role in our response to the current and future challenges facing the Council, so I'm glad this piece of work will be driven forward under this plan. Any room for improvement must be taken seriously and the steps being taken now will help us to focus on risk management right across the Council going forward.
Led by Chief Executive Andrew Kerr, an action plan will be directed to improve operational controls for minimising risks, making sure that the Council's ongoing Covid-19 response is managed as effectively as possible. This will involve:
• Resolving outstanding management actions from internal audits
• Reviewing the current risk management framework
• Reviewing current assurance capacity and structures
• Taking all of the above into account as part of an operational governance review, through the Council’s Adaptation and Renewal programme.