Agenda item

RESOLVED:

To note the report and the attached risk registers.  

7.1  The Corporate Risk Adviser introduced the report updating the

  committee on the current Corporate Risk Register of the Council as at

  June 2022. The report also identified how risks within the Council are

 identified and managed throughout the financial year and the approach

taken to embedding risk management. Matthew Powell highlighted the

following:

·  2 additional risks on the register: the current cost of living crisis and the recruitment issues, particularly in the area of ICT;

·  The Pensions risk had been de-escalated to Directorate level because of improvements with a new interface;

·  The pandemic risk had fallen;

·  The cyber-attack risk remained;

·  Risks related to Council owned companies remained on the register;  

·  Other risks remained in place;

·  Climate change remained a high risk;

7.2  Councillor Troughton referred the positive initiative around the Single

  Income Maximising Service. She asked for clarification on mitigation in

place to prevent fraud risk and whether there was a gateway to the service.  Councillor Troughton asked what the Council’s position was on staff vaccinations.

7.3  The Corporate Head of Audit, Anti-Fraud and Risk Management referred

to the changes that hackney had undergone as a result of the cyber-attack, the cost of living crisis and the cost of living crisis.  He confirmed Anti-Fraud involvement in new mechanisms for the delivery of support to residents introduced in terms of the design of services and the allocation of resources to deal with concerns identified once the new schemes are in place.

7.4  The Group Director of Finance and Corporate Resources stressed the

importance the Single Income Maximisation Service and of residents getting all the support they can get. He stressed that teams worked closely to ensure that necessary arrangements are in place and that the approach that the council was taking benefited residents. He referred to the good work of the council’s housing needs section in this area

7.5  Councillor Billington questioned the term ‘temporary accommodation’ as

many people remained in this accommodation for long periods of time. She asked for clarification on the associated long term risks and whether numbers were expected to rise and what mitigation was in place. Councillor Billington suggested a deep dive into climate change, in particular, in relation to flooding and mitigation. She confirmed that there had been presentations to the Scrutiny Committee on this matter but the matter was still at the early stages and there was a need to ensure that this was addressed in a more systematic way.

7.6  The Chair agreed that a climate change deep dive be discussed under the Audit Committee’s work plan. She asked for clarification on whether ‘temporary accommodation’ was a statutory term. It was confirmed that this was a statutory term. The Group Director, Finance and Corporate Resources suggested a member drop-in session on temporary accommodation.

7.7  Councillor Young suggested that fuel poverty be a separate risk because of the relationship with climate change and sustainability and the government’s definition of fuel poverty, allowing for risks to be assessed separately with different solutions. She asked about the ongoing impact of the cyber attack on enforcement actions within the Council, e.g, people receiving notices to quit. She asked whether this formed part of the risk register.

7.8  The Corporate Risk Adviser told the Committee that the Corporate Register was a strategic document and the other risk registers would contain more examples of sub risks. He agreed that fuel poverty could be considered as a separate risk, or a clear sub risk. He confirmed that the enforcement issues were being dealt with by the Strategic Director, Customers and Workplace.

7.9  The Group Director of Finance and Corporate Resources agreed to  arrange a private session on the cyber attack for the committee. He said that any issues that arise around enforcement are triaged and after investigation it becomes clear that housing benefits is not always a material factor.

Action: Group Director of Finance and Corporate Resources

7.10  Councillor Garbett stressed the need to reach those most in need,

ensuring that the council tax rebates are getting to those who need them and referred to the difficulties for those who do not have direct debit and cannot access the internet. She stressed that residents should be made aware of changes to services. Councillor Garbett stressed the importance of SEN funding and that  the voices of children, carers and parents are included in the process. She asked about action taken to return children in care back to the Borough and referred to the high costs of these placements. Councillor Garbett referred to the need for a deep dive into climate change and considered that the likelihood rating for climate change should be higher. She asked for an update on Hackney Light and Power and its ambitions.

7.11  The Corporate Risk Adviser confirmed that the Risk Register was reviewed on a quarterly basis and the ongoing likelihood of climate change should be higher.

7.12  The Group Director for Finance and Corporate Resources confirmed all the direct debits accounts had been paid the rebate and work was on going on finalising how residents who do not pay be direct debit can apply. Residents had been encouraged to sign up for direct debit as this facilitated faster payment and there had been significant uptake. The Council was now moving to paying the rebate to those who do not have direct debit. He referred to the reliance on software providers to provide the relevant  updates.

7.13  Councillor Gordon referred to the cyber-attack and the unknown risks. She stressed that the cyber-attack still impacted residents. 

RESOLVED:

To note the report and the attached risk registers.