8. Who is responsible for delivery and monitoring of this policy
The following list describes what each group or person is responsible for.
Audit and governance committee
- formally approves the corporate risk management policy and guidance
- monitors the council’s risks and keep under review the council’s risk action plans (risks are reported to them twice a year)
Strategic management team (SMT)
chief executive, deputy chief executive, strategic leads and service leads:
- ensures risk is managed effectively and in accordance with the corporate risk management policy and guidance
- reports to audit and governance committee as necessary
Deputy chief executive
- ensures the council manages risk effectively using the corporate risk management policy and guidance
- identify, assess and review strategic risks affecting the council
Section 151 officer
- develops the corporate risk management policy and guidance
- organises appropriate training for members and employees
- supports the council in the effective development and implementation of the corporate risk management process including ensuring the process is embedded at all levels
- reports to strategic risk management bi-annually the risk register, insurance claims, internal audit review and the governance action plan progress
Heads of service and corporate managers
- identify and assess operational risks and ensure that they are entered onto the SPAR.net system
- manage, review and report on (or delegate the management, review and reporting of) risks effectively in their service areas
Responsible officers
- enter new risks on the SPAR.net system if not entered by the heads of service or corporate managers including those identified by South West Audit Partnership during service area audits
- monitor risks that they are responsible for - to ensure control actions are up to date
- work to deadlines for updating SPAR.net when risk reviews are required
Member risk representative (from the audit and governance committee)
- liaise with the management information officer about the status of the risk register.
- presents the bi-annual risk report to the audit and governance committee
Management information officer
- liaises with councillor risk representative and Section 151 officer regarding the status of the risk register
- ensures responsible officers know the deadlines for updating SPAR.net
- sends emails to responsible officers to remind them to update the SPAR.net system
- collates and produces bi-annual reports for strategic management team and the audit and governance committee and produces any other reports required
Managers and other employees
- manage risk effectively in their job and report risks to their managers or heads of service.
- comply with corporate risk management policy and guidance
South West Audit Partnership (SWAP)
- carry out audits of the risk register in order to keep everything on track
- review risks within specific service area audits
By following this policy the council’s management of risks should be fully embedded into the culture of the organisation. It should be possible to identify, assess, review and report risks in a uniform and structured way.
This framework will help protect the council from liabilities which might prevent the council from carrying out its day-to-day activities.
The section 151 officer will monitor this policy to ensure it is kept up to date.