Agenda item

The Quarter 1 2026/27 Risk Management Report was presented for Members' consideration. The Committee was advised that additional detail had been included within the report in response to requests made at the previous meeting, including narrative explanations for individual corporate risks together with the detail on inherent and residual risk scores, this showing the impact and likelihood scoring that officers had made against each of the risks.

At the last meeting, Members suggested that risk owners would be invited to attend future meetings, where appropriate, to provide specific updates on individual corporate risks within their service areas. At this meeting, a detailed update was provided by the Assistant Director for Environmental and Housing Property Services on the Remedial Fire Safety Actions (COR027).  

The Committee received a separate report, at Appendix 1, on the progress in addressing the outstanding fire safety remedial actions. Members were advised that the budget for fire remediation works had been increased by £1 million for 2026/27 and that an additional contractor had been appointed to increase capacity and accelerate the programme of works.

It was highlighted that all of the existing flat entrance doors across Council stock properties were fire doors. The aim of the programme of works was to modernise and bring those fire doors up to modern standards, in line with FD30S standards. The fire safety programme was monitored with obviously quarterly reporting to Executive Committee and, if requested, scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

There were a number of mitigations to ensure fire safety was improved including ongoing gas servicing and electrical safety testing. Through 2025,

the caretaking service had also been introduced which helped ensure no combustible material was being left within communal areas.

A risk-based approach was being used to prioritise remedial activity, with higher-risk properties receiving priority attention. Members were also advised that an independent review of the Council’s fire safety arrangements was being undertaken, with findings expected later in September 2026.

During discussion of the Risk Management Report, Members highlighted the continuing cyber security risks facing local authorities and emphasised the importance of completing cyber security and artificial intelligence awareness training. Questions were also raised regarding delays to fire risk assessment programme. In response, Members were advised that capacity issues were being experienced with the Council’s specialist consultants as there had been increased demand for fire risk assessments across the housing sector nationally. There was ongoing dialogue to resolve this with the Council’s consultants but the Council also continued to utilise existing fire risk assessments, if necessary, to address outstanding issues within affected blocks.

Members also raised questions regarding Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and whether sufficient emphasis had been given to this issue within the Corporate Risk Register. Officers confirmed that LGR was included on the Corporate Risk Register.

RESOLVED that

1)    The strategic risks and mitigations detailed in the Corporate Risk Register had been considered.

2)    The risk scores, owners, leads and the updates to risks over the period of this report had been considered, with no changes proposed by the Committee.