Issue - meetings

That the Committee is assured by the arrangements in place for the emergency response and recovery phases.

The Chief Executive presented the quarterly update on the Council’s continued management of the emergency response caused by the Covid-19 pandemic to give assurance to the Committee, as previously requested.  An interim assurance letter from Audit Wales was also shared in support of the Council’s approach to recovery.

An overview was given on progress under the headings of risk management, service resumption, the control environment and restoration of democratic governance.  In response to Sally Ellis’ earlier comment on risk management, detailed risk registers with mitigation tables shared with the Committee were being regularly updated and would be considered by Overview & Scrutiny committees later in the month.  The Chief Executive commended the degree of escalation on this approach.  He outlined reporting arrangements for the Recovery Strategy, which had been developed through the Member Recovery Board, and said that presentation slides from the forthcoming Cabinet meeting and updated risk registers would be shared with the Audit Committee when available.  Overview & Scrutiny committees would receive a verbal update on the recovery phase and associated risks throughout the winter period.

Sally Ellis thanked officers for the comprehensive risk registers and mitigating action plans.  She sought assurance that robust arrangements were in place to scrutinise and monitor progress on risks once all committees had resumed later in the month.  The Chief Executive said that he would attend initial Overview & Scrutiny committees on risk management, along with the relevant Chief Officers and Cabinet Members who regularly attended.  He spoke about the quality of risk registers and the transparent reporting mechanism which fed into Cabinet and Overview & Scrutiny.  On skills, he spoke about the risk management experience of Overview & Scrutiny Committees in their respective portfolios.

Councillor Heesom highlighted the importance of elected Member involvement, particularly those without seats on committees.

The Chief Executive agreed and said that restoration of democratic governance and all-Member briefings held in advance of Council meetings would help to promote that.

The recommendation in the report was moved by Councillors Patrick Heesom and Joe Johnson.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee is assured by the arrangements in place for the emergency response and recovery phases.