Agenda item

To consider a progress report on individual risks identified in the Council’s Strategic Risk Register.

The Committee considered a progress report in relation to the individual risks identified on the Strategic Risk Register, specifically in relation to the risk regarding ‘Lack of Resilience’. The report was presented by Mr Jack, who outlined the controls and mitigation in place around the sub-risk ‘Lack of capacity to deliver Council services’. He spoke about the targeted approaches being taken in areas that were difficult to recruit and retain staff. He referenced the care industry as being particularly under valued and the development of a new career path being undertaken in this area. He also spoke about the collective recruitment processes alongside other agencies, in recognition of the challenges within the teaching and nursing professions. Mr Jack also spoke about the need to gain a better understanding of employee requirements about why they both stay and leave the area.

In connection with a question from the Committee about methods being used to reduce the number of agency staff, Mr Jack pointed to an increased use of casual workers being used to fill short term staffing requirements and vacancies.

Moving on to the sub-risk ‘Over reliance on public sector services’, Mr Jack spoke about the five year Council Plan being in place with a clear agenda to build a more resilient community. He explained that happier and healthier people with access to a greater level of employment opportunities would result in less reliance on Council services.

Asked by the Committee whether benchmarking took place in connection with resilience building, Mr Jack pointed to the Better Start conference which took place recently and the shared learning which came from that in relation to early years development. He explained about the work being carried out to turn good case studies into practice.

In connection with the sub-risk ‘Lack of individual resilience to work in a challenging environment’, Mr Jack outlined the number of controls and mitigation measures in place that were detailed within the report, adding that since 2010 there had actually been an increase in Council services provided, despite the reductions in overall staff numbers.

The Committee discussed the issue of lost working days due to staff sickness, particularly as a result of stress. Mr Jack explained that stress related sickness tended to be as a result of home and work related stress coming together. He spoke of the need to ensure that proper support was in place for staff and for an improved evidence based recording system around staff sickness.

Asked about the referral mechanisms in place for stress related sickness, Mrs Smith explained about the Occupational Health referral programme. She also gave details of the self-assessment facilities that were available via the Health and Safety manual and the ability to engage locally with line managers prior to a referral to Occupational Health. Mrs Booth added that part of the work being carried out in connection with workforce resilience building was making it clear that risk was a top down approach, in terms of the senior managers being responsible for ownership of day to day risks in connection with job roles.

The Committee agreed to note the report.

Background papers: None.