Agenda item

As part of this item a presentation will be given on Corporate Risk 7.2 (If departments are unable to promptly recruit and retain staff with the right skills and values and in the numbers required to fill the roles needed, then the required/expected level and standard of service may not be delivered, and some services will be over reliant on the use of agency staff resulting in budget overspends and lower service delivery).

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Corporate Resources which was to provide an overview of key risk areas and the measures being taken to address them. The report also provided an update on mitigating the risk of fraud. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item 7’, is filed with these minutes.

As part of this item, the Committee also received a presentation on Corporate Risk 7.2 on the Corporate Risk Register (If departments are unable to promptly recruit and retain staff with the right skills and values and in the numbers required to fill the roles needed, then the required/expected level and standard of service may not be delivered, and some services will be over reliant on the use of agency staff resulting in budget overspends and lower service delivery). A copy of the presentation slides is filed with these minutes.

Risk Presentation

Arising from discussion, the following points were made:

(i)      Members were pleased to note the actions taken by the Council to date in respect to apprenticeships.  In response to a question raised, it was noted that whilst there were a number of stringent rules limiting the areas the Apprenticeship Levy from the Government could be used for, the Council was doing all it could do to maximise its own offer. For example, one of the areas the Council was currently looking into applying a certain percentage of the levy was to develop leadership skills in Special Schools. Members noted that there was also potential to use the levy to fund the relevant training for existing staff and the Council was looking into the options around this.

(ii)    The reasons why staff left the Council were varied and made up of both internal and external factors. Analysing the responses to exit interviews was a key part of determining any patterns and issues to be addressed. Though knowledge was also gained through external means (such as by monitoring the activity of the job market).  Whilst staff were not always inclined to engage with exit interviews, revisions made to the process now meant that a higher percentage of staff were participating which was positive. Regarding the types of organisations staff leaving to take up another role were moving to, it was confirmed that further information on the reasons staff left the Council would be provided to Committee members outside of the meeting. However, a key issue known to be affecting the public sector at present was the large number of vacancies that had become available in the private sector that was often able to offer more competitive rates of pay. One example was the national drive to recruit more HGV drivers. There were also trends of staff moving to and from specific sectors (such as from Care to Catering).

(iii)   A member commented on the importance of staff feeling empowered to make the decisions required within their work areas. It was felt that having overly complex decision making processes and committee structures could mean some of the higher level decisions taking longer to progress than expected which could lead to staff feeling unempowered. It was questioned, if this was a factor in the reasons why staff left the Council, whether changes made to streamline the decision making processes and committee structures would make a difference in the Council retaining staff.

In response, it was expected that in its position as a Local Authority the Council would always need a certain level of rigour in its decision-making processes. However, it was acknowledged that over the last couple of years during the Covid-19 pandemic it had been necessary for different approaches to be taken to manage the crisis which had worked well overall, and there was a need to ensure the benefits gained during that period were not lost.  For example, there were opportunities with digital innovation to streamline processes which were being explored and was where some investment was being made. Members noted that through the Council’s Learning Development Programme consideration was being given to how the current training offer could be developed to encourage innovative ideas at work and how staff were supported to progress such ideas for the benefit of themselves and the organisation.

Risk Management Update

(iv)   It was questioned whether the risks of not achieving a ‘County Deal’, or achieving a lesser deal than expected, which could lead to funding being directed to neighbouring areas with higher level deals, needed to be listed on the Corporate Risk Register. The Director confirmed that discussions with the Government were ongoing, and developments were taking longer than anticipated. However, the points raised would be considered.  Members noted that reference had been made to ‘County Deals’ in new legislation that had recently been proposed in the Queen’s speech and the implications to the Council of that proposed legislation would be kept under review. 

(v)  Members requested that a presentation be given at the Committee’s next meeting on Corporate Risk B (If the implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine are sustained, then the County Council and Leicestershire as a whole will be significantly impacted).

RESOLVED:

(a)    That the current status of the strategic risks facing the County Council be approved;

(b)    That at the next meeting of the Committee a presentation be provided on Corporate Risk B (If the implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine are sustained, then the County Council and Leicestershire as a whole will be significantly impacted);

(c)  That the update regarding mitigating the risk of fraud be noted;

(d)  That further information on the reasons staff give for leaving the Council be provided to Committee members outside of the meeting;

(e)  That the Director of Corporate Resources be requested to consider whether the risks around not securing a County Deal or securing a lower level deal than anticipated needs including on the Corporate Risk Register.