Agenda item

Report of Executive Director Environment.

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director Environment detailing the risk management procedures in place within the Environment Department and how risk is effectively managed. This report was taken together with the Open Spaces Departmental Business Plan 2021/22 at Item 9.

Members were informed that they would receive a full risk register in the report in October.

A Member stated that the Natural Environment Cross-Divisional Risks table in Appendix 2 of the Director’s Report should include three additional columns: target risk; target date to achieve this; and flight path, showing the history of the risk.

The Member was concerned that there had been little improvement to the Wanstead Park Reservoirs risk for an extended period of time and questioned whether the City Corporation was taking sufficient steps to address this. The Member noted that studies and modelling phases had taken place and stated that an action plan and timetable should now be established so that appropriate resources can be allocated.

The Committee noted that there had previously been an under-reporting of risks and shared the concern raised. A Member noted the current challenges facing the Natural Environment Department, including ambiguous reports from engineers, conflicting recommendations and the unpredictability of the natural environment.

The Committee was informed that full risk report would include the flight path of the risk, target date and details of the action currently being taken.

The Committee was also informed that they the Natural Environment Division have employed a staff member to conduct an audit of unknown risks.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.