Belstone Parish Council Risk Register
BELSTONE PARISH COUNCIL
ASSESSMENT OF RISKS AND ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN TO MINIMISE THEM
(02.03.04) (amended 02.10.07, 09.04.13, 11.01.22, 17.01.23), Latest amendment 20.05.24
| Topic | Identified hazard and risk | People at Risk | Control measures | Risk Level (after mitigation) | Action | Responsibility | |
| Precept | 1 | Precept not submitted | Clerk | Diary to be kept and reported by RFO to Council meetings | Low | Diary | RFO |
| 2 | Precept not received | Members | RFO should report information provided by WDBC of expected date of receipt of each stage of precept (also record in diary). RFO to check with bank if these payments have been made, to contact WDBC if not made and report to Chairman and Council. Receipt of instalments to be reported and minuted. | Low | Diary and reconciliation | RFO | |
| 3 | Adequacy of Precept | Members | Regular review of budget to actual. Full checking of proposed budget by Council | High | Scrutiny | Council | |
| Financial Expenditure | 4 | Loss of funds: improper payments. | Members Clerk | Appropriate control exercise by the Council: Invoices to be examined and signed as correct by the Chairman. Council approval of any expenditure voted and minuted. Expenditure only up to amounts agreed in the approved budget or guaranteed income from grants. (To be minuted) RFO to report regularly on receipts/payments made under budget headings. Mid-year report to Council. Cheques drawn on bank account to be signed by two Council members. Cheque counterfoils also to be signed. No blank cheques to be signed. No cheques to be made payable to cash. Bank statements to be checked and signed by Chairman. Proof to be gained of correct use of Section 137 payments. All online payments to be authorised by 2 council members. List of Direct Debits to be reviewed annually. | Low | Scrutiny | RFO/Council |
| 5 | Internal Audit: inadequate | Members | Internal Auditor to be someone used to dealing with accounts. Internal Auditor writes a detailed annual report testing the Council’s financial procedures. This to be based on existing template. Report to be discussed and agreed/acted upon by the Council. This to be minuted. | Low | Scrutiny | Council | |
| 6 | Loss of funds: fraud | Members Clerk | Mandatory Fidelity Guarantee Insurance in place for adequate sum per Financial Regulations.(Balances plus 50% of precept) Regular Reporting to members. Internal Audit | Low | Scrutiny | Council | |
| 7 | Inadequate balances to cover contingency | Members Clerk | Balances =100% of precept as per external audit advice. Members to consider Reserves Policy built into Financial Regulations. | Low | Records | RFO | |
| 8 | VAT not recoverable (over three years to claim) | Members Clerk | Claim annually. Record due date in diary. | Low | Diary | RFO | |
| Staff | 9 | Loss of key personnel (RFO/clerk) | Members Clerk | Oversight of hours, heath, stress and training by appointed councillors. Annual Assessment Councillors trained to undertake tasks, instructions for processes. Vice-Chairman to have admin access to email and data systems. Locum Panel of experienced Parish and Town Clerks provided by the Society of Local Council Clerks able to assist in an emergency | Low | Scrutiny Documentation | Chairman/Vice Chairman |
| Assets | 10 | Loss or Damage to Council assets | Public | Insurance: adequate cover for property damage. Annual review of value of assets and update of insurance cover. Annual inspection, recorded in minutes. | Medium | Diary | RFO |
| 11 | Health and Safety on Council land | Public | Public Liability Insurance in place. Annual inspections of council property carried out and remedial work put in hand. | Low | Diary | RFO | |
| 12 | Loss or unintended release of data | Members/Clerk | Data Protection/Privacy Policy in place. Training of clerk and councillors in the proper use of data. All documents kept on drive in the cloud with automatic backup. | Low | Policy Training | Clerk Council | |
| Meetings | 13 | Pandemic requiring lockdown including no face-to-face meetings. | Clerk | Delegate to the Chairman and Clerk decisions regarding payments. Use of virtual meeting technology | Medium | Training | Clerk |
| 14 | Failure to achieve quorum at meetings – business not transacted; decisions not made. | Members Clerk | Issue annual meeting calendar to all members. Issue meeting agendas promptly. Record attendance, contact members who fail to attend meetings | Low | Diary | Clerk |
Risk Assessment Carried Out by: The Clerk Sally Fullwood 13/05/24
Validated by: Members of Belstone Parish Council
Signed on behalf of Belstone Parish Council: Michael Ash (Chairman) 20/05/24
To be reviewed January 2025