Purpose

REASONS

The proposed revised policy would have ensured a continued structured and consistent approach to managing risk and opportunity across the Council.

The policy would have also supported compliance with legal and regulatory requirements (e.g. Civil Contingencies Act, Local Government Act).

It would have enabled risk-informed decision-making and resource allocation and supported work to ensure there continued to be a risk-aware culture that supported innovation and accountability. 

Decision

ORDERED that Executive approve the Risk and Opportunity Management Policy 2026–2029.

Alternative options considered

OPTIONS

Option 1: Do nothing / retain existing policy. This was not recommended because: The existing policy did not reflect current best practice or updated frameworks; it limited the Council’s ability to respond effectively to emerging risks and; it weakened governance and assurance arrangements.

Option 2: Partial update. This was not recommended because: a full refresh was required to align with ISO 31000 principles and modern ERM approaches and; partial updates would have created inconsistency and ambiguity.