Policies & Procedures

Risk Template

Aim Risk Method used to minimise risk Person(s) responsible

Legal liability/documents:

To ensure compliance with Legislation, Codes of Conduct and Council’s Financial Regulations.

Lack of knowledge of regulations and codes leading to incorrect procedures

Clerk to advise on law when appropriate, and attend training and obtain external advice when required.

Clerk
Councillors
  Absence of Standing Orders/Financial Regulations. Purchases made without appropriate procedures. Standing Orders and Financial Regulations to be reviewed regularly. Clerk
Councillors
  Non-declaration of interests, gifts and hospitality, as per Code. All Councillors to make declarations of interest, gifts and hospitality at the appropriate time at meetings. Councillors
To comply with appropriate Government legislation regarding disability, racial equality, and health and safety for employees and employers. Failure to comply with applicable legislation. Keep liabilities and responsibilities updated as required by legislation.

Councillors
Clerk
Safekeeping of important documents. Loss of important documents, including minutes of meetings. Documents held by Clerk to be stored in a metal filing cabinet. To consider lodging older minutes and other records with Lincolnshire Archives from time to time. Clerk

Insurance:

To provide adequate insurance cover for all possible risks.

 Inadequate insurance cover. Policy includes index linked protection for loss/damage to assets, public liability, employers’ liability, fidelity insurance – to be updated when new assets purchased/disposed of as per assets register. RFO (Clerk)
Councillors

Financial Regulations:

To ensure compliance with Council’s Financial Regulations.

Lack of control of financial matters.

Fees not kept to current levels of inflation.

 Bank mandate to be updated as necessary when Members join or leave.
Two Councillors to sign cheques and the Bank informed via the Mandate. Ensure that bank account is well managed. Provide bank reconciliations as per standing orders, and report to each meeting with a financial report on the current year’s budget.
Assets register to be kept updated as per audit and financial regulations.
VAT refunds to be applied for in a timely manner.
All Councillors to be involved in the budget process with one or more councillors taking the lead to annually undertake a thorough audit of books of accounts and financial management as undertaken by the Parish Clerk. There is to be a Budget review as an agenda item for the January meeting which will include the setting of the precept for the coming financial year.
The Internal Auditor to check accounts annually in accordance with the current audit procedure. The approved audit procedure to be an agenda item for the May Meeting for necessary consideration and decisions. The appointment of the Internal Auditor shall also be an agenda item at that meeting.		 Councillors
RFO (Clerk)
Internal Auditor

Risk assessment:

To identify and regularly review the Council’s priorities.

 No new risk assessments carried out. Review current legislation or expectations in this respect relating to the Parish Clerk, Councillors and those attending meetings. The review to take place annually as an agenda item for the May Meeting. Councillors
Clerk

Bus Shelter , School Lane Street:

To ensure safety of members of the public and to maintain to a good standard.

 Injury to members of the public. Visual check of shelter every twelve months Clerk and/or two Councillors

Roadside Seat –School Lane:

To ensure safety of members of the public.

 Injury to members of the public Visual check every 12 months Clerk and/or two Councillors

Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership road side Speed Signs:

To ensure safety of members of the public.

 Injury to members of the public Visual check every 12 months Clerk and/or two Councillors
Well head, lamp posts, troughs, defibrillator and any other road side furniture. Injury to members of the public Visual check every 12 months