COVID-19 joins Brexit and CoDA as key risks

According to the Annual Audit Opinion for DC&SDC for 2019/2020 that was laid before the July Assurance, Audit and Risk Committee meeting, the council was already facing a number of strategic risks, including the financial viability of City of Derry Airport and Brexit, when COVID-19 hit.

“As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic there was a significant review of the Corporate Risk Register in May 2020,” the document states.

The emergency has disrupted the work of the council’s internal audit section as it has all departments.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council is operating in a much more difficult and challenging set of circumstances both financially and operationally. As a result, the 2020/2021 Internal Audit Strategy and Plan which was to be presented to Members of the Assurance, Audit and Risk Committee in March 2020 has had to be reviewed. The updated Internal Audit Strategy and Plan takes into consideration the new risks facing the Council in order to provide a service which is relevant to the current needs and objectives of senior management and to provide the necessary assurances to the Assurance, Audit and Risk Committee,” the report further advises.

A new sub-section has been added to the risk register warning against a risk of an ‘inability to ensure the future financial stability of Council in relation to implications arising from COVID-19’. This risk, the report states, has been reviewed by the council’s senior management but while allocations from Stormont have helped mitigate losses incurred as a result of COVID-19 the report warns that the ‘financial position remains critical’.

“Despite extension of non-business rates relief, critical risk relates to rate-base impact. Council lobbying Government to ensure that rates paid are based on estimated figure agreed during 19/20 rate setting process,” it says.