The Isle of Wight Council continues to face multiple strategic risks, according to a report by senior officers.
A risk report, due to be seen by the audit committee on Monday, rates ten strategic risks within the council — four have been rated as red, and six as amber. Six areas have improved from red to amber.
Areas facing risks
Areas reviewed include financial management, failure to improve educational attainment, insufficient staffing capacity and management of situations where vulnerable children and adults are subject to abuse — among others.
The report says the council continues to face a ‘significant financial challenge, in particular through major reductions in government grant, increased costs and constraints on other resources’.
It adds the decision to take a ‘debt holiday’ for five years has reduced the council’s savings requirement, and created a £2 million transformation reserve, as well as boosting general reserves to £11.2 million.
Adult social care remains in high risk
One area where the council has remained in the red is the failure to provide acceptable quality of professional practice across adult social care – of which Cllr Clare Mosdell is the cabinet member – as a high level of agency workers have been needed to complete key work.
A lack of WiFi at all learning disability care homes has left staff unable to complete mandatory online training.
Areas of improvement
According to auditors, positive improvements include the savings programme for the Highways PFI and better management of situations where vulnerable adults may be subject to abuse.
Full details can be found in the report below. Click on the full screen icon to see larger version.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which OnTheWight is taking part in. Some additions by OnTheWight. Ed
