The Angus Community Planning Partnership

Risk category definitions

• Reputational: those associated with the perception that others have about the CPP. Any risk to the CPP's reputation means the risk of losing public confidence
• Political: those associated with political decisions and leadership
• Financial: those associated with financial planning and the ability to operate within budget
• Compliance/regulatory: those associated with possible breaches of legislation and regulations
• Partnership working: those associated with the ability of CPP partners and communities to work together effectively.

Scoring matrix

Risk register

Risk category: Operational

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: The coronavirus pandemic affected all partners and all our activities. It has resulted in an increased vulnerability across Angus and a wider focus for the CPP. The focus is now on the need to return to a new normality and demonstrate the ability to maintain suitable resilience arrangements to deliver our key business requirements. Partners must come together to work with the changes to all areas of our work and deliver our priorities under this new environment.

Actions/controls already in place: Recovery plans are being worked on across all organisations and in conjunction with the LRP. Partners are committed to working collaboratively through the new normal.

Impact: 3

Likelihood: 4

Risk Score: 12

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: Future CPP meetings will be with remote calls with face-to-face meetings where possible. 

Risk category: Compliance /regulatory

Date identified: January 2021

Risk description: There is a global climate emergency.  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a stark warning last year:  The world must act now. By 2030 it will be too late to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. Angus is a rural area with the northeast coastline - there are potential risks that need to be noted and there needs to be a partnership response. COP 26 presents a risk within the area with national organisations having resources pulled in to staff the event.

Actions/controls already in place: Angus Council submits a report annually which is a statutory report to the Scottish Government on the authority's progress in contributing to Scotland’s ambitious climate change targets – a reduction in emissions by 70% by 2030, 90% by 2040 and a net-zero target for 2045. 

Impact: 4

Likelihood: 3

Risk Score: 12

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: The partnership continue to support activities and actions to support the SG Climate Change Targets, including the transport network to encourage sustainable and active travel. The Angus SECAP is also currently under development.  

Risk category: Compliance/regulatory

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: Effective governance arrangements not in place to enable the partnership to perform effectively and comply with the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 (duty of community planning) and new duties in Community Empowerment Act, Community Justice (Scotland) Act and so on.

Actions/controls already in place: CPP governance arrangements reviewed following the introduction of a new structure. This is being reviewed as part of the Community Plan 2022 - 2030 refresh. CPP Performance and Planning Framework is in place, which sets out arrangements for monitoring, reviewing and reporting delivery of the community plan ambitions.

Impact: 4

Likelihood: 2

Risk Score: 8

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: Agreement to continue as a joint CPP and exec group who will oversee the priorities and all sub task and finish groups.

Risk category: Compliance/regulatory

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: Lack of accountability around the Fairer Scotland Duty, leading to partnership decisions not being fully explored and impact assessed.

Actions/controls already in place: Fairer Scotland Duty (FSD) assessments are being carried out by CPP when making strategic decisions; Reducing Child Poverty CPP Priority well underway; key inequalities of outcomes identified in the Angus Community Plan

Impact: 4

Likelihood: 2

Risk Score: 8

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: The CPP are currently undertaking a series of service design workshops which will improve partnership working and coproduction with our communities.

Risk category: Compliance/regulatory

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: Key partners do not comply with the CEA CPP duties of contributing funds, staff and other resources (including information) as deemed appropriate by the CPP; partners do not consider partnership priorities as part of their budget setting process, but focus on their own agency’s services alone. This could result in a negative impact on the pace or ability to achieve partnership outcomes and expose partners to government sanctions.

Actions/controls already in place: This is included in the terms of reference for the CPP and Exec joint group and partners are challenged on their contribution through the required channels.

Impact: 4

Likelihood: 3

Risk Score: 12

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: As we move through 2022 this will be discussed and where necessary challenged in line with legislative requirements. Partners should all contribute to shared outcomes.

Risk category: Operational

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: The Police and Fire Service have recently had a pension rationalisation following an appeal under the age discrimination act. This has led to a number of staff taking retirement and the potential of risks associated with staff capacity 

Actions/controls already in place: Partners will support colleagues in these services until recruitment and support is in place. This includes supporting new representatives on the groups and partnerships. 

Impact: 4

Likelihood: 4

Risk Score: 16

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: Increased support from partners in sharing skills and learning will help upskill new members coming onto groups in the interim 

Risk category: Operational

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: Unable to fully engage with communities resulting in them not being involved in community planning. Causes include communities refusing to engage due to trust, language being used in community planning and lack of knowledge and understanding around community planning.

Actions/controls already in place: Service design exercises have been underway to increase local engagement 

Impact: 3

Likelihood: 3

Risk Score: 9

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: Through Service Design Academy we are exploring options for engagement.

Risk category: Partnership working

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: Community planning is not given sufficient leadership at a political/partner level to achieve desired outcomes which could have impact on the effectiveness of the partnership.   

Actions/controls already in place: The chief executive of Angus Council is the chair of the joint Community Planning Partnership Board. Additional statutory partners identified in Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act; New elected member induction and briefings held re community planning and locality planning arrangements; Elected Members are involved in Planning for Place and Pride in Place activities 

Impact: 4

Likelihood: 3

Risk Score: 12

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: A new approach to Community Planning is currently being explored.

Risk category: Economic

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: The cost of living has been increasing across the UK since early 2021 and in April 2022, inflation reached its highest recorded level, and the ONS estimates that it is now higher than at any time since around 1982, affecting the affordability of goods and services for households. This has a potential of impacting on our priority to reduce poverty. 

Actions/controls already in place: The service design work has started to increase engagement with local people to identify issues around poverty. There is also additional funding coming from Scottish Government to help mitigate fuel increases.

Impact: 4

Likelihood: 4

Risk Score: 16

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: The child poverty work and local employability partnership are working on developing actions to support this.

Risk category: Partnership working

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: The rate and scope of transformational changes occurring within the council and some partner agencies lead to decisions not being effectively impact assessed and consulted upon. This could lead to some decisions impacting on the CPP's ability to achieve Community Plan ambitions.

Actions/controls already in place: Consultation with CPP and where relevant organised engagement exercises are conducted when significant reform and transformational change is being proposed for example Public Health Scotland. CPP Meetings are used as the forum for highlighting and discussing  such changes. Partners are using learning from previous experiences, to ensure strategic policy decisions are appropriately assessed for impact on CPP prioritize and ambitions.

Impact: 4

Likelihood: 3

Risk Score: 12

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: All partners should be fully aware of assessing the impact that changes within their organisation affect the work of the CPP.  

Risk category: Partnership working

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: Complexity of partnership performance monitoring and reporting arrangements, leading to challenges when trying to understand and scrutinise performance.

Actions/controls already in place: As part of the Community Plan Review a new set of indicators will be developed which are more effectively aligned to the new work underway

Impact: 2

Likelihood: 2

Risk Score: 4

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: Combined action plan drafted and actions underway. Pentana to be trained on and utilised. Awaiting partnership forms.  

Risk category: Partnership Working

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: CPP groups at operational level are not engaged with those at strategic level, and vice versa. This has the effect of reducing effectiveness, clarity and communication and impacting on the relationship between strategic and operational level CPP groups.

Actions/controls already in place: Chairs of the LIPs are invited to the CPP and give 6 monthly updates. Chair of CJP now member of the Group.

Impact: 3

Likelihood: 3

Risk Score: 9

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: Community engagement options are being explored due to covid-19 restrictions. A pilot is being delivered through the child poverty group.

Risk category: Political

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: Change of administration within Angus may have an impact of current delivery plans and priorities moving forward.

Actions/controls already in place: New representatives from the new administration have been identified and will link to the wider agenda.

Impact: 3

Likelihood: 3

Risk Score: 9

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: BREXIT has happened with a trade deal however the situation will be monitored going forward. Rural skills highlighted some likely scenarios around job outcomes for Angus. 

Risk category: Reputational

Date identified: June 2022

Risk description: Communities are not getting opportunity to participate, or do not have the capacity to participate in community planning. There may be opposing views from within communities, or views may differ substantially from partners’ own, or local political, views. The outcome is that we are not meeting the needs of our communities 

Actions/controls already in place: Locality arrangements widening across partners; Scheme of Establishment of Community Councils in place; Extensive community engagement/involvement in the development and implementation  of localities plans; Involvement of elected members from multi-member wards; Co-investigation/street conversations held to share experiences of poverty and disadvantage in Angus; Angus Citizens’ Survey carried out every two years; Have Your Say database on www.angus.gov.uk

Impact: 4

Likelihood: 3

Risk Score: 12

Actions/controls to reduce likelihood/impact: Two projects are currently underway to strengthen communication with Community Council's including digital skills support and a research project looking at how we can better engage with our CC's to co-produce vital services to ensure our structure, processes and governance are fit for the future.  

Summary of Expectations - Principles of Effective Community Planning

Community participation and co-production

• The CPP and community planning partners work with community bodies to ensure that all bodies which can contribute to community planning are able to do so in an effective way and to the extent that they wish to do so.
• The CPP and community planning partners have a clear understanding of distinctive needs and aspirations of communities of place and interest within its area, as a result of effective participation with community bodies.
• Effective community participation informs decisions about the CPP's priorities, how services are shaped and resources deployed; this includes working with community bodies on co-production where these bodies wish to do so.
• Effective community participation informs how the CPP manages and scrutinises performance and progress, and how it revises its actions to meet its ambitions as a result of its performance management.
• The CPP embraces the principles of effective co-production which is aimed at combining the mutual strengths and capacities of all partners (including community bodies) to achieve positive change.

Tackling inequalities 

• The CPP has a strong understanding of which households and communities, both of place and of interest, in its area experience inequalities of outcome which impact on their quality of life.
• The CPP focuses its collective energy on where its partners' efforts can add most value for its communities, with particular emphasis on reducing inequalities.
• The CPP develops locality and thematic approaches as appropriate to address these, with participation from community bodies representing the interests of persons experiencing inequalities.
• The CPP should build the capacity of communities, particularly those experiencing inequality, to enable those communities, both geographic and of interest, to identify their own needs and opportunities; and support their efforts to participate effectively in community planning, including in the co-production of services.

Shared leadership

• Partners demonstrate collective ownership, leadership and strategic direction of community planning.
• Partners use their shared leadership role to ensure the CPP sets an ambitious vision with and for local communities; the CPP involves all partners and resources that can contribute towards delivering on that vision; and that partners deliver on it.
• The CPP is clear about how they work with public service reform programmes (including health and social care integration and community justice reforms).

Governance and accountability

• The CPP understands what effective community planning requires, and the improvement needs for it and its partners.
• The CPP and its partners apply effective challenge and scrutiny in community planning, built on mutual trust, a shared and ambitious commitment to continuous improvement, and a culture that promotes and accepts challenge among partners.
• The CPP organises itself in an effective way, which provides platforms for strong strategic decision-making and action, and effective scrutiny and challenge.
• The CPPs and partners can demonstrate, including to local communities through annual progress reports, how they are working effectively in partnership to improve outcomes as part of how they are held to account.

Understanding of local communities' needs, circumstances and opportunities  

• The CPP has a strong understanding of its local areas, including differing needs, circumstances and opportunities for communities (geographical and communities of interest) within its area. 
• This understanding is built on appropriate data and evidence from partners and community perspectives flowing from effective community engagement.

Focus on key priorities

• The CPP uses its understanding of local needs, circumstances and opportunities to establish a clear and ambitious vision for its area and identify local priorities for improvement.
• The CPP is clear about the improvement it wishes to make locally in terms of better outcomes for specific communities, reducing the gap in outcomes between the most and least deprived groups and improving long term sustainability of public service provision.
• The LOIP places a clear emphasis on identifying local priorities which focus on how the CPP will add most value as a partnership to improve outcomes and tackle inequalities, and the CPP targets activities around these priorities.

Focus on prevention

• The CPP and partners plan prevention and early intervention approaches as core activities which help people and communities to thrive and contribute to addressing poor outcomes and improving long term sustainability of public service provision. 
• The CPP places strong emphasis on preventative measures to achieve ambitious long term improvement goals on the local outcomes it prioritises.
• CPP partners provide resources required to support preventative measures to the scale required to fulfil these ambitions.
• The CPP works with local communities and uses a close understanding of local needs, circumstances and opportunities to design services and focus resources to where it has greatest preventative benefit.

Resourcing improvement

• The CPP and its partners understand how their collective resources are supporting shared local priorities, and whether together these are sufficient and the right resources to enable the CPP to meet its improvement targets.
• Partners demonstrate strong shared leadership by working with other bodies to use collective resources in more effective and efficient ways to improve outcomes and reduce inequalities.
• Partners deploy sufficient resource to meet agreed ambitions for the CPP's local priorities.
• Partners align their collective resources in ways which support its local priorities effectively and efficiently.
• The CPP and its partners keep under review whether partners' deployment of resources remains appropriate for meeting its ambitions, and take corrective action where necessary.

Effective performance management

• The CPP has a deep-rooted commitment to continuous improvement.
• The CPP has effective processes and skills to understand and scrutinise performance.
• The CPP acts wherever appropriate to improve performance in light of this understanding and scrutiny.