Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the head HR, IT, and customer services. 

The committee considered the report from the head of HR, IT, and customer services.  This sought the committee’s agreement to approve the business continuity strategy and the risk management strategy for 2013 to 2016. 

Despite there being no significant changes from the previous strategies, the committee noted that the two updated strategies would help the council to:

• continue to provide public services in the event of a business disruption
• embed business continuity arrangements by setting out the means of continuing service delivery in the event of a disruption
• meet its strategic and operational objectives and improve service delivery
• simplify arrangements and achieve economies of effort through having a single process for both the Vale of White Horse and South Oxfordshire district councils
• comply with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and audit regulations
• embed the risk management process by setting out the means of identifying and managing risks
• meet its strategic and operational objectives, improve service delivery and support better project management

The committee noted that the county council emergency planning team ran exercises to test the council’s business continuity arrangements.  Councillors supported the proposed strategies but suggested that the business continuity strategy should refer to the frequency of business continuity testing exercises. 

RESOLVED: to approve the business continuity strategy and the risk management strategy for the period 2013 to 2016, subject to amending the business continuity strategy to refer to the frequency of business continuity testing exercises.