Purpose and Intent
The purpose of this policy is to clearly document the organisation’s commitment to risk management principles to:
- Increase the likelihood of achieving objectives,
- Encourage proactive management,
- Establish a reliable basis for decision making and planning,
- Improve operational effectiveness and efficiency and improve organisational resilience,
- Enhance health and safety performance as well as environmental protection,
- Improve the identification of opportunities and threats,
- Improve financial reporting and governance,
- Comply with relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
Council has a Common Law duty of care and statutory responsibilities to ensure that risk management is incorporated in all aspects of its business. The relevant standard is AS/NZS ISO 3100: 2018 Risk Management – Principles and Guidelines.
Risk Management is not a stand-alone function that is separate from the main activities and processes of the organisation. It is an integral part of all organisational processes, including strategic planning, project and change management processes.
Scope
The policy is applicable to all Council employees, operations, functions and programs. This includes any activities undertaken on behalf of the Council, by contractors or representatives of Council.
Definitions
Key term |
Definition |
Council |
means Casey City Council, being a body corporate constituted as a municipal Council under the Local Government Act 1989 |
Councillors |
means the individuals holding the office of a member of Casey City Council |
Council officer |
means the Chief Executive Officer and staff of Council appointed by the Chief Executive Officer. |
Risk |
A risk is defined as the effect of uncertainty on objectives. |
Risk Management |
Coordinated activities to direct and control an organisation with regard to risk. |
Risk Management Framework |
The set of components that provide the foundations and organisational arrangements for designing, implementing, monitoring, reviewing and continually improving risk management throughout the organisation. |
Policy
The City of Casey is actively committed to:
- Ensuring that all decision making within the organisation involves the consideration of risk and the application of risk management to some appropriate degree,
- Ensuring that the risk management process is integrated into the business processes of the organisation,
- Assigning accountabilities and responsibilities at appropriate levels within the organisation,
- Ensuring that the necessary resources are allocated to risk management,
- Ensuring that the framework for managing risk continues to remain appropriate,
- Protecting the organisation, its employees, contractors, assets and the community against reasonably foreseeable loss and injury, and
- Ensuring legal and regulatory compliance.
In accordance with its common law duty of care, statutory responsibilities and Council policy, the Council will make certain that resources are allocated to:
- Maintain staff health and safety,
- Maintain Council’s assets,
- Ensure continuity of service,
- Reduce Council’s liability and minimise or eliminate other circumstances which may cause a loss to Council, and
- Assign sufficient funds in the budget to maintain a pro-active approach to risk management.
The City of Casey recognises that risk management is essential for sound strategic and financial planning and ongoing business.
Fundamental to risk management are the following objectives:
- To improve the identification of opportunities and threats,
- To identify and analyse the organisation’s liability associated with risk exposure,
- To protect staff, contractors and the community against personal, physical and financial losses that is within the control of the City of Casey,
- To protect the corporate image as a professional, responsible and ethical organisation,
- To recognise that risk management is the responsibility of all managers and staff,
- To promote and support risk management practices throughout the organisation,
- To monitor the risk management practices of the organisation to ensure continued effectiveness, consistency and efficiency,
- To adopt risk management processes as set out in the Australian/International Standard for Risk Management (AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018) and other relevant guidelines and standards.
Reporting
Regular reporting is required to monitor the effectiveness of the risk management process. Reports will be provided to Council and the Audit and Risk Committee twice yearly and to the Executive Leadership Team quarterly.
Responsibilities
All employees and service providers are responsible for effective risk management practices and ensuring that managers are informed of risks associated with the organisation’s operations. Each manager is accountable for implementing this plan in their area of responsibility.
Specifically, this means the responsibility for the management of risk can be described as follows:
Who |
What |
Audit and Risk Committee |
The Audit and Risk Committee will:
|
Council |
The Council will review the Risk Management Policy and amend as required and provide adequate budgetary provision for risk management strategies to be implemented. |
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) |
The Chief Executive has the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that Risk Management is managed across the Council. |
Directors |
Directors are responsible for their Division’s risk management performance, including:
|
Director Corporate Services |
The Director Corporate Services is the senior executive responsible for establishing and facilitating a risk management framework, strategy and corporate program. |
Employees/ Contractors |
Expectations of employees and contractors are to:
|
Executive Leadership Team (ELT) |
The Executive Leadership Team is responsible for:
|
Managers |
Managers are responsible for the:
|
Manager Governance |
Manager Governance is responsible for:
|
Risk Management Coordinator |
Risk Management Coordinator is responsible for:
|
Breaches
Breaches of this policy may result in action being taken in accordance with Council’s Disciplinary Code and may result in termination of employment.
Relevant Forms
NA
Document History
Date approved |
Change Type |
Version |
Next Review Date |
16 July 2019 |
Transfer to new template |
4.0 |
31 July 2023 |
19 March 2018 |
Administrative |
3.5 |
31 March 2022 |