February 16, 2023 8.00 am This story is over 18 months old

The two biggest threats to Lincolnshire County Council

Both are being carefully monitored
Other councils have been hit by cyber attacks | Photo: Adobe Stock

Cyber attacks and inflation are the two factors which pose the biggest risk to Lincolnshire County Council, according to a report.

But the council says it works to monitor and mitigate possible threats to it.

An annual report to the Audit Committee describes a successful cyber attack with a significant impact on council services as one of the top risks.

The report says: “Assurances were received that the council’s Information Assurance team team and technical staff continue to monitor and improve cyber security.”

A major cyber attack on Gloucester City Council caused months of disruption in benefit payments, planning applications and house sales in 2021.

The second big risk facing Lincolnshire County Council is inflation, which has already caused pressures over the last year.

Rising prices mean the cost of major infrastructure projects has risen substantially.

The council’s buying power was reduced by nearly £20million in 2022, with construction sector prices rising an average of 23.5%.

Road maintenance has been even more costly | Stock image

The cost of contacts always rise with inflation, but the usually-high levels meant the council was forced to increase them mid-year to relieve pressure on contractors.

“Inflation is mitigated by through regular monitoring and impact assessments for key projects and contracts,” the report says.

Inflation looks set to continue to cause problems for councils throughout 2023 with the rate around 10% in January.

Senior Councillor Richard Davies recently criticised the government for not keeping council funding in line with inflation.

He said that the lack of funding was “disappointing”.

“Couple that with the fact that government’s cuts to our budgets are considered significantly skewed, and it’s a real double whammy in how far our money goes,” Councillor Davies said.

The full council will discuss the audit report on Friday, February 17.

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