Issue - meetings

Decision:

The Executive agreed to recommend to Council that the proposed new Corporate Plan 2021-2025, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report submitted to the Executive, with some minor modifications, be adopted.

Reason:

The proposed new Corporate Plan had been prepared to set out the Council’s priorities for the period up to 2025.

Other options considered and rejected by the Executive:

None

Details of any conflict of interest declared by the Leader or lead councillors and any dispensation granted:

None.

The Council’s draft Corporate Plan set out the strategic framework and priorities for the next four years.  The priorities and associated projects were fundamental to ensuring that the Council managed its business and resources effectively and that the Council’s activities continued to be aligned to the issues that mattered most to local people. 

The Leader of the Council introduced the report. It was explained that a new plan had been under development since 2019 prioritising four key themes; Climate Change and Environment, Housing and Community, Economy and Regeneration, and Improved Council. Consultation with all councillors had been undertaken through a workshop process in November 2019 and the outcomes put out to public consultation in early 2020. The results of the public consultation were set out in the report. The onset of the Coronavirus pandemic put the process on hold and when recommenced one year later it was felt that a new public consultation should be undertaken to reflect any shift in the public’s priorities during such an unprecedented period. The results of the second public consultation were also set out in the report. Following the incorporation of the public priorities the revised Plan was presented to the Council’s Joint Executive Advisory Board (JEAB) in March 2021 for further consultation with councillors. The JEAB’s comments were set out in the report. The resulting document embracing all consultation was the version presented to the Executive for endorsement. The Chairman of the JEAB was not in attendance, the Vice Chairman had no further comments to those set out in the report.

A ‘printer-light’ version without extensive colours photographs would be available to download from the Council’s website. It was noted that it was important to ensure that the document was accessible to all. Subject to the Leader of the Council consulting with the lead Councillor for Climate Change, it was proposed that the version of the Corporate Plan to be submitted to the Council for adoption would include some minor modifications with regard to environmental matters and specifically biodiversity.  The Executive

RECOMMEND (to Council: 1 November 2021):

That the proposed new Corporate Plan 2021-2025, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report submitted to the Executive, with some minor modifications, be adopted.

Reason:

The proposed new Corporate Plan had been prepared to set out the Council’s priorities for the period up to 2025.

The Joint EAB was invited to consider a skeleton of the draft Corporate Plan 2021-2025 which set out the Council’s vision, mission, values and priorities.  The Corporate Plan also outlined some suggested activities to implement the priorities, which would reflect the values, and measures to gauge the success of implementation.  The key findings of a supporting consultation survey were also before the Joint EAB to assist with its deliberations.

By way of elaboration, the Strategy and Communications Manager gave a presentation which provided the background to the preparation of the Corporate Plan and explained the draft priorities developed in January 2020, the public consultations undertaken in February / March 2020 and December 2020 / January 2021, the new draft priorities and the next steps.

The background to the preparation of the Corporate Plan consisted of a Councillor Workshop in respect of corporate priorities in November 2019, approval of draft priorities by the Executive in January 2020 and a public consultation (including a sample survey) in February / March 2020.  Following the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic, the preparation of the Corporate Plan was delayed for 12 - 18 months, after which a public consultation regarding future spending priorities took place in December 2020 / January 2021 and new draft priorities were subsequently agreed by the Executive Liaison Group in March 2021. 

Following the consultations, the following three new draft priorities were developed:

·             Empowering Communities and Supporting People Who Need Help

·             Residents Having Access to the Homes and Jobs They Need

·             Protecting Our Environment

In terms of next steps, the comments of the Joint EAB would be considered by the Executive Liaison Group before further drafting of the Corporate Plan took place for recommendation to the Executive followed by adoption by the Council in May / June 2021.  Subsequently, draft Themed Strategies, identifying actions to deliver against priorities and measure success, relating to Community, Regeneration and Economy, and Environment would be submitted to EABs for consideration prior to approval by the Executive.

The Leader of the Council confirmed that the Corporate Plan was at an early draft stage and welcomed all comments from the Joint EAB to assist with its development by identifying key corporate priorities.

The following points and views arose from related questions, comments and discussion:

1.           Currently the corporate priorities were not ranked in any particular order and consideration may need to be given to their presentation in the Corporate Plan.

2.           As the Council was involved in numerous projects and had limited funding available to pursue them, there needed to be a clear focus on priorities.

3.           Improving the mental health of residents across the Borough was considered important, particularly following the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.  The Community Wellbeing Team was continuing its work to engage with residents and support them with mental health and wellbeing issues.  Although the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been considering the establishment of a Mental Health Task Group, there was uncertainty as to whether this would be progressing owing to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27