Agenda and minutes

The Committee was advised of apologies from Councillors Geoff Davis, Maddy Redpath, Joanne Shaw, and Katie Steel.  Councillor Vanessa King attended as a substitute for Councillor Joanne Shaw.

In accordance with the local Code of Conduct, a councillor is required to disclose at the meeting any Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (DPI) that they may have in respect of any matter for consideration on this agenda. Any councillor with a DPI must not participate in any discussion or vote regarding that matter and they must withdraw from the meeting immediately before consideration of the matter.

If that DPI has not been registered, the councillor must notify the Monitoring Officer of the details of the DPI within 28 days of the date of the meeting.

Councillors are further invited to disclose any non-pecuniary interest which may be relevant to any matter on this agenda, in the interests of transparency, and to confirm that it will not affect their objectivity in relation to that matter.

There were no disclosures of interests.

To confirm the minutes of the Committee meeting held on 10 June 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 June 2024 were approved.

In response to a query from a Committee member, the Chair agreed that the gender-neutral terms ‘Chair’ and ‘Chairperson’ were to be used in the Committee’s minutes.

The Lead Councillor for Community and Organisational Development introduced the item.  She indicated that the draft Corporate Strategy being reviewed was the result of months of work by the Executive and officers.  The Lead Councillor for Community and Organisational Development advised the meeting that the Strategy was the key strategic document for the Council, as it set out the Council’s priorities for the next 10 years and provided a focus for all the Council’s work.

The Lead Councillor for Community and Organisational Development gave an overview of the Strategy’s five key priorities: a more sustainable Borough, a more prosperous Borough, a more inclusive Borough, decent and affordable homes, and a resilient and well-managed Council. The Committee was informed that the version of the Strategy circulated to members for comment was in draft form, with elements such as the design and photography to be finalised.

The Assistant Director, Strategy and Corporate Services, advised the meeting that beginning next spring an annual delivery plan for the Corporate Strategy would be published.  He indicated that this plan would tie into the Council’s Budget setting processes and link to actions over the coming year.  In addition, he stated that service delivery plans and staff objectives and annual appraisals would correlate to the annual delivery plan.  The meeting was informed that implementation of this plan would be tracked at a corporate level, including through quarterly performance reports to overview and scrutiny. 

During the ensuing discussion, Councillors raised a number of queries and made suggestions to improve the draft Strategy:

·       A member of the Committee queried the cover picture used on the draft Strategy document, particularly the prominence of the ring road.  In addition to using images such as the Guildhall clock or Guildford Castle, the value of images to highlight the planned opening-up of the River Wey was suggested.  Other Councillors suggested the use of photographs of Stoke Park, the Lido, the market, the river around Millmead, and Pewley Hill.

·       Members asked how the Strategy’s progress would be measured and advocated including specific targets within it, for example, the number of houses that would be built over the next 10 years.  In response, the Assistant Director, Strategy and Corporate Services, stated that it was not the intention to include such details within the Strategy document, and that such targets would feature within the delivery plan and the service planning process that he had outlined earlier in the meeting.

·       With reference to equality, diversity and inclusion commitments and imagery, members of the Committee noted the need to both reference and include a wider range of groups and individuals within the Strategy document.  The current lack within the document of images of people with disabilities or from different ethnic groups was pointed out.

·       Members asked how much consultation had informed the preparation of the Strategy.  In reply, the Assistant Director, Strategy and Corporate Services, indicated that there were commitments within the Strategy that the delivery of it would be done in partnership and in consultation with a  ...  view the full minutes text for item OSS7

The Lead Councillor for Commercial Services introduced the item.  She suggested that the proposed off-street car parking enforcement contract was an example of how the collaboration between the Council and Waverley Borough Council could benefit both councils. 

The Lead Councillor for Commercial Services indicated that Waverley Borough Council's contract for off street car park enforcement with its current provider expired on 30 September, and there were a number of options available to Waverley Borough Council for providing the service after this date.  She advised that a project undertaken by the Transformation Team at Woking Borough Council, car parking teams, and enabling services at both councils explored options for a joint service.

The Lead Councillor for Commercial Services indicated that bringing the off-street parking services together would increase resilience as a higher number of enforcement officers provided greater flexibility around both cover and recruitment.  She informed the Committee that the proposal was supported by Waverley Borough Council’s Executive the previous evening. 

The Lead Councillor for Commercial Services undertook to take any comments from the Committee through to the Council’s Executive.

In reply to questions from members of the Committee, the Parking Lead advised that it was hoped the staff employed by the current provider in Waverley would TUPE across.  He indicated that there would not be any increase initially in the level of enforcement, but having a larger body of enforcement staff available would enable resources to be directed to address particular issues in specific car parks as necessary.  The Lead Councillor for Commercial Services and the Parking Lead suggested there might be economies of scale in future procurement under the proposed arrangement. 

The Parking Lead confirmed that income from off-street car parking enforcement fines in Waverley would continue to go to Waverley Borough Council.

RESOLVED: That the off-street car parking enforcement contract proposals within the report submitted to the Committee be endorsed.