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Maidstone Borough Council

Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Tuesday 2 September 2008

Strategic Plan Workshop

Report of: Senior Overview and Scrutiny Officer

1.      Introduction

1.1     On 1 September 2008, the Overview and Scrutiny Section will hold a workshop for all Overview and Scrutiny members to consider the Council’s Strategic Plan.

1.2     The Strategic Plan is, according to the Council’s Constitution, part of the Council’s policy framework and as such must be agreed by Full Council.   The Strategic Plan has, in the past, been developed through detailed consultation with the Cabinet before being considered by Overview and Scrutiny and then Full Council.

1.3     This year, the Policy and Performance Section is keen to involve all Members more fully with the development of the Strategic Plan.  This will require the involvement of Overview and Scrutiny prior to the drafting of the document to ensure that the recommendations of scrutiny members can be fed into the document as it is developed, rather than trying to significantly amend a document in the limited timeframe usually available between the scrutiny meeting and Full Council.

1.4     The workshop will cover the following issues:

·         Maidstone 2020 – where are we going?

·         The Strategic Plan – what is it for and what should be in it?

·         Our Priorities – what issues should the 2009-12 Plan be focussing on?

1.5     As the Committee responsible for “performing the overview and scrutiny function in relation to the development, review and application of the Council’s policies”, the Corporate Services OSC is required to approve any recommendations arising from the Strategic Plan Workshop before these are submitted to Cabinet.

2.      Recommendation

2.1     The Senior Overview and Scrutiny Officer will present an urgent report at the Committee’s meeting on 2 September 2008 outlining the recommendations arising from the workshop.  Members are recommended to consider these recommendations and approve them for submission to Cabinet on 10 September 2008.