Strategic Plan 2015-2020 (2016-17 Refresh)

Policy and Resources Committee

17 February 2016

Is the final decision on the recommendations in this report to be made at this meeting?

No

 

Strategic Plan 2015-2020 (2016-17 Refresh)

 

Final Decision-Maker

Council

Lead Director or Head of Service

Head of Policy and Communications

Lead Officer and Report Author

Angela Woodhouse, Head of Policy and Communications

Classification

Non-exempt

Wards affected

All

 

 

This report makes the following recommendations to the final decision-maker:

1.   That the Strategic Plan 2015-2020, 2016-17 refresh and action plan be approved for submission to Council.

 

 

 

This report relates to the following corporate priorities:

·         Keeping Maidstone Borough and attractive place for all

·         Securing a successful economy for Maidstone Borough

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Heritage, Culture and Leisure Committee

5 January 2016

Strategic Planning and Sustainable Transport Committee

19 January 2016

Communities, Housing and Environment Committee

19 January 2016

Policy and Resources Committee

27 January 2016

Corporate Leadership Team

2 February 2016

Policy and Resources Committee

17 February 2016

Council

2 March 2016



Strategic Plan 2015-2020 (2016-17 Refresh)

 

 

1.        PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

1.1     The Council’s Strategic Plan sets out the Council’s priorities for the next four years. This is supported by and aligned to the Medium Term Financial Strategy. This report contains an update to the Strategic Plan 2015-2020 in the form of an action plan for 2016-17 and minor updates to the Strategic Plan.

 

1.2     The action plan sets out projects to achieve our priorities with actions and milestones to be delivered in 2016-17. Each Service Committee has considered the actions relevant to its terms of reference prior to submission of the whole plan to the Policy and Resources Committee.

 

 

 

2.        INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

2.1     The Council’s Strategic Plan was agreed in March 2015 and set two priorities:

 

1.   Keeping Maidstone Borough and attractive place for all

2.   Securing a successful economy for Maidstone Borough

 

2.2     Underpinning the two priorities are eight action areas:

 

·         Providing a clean and safe environment

·         Encouraging good health and wellbeing

·         Respecting the character of our Borough

·         Ensuring there are good leisure and cultural attractions

·         Enhancing the appeal of the town centre for everyone

·         Securing Improvement to the transport infrastructure of our Borough

·         Promoting a range of employment opportunities and skills required across the Borough

·         Planning for sufficient homes to meet our Borough’s needs

 

2.3     In September 2015 the Policy and Resources Committee agreed that the existing strategic plan would be refreshed to ensure that the actions align with changes to the medium term financial strategy.

 

2.4     The Council’s wider leadership team met with service committee Chairmen and Vice Chairmen in December to consider which actions should be in the plan. The service committees have all considered the actions that fall within their terms of reference prior to the full action plan coming to Policy and Resources.

 

 

 

 

2.5     For 2016-17 The Council will be focussing on the following priorities:

 

·         Housing

·         Town Centre Regeneration

·         Completing the Local Plan

·         Mote Park

·         Devolution

·         Robust Medium Term Financial Plan

 

2.6     It should be noted that whilst the Council’s resources have been diminished as a result of the provisional local government finance settlement the ambition and aspiration to deliver our priorities remains. The Medium Term Financial Strategy remains aligned to and underpins the delivery of the priorities.

 

2.7     The performance in relation to the strategic plan to date is reported in the quarter three performance report also on this agenda. The list of Key Performance Indicators that measure progress with the plan is under review and updated indicators and targets will be reported to Policy and Resources Committee before the end of this municipal year.

 

       

 

3.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

 

3.1     The Committee reviews the strategic plan refresh and action plan for 2016-17, makes amendments if appropriate and recommends this to Council in-line with the early decision of the Committee not to rewrite the plan.

 

3.2     The Committee could decide not to update the strategic plan.

 

 

 

 

4.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

4.1     Policy and Resources Committee is asked to approve the refreshed strategic plan and the action plan for submission to Council. If we did not update the Strategic Plan this would lead to out of date information being publicly available and make it difficult for officers to maintain the ‘golden thread’. The Council also needs to be able to demonstrate how it is reacting to changes in the local and national context.

 

4.2     The Committee has already taken the decision to refresh the plan and not to create a new strategic plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

 

 

5.1    Residents were consulted on our strategic priorities as part of developing the Strategic Plan 2015-2020. Further consultation has now been undertaken through the resident survey, the top ten things that are most important in making somewhere a good place to live and the top ten things that most need improving are attached at Appendix iii. Further work will be undertaken with members to analyse the resident survey results as part of informing the communication and engagement strategy for the Council.

 

5.2    To provide context to appendix iii the table below compares the results to our last residents survey in 2013:

 

Important in making somewhere a good place to live

2013

2015

 

Position change

2

1

Health services

1

1

2

The level of crime

-1

3

3

Clean streets

0

8

4

The level of traffic congestion

4

6

5

Affordable decent housing

1

4

6

Educational provision

-2

7

7

Public transport

0

9

8

Parks and open spaces

1

5

9

Road and pavement repairs

-4

12

10

Access to nature

2

10

11

Job prospects

-1

11

12

Shopping facilities

-1

13

13

Activities for teenagers

0

16

14

Facilities for young children

2

14

15

Cultural facilities (e.g. libraries, museums)

-1

17

16

Community activities

1

15

17

Wage levels and local cost of living

-2

19

18

The level of pollution

1

18

19

Sports and leisure facilities

-1

21

20

Other

1

20

21

Race relations

-1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Areas that most need improving

Position 2013

Position 2015

 

Difference

2

1

The level of traffic congestion

1

1

2

Road and pavement repairs

-1

3

3

Clean streets

0

7

4

Affordable decent housing

3

6

5

Health services

1

5

6

Public transport

-1

4

7

Activities for teenagers

-3

8

8

The level of crime

0

9

9

Job prospects

0

12

10

Community activities

2

11

11

Facilities for young children

0

10

12

Wage levels and local cost of living

-2

15

13

The level of pollution

2

14

14

Educational provision

0

13

15

Shopping facilities

-2

18

16

Parks and open spaces

2

19

17

Cultural facilities (e.g. libraries, museums)

2

17

18

Other

-1

16

19

Sports and leisure facilities

-3

20

20

Access to nature

0

21

21

Race relations

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.3    Each service committee has also had the opportunity to consider the actions that relate to their terms of reference.

 

 

6.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

 

6.1    The strategic plan refresh will be submitted to Council alongside the Medium Term Financial Strategy on the 2nd of March 2016.

 

6.2    Once it has been approved it will be made available on the Council’s website and used to inform Service Plans and appraisals.

 

 

 

 

7.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

The Strategic Plan sets the council’s priorities.

Head of Policy and Communications

Risk Management

The risk register that links to the Strategic Plan will be presented to Policy and Resources separately.

Head of Policy and Communications

Financial

Any significant changes recommended by the committee would need to align with the medium term financial strategy

Section 151 Officer

Staffing

The plan informs service plans and individual appraisals

Head of Policy and Communications

Legal

No implications

 

Equality Impact Needs Assessment

As decisions are made on each of the projects and actions these will need to take equality into account.

Head of Policy and Communications

Environmental/Sustainable Development

The Strategic Plan sets out high level priorities for the Environment and Development.

Head of Policy and Communications

Community Safety

The Strategic Plan sets out strategic priorities for Community Safety

Head of Policy and Communications

Human Rights Act

No implications

Head of Policy and Communications

Procurement

No implications

Head of Policy and Communications

Asset Management

No implications

Head of Policy and Communications

 

8.       REPORT APPENDICES

 

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

·               Appendix I: Strategic Plan, 2015-2020 (2016-17 – Refresh)

·               Appendix II: Strategic Plan, 2016-17 - Action Plan

·               Appendix III: Resident Survey Results

 

 

9.       BACKGROUND PAPERS