Issue - meetings

1.  That the refreshed Strategic Plan 2015-2020 be approved for further development by the service committees, prior to approval in February before submission to full Council in March; and

2.  That the focus be on performance reporting for 2017-18 on the three prioritised action areas described at paragraph 2.7 in the report of the Head of Policy and Communications.  This would be supported by each Service Committee agreeing performance reports for their respective areas.

The Head of Policy and Communications presented a report on the Strategic Plan 2015-20, 2017-18 Refresh.

Members noted that this was the first stage in refreshing the Plan and a workshop had been held with the Leadership Team and the Chairs and Vice-Chairs from all the four Service Committees.

In addition a consultation had taken place where respondents had been asked two questions:-

·  Rank the ten services in order of importance where 1 was the most important and 10 was the least important

·  For the same list of services, to say if they thought funding for that service should remain the same, be reduced or be cut altogether

As a result of the workshop and consultation two of the action areas had been reworded as follows:-

·  Enhancing the appeal of the town centre for everyone had been changed to: Regenerating the Town Centre

·  Planning for sufficient homes to meet our Borough’s need had been changed to: A Home for Everyone

There were also three areas suggested for the Council to focus on in 2017-18 out of the eight action areas, these were as follows:-

·  Providing a clean and safe environment – a clean and tidy Borough was consistently a high priority for our residents

·  A home for everyone – housing was in the top 5 for residents and in light of the spend and needs in this area, an area for focus in 2017-18

·  Regenerating the town centre – focussing on delivery of our regeneration projects and working with partners

In the ensuing discussion the following comments were made:-

·  That instead of ‘regenerating the town centre’ should more thought be given to the regeneration of tired housing estates

·  The Borough should be the greenest and most beautiful within the county

·  The Council should be celebrating all the work being carried out in Mote Park

·  A Member Working Group should take forward the creation of the Strategic Plan

·  The amount of KPIs should be reduced

Councillor Harwood proposed and Councillor Fermor seconded that the action point ‘Regenerating the town centre’ should be changed to ‘Regeneration across the Borough’.

When put to the vote, this motion was not carried.

Voting:  4 – For, 11 – Against- 0 - Abstention

RESOLVED:

1.  That the refreshed Strategic Plan 2015-2020 be approved for further development by the service committees, prior to approval in February before submission to full Council in March; and

Voting:  For:  13  Against:  1  Abstentions:  1

2.  That the focus be on performance reporting for 2017-18 on the three prioritised action areas described at paragraph 2.7 in the report of the Head of Policy and Communications.  This would be supported by each Service Committee agreeing performance reports for their respective areas.

Voting:  For:  11  Against:  4  Abstentions:  0