Issue - meetings

To consider the draft Corporate Plan 2020-24.

Councillor Barker declared a non-pecuniary interest as member of Essex County Council.

The Leader presented the report on the draft Corporate Plan. He said the Administration had put much work into the Plan and had taken on board the constructive comments of the Scrutiny Committee, which had considered the draft Plan on two occasions. He said the Corporate Plan Delivery Plan would be made available at the end of March 2020.

The Leader proposed to adopt the Draft Corporate Plan for 2020-24. This was seconded by Councillor Coote.

Councillor Dean, who had provided notice of an amendment to the proposal, said the draft before members was nothing more than a wish list that did not stipulate how and when its objectives would be delivered. He said it was imperative that the Delivery Plan was available at the point of Council approving the Budget. The amendment was proposed as follows:

Council is resolved:

1. To approve the draft Corporate Plan for 2020-24, containing the Council’s vision and priorities.
2. To welcome the proposed extension of the joint district/parish scheme for recruiting Police Community Support Officers to Great Dunmow, in addition to existing PCSOs services for Saffron Walden and for Stansted/Elsenham/Henham. Council also welcomes new, outline initiatives in the Corporate Plan to tackle the Climate Emergency.
3. To note that the Delivery Plan for the Corporate Plan will not be available prior to agreement of the 2020/21 budget. The Council requests that Members and the public be made aware by the Administration of what will be delivered and by when before any future annual budget is confirmed.

Councillor Caton seconded the amendment.

Councillor Day said the Corporate Plan’s purpose was to set out the Council’s direction in broad terms. He said the delivery stage of the strategy would provide the detail that Councillor Dean was requesting.

Councillor Light agreed and said whilst it would take time to implement the Corporate Plan, a delivery plan should be attached to the budget. She added that there had been no consultation with residents and that the budget should be deferred.

Councillor Sell said it was not good enough to say political campaigning or canvassing constituted an adequate consultation process. He said Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) group had not canvassed significantly in Stansted so it could not be said that its residents had been consulted.

Councillor Driscoll said he had canvassed opinion in Birchanger and Stansted in the form of Ward meetings and question and answer sessions as an R4U member.

The Chief Executive said the item could not be formally deferred but under Rule 12.10 of the Constitution the debate could be adjourned to a later date.

Councillor Light proposed to adjourn the debate until the Delivery Plan was available. Councillor Fairhurst seconded the motion.

In response to a question from Youth Councillor Widuch, Councillor Lees said young people had not been specifically consulted on the Corporate Plan, but it would be something the Administration would look at in the future.

The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7

To consider the Draft Corporate Plan 2020-24.

RESOLVED to recommend the draft Corporate Plan 2020-24 to Council for approval.

The Leader presented the report to Cabinet, summarising the draft Corporate Plan 2020-24.

Members discussed the Plan and there was agreement that the Plan needed to filter down to all staff and members. The Leader said details on an upcoming workshop relating to the Delivery Plan would be circulated shortly.

In response to a comment relating to the Plan’s distribution to Parish and Town Councils, the Chief Executive said the Plan would be formally communicated to all partners if Council were to approve the Plan.

In response to a question from Councillor Dean regarding the timings of the Corporate Plan, the Leader said the imminent Delivery Plan would include details on timetabling and the schedule of delivery.

Councillor Light said the Plan was a series of statements of intent and there was a need for resources to be allocated to each item within the Plan and asked for the financial details to be outlined in an understandable manner. She also asked for clarity on the commitment to support local councils.

Councillor Evans said one example was to assist local councils with the planning process by way of education. Funding would be available to allow parish/town councils to invite expert planning advisors to deliver seminars and training.

RESOLVED to recommend the draft Corporate Plan 2020-24 to Council for approval.

To consider the draft Corporate Plan 2020-24.

The Chair said his key question on the Corporate Plan was whether it was plausible and deliverable. He invited Councillor Criscione to lead on asking questions on the draft plan.

Councillor Criscione said there was a lack of substance to the document.

In response to a question from Councillor Criscione, the Chief Executive said the Corporate Plan was adopted by Council and ran for four years. The Corporate Plan Delivery Plan was sponsored by Cabinet in terms of what would be achieved throughout one year.

In response to a question from Councillor Criscione, the Leader of the Council said the strategy was new. The Residents for Uttlesford Party had gathered information at local events, and had discussed and prioritised initiatives. It was important to give residents a stronger say in what happened locally.

In response to a question from Councillor Criscione, the Leader of the Council said there would be deliverables for the Corporate Plan. These would come out in the delivery plan. There would be an expansion of this document which would say what the Council wanted to achieve and how. The Chair said the Committee would welcome an early look at this document.

Councillor Sell said the danger with a corporate plan was that it would not necessarily get results. Rigour was needed to ensure goals were accomplished. The South Cambridgeshire District Council Corporate Plan was a good example of showing what success would look like and how it could be measured.

Councillor Caton said the plan did not say enough about the administration’s priorities and what the mechanisms were for achieving them. It would be good to see the actions to be taken listed.

The Leader of the Council said so far in its term the administration had expanded the Cabinet, set in motion changes to public speaking at the Planning Committee and set up the Governance Review Working Group amongst other things. There would be an improved Corporate Plan in place when work on it was completed.

Councillor Gerard said it was important to enable parish councils to better represent their communities.

Councillor Criscione said the plan should include reference to the aims of specific public services.

Councillor Sell said the comments of Members were meant to be helpful. The residents of the district should see results from the plan.