Agenda item

The Committee considered the report presented by Transformation & Service Improvement Officer which presented to Members the Draft Community Plan 2023/2027 for endorsement and onward recommendation to Cabinet for their consideration and approval.  The report also requested Members to consider what they would wish to see included within the performance framework.

The report set out that the Community Plan was the key direction setting document used to outline the priorities and vision of the Council for a four-year term.  It had been under development for a number of months with input from the Cabinet, Chairs and Vice Chairs to develop and shape the priorities.  The results of the Residents Survey 2022 had also been used to inform the development of the Plan.  Business Managers had reviewed the draft Plan’s objectives and actions and provided feedback thereon.  The future considerations of the Plan were detailed in paragraph 3 of the report, making reference to the development of a performance framework, how resource implications would be determined and the reflected within future budgets.

In considering the report, Members commented on a number of issues and also put forward suggestions for Cabinet’s consideration on 31 October 2023.

In relation to the review of the Council’s leisure offer, including building and any necessary programmes of renewal, Members referred to there being no specific mention of a new leisure centre in Southwell, requesting clarification as to its omission.

It was suggested that the current Portfolio Holders’ names be removed as these could be subject to change during the life of the Community Plan.  It was also suggested that consideration be given to amending the wording within the Plan to better reflect that some of the actions and objectives were a continuation of the previous Plan.  It was noted that the Plan needed to be flexible and that the Council would need to be reactive at times.  Comment was made that currently the Plan had no timeframes set out and attributed to specific actions.

A Member commented that there was little reference to the Council’s core services, specifically referring to climate change and lowering the Council’s carbon footprint.  He added that there is a great deal of green innovation taking place and that technologies were constantly evolving.  The Council’s progress towards achieving net zero required a considered approach to achieve the greatest impact and secure value for money for the taxpayer.  He added that residents of the district should be provided with information on how to live sustainably and that this could include the promotion of grant schemes for sources of renewal energy.

In noting that there would be continual feedback from residents, a Member commented that these should be regularly surveyed with a view to whether residents’ priorities changed during the life of the Plan, adding that any proposed changes to the Plan would need to be fully costed.  Reference was made to the supplementary agenda circulated which primarily detailed actions concerning the Heritage, Culture & the Arts portfolio with a Member querying whether these were affordable and whether they offered the best use of residents’ council tax. 

In relation to the performance framework, a Member advised that in reading the Plan he had categorised the actions and topics contained therein.  He suggested that a logical grouping of those topics be undertaken with performance reports being brought to Committee on a six-monthly basis for the purposes of scrutiny.  Members also requested that Portfolio Holders be invited to attend Committee when they were considering reports specific to their portfolio that were in relation to actions within the Plan. 

It was agreed by Members that the draft Community Plan was an overview of what the Council wished to action within the district.  However, some Members expressed concern that they had been asked to endorse the Plan without any detail of the proposed actions and without the knowledge of what those actions may cost, in terms of resource and budget implications. 

AGREED      (with 8 votes for and 5 abstentions) that:

a)            the draft Community Plan be endorsed and recommended to Cabinet for consideration and approval; and

b)            the above comments be considered for inclusion in the development of the performance framework.