Agenda item

The Group had before it a report * from the Chief Executive, Head of People, Performance and Waste and Corporate Performance and Improvement Manager to consider the draft  Corporate Plan for 2024-2028. The Group were invited to provide feedback on the document to recommend back to the Cabinet before the final draft was presented to Full Council for approval.

The contents of the report were outlined by the Corporate Performance and Improvement Manager and the following was highlighted in the report:

·         The draft document had been developed by officers and Members over the past 6 months and set out the draft aims and objectives of the Council from 2024 – 2028.

·         The document had been presented to Cabinet on 4^th June and had been discussed at every PDG, before returning to Cabinet and ultimately Full Council in mid-July.

·         The draft plan was structured around five thematic areas for which the Council now had a fifth PDG in place.

·         Draft performance measures and targets were set out within the report. It was explained that these metrics were still in development

Discussion took place regarding:

·         The performance measure targets should exceed those achieved in 2023/24.

·         Whether planning enforcement was going to be supported by a viable number of officers? That would be a challenge for the budget but the Council should be willing to accept the challenge.

·         Whilst the document mentioned supporting groups and stakeholders e.g. voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations, there was no mention of more meaningful engagement. This should be added to the Plan.

·         Why there was no performance target for supporting residents and communities through the Cost of Living Crisis? Officers responded to say that not all Aims and Objectives suit being measured through metrics. An annual report will be presented covering all aspects of the Plan.

·         Why the target set for complaints resolved within time scales was being reduced? It was explained that the time scales in which to respond to complaints were due to be reduced even for complex cases. The proposed target is pragmatic based upon the revised timescales.

·         Whether the targets in the document could show an improvement year on year? The targets in the document stated the Council’s minimum aspirations but the Council always tried to be ambitious and to improve. The Corporate Performance and Improvement Manager commented that sometimes maintaining performance was an achievement when the Council had fewer resources.

·         What areas complaints were more prevalent in and whether it was possible to be more specific in areas of complaint. The levels of complaint were higher in the Council’s major areas of service due to their volume – Housing, Waste and Street Scene and Open Spaces.

·         Geographically, where did more complaints come from? Officers commented that an annual complaints report is presented to this PDG that provides a more in-depth analysis of the Council’s complaints.

RECOMMENDED to the Cabinet that the draft Corporate Plan for 2024 – 2028 be approved.

(Proposed by Cllr C Connor and seconded by Cllr A Glover)

Reason for the decision

Setting out the Council’s aims and objectives through a Corporate Plan, communicated and provided a framework for the delivery of strategic priorities.

Note: * Report previously circulated.