Agenda item

To consider the Corporate Plan Part II and any recommendations for the consideration of the Executive Committee.

(Report to follow).

Officers introduced this item and explained that the Corporate Plan had been refreshed in line with guidance and best practice issued through the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.  This Act had removed the requirement for authorities to produce Best Value Performance Plans but had advised that instead they should provide a business plan. 

Previous versions of the Council’s Corporate Plan had been criticised by the Audit Commission.  In order to overcome these criticisms, Officers had asked the Audit Commission for guidance on their expectations for a high-quality Corporate Plan.  This advice had informed the development of the new Corporate Plan.  Members were informed that the new Plan was in a draft format and would be subject to professional formatting once approved by the Council.  It was also noted that the document would be available to Officers, Members, partners and the general public and so needed to be fully understandable to all of these audiences. Officers invited Members to provide comments and suggestions on how the document could be improved.

Members questioned the description of the provision of public transport in the town, recorded on page 7 of the report.  It was agreed that this description was quite subjective and, as written, did not reflect the true state of public transport in the town. 

On the same page of the report, Members argued that they disagreed with the statement that “In 2008 unemployment rose steadily until July, and much more rapidly after this time as economic conditions deteriorated”. 

Members discussed the audience of the document and stressed that the target audience for the document should be carefully considered when writing the plan.  The language used was also an important consideration as this could influence the audience’s perception of the Council. Officers confirmed that the document had to be written in a factual style, clearly highlighted where performance could be improved and the strategies the Council were employing to achieve this improvement. 

The Committee discussed page 8 of the report, in particular the profiles for the Portfolio Holders.  Members felt that further information should be provided regarding the Portfolio Holders. 

Members considered page 9 of the document which detailed the management staffing structure.  The Committee agreed that the diagram used to demonstrate the levels of management was confusing as it did not clearly show the equal precedence of all of the Heads of Service. 

Members considered page 10 of the document which detailed the Council’s Priorities and Vision.  The Committee agreed that this page did not clearly differentiate between the two. 

Members also made a recommendation regarding the whole document suggesting that a glossary and a list of the Council’s key partners should be provided. 

The Committee discussed the content of pages 20 to 29 which demonstrated how the Council would deliver its new Priorities.  Members commented that, as the budget was still in the process of being set, some of the indicators and targets might change.  Officers explained it was anticipated that by the time the document was published, budgetary implications for these indicators would be known and could be included in the document.

On page 21, Members requested further information in relation to the sentence reading “expand existing Children’s Centres in Redditch and explore opportunities for new Centres across Bromsgrove.” 

Finally, Members considered page 29 which detailed information about equalities and diversity at the Council.  The Committee noted that insufficient information was currently provided about the diverse communities living within the Borough. 

RECOMMENDED that

1)         the sentence “Public transport is also well provided for through a regular train service to Birmingham and Lichfield and a network of local bus services” in paragraph 5 on page 7 be amended to read  “public transport is provided for via a train and bus network”;

2)         the reference to unemployment be removed from paragraph 8 on page 7;

3)         further details be provided about each Portfolio Holder’s role and responsibilities on page 8 of the document;

4)         the staffing structure diagram on page 9 be redesigned;

5)         a clear distinction be made between the Priorities and the statement of intent for each Priority on page 10;

6)         a glossary be provided in the document; and a list of the Council’s key partners also be incorporated within the document;

7)         an explanation be written into the Delivery and Key outcomes Section beginning on page 20 that, as budgets were still under review, some of this information was liable to change;

8)         further information about the different ethnic groups and proportion of young people living in Redditch be included in the first paragraph on page 29; and

RESOLVED that

9)         Officers provide the Committee with clarification on the final bullet point on page 21 regarding the possibility for exploring opportunities for new Children’s Centres across Bromsgrove.