Agenda item

Council Business Plan Review 2013-17

To receive and consider a report from the Assistant Chief Executive (Customer Access and Performance) presenting a number of changes and updates to the Council Business Plan for scrutiny prior to approval through Executive Board and Full Council.

 

(Copy of Council Business Plan to follow)

Minutes:

The Assistant Chief Executive (Customer Access and Performance) submitted to the Board the draft Best Council Business Plan 2013-17.  The Scrutiny Board was asked to provide its views and feedback on the proposals.

 

The following were in attendance:

-  Councillor Keith Wakefield – Leader of Council

-  Tom Riordan – Chief Executive.

 

In brief summary, the main issues of discussion were;

 

·  Clarification about the audience for the plan.  It was agreed that this was primarily internal (both officers and Members) as it aims to provide a clear set of priorities for the council.  But as we are a public facing organisation with links to the City Priority Plan and the Best City outcomes then it also had an external audience.

·  The need to look at the language used to ensure it is clear and accessible.

·  The need for targets/success measures to be more measurable with some related discussion about the balance between what we want to achieve by the end of 2013/14 verses what we want to achieve by March 2017.

·  Members felt that they needed more detail on the accountability arrangements to enable them to better fulfil their role as a critical friend.

·  Discussion about changing culture, the difficulties of doing this and the ways in which the draft plan might do this.  This included discussion about all staff and managers needing to be more flexible and adaptable to changing needs; working better across the council and with partners; the need for the council to be more enterprising to find innovative solutions to the problems we face and that this is essential to achieving the savings over the next four years.  There was recognition of progress in this area but also that there was work still to be done.

·  Discussion around the mind-set and culture related to the objective on maximising income and trading.   Members were keen that thought is given to potential un-intended consequences of trading where the council might be competing with local businesses.

·  The need for the document to acknowledge that there will be some services the Council may stop doing.

·  Specific gaps in the following areas:

  • No mention of mental health and in particular the employment issues related to this, whilst acknowledging that this is in the process of being agreed as an “obsession” in the Health and Wellbeing City Priority Plan. 
  • No mention of using the Council’s assets effectively or of community asset transfer to community or voluntary organisations.  There was also some discussion about the accountability and responsibility more broadly for the Council’s asset base with a view that this could be clearer.
  • Housing need - there was some concern about whether the targets around housing need especially for social housing go far enough to meet the needs of the city and a related concern about the leadership of this work going forward. 

 

(Cllr Lowe and Cllr Bentley left the meeting at 11.30am during this item)

 

RESOLVED –

 

(i)  To thank the Leader and Chief Executive for their attendance

(ii)  Request that the comments made by the Board be considered by Corporate Leadership Team as the Best Council Plan is developed and that as part of the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules, the comments of Scrutiny Board be submitted to Executive Board.

 

Supporting documents: