Issue - decisions

The Committee considered a report by the Chief Executive (circulated previously) regarding the draft Corporate Plan.  A copy of the draft Corporate Plan and Delivery Plan was tabled.

The Chief Executive outlined the draft corporate priorities and delivery plan.  He advised that the draft corporate priorities and delivery plan had been formulated by the Corporate Plan Working Group.  The delivery plan would be kept under continual review by the Senior Management Team and Councillors and updated regularly.  Public consultation commenced on 31^st July 2019.   Following public consultation, the Working Group would reconsider the Corporate Plan prior to adoption by Council in the autumn.

In response to questions in relation to timescales, the Chief Executive advised that work on some aspects of the delivery plan such as the commercialisation strategy and cross cutting environmental strategy would commence immediately.  The carbon reduction plan needed to be in place within six months.  Discussions had taken place with other Local Authorities regarding jointly commissioning Exeter University to assist with the carbon reduction plan.  The Council was starting to take into account environmental issues such as a review of the Grounds Maintenance Contract.  The Corporate Plan would be fed into service planning which would commence in the autumn.  Senior Management Team would be considering options for setting up a housing building company, which would be reported to the Committee in due course.  The Council would continue to maintain its working relationship with North Devon Homes.

In response to questions, the Head of Resources advised that the revenue budget included provision for temporary accommodation and any savings achieved would be identified.  The Head of Environmental Health and Housing would provide an update at a future meeting of the Committee.  £1.2m had been originally included within the capital programme for the provision of temporary accommodation.  The underspend from 2018/19 was rolled forward to 2019/20.  Two two bedroom houses and two three bedroom houses had been procured and it was planned that more houses would be procured.  Two of the properties were ready for occupation and two required works and would be ready for occupation shortly.

Councillor Yabsley advised that a reporting mechanism needed to be in place to report any significant issues such as significant changes in building regulations from the Building Control Joint Committee to the Strategy and Resources Committee.

The Head of Corporate and Community Services tabled draft corporate priorities for consideration by the Committee.  He advised the Committee that the Council was required to produce a Corporate Plan which set out the vision and corporate priorities for the forthcoming year and longer term.  It was important that the plan was in place as a priority.  He outlined the draft corporate priorities and the plans which would underpin each priority as detailed on the tabled paper.  A delivery plan would be produced containing specific actions for each priority, which would be continuously reviewed.   A report regarding the Council’s response to the Climate Change Emergency declaration would be considered at the next meeting of the Committee.  It was recommended that a cross party working group be appointed to formulate the Corporate Plan and that consultation with the public and all Councillors would be undertaken as part of the process. It was proposed that the timetable for the adoption of the Corporate Plan would be as follows:

18^th July 2019 – Policy Development Committee

5^th August 2019 – Strategy and Resources Committee

25^th September 2019 – Council to adopt the Corporate Plan

The Committee considered that the priority “developing visions for the main towns of North Devon” under the heading of “North Devon Future” should also include reference to the “communities of North Devon”.