Agenda item

Cabinet:

(1)  Not for call-in - Recommended to Council that the Corporate Plan, comprising the document ‘South Cambridgeshire: Your Place, Our Plan 2018’ (Appendix A) and accompanying 2018/2019 Delivery Plan (Appendix B) be approved, subject to amendment of text relating to engagement with existing and new communities (Aim B (2)) to reflect comments made at Scrutiny and Overview Committee.

(2)  Authorised the Chief Executive, in consultation with Portfolio Holders, to prepare detailed implementation plans and associated performance measures and ensure these are reflected in directorate service plans and quarterly Position Reports during 2018/19.

(3)  Authorised the Chief Executive to make any minor wording changes required to final drafts, in consultation with the Leader of the Council.

Cabinet considered a report proposing a refreshed Corporate Plan, which had been prepared following feedback and consultation and requesting Cabinet to recommend to Council that the plan be approved.  A copy of the Corporate Plan document “South Cambridgeshire: Your Place, Our Plan 2018 – 19”, which set out the Council’s Vision and strategic aims, contextual information and examples of what the Council planned to do to deliver each aim, was attached at Appendix A to the report.  The Delivery Plan at Appendix B to the report developed these into realistic, achievable and measurable projects and actions.

Councillor Orgee, Chairman of Scrutiny and Overview Committee, outlined the comments of the Committee at its meeting held on 6 February 2018, as follows:-

·         The Committee had been supportive of the revised format of the Corporate Plan.

·         The diagrammatic “Snapshot of South Cambridgeshire” and “Our resources” section on pages 72 and 73 had been welcomed as they delivered a lot of information in an engaging and straightforward way and,  in particular, made clear that the Council no longer received any Revenue Support Grant from government.  

During discussion:-

·         Cabinet was reminded that the Corporate Plan had been informed by the “Let’s Talk” community engagement project.

·         Cabinet was informed of comments made at the Scrutiny and Overview Committee regarding the need for the Council to support engagement with new and existing communities where significant development was taking place. Cabinet acknowledged that the Northstowe Forum, where new residents were now meeting alongside the existing community, could perhaps form the model for future engagement with communities in areas of major development. The Leader requested that the relevant part of the Delivery Plan be amended to reflect the comments made at Scrutiny and Overview Committee regarding engagement with new and existing communities.

·         With the consent of the Leader, Councillor Bridget Smith commented upon the draft Corporate Plan noting that some of the language was a little cumbersome; that there were some typographical errors in the document; that the statement on page 74 indicating that “11% of households did not own a car” should perhaps be reviewed, bearing in mind that some households might not own cars for reasons unrelated to deprivation; and in the “Working together” section on page 74, it was the Local Enterprise Partnership rather than the Combined Authority that formed part of the Greater Cambridge Partnership.

The Leader thanked all officers involved in preparing the draft Corporate Plan and Delivery Plan for their work.

Cabinet AGREED to recommend to Council that:

(1)  The Corporate Plan, comprising the document ‘South Cambridgeshire: Your Place, Our Plan 2018 - 19’ (Appendix A) and accompanying 2018/2019 Delivery Plan (Appendix B) be approved, subject to amendment of text relating to engagement with existing and new communities (Aim B (2)) to reflect comments made at Scrutiny and Overview Committee.

(2)  The Chief Executive, in consultation with Portfolio Holders, be authorised to prepare detailed implementation plans and associated performance measures and ensure these are reflected in directorate service plans and quarterly Position Reports during 2018/19.

(3)  The Chief Executive be authorised to make any minor wording changes required to final drafts, in consultation with the Leader of the Council.