Issue - meetings

To receive and consider report 146/08 of the Principal Performance Management Officer. 

(Time: 2.34pm to 2.40pm)

The Executive received and considered report 146/08 of the Principal Performance Management Officer regarding a review of the Council’s existing corporate plan and the preparation of a new plan.  The Corporate Plan 2009-12 set out the Council’s vision, strategic objectives and corporate priorities for the next three years.  It included key targets, actions and measures showing how each of the corporate priorities would be achieved.  It had been developed following consultation with Members, the Management Team and residents. 

In December 2008, MORI ran three extended discussion groups of residents looking at the proposed strategic objectives and corporate priorities.  Overall, there was positive support for the objectives and priorities included in the draft plan.  The comments and views raised at these discussion groups would be used to help develop and improve the services delivered by the Council.  The three priorities which received the greatest support were housing, a clean Vale and the economy of the Vale.  Another key message was that the Council needed to improve communication about the services provided and its achievements; this was now a corporate priority. 

It was proposed that the Council’s vision statement should be streamlined.  The primary heading of “Our Vision is to build and safeguard a fair, open and compassionate Community” would be retained but in the interests of clarity, the six detailed aims would be dropped as they were largely incorporated in the new plan. 

The Executive welcomed the draft plan and supported the amendments to the Council’s vision statement.  This served as a good basis to develop the service plans and stand the Council in good stead for the next year.  Members were particularly pleased with the revised description for affordable housing and at the priority to sustain vibrant market towns through partnerships. 

Members noted that the final version of the plan would be published in March or April.  This would essentially be a web-based document, but a limited number of hard copies would be produced.  Before publication, explicit numbers would have to be added to the targets in appendix 1.  These would need to be agreed as soon as possible after the new Heads of Service had been appointed. 

R E C O M M E N D E D

that the Council be recommended to:

(i)                 agree the six strategic objectives and associated corporate priorities, key targets, actions and measures to be included in the Corporate Plan 2009-12, as set out in Appendix A to these minutes;

(ii)               delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to agree the final version of the plan; and

(i)                 agree an amendment to the Council’s vision statement, to improve clarity and compactness, by dropping the six aims since these are largely incorporated in the body of the new Corporate Plan.