Agenda item

To consider the reports of the Cabinet and to receive answers to any questions asked on those reports as follows:

a)    Reports of Cabinet – Matters which require a decision; and

b)    Report of Cabinet – Summary of decisions taken.

Council considered the Corporate Plan 2022-27.

The Leader introduced the report and commented that the revised Corporate Plan retained the four key themes: Children and Families, Environment, Health and Well-being and Open for Business which had guided the work of the Council over the last 5 years. The contributary narrative and projects included in it had been updated to reflect progress made, the schemes delivered and the revised context in the county including this Council’s and partner organisation’s plans and strategies.

He added that new performance measures had been included for each of the themes as well as some corporate cross-cutting measures which would be closely monitored during the plan period. The themes encapsulated the key responsibilities and core duties of safeguarding children, education, adult social care, improving public health and well-being, waste disposal and highways. They focused on making Worcestershire an attractive place for residents, businesses and visitors. The Plan addressed the issues that the public had told the Council were important and needed improving. The refreshed plan prioritised and progressed the One Worcestershire approach for co-ordination between partner organisations. The Plan embraced new initiatives such as Here to Help, the use of digital technology and mobile and flexible working together with a focus on working communities to empower and enable them to do more.

He thanked the Chairman and members of the OSPB for their contribution and recommendations, some of which had been taken on board, for example in relation to crime and disorder, targets for first preference schools, and consistency in how things were measured.

In the ensuing debate, the following points were raised:

·         There was no reference in the Plan in relation to the support provided for local bus services and active travel

·         The Plan failed to address the bigger environmental picture and was contradictory in places. Climate change needed to be central to the whole plan and annual targets should be incorporated in the Plan to ensure it met the overall  climate change target for 2050. The focus on high-tech business and in particular the green elements was welcomed

·         Problems associated with SEND, EHCPs and CAMHS needed to be addressed in the Plan. There was insufficient capacity in schools to address issues associated with SEND. Prevention was a key element of the approach to health and well-being

·         Transport was a key area in terms of the impact on emission levels and the Council could make a huge impact in this area. Building more roads just added to congestion. The Council’s bus strategy had been rejected by the Government and bus companies were struggling to provide a commercially viable service. How was it possible to meet these corporate targets when the county was dominated by car use

·         The plan lacked a joined up approach to setting out how Worcestershire would be a place where people wanted to live and work, stay fit and healthy and live independently

·         A major issue in terms of economic development and the impact on people’s lives was lack of mobility around the county if you did not own a car. There were no measures to address the life-expectancy gap between the prosperous and less-prosperous areas of the county

·         The focus on the strategic investment sites was welcomed and in particular, on Malvern Hills Science Park and tech park. It was queried whether there would be a link between the strategic plans, particularly around 5G and 4.0 diagnostics to bring in established anchor tenants to help drive up valuations, enabling further prospective ownership and additional much needed investment into these assets and in particular retaining graduates and stopping the trend of highly skilled graduates leaving the county

·         It was queried why there was no mention of libraries in the Corporate Plan

·         It was disappointing that there was no mention in the Plan of lobbying the county’s MPs to ask the Government to address the education funding gap in the county

·         The issue of the lack school places needed to be addressed to reduce the number of private car journeys across the county

·         The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Adult Social Care indicated that the Plan committed the Council to the production of an integrated care system commencing in July 2022. It would be a time of significant change for Adult Social Care with the care cap and the fair price of care coming into effect. The Plan committed the Council to the Three Conversations Model. It reaffirmed the Council’s approach of providing the right services at the right price to the right people. The Council would be working with colleagues in health on the prevention agenda to remain ahead of issues associated with the aging population demographics

·         It was claimed in the Plan that the Council was a member-led authority yet on key issues, the Council had acted against the wishes of local councillors

·         The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Health and Well-being commented that the Council had responded to feedback from local residents to the Council’s health and well-being consultation document and the public’s concerns would be addressed as part of the strategy going forward. Health disparities would be addressed as part of the Corporate Plan and prevention had been identified as a key factor

·         The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Communities gave an assurance that libraries had been recognised as a key service for the local community. The Corporate Plan was a high level document which sets out the corporate vision for the next 5 years. The Council did listen to the views of local residents and had addressed their concerns in the Plan. Whilst encouraging other modes of transport, cars were an essential mode of transport in rural areas of the county and the focus should be on ensuring that it was a cleaner and greener mode of transport

·         The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Education indicated that she would do all she could to lobby for fairer funding for schools. Over 90% of pupils in the county received their first preference of school but she recognised that there would be a certain number of pupils travelling greater distances to attend school

·         The Leader summed up and commented that the Corporate Plan was an evidence-based refreshed plan. He encouraged all councillors to engage in the scrutiny of the Plan. The Plan was broad and strategic and set out the vision for Worcestershire across the four key themes including cross-cutting and interlinked themes. It was not possible to name-check every area within the Plan. The Council wanted to encourage all modes of transport but recognised that many people would continue to use their car and that cars would become a greener mode of transport in the future. By improving the roads and pavements, the Council would be addressing congestion, a key issue raised by the public. The Council did wish to see the development of high tech sites and skills to provide higher paid and skilled jobs to ensure a more prosperous future. The Plan would be managed and monitored at least every 6 months. There would be a series of roadshows held throughout the year. A digital version of the Plan would be maintained and updated.

RESOLVED that the refreshed Corporate Plan 2022-27, the four key priorities of Open for Business, Children and Families, the Environment and Health and Wellbeing and their respective performance measures be approved.