Issue - meetings

Public Participation

Mr Brian Warwick, Chairman of the Melksham Seniors Forum addressed Cabinet on this item. He considered that the reference to tourism in the Plan should be strengthened, welcoming the comments of Scrutiny in this respect. The Leader confirmed that the point made by Scrutiny had been accepted. Cllr Fleur de Rhé Philipe, Cabinet member for Economy, Skills and Transport also referred Mr Warwick to the work of Visit Wiltshire.

The Leader presented the draft Business Plan for 2013-17 for Cabinet’s consideration having regard to the views of Scrutiny before being recommended to Council for adoption at its extraordinary meeting called for that purpose on 3 September 2013.

The Plan gave an account of how the Council would manage the changes and challenges over this period. It focused on how the Council would continue to work with its communities and partners to protect those who were most vulnerable, to boost the local economy and to bring communities together to enable them to do more for themselves.

The Plan explained how the Council would deliver its shared vision, namely to create stronger and more resilient communities. The Leader referred to the various initiatives already implemented and those planned for the future which were innovative and ground breaking and would see the Council working more closely with its partners and sharing resources to meet the continued financial challenges.

To provide focus, the Plan set out the following 12 key actions to be delivered over the next four years:

• Invest additional money between 2014 – 2017 to reduce the historic backlog in highway maintenance;
• Stimulate economic growth and create additional jobs in partnership with the LEP;

• Further enhance the role of Area Boards, developing innovative community led approaches to designing and delivering services;

• Improve the attainment, skills and achievement of all children and young people;

• Support the most vulnerable in our local communities and improve our safeguarding services;

• Invest to refurbish council housing and encourage the development of new affordable homes, including supported living in rural areas;

• Build on the work of the Military Civilian Integration Programme and maximise benefits arising from the Army Basing Plan;

• Delegate cost neutral packages of land, services and assets to town and parish councils;

• Create a campus opportunity in each of the 18 community areas;

• Integrate public health at the heart of all public services;

• Do things differently to deliver at least £120 million of savings over the next four years and

• Develop the leadership, knowledge, skills and expected behaviours of our managers and staff.

The most important thing was that the Plan reflected the most important aspect which was to continue to support the people of Wiltshire and provide the services they needed and wanted and to continue to make Wiltshire a great place in which to live, work and visit.

The Business Plan had been subject to scrutiny by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee with detailed scrutiny undertaken by the individual Select Committees, each focusing on their respective disciplines. A meeting of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59