Agenda and minutes
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Contact: Yamina Rhouati Email: Yamina.Rhouati@wiltshire.gov.uk
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Apologies Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Alison Bucknell, Trevor Carbin, Mark Connolly, Mike Hewitt, Horace Prickett, Dick Tonge, Russell Hawker, Chris Hurst, Nick Blakemore, Rosemary Brown, Linda Conley, Alan Hill and Howard Marshall and an apology for lateness from Cllr Brian Dalton.
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Declarations of Interest To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.
Minutes: No interests were declared. |
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Announcements by the Chairman Minutes: (a) Birth of the Royal baby
The Chairman announced that she, together with the Leader of the Council, had written to extend the Council’s congratulations and best wishes to the Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of their son.
An acknowledgement had been received from their Private Secretary thanking Councillors and officers for their kind message.
(b) Wiltshire Assembly
The Chairman explained on Monday 22 July, the Council hosted a successful meeting of the Wiltshire Assembly which focused on Wiltshire’s next generation, discussing opportunities for education, training or work. More than 150 people attended the event including representatives from the private and public sector as well as many young people.
The Chairman highlighted the great work being carried out by the Assembly and their efforts to encourage employers in providing training and employment opportunities.
(c) OFSTED update
The Chairman explained that the outcome of the recent Ofsted inspection of the Council’s Child Protection services had been published on 16 August. She was pleased to announce that the Council had been rated as ‘adequate’ compared to the previous inspection report in March 2012 which had given an ‘inadequate’ rating.
The Chairman explained that whilst this was a huge improvement, it was important for the Council to work alongside all the agencies involved to ensure that vulnerable children in Wiltshire were fully protected and that we were not complacent. A comprehensive improvement plan was in place which the Council would continue to implement with its partners. This was a key priority for the Council as reflected in the proposed Business Plan which would be considered at this meeting. |
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Public Participation The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public. As this is an extraordinary meeting convened specifically to consider the draft Business Plan and in accordance with the Council’s constitution, questions and statements can only be accepted in respect of this item.
Statements If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on the item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named above for any further clarification.
Questions To receive any questions from members of the public received in accordance with the constitution. Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named above (acting on behalf of the Corporate Director) no later than 5pm on Tuesday 27 August 2013.Please contact the officer named on the first page of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.
Details of any questions received will be circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website. Minutes: It was noted that in accordance with the constitution, as this was an extraordinary meeting, public participation would only be permitted in respect of the subject matter for this meeting, in this case, the Council’s Business Plan 2013/17.
No requests for public participation had been received for this meeting. |
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Notices of Motion No motions were received for this meeting. Minutes: As previously advised to Councillors and in accordance with the Council’s constitution, notices of motion were only permitted in respect of the subject matter for this extraordinary meeting, the Council’s Business Plan.
No motions had been received for this meeting.
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Councillors' Questions As this is an extraordinary meeting convened specifically to consider the draft Business Plan and in accordance with the Council’s constitution, questions can only be accepted in respect of this item.
Please note that Councillors are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the first page of this agenda (acting on behalf of the Corporate Director) not later than 5pm on Tuesday 27 August 2013. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.
Details of any questions received will be circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website. Minutes: As previously advised to Councillors and in accordance with the Council’s constitution, questions were only permitted in respect of the subject matter for this extraordinary meeting, the Council’s Business Plan.
No such questions had been received.
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Wiltshire Council's Business Plan for 2013-17 To consider the following recommendation from Cabinet dated 23 July 2013:
‘That the Draft Business Plan as revised be presented to Council for adoption at its extraordinary meeting on 3 September 2013 together with any further comments from Scrutiny’.
A report from the Leader and Corporate Directors Dr Carlton Brand, Carolyn Godfrey and Maggie Rae is included in this summons.
An extract of comments on the draft Business Plan from a meeting of the Chair and Vice Chairs of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee and the three Scrutiny Select Committees on 13 August is also included.
The draft Business Plan is enclosed separately. Supporting documents:
Minutes: The Chairman explained that this extraordinary meeting had been convened to provide a specific opportunity for the Council to carefully and thoroughly consider its draft Business Plan for 2013/17 with a view to adopting it.
The Chairman noted that the draft Business Plan had been considered in detail by Scrutiny and considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 23 July when it recommended that that the draft Business Plan as revised be presented to Council for adoption at this extraordinary meeting together with any further comments from Scrutiny.
Accordingly, a copy of the revised draft Business Plan was presented for Council’s consideration together with the notes of a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen held on 13 August.
The Chairman explained how she intended to manage the meeting for this item. She would firstly call upon the Leader of the Council to present and propose the Business Plan. She would then invite Cllr Simon Killane, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee to present the views of Scrutiny. Other Group Leaders would then be invited to respond before opening the debate to other members.
At the chairman’s invitation Cllr Jane Scott, Leader of the Council introduced the Council’s draft Business Plan.
The Leader explained that she was very pleased to have the opportunity to present a new Business Plan for the Council. She thanked the senior leadership team, Overview and Scrutiny members and Select Committee members as well as key partners and her Cabinet for their input, suggestions and feedback on the Business Plan and helping to identify the priorities for the next four years.
The Leader explained that the Council had learnt a lot from the first four years as a new unitary Council, had listened to suggestions made and where appropriate, incorporated these into the Plan. Factual data and evidence, and the known challenges that the Council faced, had formed the basis of what we had set out to do in the next four years.
Whilst the Business Plan did not promote significant change, the Leader explained that it would focus on how the Council would continue to work with its communities and partners on the following key priorities:
· to protect those who are most vulnerable; · boost the local economy; and, · bring communities together to enable and support them to do more for themselves.
To ensure we are focused on these priorities, the Plan set out 12 key actions that we would deliver over the next four years. These were:
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