Agenda item

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.

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:

 

• To invest additional money between 2014-17 to reduce the historic backlog in highways maintenance;
• To stimulate economic growth and create additional jobs in partnership with the Local Enterprise Partnership or LEP – as we know it...;
• To further enhance the role of area boards by developing innovative community led approaches to designing and delivering services;
• To provide opportunities for every child and young person to improve their attainment and skills so they can achieve their full potential;
• To continue to improve our safeguarding services to protect the most vulnerable in our communities;
• To invest in refurbishing our council housing and encourage the development of new affordable homes, including supported living in rural areas;
• To build on the work of the Military Civilian Integration Partnership and maximise on the benefits arising from the Army Basing Plan;
• To delegate cost neutral packages of land, services and assets to town and parish councils;
• To create a campus opportunity in each community area;
• To integrate public health at the heart of all public services;
• To ensure we do things differently to enable us to realign £120 million over the next four years to deliver our priorities and
• To develop the knowledge, skills, behaviours and leadership of our workforce, managers and councillors.

 

The Council’s aim was to make Wiltshire an even better place to live in, work in and to visit. The Plan explained how the Council intended to deliver the vision we shared with key partners namely, to create stronger and more resilient communities.

 

By continuing to work with our partners, particularly the Police, we would look at where we could share resources and buildings and save money while improving the services we provide.

 

The Council’s transformation programme would continue to focus on communities through the delivery of the campus programme and the creation of three fit for purpose main hubs, which would help us continue to work in a more efficient and business like way.

 

The Leader emphasised that the Plan included feedback from Overview and Scrutiny and the Select Committees and focused on the views and priorities of local residents as fed back from the People’s Voice survey last November.  The emphasis of the Plan was that it would continue to support the people of Wiltshire, particularly the most vulnerable and provide services that people needed and wanted. The Plan would also reflect the financial challenges that faced the authority by embracing innovative ways of working and through collaborative working with its partners.

 

The Plan once adopted, would be published in an easy to read and understand version. This would include a succinct and clear summary that would be a useful guide for staff, members and the public highlighting the Council’s priorities that would be delivered over the next four years.

 

The Leader thanked her Cabinet, officers and the Overview and Scrutiny and Select Committee members for all their hard work and help to bring this Plan so early in the new Council.   She then moved adoption of the Business Plan for 2013 – 2017 as presented and this was duly seconded.

 

Cllr Simon Killane responded by firstly thanking all Councillors particularly the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, Select Committees, Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of those committees and Cabinet for their active engagement in developing the Business Plan. He also thanked officers for the fantastic support provided.  He explained that it had been a positive experience and that Scrutiny had been able to provide constructive challenge as a critical friend in discussing ways to improve the Business Plan. He emphasised that Scrutiny was a key element in the decision making process.

 

Cllr Roy While suggested a meeting between Cabinet and relevant officers to prepare a report on Appendix B of the Plan on the emerging major strategies, programmes and plans for consideration by Scrutiny to ensure scrutiny engagement.

 

Cllr Jon Hubbard, Liberal Democrat group leader congratulated the Scrutiny committees on their work and Cabinet for facilitating them. Whilst he was generally supportive of the Plan, he did consider it to be more aspirational. He considered that the Plan could do more on protecting the environment and include targets to aim for. He explained that whilst he was an advocate of community engagement, he felt that references to empowering communities could give the impression that the Council was passing on its responsibilities to them instead of working in partnership with them.  Cllr Hubbard considered that the Plan although gave a lot of detail on what the Council planned to do,  did not explain fully how this would be delivered, at what cost and what cuts might be necessary to fund them.

 

Cllr Hubbard gave notice of a number of amendments he and members of his group would be submitting during the course of the debate.

 

The Leader expressed concern  if  it was a case of substantial amendments being presented at this stage outside of the scrutiny process which could lead to decisions being made on the hoof without fully examining the ramifications.  

 

Amendments

 

Cllr Jon Hubbard proposed the following amendment which was duly seconded by Cllr Helena Mckeown:

 

‘Page 5 - Para 2

Change paragraph 2 to read: "Public services should be run for the community, in the community, with the community. Where appropriate public services and resources should be devolved to Area Boards, Parish and Town Councils.’

 

In the debate which ensued, the Leader explained that she was prepared to accept this amendment and therefore incorporate into the Business Plan and this was agreed with her seconder.

 

Cllr Jon Hubbard proposed the following amendment which was duly seconded by Cllr Helena Mckeown:

 

‘Insert new paragraph on Page 5 below para 2

Wiltshire Council is committed to empowering local communities to determine the shape of services and will undertake informed and timely consultation where the outcome is determined by democratic process.’

 

A discussion ensued on the above amendment and on being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

Cllr Jon Hubbard proposed the following amendment and this was duly seconded by Cllr Helena Mckeown:

 

Page 18.

Insert new bullet reading:

"We will continue to provide a universal youth service across the county, recognising the significant impact that the provision of youth clubs and targeted support through these has in reducing anti social behaviour and crime reduction."

 

A discussion ensued on the above amendment and on being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

Cllr Steve Oldrieve proposed the following amendments which were duly seconded by Cllr Chris Caswill:

 

‘page 2

12 key actions to be changed to 13.

“13. Achieve 35% carbon reduction (from 2008/9 base)”

 

page 17

After ‘Increase recycling and reduce carbon footprint – ‘, to add:

 

‘to achieve 50% reduction by 2020’

 

After ‘ – we will encourage ………carbon efficient behaviours.’ To add

 

‘Promote the installation of renewal energy to provide 250MW of capacity in Wiltshire. 

 

·         Ensure policies that control use of natural resources ensure they do not compromise future generations needs and that the ecology status of our rivers improves.’

 

A discussion ensued on the above amendments and on being put to the vote, the amendments were LOST.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

At this point, the meeting adjourned for lunch at 12.50pm and reconvened at 1.40pm.

 

Cllr Nick Watts proposed the following amendment and this was seconded by Cllr Chris Caswill:

 

‘Insert new paragraph after paragraph starting "people are as protected"

The council remains committed to and will actively use its resources to support the provision of high quality NHS health care free at the point of delivery for residents of Wiltshire.’

A discussion ensued on the above amendment and on being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

The following amendment was proposed by Cllr Linda Packard and duly seconded by Cllr Magnus Macdonald:

 

‘Page 17 bullet 4

Insert words ", resources" after the word services’

 

A discussion ensued on the above amendment during which it was noted that a review would be undertaken on the role of Area Boards and the resources needed by them and that this piece of work would involve Scrutiny. On being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

Cllr Chris Caswill proposed the following amendment which was duly seconded by Cllr Helena Mckeown:

 

‘Page 10' para 7

After 'night time economy:' insert words "The council will use it licensing powers to ensure that"

 

During discussion of the above amendment, the Leader explained that she was prepared to accept this amendment and therefore incorporate it into the Business Plan and this was agreed with her seconder.

 

Cllr David Jenkins proposed the following amendment which was duly seconded:

 

‘Page 6 para 4 (outcome 3 para 1)

Add words 'that supports the diverse needs of our rural and market town economies' to end of sentence.’

 

A discussion ensued on the above amendment and on being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

Cllr Gordon King proposed the following amendment and this was duly seconded by Cllr Nick Watts:

 

‘Page 16 bullet 3

Insert full stop after word volunteers.

Create a new bullet with remaining text, remove word 'to' at beginning and replace word 'highways' with 'transport'

 

During discussion of the above amendment, the Leader explained that she was prepared to accept this amendment and therefore incorporate it into the Business Plan and this was agreed with her seconder.

 

Cllr Linda Packard proposed the following amendment which was duly seconded by Cllr Magnus Macdonald:

 

‘Page 7 Para 5 (outcome 4 para 3)

Replace 'or' with 'and' on first line.’

 

During discussion of the above amendment, the Leader explained that she was prepared to accept this amendment and therefore incorporate it into the Business Plan and this was agreed with her seconder.

 

Cllr Magnus Macdonald proposed the following amendment which was duly seconded by Cllr Linda Packard:

 

‘page 6 para 2

Add words 'and this should be recognised through Wiltshire's planning process' to end of sentence.’

 

A discussion ensued on the above amendment and on being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

The following amendment was proposed which was duly seconded:

 

‘Page 17

Change first half of bottom bullet point to:

Use our planning powers to protect countryside and green spaces around our market towns, and maintain the vitality of those market towns and their local high streets - (remaining as previous).’

 

A discussion ensued on the above amendment and on being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

Cllr Ian West proposed the following amendment which was duly seconded:

 

‘Page 10, para 6

Add words 'and Farm Watch'  and ‘Horse Watch’ after 'community speed watch'

 

‘That throughout the document, to change ‘ customers’ to ‘residents’

 

During discussion of the above amendment, the Leader explained that she was prepared to accept this amendment and therefore incorporate it into the Business Plan and this was agreed with her seconder.

 

Cllr Chris Caswill proposed the following amendment which was duly seconded by Cllr David Jenkins:

 

‘Page 20

Bottom of page 20 add new bullet point:

Review the councils planning procedures in consultation with local communities with a view to improving public confidence and commitment to planning outcomes.’

 

A discussion ensued on the above amendment and on being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

Cllr Helena Mckeown proposed the following amendment which was duly seconded by Cllr Jon Hubbard:

 

‘Page 5 - Para 10

i) remove word unavoidable

ii) Add 'and poor air quality' at end of sentence’

 

However, during debate, Cllr Mckeown with the consent of her seconder, agreed to withdraw this amendment on the basis that wording could be agreed that would be considered acceptable.  The wording was subsequently agreed as follows:

 

‘Page 5 – para 10

Add a bullet point

·         ‘Air quality’

 

Cllr Helena Mckeown proposed the following amendment which was duly seconded by Cllr Jon Hubbard:

 

‘Page 8 Para 5 outcome 5

i) Insert words 'where possible' after 'take responsibility'

 

A discussion ensued on the above amendment and on being put to the vote, the amendment was LOST.

 

Resolved:

That the Council adopts the Wiltshire Council Business Plan for  2013/2017 as presented, subject to incorporation of the following amendments as agreed during debate:

 

·         ‘Page 5 - Para 2

Change paragraph 2 to read: "Public services should be run for the community, in the community, with the community. Where appropriate public services and resources should be devolved to Area Boards, Parish and Town Councils.’

 

·         ‘Page 10' para 7

After 'night time economy:' insert words "The council will use it licensing powers to ensure that"

 

·         ‘Page 16 bullet 3

Insert full stop after word volunteers.

Create a new bullet with remaining text, remove word 'to' at beginning and replace word 'highways' with 'transport'

 

·         ‘Page 7 Para 5 (outcome 4 para 3)

Replace 'or' with 'and' on first line.’

 

·         Page 10, para 6

Add words 'and Farm Watch'  and ‘Horse Watch’ after 'community speed watch'

 

‘That throughout the document to change ‘ customers’ to ‘residents’

 

·         ‘Page 5 – para 10

Add a bullet point

‘Air quality’