Issue - meetings

To consider the 5 Year Plan Performance Report 2017/18.

RESOLVED that the positive progress against the Council’s Five Year Plan (2015-2020) priorities, set out in the report of the Head of Corporate Policy, Performance and Legal, be noted.

Councillor T. Schofield, Executive Member for Finance, introduced the report concerning the Council’s performance against the Five Year Plan (2015-2020) priorities for the period 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018. The Executive noted the positive progress made, outlined in Annex 1 of the report, and Councillor Schofield highlighted a number of achievements, under each of the plan’s themes of people, place and organisation, including:

-       Supporting residents to enjoy healthy and happy lifestyles by establishing a Community Development team and expanding the existing Wellbeing Prescription Service.

-       Ensuring the borough remained a great place to live and work, with significant work been undertaken on the Development Management Plan.

-       Adopting a balanced budget without reducing services to residents and businesses. It was noted that this had been achieved without receiving a revenue support grant from central government.

The Executive Member for Finance went on to explain that the council was also delivering activities that were not clearly captured in the Five Year Plan. For example, the delivery of affordable housing for local people as well as work carried out in response to new government policies, such as the Homelessness Reduction Act and the introduction of Universal Credit. It was noted that the corporate plan was being reviewed to ensure council priorities continued to reflect and address the needs of local people.

During the discussion a number of issues were considered, including:

-       The importance of encouraging existing business to thrive and grow and attracting new businesses to the borough.

-       The work of local business guilds. 

-       The non-clinical services provided by the Wellbeing Prescription Service. It was explained that East Surrey Clinical Commissioning Group had extended funding for the scheme and it was one of the largest signposting services in the country.       

Councillor Schofield concluded by informing the Executive that some of the success measures identified in the Five Year Plan had been difficult to monitor progress against. It was recognised that success measures would be reviewed as part of the corporate plan refresh.               

RESOLVED that the positive progress against the Council’s Five Year Plan (2015-2020) priorities, set out in the report of the Head of Corporate Policy, Performance and Legal, be noted.

Reason for decision: To receive the Five Year Plan progress for 2017-18.

Alternative options: None.