Issue - meetings

(a)       That the Improvement Plan be received with the following observations:-

(i)         that the rural areas of the County should receive more of an emphasis

(ii)        that the Council’s commitment to the Armed Forces Community Covenant should be specifically mentioned

(b)       That due to the importance of the superfast broadband roll out to the development of the local economy, that BT and Welsh Government representatives be invited to give a presentation at an all Member workshop to be held for that purpose.

(c)        That further information and interpretation on the changes made to the Improvement Plan be provided to Members to allow further responses before final approval by Cabinet and Council on 23 June 2015. 

The Leader of the Council & Cabinet Member for Finance introduced the report and explained that adoption and publication of an Improvement Plan was a statutory requirement under the 2009 Local Government Measure. 

                        The Plan would allow the Council to concentrate on areas that needed attention and the current priorities and sub-priorities of the Plan had been reviewed and some areas that had been completed in 2014/15 had been removed from the 2015/16 Plan.  The key priorities had been broadened and the specific reference to the Deeside area had been removed from the sub-priority in relation to business sector growth so this now covered the whole of the County.  The Leader commented on the Deeside Enterprise Zone and referred to the Vibrant and Viable Places programme.  Flintshire Business Week had recently been launched and the Leader spoke of the small and medium sized businesses that were engaging and taking part in the initiative.  The continuation of the Welsh Housing Quality Standard work would provide significant opportunities for the Council to engage with the Housing Business Sector.  A Member workshop had been held on 29 May 2015 where the working draft documents had been considered along with the proposed targets and classifications for the statutory national performance indicators.  The Plan was to be considered at a Special Cabinet meeting on 23 June 2015 followed by a County Council meeting in the afternoon.   

                        The Chief Executive detailed the three documents in the report and explained that appendix 3 was a summary of the key issues from and responses to the consultations with Members at the workshop held on 29 May 2015.  In highlighting the budget, he said that it was important to look at future years revenue funding and capital programme alongside the priorities set out in the plan.  The Plan could be changed during the year.

                        In referring to appendix 3, the Performance Team Leader explained that the document included responses provided at the workshop or subsequently following the workshop.  General issues were reported first followed by issues raised on individual areas or sub-priorities and then on specific performance measures.  The Performance Team Leader advised that all of the amendments that had been requested at the workshop had been highlighted in blue in the Improvement Plan 2015/16 document. 

                        The Chair commented on the issue of broadband speeds and referred in particular to the fibreoptic link that had been laid by Welsh Government in 2010 near to Hawarden Business Park.  In response, the Chief Executive spoke of meetings with British Telecom (BT) and the Deeside Enterprise Zone Board about issues including ‘notspots’ and added that improvements had been made to broadband infrastructures at Hawarden Business Park as a result.  He advised that he would obtain an update on the concerns raised particularly about ‘notspots’ and suggested that BT be invited to attend a future meeting of the Committee. 

                        Councillor Richard Jones referred to the section on Economy and Enterprise and indicated that he had stated at the workshop that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10