Agenda item

That the Improvement Plan 2016-17 be approved.

The Chief Executive introduced a report on the Improvement Plan 2016-17 and advised that the Plan had been updated in June 2016 to reflect the key priorities of the Council for the next year.   He provided background information and said that the Plan was agreed by Cabinet earlier in the day and that the final draft had been the result of consideration by Overview and Scrutiny Committees within their terms of reference. 

                        The Chief Executive invited the Corporate Business and Communications Executive Officer to give a presentation on the Improvement Plan 2012-2017.  The main points of the presentation which highlighted the benefits of the Improvement Plan were as follows:

·         the Improvement Plan

·         how the plan is put together

·         choosing the in-year priorities

·         new content – national issues

·         Member consultation

·         benefits of planning

·         this year’s 2016/17 Improvement Plan

·         using the Plans

·         positive feedback

·         next steps 

                        The Chief Officer (Community & Enterprise) presented the Housing priority.  She advised that Housing remained a key strategic priority for the Authority and referred  to the need to continue to improve the quality of the existing housing stock; not only through improving the Council’s stock to WHQS standard but also to support improvement in the private sector stock either by grants or loans.  In addition there was a need to increase the number of homes provided throughout the County and specifically affordable housing.  Referring to risks the Chief Officer commented on the need to manage homelessness and to stimulate the growth of affordable housing.  

                        The Chief Officer (Community & Enterprise) also presented the priority for Economy and Enterprise and referred to work taking place across North Wales and the North West of England with the Northern Powerhouse to continue to grow the economy.  She outlined the strategic objectives which continued to be the priorities for next year

Councillor Aaron Shotton referred to the importance of the improvement Plan as a ‘blueprint’ for the Authority’s  ambition and for what it wished to achieve for Flintshire’s residents. He  spoke of Flintshire’s priorities and referred to the need to expand and grow the quality of apprenticeships, developing a successful economy, and building the infrastructure for development, and housing and affordable accommodation.  Councillor Shotton moved the report and expressed his thanks to Officers for their hard work in producing the Plan.   

Councillor Bernie Attridge referred to the Environment priority and reported on the sustainable development and environmental management sub priority.  He also referred to the priority Modern and Efficient Council and reported on the community asset transfers programme and rationalisation of the Council’s assets.

Councillor Chris Bithell commented on the need for more government funding if the Council hoped to achieve the ambitions set out in the Plan.

Councillor Mike Peers welcomed the new format of the Plan and drew attention to a small number of amendments which needed to be made.  He referred to the risks to be managed in each of the priorities and asked what the impact  would be if the risks were not managed and said it would be helpful if these were known. He raised a number of specific questions in relation to  housing and achievement measures and also commented on the subject of annual appraisals.

Councillor Christine Jones drew attention to the new priority dementia within the Living Well priority.  She commented on the work taking place in Flintshire in terms of raising dementia awareness, training, and development of ‘friendship’ and community support groups.

Councillor Richard Jones commented on the need for an equitable and fair division of funding within the County and made a comparison between the Plan and the funding formula in Wales.  He expressed a concern  that although the Improvement Plan described how funding would be spent it did not identify where the money would be spent.  He said that in the future he would like to see a more equitable spread of the finances within the Improvement Plan which showed that each part of the County, and thereby each resident, got a share of the capita.

The Chief Executive responded to the questions and concerns which had been raised by Members during debate around annual employee appraisals, the priority risks to be managed, and spend per capita.  He also agreed to provide a written response to the further specific points which had been raised by Members  

RESOLVED

That the Improvement Plan 2016-17 be approved.