Agenda item

(a)       That the Committee notes and endorses:

• The overall levels of progress and confidence in the achievement of activities within the Council Plan;
• The overall performance against Council Plan performance indicators;
• The current risk levels within the Council Plan.

(b)       That the Committee is assured by plans and actions to manage the delivery of the 2019/20 Council Plan;

(c)       That in future, all high monetary value risks within the Council Plan be brought to the Committee as well as to the functional Overview & Scrutiny Committee; and

(d)       That prior to the Council Plan workshop, officers undertake work to focus on alignment to Overview & Scrutiny committees, forward planning and mitigating risk on issues outside the Council’s control.

The Chief Executive presented a summary of progress on performance within the Council Plan for Quarter 3 of 2019/20 (October-December 2019).  Overall, this was a positive report with 89% of activities assessed as making good progress, and 89% likely to achieve the desired outcome.  It was reported that 81% of performance indicators had met or exceeded their targets.  The major (red) risks were predominantly around the financial challenge and not financial management.

Councillor Jones said that the revised format of the Council Plan required improvement to help with scrutinising and that more clarity was needed on linking Overview & Scrutiny with areas of risk.  He questioned the omission of the major risk on fees and charges and said that risk areas under the remit of other committees involving financial risks should have oversight by this Committee.

The Chief Executive said that the review of the Council Plan would take account of such points to assist Overview & Scrutiny committees to focus on specific areas within their forward work programmes.  He said that any service risks with large monetary values would also be shared with this Committee.

Councillor Jones questioned the red status of the performance indicator on the percentage of employees leaving in their first year, given the Chief Executive’s comments that there was no risk to business continuity arising from this trend.  Councillor Jones also said that the impact of the national trend on the number of working days lost due to sickness absence should be made clearer in the commentary.  He agreed to share separately with officers a number of other queries on performance indicators.

In response to Councillor Jones’ comments about expanding the reasons for risks reported to other committees, the Chief Executive said that this would be addressed by the review of the risk management framework.  In response to further questions, a Member workshop on Social Value was being scheduled and the Growth Deal item would provide an opportunity for Members to identify priorities and sub-priorities affecting communities.  On the need for business plans to set out aims and associated spend within service areas, the Chief Officer (Governance) spoke about ongoing work to achieve more consistent content and two-way feedback with the Council Plan which would help inform the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

In thanking Members for their comments, Councillor Mullin gave assurance that whilst progress was being made, there was no complacency.

Councillor Woolley said that the report should focus more on trends as opposed to a snapshot in time.  He agreed to share with officers a number of inconsistencies with data in the report compared with the mid-year update.

Councillor Heesom said that he thought the Council Plan could achieve more through forward planning, for example on the action for ‘key interventions for accessing employment, health, leisure and education facilities’.  He said that such interventions, such as those needed in Mostyn Docks, should be reflected in the Council Plan under the Ambitious Council priority.

The Chief Executive explained that the Council Plan, agreed by the Council, covered the work of the Council and what was planned to be achieved both in-year and in the longer term.  Officers could only report on performance of the Council against the pre-agreed contents of the Plan, and not on other policy or service issues which were outside of the Plan or indeed the separate work and performance of Governments and partner organisations.  Following a query on the County Hall campus, he gave a brief update on progress and said that plans had yet to be developed for the remainder of the site.

Councillor Carolyn Thomas, who was present in the public gallery, confirmed that Mostyn Docks had been incorporated in the transport plan.  In response to other comments, she referred to some objectives in the Council Plan spanning a number of service areas and the impact to the budget from late grant funding or capital linked to specific schemes.

Councillor Collett asked whether the red risks/indicators that were outside the Council’s control could be more clearly identified.  The Chief Executive gave examples where the Council could exert influence, for example the evidential case on the provisional settlement.

Councillor Jones suggested an item before the Council Plan workshop for the Committee to understand the financial risks across services.  The Chief Executive said that officers would work on capturing how the Plan worked, taking account of the comments raised on forward planning, alignment with Overview & Scrutiny committees and influencing areas through another partner.

The recommendations, which were changed to reflect the debate, were moved by Councillor Jones and seconded by Councillor Heesom.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee notes and endorses:

• The overall levels of progress and confidence in the achievement of activities within the Council Plan;
• The overall performance against Council Plan performance indicators;
• The current risk levels within the Council Plan.

(b)       That the Committee is assured by plans and actions to manage the delivery of the 2019/20 Council Plan;

(c)       That in future, all high monetary value risks within the Council Plan be brought to the Committee as well as to the functional Overview & Scrutiny Committee; and

(d)       That prior to the Council Plan workshop, officers undertake work to focus on alignment to Overview & Scrutiny committees, forward planning and mitigating risk on issues outside the Council’s control.