Agenda item

(a)       That the Council Plan 2023-28 Part 1 and Part 2 documents that

outline the actions, measures and risks that underpin the Priorities, Sub-

Priorities and Well-being objectives of the Council Plan 2023-28 be approved;

and

(b)       That a compelling business case be submitted to the Welsh Government to

request fair funding for Flintshire

The Chief Executive presented the report to approve the Council Plan 2023-28 Part 1 and Part 2 documents which outlined the actions, measures, and risks that

underpinned the priorities, sub-priorities and well-being objectives of the Council Plan 2023-28.  He provided background information and context and advised that the  Council Plan for 2023-28 had been reviewed and refreshed to reflect the key priorities of the Council for the five-year term of the new administration.  The ‘super-structure’ of the Plan comprised seven priorities and sub-priorities.  The seven priorities took a long-term view of recovery, projects, and ambitions, over the next five years.

The Council Plan 2023-28 would be published in a similar format to previous years, identifying actions aimed at achieving the well-being objectives, priorities and sub-priorities.  The national and regional issues/risks which could impact on the

achievement of the priorities would be identified and monitored.  Part 2 of the Council Plan would be considered by the respective Overview and Scrutiny Committees to ensure full coverage of Part 1 of the Council Plan 2023-28 and its respective measures and targets.

Councillor Ian Roberts spoke in support of the Plan.  In recommending approval of the Council Plan, and Part 1 and  Part 2 documents, he referred to the priorities, well-being objectives, and sub-priorities as detailed in the report.   Councillor Billy Mullin seconded the proposal.

Councillor Richard Jones referred to the questions which had been raised on the Council Plan following consideration by the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee and asked for confirmation that the amendments recommended by the Committee had been incorporated in the Plan.  The Chief Executive responded that the changes had been considered and were made where necessary.  Councillor Jones referred to the specific questions he had raised on the Plan and the the responses he had received.

Councillor Richard Jones proposed the following amendments to the Council Plan and this was seconded by Councillor Bernie Attridge. 

• Page 46  – Local Dementia strategy - Establishing a Dementia Strategy Implementation Group, to include representation from people with lived experience – by March 2024.  Councillor Jones proposed that the target date be brought forward to December 2023.

• Page 90  – Safeguarding – Councillor Jones proposed that the target for adult safeguarding referrals within 7 days be increased from 92% to 96% 

Councillor Mike Peers commented on the format of the Council Plan which he said could be improved.  He suggested that the improvement measures were included immediately following the Council Plan item.  He also referred to page 38 of the report and the priority Fuel Poverty and said that an estimate was needed of the number of homes and cost for reducing the risk of fuel poverty for residents by increasing the energy efficiency of homes. 

Councillor Peers referred to the priority Housing Support and Homeless Prevention and drew attention to the June 2023 target date for Identifying a site for a young person’s homeless hub offering accommodation and support services.  He also referred to the priority A Well Managed Council, sub-priority People, and under the heading definition suggested that the word ‘respond’ be included.  Councillor Peers referred to page 107 of the report and the target set for 2023/24 for the number of telephone calls to the corporate contact centre answered which he said was lower than the target for the previous year.

Councillor Andrew Parkhurst referred to page 40 of the report and the heading Empty Properties - removed – business as usual, and said that due to the current number of voids this seemed premature.  On page 42, under the heading Active and Sustainable Travel, there was no mention of sustaining and improving bus services particularly in rural areas.  Page 47, Specialist Education Provision had been removed from the Council Plan but there was no explanation why.  On page 48, the priority A Well Managed Council, Councillor Parkhurst suggested that the Council’s post-Covid working practices should be reviewed to ensure they worked for all stakeholders.  On page 49 - Financial Resilience, Councillor Parkhurst said  there was no mention of the increased settlement from Welsh Government.  He commented on Flintshire’s position in the Settlement and said that this was based on out of date information and that securing fair funding for Flintshire must be a top priority and should be included in the Council Plan. He proposed that the Council put forward a compelling business case to the Welsh Government for fair funding for Flintshire.

Councillor Bill Crease reiterated the concerns and said there were issues which required further consideration and debate.

The Chief Executive thanked Members for their comments and questions.  He emphasised that the Council Plan was focused until 2028 and would be reviewed and modified annually.  The Chief Executive responded to the points raised and explained that they had been considered in detail by the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and officers and gave assurance that there would be further opportunities to influence and input into the Plan in the future.

The Chief Officer (Governance) provided further information in response to the comments raised around the performance of the Corporate Contact Centre. 

The Senior Manager – integrated Services and Lead Adults responded to the points raised around safeguarding matters.

The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) responded to the questions around bus services and referred to the imminent review of the Integrated Transport Strategy

The Senior Manager, School Support and Governance, gave an assurance to Members that Special Educational Provision remained a key operational priority for the Education and Youth portfolio and would be reinstated as part of the strategic plan for the Council moving forward.  She also explained that the actions for 2023/24 had been included in the area report to meet the needs of the Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Act and to look at what in-house provision could be provided to reduce reliance on out-of-county provision.

Councillor Glyn Banks provided further explanation on the Settlement to give Members clarification around how the funding formula for Flintshire was determined.  He referred to the correlation between Free School Meals and funding and commented  on how deprived some areas were in Flintshire in comparison to some other Counties and cited as an example the higher take up of Free School Meals in Gronant and Greenfield when compared to Rhyl. 

Councillor Banks emphasised the need for the Circular Economy to be considered more widely and not restricted to Flintshire by working in collaboration with neighbouring authorities.    He also referred to the flexi transport scheme and the need for services to “cross over” between Councils to enable residents in Flintshire to visit their nearest town, citing the example of residents in Gwaenysgor, Flintshire, who were unable to use the flexi scheme to visit their nearest town Prestatyn, Denbighshire.

Councillor Banks also referred to the achievement measures and said there was no mention of Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHP). He emphasised that going forward AHP product collection and recycling were critical to recycling figures in the County and on the need to progress the collection and recycling of AHP’s. 

The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) responded to the  comments and concerns raised by Councillor Banks regarding the flexi transport  service and also explained why AHP materials had not been included in the Council Plan at this point in time.

The Chef Officer Governance gave advice to Councillor Jones on his proposal to omit support for the Corporate Joint Committee (CJC) and advised that the Council had a legal statutory duty to pay the budget contribution to the CJC.   He recommended that Councillor Jones withdraw that part of his amendments.  This was agreed by Councillor Jones and by Councillor Attridge who had seconded the proposal.

As the substantive motion had been moved by Councillor Ian Roberts he was asked if he accepted the amendments proposed by Councillor Richard Jones.  Councillor Roberts did not accept the amendments put forward by Councillor Jones.  Councillor Roberts spoke on the points and concerns which were raised around the funding formula and agreed to the proposal by Councillor Andrew Parkhurst that the Council put forward a compelling business case to the Welsh Government for fair funding for Flintshire.

A recorded vote was requested on the following amendments and the requisite number of Members stood in support of this:

• Local Dementia strategy - Establishing a Dementia Strategy

Implementation Group, to include representation from people with lived experience – by March 2024.  Councillor Jones proposed that the target date be brought forward to December 2023.

• Safeguarding – to increase the target for adult safeguarding referrals within 7 days from 92% to 96%

The following Councillors voted for the amendments:

Mike Allport, Bernie Attridge, Glyn Banks, Marion Bateman, Steve Copple, Bill Crease, Rob Davies, Carol Ellis Chrissy Gee, Ian Hodge, Ray Hughes, Richard Jones, Dave Mackie, Roz Mansell, Allan Marshall, Hilary McGuill, Debbie Owen, Andrew Parkhurst, Mike Peers, David Richardson,   Dale Selvester, Jason Shallcross, Linda Thew, Roy Wakelam, and Antony Wren   

The following Members voted against the amendments:

Gladys Healey, Sean Bibby, Chris Bithell, Gillian Brockley, Mel Buckley, Teresa Carberry, Tina Claydon, Geoff Collett, Ron Davies, Chris Dolphin, Mared Eastwood, David Evans,  David Healey, Dave Hughes, Alasdair Ibbotson, Paul Johnson, Christine Jones, Simon Jones, Gina Maddison, Ryan McKeown, Billy Mullin, Ted Palmer, Michelle Perfect, Vicky Perfect, Carolyn Preece, Ian Roberts, Dan Rose, Kevin Rush, Linda Thomas and Arnold Woolley  

The following Member abstained: Rosetta Dolphin

On being put to the vote the amendments were lost. 

As there were no further amendments the substantive motion, as moved by Councillor Ian Roberts and seconded, was carried with the amendment that a compelling business case be submitted to the Welsh Government for fair funding for Flintshire

RESOLVED

(a)       That the Council Plan 2023-28 Part 1 and Part 2 documents that

outline the actions, measures and risks that underpin the Priorities, Sub-

Priorities and Well-being objectives of the Council Plan 2023-28 be approved;

and

(b)       That a compelling business case be submitted to the Welsh Government to

request fair funding for Flintshire