Agenda item

REPORT OF THE DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE

To consider a draft action plan in respect of the Corporate Peer Challenge.

RESOLVED: That the report entitled Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan be noted,

RECOMMENDED TO CABINET:

(1) That the draft Action Plan at Appendix A be approved.

(2) That agreeing the timescales for the actions within the Action Plan be delegated to the Leader, Deputy Leader and Managing Director.

(3) That Cabinet recommend to Full Council that the Special Reserve be used to fund a small transformation team for a period of 18 months from October 2020, with an estimated total cost of £150k (£50k in 2020/21 and £100k in 2021/22).

(4) That agreeing the specification for, and intended outcomes of, the transformation programme be delegated to the Leader, Deputy Leader, Executive Member for Finance and IT, Managing Director and Service Director Resources.

(5) That Cabinet consider making Planning training compulsory for all Members

REASON FOR DECISION: To ensure that the Council responds to the matters identified within the CPC report, ensuring that the benefits of the CPC process are realised.

Audio Recording – 1 hour 10 minutes 2 seconds

Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb presented the report entitled Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan together with the following appendix:

· Appendix A – Draft Corporate Peer Challenge Action Plan.

He drew attention to the following:

· The Peer Review set the Council a number of challenges including to be risk aware rather than risk averse and to better understand our customer experience

· Paragraph 8.3 – we need to reimagine our customer experience and be flexible and brave enough to change.

· Paragraph 8.4 – There was an opportunity to take the lead in sustainability and put climate change at the centre of how the community recovers from Covid-19.

· In listening to the Black Lives Matter Campaign the Council needed to consult with black staff and customers.

· This was a work in progress and there would be further engagement with all Members as the Action Plan was moved forward.

· Thanks were give to the Deputy Chief Executive, Chief Executive, Leadership Team and Cabinet colleagues for the work undertaken.

The Deputy Chief Executive advised that there was an additional recommendation to read:

“2.4. That agreeing the specification for, and intended outcomes of, the transformation programme be delegated to the Leader, Deputy Leader, Executive Member for Finance and IT, Managing Director and Service Director Resources.”

The following Members took part in the debate and asked questions:

· Councillor Sam Collins;

· Councillor Sue Ngwala;

· Councillor David Levett;

· Councillor Claire Strong

The debate included:

· That consultation be done with all minority groups.

· That Planning Training should be for all Members of the Council and be mandatory.

· That training was offered to all Members although take up was often not high.

In response to questions the Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb advised:

· The County Council had consulted with their black staff and the Council waould also nee to look at the customer experience.

· That getting all Members to attend training was not easy.

Councillor Paul Clark, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Planning and Transport advised:

· That he was agreeable to Planning training for all.

· That consideration was being given to external training for Members;

The Service Director – Legal and Community advised that Group Leaders could request that Planning training be compulsory.