Issue - meetings

Service Plans 2015/16

Meeting: 03/03/2015 - Executive (Item 563)

Webcast for 03/03/2015 - Executive

563 Service Plans 2015/16 PDF 116 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

That the service plan activity for 2015/16, as now submitted, be agreed, subject to the addition of an action in the Environmental Services Action Plan relating to the development of a strategy for the Council’s Leisure Services.

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council submitted a report setting out planned service activity for 2015/16. He referred to the comments submitted by the joint meeting of Scrutiny Committees held on 10 February 2015, which were supportive of the planned activity. The joint meeting had also requested that the Executive approve an additional service plan action in respect of developing a business case for leisure development in East Herts.

The Executive Member for Health, Housing and Community Support referred to the ongoing work being undertaken across East Herts. She believed there were two overall strands to this. Firstly, sports facilities across the whole District including private provision. She referred to previous strategies and assessments that had been carried out and reiterated her previous statement that some schools could do more to open up their facilities to the wider community. Also, the Planning Policy team were carrying out an audit of open spaces in East Herts as part of their work on the emerging District Plan. She reminded Members that the funding obtained in respect of the Bishop’s Stortford North development would be overseen by a working party.

Secondly, there was the Council’s direct provision of services and she accepted the suggestion of the joint meeting of scrutiny committees that an additional action be included in the service plans. She proposed an addition to the Environmental Services Action Plan “to develop a strategy for the Council’s Leisure Services” with a target that a “strategy developed which recognises future trends, changing demands for Council leisure services and continuing financial pressures”. The proposed outcome would be that a “draft strategy produced which aims to improve provision and financial sustainability of the Council’s leisure services; supports health and wellbeing objectives and informs the design of the next leisure contract from 2018”.

The Executive approved the recommendations as now detailed.

RESOLVED - that the service plan activity for 2015/16, as now submitted, be agreed, subject to the addition of an action in the Environmental Services Action Plan relating to the development of a strategy for the Council’s Leisure Services, as now detailed.

Meeting: 10/02/2015 - Joint Meeting of Scrutiny Committees (Item 527)

527 Service Plans 2015/16 PDF 111 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council submitted a report on Service Plans for 2015/16. The Corporate Planning and Performance Manager advised that the Service Plans set out the planned service activities in support of the Council’s priorities as agreed last year.

The joint meeting of Scrutiny Committees was advised that the documents complied with relevant service plan guidance and the Service Plans were included in the supporting Essential Reference Papers. Members were reminded that updates would be provided to the relevant individual Scrutiny Committees every six months.

Members were advised that, as Corporate Business Scrutiny Committee had expressed an interest in having an opportunity to understand where dates had slipped on this year’s plans and the reasons why, Essential Reference Papers ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘E’ and ‘F’ detailed the actions that were currently off target as at the end of December 2014.

Councillor C Woodward commented that the air quality management project needed to be a plan for action rather than just monitoring. The Head of Community Safety and Health Services stated that air quality matters were beyond the control of East Herts Council but the Authority would encourage other agencies to assist the Council.

Councillor M Pope queried the confidence level of Officers regarding the flood alleviation and surface water management plans for high risk areas. The Head of Community Safety and Health Services advised that East Herts Council was one of only two Councils in Hertfordshire with a dedicated flood alleviation team and the Authority had very experienced Officers. The grants for flood alleviation work were underspent but the fund had been ring-fenced to support further work in this area.

In reply to a query from the Chairman, the Head of Democratic and Legal Support Services confirmed that the completion dates for Action Codes DLSS4 and DLSS5 in the Democratic and Legal Support Services Service Plan should be 31 March 2016.

In response to a query from Councillor M Wood, the Economic Development Manager explained the meaning of the Eastern Plateau title in the context of the ongoing rural development programme. The Chairman commented on whether the economic aspects of the programme would extend to initiatives specific to the 5 main towns. Members were advised that the intention was to support businesses in various ways and this would include transport infrastructure work and working with the towns.

In response to a comment from Councillor G Williamson regarding Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and farms, the Economic Development Manager referred to a new project whereby the Authority was supporting applicants that were rural businesses by identifying barriers to growth within the planning system.

The Economic Development Manager confirmed to Councillor Pope that the Authority welcomed the input of Parish and Town Councils to the production of the new 2015–2020 Economic Development Strategy.

Councillor J Wing referred to the issue of the lack of corporate signage in the Marsh Lane business area in Ware. The Economic Development Manager commented that the signage was the ... view the full minutes text for item 527