Agenda item

The Leader of the Council submitted a report inviting the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review and comment on the Corporate Plan priorities ahead of them being adopted by Council alongside the 2022/23 budget.

The Leader said that this was the third revision of the Corporate Plan which had been set after the elections three years ago. She said the first revision reflected the aspirations of the Council and the plan was also revised due to COVID-19 in order to support residents and communities through the pandemic.

The Leader said that this latest revision to the Corporate Plan was based providing adequate and sufficient support to communities, residents and businesses. She said that full details were in Appendix A and she summarised the four key themes of SEED. She welcomed questions from the Committee and said that the Head of Communications, Strategy and Policy was also present to take questions.

Councillor Goldspink referred to the sustainability section and asked if the Council could do its own tree planting as well as encouraging other initiatives.

The Executive Member for Wellbeing said that he had been invited to several tree planting projects around the District. He said that there had been funding that had gone to Hertfordshire County Council and it was possible to bid for funding through Sustainable Hertfordshire. He said that Officers were looking at a number of places where trees could be planted in parks and open spaces.

Councillor Goldspink commented that if there were tree planting initiatives taking place then it should be publicised. The Leader recognised the possibility of including some suitable wording. She said that it was important to ensure that any wording was accurate.

Councillor Goldspink referred to digital by default and asked that those less able to access the internet were not forgotten. She stated that such people did need face to face meetings and assistance and were not able to access services digitally online.

The Head of Communications, Strategy and Policy said that the Council had not lost sight of the importance of catering for people who were digitally excluded. He referred to subsequent work programme item in respect of digital exclusion and what this meant in East Herts. He said that he had invited external speakers to address Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding case studies elsewhere in the hope that this would stimulate some debate on this important topic.

Councillor Goldspink said that she would prefer that the point that she had made was included. The Leader said that the change of wording to digital by default was to ensure that those who can access services digitally could do so and also ensure that the Council resources were available to ensure that those who did not have access to a computer or did not know how to use one could access services in person.

Councillor Curtis proposed and Councillor Snowdon seconded, a motion that the report be received and that Members’ comments in respect of tree planting initiatives and digital by default be forwarded to the Executive.

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) the report be received; and

(B)   Members comments in respect of tree planting initiatives and digital by default be forwarded to the Executive.