Issue - meetings

The Leader’s Portfolio

To consider report CEX/48 of the Leader and Chief Executive, which was referred to the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission held on 3 September 2018.

The Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive presented report CEx/48of the Chief Executive which set out the Council’s Corporate Priorities for the period 2018 to 2022. It was noted that the purpose of the report was to set out the strategic direction of the Council for the next four years, which was linked to the administration’s Manifesto, the draft Transformation Plan and the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

The refreshed Corporate Priorities take into account external and partnership arrangements and will assist the Council’s focus on delivery and meeting the intended outcomes. The Leader in presenting the proposed Corporate Priorities to his Cabinet emphasised that he wanted them, sharp and focused and he thanked officers for devising the two page document that set out the priorities in an effective and meaningful manner.

Councillor Cheshire presented the Overview and Scrutiny Commission’s comments on the report to the Cabinet following consideration of the matter at its meeting on 3 September 2018. The Commission requested that the Cabinet incorporate explicit reference to a ‘Duty to Co-operate with other local authorities to ensure neighbouring authorities play their part in delivering for local housing needs’within Section 2.

In response the Leader accepted the Commission’s request and proposed that an additional bullet point be included into section 2, namely We Will ‘continue working with neighbouring councils to ensure that they provide housing for Crawley residents   through their ‘duty to co-operate’ arrangements’.  The Cabinet supported the additional wording.

RESOLVED

a)      That the Cabinet approves the Corporate Priorities 2018 – 2022, as detailed in report CEx/48 with the inclusion in Section 2 as a third bullet point: We Will ‘continue working with neighbouring councils to ensure that they provide housing for Crawley residents through their ‘duty to co-operate’ arrangements’. 

b)      That Full Council are requested to adopt the amended Corporate Priorities 2018 – 2022 at its meeting on the 17th October 2018, as set out in Appendix A to these minutes.

Reasons for the Recommendations

The Corporate Priorities set out the strategic direction of the Council for the next four years. Where necessary, it will be updated to ensure the Council’s activities reflect the national and local challenges it faces.

To consider report CEX/48 of the Leader and the Chief Executive.

The Commission considered report CEX/48 with the Leader and Chief Executive. The report set out the Council’s Corporate Priorities for the period 2018 to 2022, and sets the strategic direction of the Council for the next four years, which is linked to the current administration’s manifesto, Transformation Plan and the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

Councillors made the following comments:

·        Support for the work of neighbourhood forums, although it was acknowledged that there were different levels of engagement in various areas of the town.

·        Clarity provided on delivering value for money and income generation opportunities.

·        Recognition that work had commenced developing the organisation and staff, defining the culture and being clear about values and expectations.

·        General support for the document, setting out the strategic direction as requested by officers, partners and residents. However, it was suggested by some Members that within Section 2 (Delivering affordable homes for Crawley and reducing homelessness) there should be an explicit reference to a Duty to Co-operate with other local authorities to deliver housing for CBC residents as reflected in the Local Plan, thus acknowledging the principle that local planning authorities should work collaboratively to ensure that strategic priorities across local authority boundaries are properly coordinated. It was suggested the Cabinet be requested to consider this addition.

RESOLVED

That the Commission welcomed the report but requested the Cabinet incorporate explicit reference to a ‘Duty to Co-operate with other local authorities to ensure neighbouring authorities deliver our housing needs’within Section 2.