Agenda item

(a)  That the draft corporate plan structure (Appendix A) be approved for the purpose of public consultation.

(b)  Noted that a report will be brought back to Cabinet in September for Cabinet to recommend a final version for formal approval by Council.

The Leader of the Council and the Executive Director, Strategy & Improvement introduced a report that set out the draft structure for a refresh of the Council’s corporate plan for public consultation.

It was highlighted that the refreshed plan would be aligned to the Medium Term Financial Strategy and be the framework to guide the authority in the delivering the recovery programme and meet residents needs.  The plan would come back to Cabinet and to Council in September following the consultation.  It would be an update on the existing corporate plan agreed in May 2022 and take into account the new census data and progress of the Council’s recovery. 

The census data highlighted some of the key demographic features of Slough such as the rapid growth in population, high levels of housing density and significant levels of health inequalities.  The draft priorities in the plan reflected these trends with a vision that including closing the healthy life expectancy gap, by focusing on children.  Working effectively with partner agencies and voluntary and community sector would be key to successfully delivering the plan.

The Leader also highlighted the challenge the Council faced in regaining the trust and confidence of residents, as evidenced by the key findings of the survey conducted early in 2023 by the LGA, which were summarised in paragraph 2.8 of the report.  For example, only 25% of Slough respondents said that they trusted SBC “a great deal or fair amount” compared to 59% of national respondents.

Councillors Mann, Hulme and Matloob asked questions of Cabinet including whether the overarching purpose of the plan should be limited to closing the health gap by focusing on children, given the wide range of other issues in the evidence base such as housing affordability and crime.  Concerns were also raised about the consultation arrangements particularly whether the six-week timeframe was sufficient and how the digital divide would be addressed given that feedback was invited through the Citizen Space platform.

The Leader responded the points raised and explained the rationale for the focus on addressing health inequalities with a focus on children and young people.  It was emphasised that the document was being issued for consultation and residents were encouraged to give their feedback.  The Cabinet considered that a six-week consultation was sufficient for a high level consultation and any significant service changes would be subject to their own detailed consultation.  Support would be available in libraries to address the issues raised about digital access.

The Cabinet agreed that the report showed a robust, evidence based approach was being taken to develop the refreshed plan and that the consultation would draw out the key issues to be considered in the reports to Cabinet and Council seeking approval of the plan.  The recommendations were therefore approved.

Resolved –

(a)  That the draft corporate plan structure (as at Appendix A to the report) be approved for the purpose of public consultation.

(b)  That it be noted that a report would be brought back to Cabinet in September for Cabinet to recommend a final version for formal approval by Council.