Agenda item

Draft Council Plan 2021-2024

To consider the report of the Leader of the Council presenting the draft Council Plan 2021-2024.

Minutes:

38.1    The Leader of the Council introduced the report and explained that the overarching vision of the Draft Council Plan 2021-24 was to work with partners and residents to build a ‘greener, fairer, better Gloucester’. He noted that the Draft Plan set out the City Council’s strategic direction over the next three years and how it intended to deliver the vision through two key priorities, namely tackling inequalities and taking action on climate change.

 

38.2    The Leader of the Council explained that the report outlined the timetable for the development of the final plan (8.1) and noted that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee were being asked to consider the information set out in the report as part of the consultation process. He noted that when the plan was approved, a detailed set of actions would be developed which set out how the City Council would achieve these goals.

 

38.3    Councillor Wilson expressed the view that there was little he disagreed with in the report and noted that the vision was a positive one. Referring to promise set out in Priority 1 to tackle food poverty, Councillor Wilson raised concerns that this was a complex issue and that this could be an over-promise. He asked for further information on the specific steps which the Council would take to address the problem.

 

 

38.4    The Leader of the Council confirmed that the City Council would continue to support the work of the County Council in this area as the City Council did not have the finances to tackle the issue in its entirety on its own. By way of example on steps to help tackle the issue, the Leader of the Council commented that he, and other Members had been working within their communities handing out food parcels to vulnerable families this year. It was clarified that the promise was to help with the issue rather than tackle it as a whole.

 

38.5    Councillor Durdey expressed the view that the plan was a bold one and commended the focus on creating equal opportunities and using regeneration to help tackle unemployment.

 

38.6    Referring to the promise to address the root causes of inequality in the city, Councillor S. Chambers asked whether the City Council was working with the County Council to engage with local communities in this regard. The Policy and Development Officer confirmed that it was and also noted that the City Council was playing a leading role in the work of the City’s Commission to Review Race Relations. The Leader of the Council further confirmed that the Council would take this work forward with partners as far as possible.

 

38.7    The Chair referred to the promise relating to keeping residents safe and addressing anti-social behaviour. He noted that 3.7 in the report confirmed that a detailed set of key actions and projects would be drawn up in due course and asked for the Leader of the Council’s comments as to his ideas on steps the Council could take to deliver this objective. The Leader of the Council responded that issues with anti-social behaviour had been debated at a recent Council meeting and that it was agreed that the Police and Crime Commissioner would attend a future Council meeting to discuss the matter. The Leader noted that close partnership working with the police would be needed to tackle the issue and that discussions regarding anti-social behaviour around the London Road area had taken place on many occasions. He confirmed that consideration was being given to extending the PSPG scheme was being considered.

 

38.8    In response to a further question from Councillor Hilton about how ambitious the projects and actions would be, the Leader of the Council confirmed that the plan would be made more structured and detailed and the purpose of the consultation process was to help with this.

 

38.9    Referring to the narrative in the report concerning the Digital Strategy, Councillor Dee noted that she was keen to ensure that older people were not isolated and asked whether there would be alternative avenues in place for people who were not so confident with accessing services online or using computers. The Leader of the Council confirmed that alternative facilities, such as the telephone, would always be in place for people who needed them but noted that the majority of residents were IT literate and many people preferred engaging with the Council online.

 

38.10  Councillor Wilson asked whether the Draft Council Plan had gone out to public consultation. The Policy and Development Officer confirmed that it had and that residents could submit their views online. He also noted that residents could request a paper copy by contacting customer services.

 

38.11  Councillor Lewis praised the aspirational nature of the Plan and welcomed that further detail would be provided in due course, as he felt that residents’ views needed to be sought before detail could be added. In relation to the challenge of people finding it difficult to engage with the consultation online, Councillor Lewis suggested that awareness could be raised through noticeboards in supermarkets and a discussion ensured about whether notices could also be put in local newspapers and community newsletters. Members were reminded that residents who wished to engage with the consultation were welcome to contact customer services to request a paper copy.

 

38.12  The Chair suggested that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee review the Draft Council Plan at a later date once further detail had been added to the plan following the consultation period. The Leader noted that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could make recommendations as part of the consultation process and that Members could also respond as individuals through the online consultation.

 

 

            RESOLVED - That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee NOTE the report.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting documents: