Meeting documents

To receive a presentation from Rupert Waters.

Following a presentation by Rupert Waters from Buckinghamshire Business First, Members were invited to comment on the proposed Economic Development Strategy for Chiltern and South Bucks Councils 2017-2026 and to note the initial action plan.        

At its meeting on 8th February 2017, Cabinet considered and approved the Economic Development Strategy for Chiltern and South Bucks Councils 2017 to 2026 in order that it may be considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, who would also receive the initial action plan. 

Due to links with the emerging Local Plan, the Strategy was also referred to the Joint Planning Policy Member Reference Group at its meeting on 8th March for consideration.  The Committee were advised that the Planning Policy Member Reference Group made the following comments to Cabinet:

a)      The Joint Planning Policy Member Reference Group welcomes and supports the Economic Development Strategy as part of the evidence base for the Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan and that the Strategy objectives where relevant align with evidence base findings so far for the Local Plan.  As such the Economic Development Strategy would inform the draft Local Plan in due course.

b)     The Economic Development Strategy’s consideration of tourism in the Districts was particularly welcomed and Cabinets were encouraged to seek to develop this part of the Economic Development Strategy through any further reviews and engagement with local businesses and organisations where relevant.

c)      The Economic Development Strategy was supported as part of potential evidence for delivery of the Local Plan proposals and policies, themselves informed by the Economic Development Strategy.  For example helping to enable an Innovation Centre or the provision of incubation or business units.  The Joint Planning Policy Member Reference Group requested that when and if cabinets consider council scope for involvement in Bucks Advantage or other types of delivery vehicles that the potential for furthering Economic Development Strategy objectives and delivery of related parts of the Local Plan be taken into account.

d)     Future monitoring and updates of the Economic Development Strategy to be supported as the document needs to be kept up to date and justified if it is to continue to have weight in the consideration of planning decisions.

As this was a joint strategy, the document would also need to be approved by Chiltern District Council (CDC), and would be considered by their Services Overview Committee on 21^st March 2017.  Following the consultation with this Committee and CDC Services Overview Committee, the final draft strategy would be reconsidered by the Cabinet for recommendation to Council. 

In the discussion which followed, the Committee welcomed the Strategy and supported the views of the Joint Planning Policy Reference Group and made the following comments:

·         Due to the high numbers of employees who work in the District but live outside of the District, there was a need to encourage more residents to live and work in the District.

·         There was a need to encourage the take up of the most appropriate broadband connectivity by home based businesses.

·         There was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 30 January 2017.

The minutes of the meeting of held on 30 January 2017 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee were invited to comment on the draft Community and Wellbeing Plan 2017-20 which was due to be submitted to Cabinet for recommendation to Council.

It was noted that the new Community and Wellbeing Plan would help provide a clear vision as to how the Council, in partnership with a range of agencies and local voluntary groups, would support communities over the next three years. The plan would be important as it builds and develops community infrastructure and directly supports the Council to achieve its key strategic objectives in relation to improving health and wellbeing, enabling a vibrant local economy, protecting the local environment and reducing crime and disorder.

In the discussion which followed, the Committee welcomed and supported the proposed Community and Wellbeing Plan.  Members suggested that examples be provided within the Plan of some of the diverse range of projects which would be undertaken to achieve the aims and objectives of the Plan such as the Local Neighbourhood Scheme and to also make reference to the important work which would be carried out with faith groups.

And RESOLVED that the Committee welcomed and supported the proposed Community and Wellbeing Plan.

Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee received a report outlining the performance of council services against indicators and service objectives during Quarter 3 of 2016-17. 

Members were able to note from the report that of the total 42 PIs, 6 were seen to be off-target (3 of these were priority PIs), with further detail of these within the two detailed performance tables accompanying the report:

·         Appendix A – Priority indicators Q3 2016-17

·         Appendix B – Quarterly corporate performance indicators Q3 2016-17

The Committee were pleased to note that the amount of long term sickness, whilst still an issue, was continuing to decrease, and noted the continuing issue of temporary accommodation.  The Committee further noted that the percentage of calls to the ICT helpdesk resolved within agreed timescales was off target due to an increase in workload caused by single network migrations at the same time as reduced capacity within the service and were reassured that this unique situation would not reoccur.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Committee received a copy of a report, that was due to be submitted to Cabinet at its next meeting, which provided an update on the outcomes of the Performance Indicator (PI) review for 2017/2018 and which sought Cabinet’s approval for the proposed changes to reporting as set out in the report.

It was noted that as part of the review each service area had been asked to identify 2 to 3 indicators which would be strong and meaningful measures of overall performance, avoiding duplication where they were regularly reported via PAG updates.  An exception was Finance, where no further PIs have been deemed necessary as full reporting was included in the budget packs for each Council.  Service areas would measure and monitor any remaining PIs which would be useful for day to day management of the service reporting through to PAGs/Committees where appropriate. 

The Committee were advised that if approved by Cabinet, for 2017/18 there would be 17 priority PIs and 32 additional corporate PIs, making a total of 49.  This included 10 new PIs for Sustainable Development following the introduction of additional quantitative and qualitative targets for local planning authorities by the Government.  Furthermore, for Healthy Communities, the targets for the PIs SBHS1, SBHS8 and SBHS3i which address homelessness have increased making the targets more realistic and in line with current figures due to the lack of alternative housing options.

In the discussion which followed, Members were given the opportunity to ask questions regarding the proposed targets and made the following recommendations to Cabinet:

Resources

·        JtBS1(C) - Availability of ICT systems to staff from 8am to 6pm (by period quarterly) – to increase the target to 99.9% to reflect the expectation that the systems should be available for this amount of time, previous figure equated to 2 days a quarter which was felt to be too high.

·        JtBS2(C) - Percentage of calls to ICT helpdesk resolved within agreed timescales – as the current target is not realistic, to increase the agreed timescale period for resolving calls rather than decrease the target of percentage of calls resolved. 

·        SbCS1(C) - Number of complaints received (cumulative, quarterly) – to be 80 in 2017/18, then reduced to 75 in 2018/19 and then 70 in 2019/20 to make it a more ambitious target.

Healthy Communities

·        SbCL1a(C) and SbCL1b(C) – Customer satisfaction rating at the Beacon Centre and Evreham Centre – to incrementally increase the satisfaction ratings for both these centres over the next three years to reflect the expectation for an improvement in customer satisfaction.

Following a discussion around measuring performance for planning enforcement, the Committee requested that an update on planning enforcement be provided to the Committee at its next meeting.

And RESOLVED that

i)                 the report be noted; and

ii)                an ‘update on Planning Enforcement’ be added to the Committee’s Work Programme for the next meeting.

The Committee were invited to comment on the refreshed Joint Business Plan 2017 – 2020 before being submitted to Cabinet for approval.

The Joint Business Plan Aims, Priorities and Objectives replaced the former Chiltern’s Aims and Objectives document and South Bucks District Council’s Corporate Plan during 2014/15. The Joint Business Plan was reviewed every year to reflect the changing needs of the locality and the communities that live and work within Chiltern and South Bucks and the service planning process.

Members were advised that the ‘our values’ section of the Plan had been updated to reflect the new values which were now in place and the priorities, goals and promises on pages 6 and 7 have had a light refresh this year, making reference to the Economic Development Strategy.  South Bucks District Council’s aims and objectives now also included improving air quality and tackling homelessness.

RESOLVED that the report be noted and that the Cabinet be informed that the Committee had no comments to make.

The Committee received a report which provided Members with an update on the progress made with the package of savings approved as part of the 2016/17 budget following work done by this Committee in reviewing proposals from officers. The Committee were asked to note the report and were advised that any comments would be taken account of as part of the 2018/19 budget process. 

In the discussion which followed, the Committee commended the work carried out by officers to achieve the savings as set out in appendix 1. However, the Committee were frustrated by the lack of progress made with the Bath Road site given this had been under consideration for a number of years, and were of the opinion that the Council should make this a priority following the publication of the Strategic Asset Review.

With regards to the Capswood Offices, a suggestion was made that consideration could be given to turning the Capswood 1 building into an Innovation Hub.  A request was made for information to be circulated after the meeting on the difference between what the current rental costs for the building and what it would be anticipated the Council may be able to sublet at. 

RESOLVED that

i)                 the report be noted;

ii)                the Committee’s comments regarding the Bath Road site be taken into account; and

iii)               further information be provided on the costings in relation to Capswood 1 Offices.

To receive the minutes of the Committee(s) held on:

The minutes of the meeting of the Bucks Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee held on 24 January 2017 were noted.

To receive the minutes of the Committee(s) held on:

The minutes of the meetings of the Bucks Children’s Social Care and Learning Select Committee of the 31 January 2017 were noted.

To note the work programme timetable.

The Committee received the work programme.

RESOLVED that the work programme be noted and that an update on planning enforcement, following the review that took place by the Council’s auditors, be added to the work programme for the next meeting.

An opportunity for Members to raise questions about items:

• during the meeting
• written questions submitted previously
• raised by information items

None.

None.