Agenda item

Report of the Chief Executive, (CEX/21/1) outlining the Council’s Vision, Ambition and Priorities: the Strategy for 2021 – 2025, attached.

RESOLVED

(a) that the Council’s vision, ambition, and priorities for 2021 – 2025 as set out on the webpages at Devon County Council Strategic Plan 2021-2025

(https://beta.devon.gov.uk/devoncc-plan/) be endorsed; and

(b) that the preparation and publication of an annual Council plan and progress report also be agreed.

(Councillors Connett, Hannaford and Whitton attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Chief Executive, (CEX/21/1) outlining the Council’s Vision, Ambition and Priorities; the Strategy for 2021 – 2025, circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

The Covid-19 pandemic had presented Local Government with new and unprecedented challenges and the Council had worked as part of Team Devon over the last 18 months to address widening gaps in income, health, and opportunity in the County. Against this backdrop, it was important that local public services maximised opportunities to provide the best outcomes for Devon which meant finding sustainable ways to support the health and wellbeing of everyone in Devon; strengthening the local economy; protecting and enhancing the environment; and providing value for money for the taxpayer.

Cabinet noted that over the next four years, the Council would be focussing on recovery and renewal and the priorities had therefore been developed to help Devon achieve the overall ambition to become the best place to:

·         Grow up - a commitment to being a child friendly Devon where children / young people were safe, healthy, ambitious, and could fulfil their potential.

·         Live well - being a fairer Devon: inclusive, compassionate, and caring, where everyone was safe, connected, and resilient.

·         Prosper - being a greener and prosperous Devon, with opportunities to create a sustainable future for all.

The vision, ambition and priorities for the next four years were set out on the web pages https://beta.devon.gov.uk/devoncc-plan/ and detailed the following priorities:

·         respond to the climate emergency;

·         be ambitious for children and young people;

·         support sustainable economic recovery;

·         tackle poverty and inequality;

·         improve health and wellbeing; and

·         help communities be safe, connected, and resilient.

For each of the priorities, the pages described the overall outcomes that would be achieved over the next four years.

The webpages also set out how the Council would be a trusted council, an inclusive council, and an innovative council.

Further development was needed to translate the priorities into an annual plan and progress report for each of the next four years. The annual plans would also inform the development of the Council’s annual budget; its medium-term financial strategy; service planning and partnership working as part of Team Devon.

The Cabinet noted that the Council’s priorities for 2021 – 2025 would have a positive impact on everyone living and working in Devon and the extent of the impact on each protected characteristic would be set out in Equality Impact Assessments for each area of work.

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability (including carbon impact), risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the Chief Executive’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

it was MOVED by Councillor Hart, SECONDED by Councillor McInnes, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the Council’s vision, ambition, and priorities for 2021 – 2025 as set out on the webpages at Devon County Council Strategic Plan 2021-2025

(https://beta.devon.gov.uk/devoncc-plan/) be endorsed; and

(b) that the preparation and publication of an annual Council plan and progress report also be agreed.