Agenda item

Report of the Director of Performance and Partnerships (PP/24/03) presenting achievements against the areas of focus for the 2023/2024 Corporate Plan and proposed areas of focus for the Corporate Plan for 24/25, attached.

Decision:

RESOLVED

 

(a) that the achievements against the areas of focus in the Corporate Plan

2023/24 be noted;

 

(b) that the proposed areas of focus for the Corporate Plan 2024/25 and

Directorate priorities for improvement in 2024/25 be approved;

 

(c) that the publication of an Annual Report that describes the Corporate Plan;

Directorates’ priorities and progress with the Council’s “Best Place” Strategic

Plan be endorsed; and

 

(d) that from November 2024 the Corporate Plan 2024/25 will be monitored

through the Council’s new corporate performance framework.

Minutes:

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

 

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Director of Performance and Partnerships (PP/24/03) which presented achievements against the areas of focus for the 2023/24 Corporate Plan and the proposed areas of focus for the Corporate Plan for 2024/25, 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 Cabinet noted that in recent times the Council had experienced an unprecedented level of pressure on finances and demand for services. The Council had also overseen changes to its senior officer team and it was this context that had led to a two-year programme of transformation categorised as a year to “Build the Foundations” (2023/24) in order to stabilise the Council’s finances and reset services. The second year (2024/25), theme would be “Improving and Learning” to escalate performance during the final year of the current Strategic Plan.

 

The Report set out progress against the six areas of focus for 2023/24 and proposed the Corporate Plan for 2024/25 together with Directorate improvement priorities for 2024/25.

 

Delivery against the agreed six areas of focus for the Corporate Plan 2023/24 was set out in the table in the Report against, in particular, the Governance and Performance Review, Value for money and financial sustainability, People Strategy, Replacement systems, Equality, diversity and inclusion and the Devon and Torbay Devolution Deal.

 

In relation to 2024/25, on 13 March 2024, Cabinet had approved (minute 497 referred) the authority’s operating principles and established three Change and Improvement Boards. It further approved five change programmes each of which was led by a Change Champion working cross-organisationally.

 

The six proposed Corporate Priorities for action in 2024/25 were:

 

1.    Secure better outcomes for our children through working with key partners.

2.    Develop an investment plan for our road network.

3.    Embed the Corporate Performance Framework and a culture of continuous improvement.

4.    Delivering our change and improvement programme including modernising processes through digital solutions.

5.    Working together with citizens - 2024/25 focus on Highways and Transport.

6.    Building relationships with partners to facilitate improved and targeted community services.

 

These proposed priorities had been informed by the outcomes of the Members’ Day held on 11 June 2024.

 

The Report gave a detailed explanation as to why these six were the Council’s proposed six Corporate Plan priorities for 2024/25.

 

The Report then outlined the Directorate improvement priorities for 2024/25 and that through Directorate Plans a number of improvement priorities would be taken forward. Each Directorate Plan would set out targets and key measures for the improvement priorities and these were outlined in full at section 5 of the Report.

 

The Cabinet further noted that from November 2024, Cabinet would receive quarterly performance reports setting out a dashboard of key performance indicators together with a commentary on progress against the proposed Corporate Plan 2024/25 and Directorate improvement priorities 2024/25.

 

In summary, the proposed Corporate Plan and Directorate improvement priorities for 2024/25 would deliver against the Strategic Plan priorities in its final year. It was part of a suite of documents setting out the arrangements that would improve corporate grip, control and delivery in the drive for continuous improvement.   

 

The matter having been debated and the options and alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability and carbon impact, risk management, equality and legal considerations and alignment with the Council’s Strategic Plan) set out in the Director’s Report having been considered:

 

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

 

RESOLVED

 

(a) that the achievements against the areas of focus in the Corporate Plan 2023/24 be noted;

 

(b) that the proposed areas of focus for the Corporate Plan 2024/25 and Directorate priorities for improvement in 2024/25 be approved;

 

(c) that the publication of an Annual Report that describes the Corporate Plan; Directorates’ priorities and progress with the Council’s “Best Place” Strategic Plan be endorsed; and

 

(d) that from November 2024 the Corporate Plan 2024/25 will be monitored through the Council’s new corporate performance framework.

Supporting documents: