Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy and Resources (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Strategy and Resources that required the Committee to undertake a quarterly review of the Thematic Strategies performance, as assurance that performance was being managed effectively to achieve the corporate outcomes as set out in the Council’s Corporate Plan 2023 - 2027. Appendix 1 to the report provided an overview of performance as at the end of Quarter 3 (Q3) (October to December 2023).

The Chairperson introduced the report and deferred to the Assistant Director – Programmes, Performance and Governance to present the detail. The Assistant Director took the Committee through the report starting with section 3.1.1. which provided an overall delivery picture against each of the corporate priorities. It was noted that as of December 2023 all six priorities were either on track or on track with conditional elements.

The Chairperson proposed that the recommendations as set out in the report be agreed and this was duly seconded.

A debate ensued and in response to questions raised the following information was provided:

·                Develop and launch of Maldon’s youth engagement programme – A Project Officer to deliver Section 106 capital projects for youth facilities had started this week and would be working to a timetable of when projects had to be delivered by in order to reduce any risks to the Council of losing funding. Members were reassured that there would be early engagement with Members as well as stakeholders and the young.

·                Councillor S J Burwood declared an interest in this item of business as he was a Heybridge Parish Councillor.  He expressed an interest in being involved in any items relating to Heybridge. The Committee were advised that Ward Members would be involved.

·                Deliver One Maldon District, multi-agency partnership action plan - Following a question regarding why the Council had only reached 30% and was therefore off its target, the Director of Service Delivery advised he did not have that information to hand and would therefore share it with Members outside of the meeting.

·                Progress of Local Development Plan Review - The Committee were advised that the Nature Conservation Study and Employment Land and Premises Study had been considered by the Planning Policy Working Group (PPWG) and once the related written reports were received these would be made available to all Members via Mod.Gov or SharePoint.

·                Members were advised that the Planning Policy Working Group reported to the Council. Its next report was due to be considered by the Strategy and Resources Committee at its meeting on Thursday 14 March 2024. There was some discussion at this point regarding Working Groups and the Committee were informed that all Working Group papers were available on Mod.Gov.

·                Delivery of Prom Park Management Plan – Members were reminded that the detail contained in the report related to Q3 and there had been progress on this Management Plan as part of Quarter 4 work. In response to a question, the Committee were advised that ‘Gateway Review’ involved looking at all information and work that had been collected to date to understand if it was on track. The Director of Service Delivery reported that since this report was published a Gateway Review had been held and Officers were looking to refocus work to give it the delivery and a further update on this would be provided as part of the Quarter 4 report.

·                The data which was used to form the resident satisfaction levels in both Riverside and Promenade Parks was based on the annual residents’ survey.  The Quarter 4 report to this Committee would provide the latest update.

·                Projects delivered in partnership as part of the ‘kick the car habit’ pledge - In response to a question regarding the location of planned cycle routes and the request for an update on the Digital Steering Group meeting with Essex County Council (ECC) on 7 February, the Director of Service Delivery advised he did not have that information to hand but would pick up those questions outside of the meeting.

The Assistant Director – Planning and Implementation advised that Officers were seeking for ECC to hold a further all Member engagement workshop with Members before the Maldon District Future Transport Strategy was finalised. Members were advised that they could contribute further feedback in the next engagement session relating to the Strategy.

·                A Greener Future – Members were informed that the number of trees installed was expected to increase in the next quarter, the level planted during this quarter related to trees having to be planted at a particular time of year. In respect of electric vehicle charging points, some had been installed across the district, however these were not necessarily ones that Maldon District Council had influenced and could therefore not be counted as part of its delivery.

·                Reference was made to recent information circulated to all residents regarding food recycling and information within this that stated 25% of general waste was food. In response to a question for clarification of this percentage, the Director of Service Delivery confirmed he would seek clarification as to where the figure had come from and whether it directly related to the Maldon District.

The Chairperson then moved the recommendations set out in the report and these were duly agreed.

RESOLVED

(i)             That Members reviewed the information as set out in this report and Appendix 1 to the report,with priority focus given to the Strategic Priority level performance;

(ii)            That Members confirmed they are assured through this review that corporate performance was being managed effectively.