Agenda item

Report of the Chief Executive
Presented by the Leader of the Council

The Leader presented the report to Cabinet.

He explained that due to the delays and rescheduling of meetings due to COVID19 Cabinet was being asked to endorse the Corporate Development Plan (CDP) in principle, subject to comment from Corporate Scrutiny in September. This is so that development and work plans could be commenced as the council starts to return to normal operation post the impacts created by COVID19. The CDP will then follow the normal decision making route, returning to Cabinet post scrutiny in September and on to Council in November. It was reported that due to the amended dates and reprioritised staffing resources, the Q4 reporting will not be published until September. For this year an end of year report will not be published due to the need to focus limited resources on addressing the demands around COVID19 recovery. A very similar retrospective review forms part of the Annual Statement of Accounts.

The Leader invited questions and comments from Members. 

Councillor Rushton advised that at Quarter 4 there would likely be more surpluses due to the delay of the commencement of the Leisure Centre build and other projects. Councillor Gillard extended his thanks to the Business Focus Team and the Finance Team for all their hard work over these past few months. He also referenced the commencement of the work to the new Leisure Centre in Whitwick and asked if the expected completion date was known and he was advised that it was two years from now.  Councillor Bayliss referred to the delayed accommodation review and advised that this work was still on the agenda, although in light of recent events, it may follow a different path. He also advised that the work around empty properties was ongoing, as too was the work around buying affordable homes from developers. Councillor Woodman advised that the re-launch date of the new improvements to the Leisure Centre in Ashby would be Spring 2021.

The recommendation as set out on page 7 of the agenda was moved by Councillor Blunt, seconded by Councillor Rushton and subsequently

RESOLVED THAT:

(1)   The draft Corporate Delivery Plan 2020/21, as shown in Appendix A to the report, be approved in principle for use in monitoring and work programme development from Quarter 1;

(2)    The draft  Corporate Delivery Plan 2020/21 be referred the Corporate Scrutiny Committee for comment ahead of a decision by Cabinet in September and subsequent adoption by Council in November;

(3)    It be agreed not to publish a final year report for 2019/20, referring to the Annual Accounts Statement in its place;

(4)    The performance report for Quarter 3 for 2019/20 as set out in Annex B and the comments from the Corporate Scrutiny Committee, as set out in Annex C, be noted.

(5)   The forthcoming review of the medium term financial plan, where any issues identified in connection with the financing of the Plan will be reported, be noted.

Reason for decision:  To ensure that the Council has in place a full suite of policy documents, that members have set direction for the year ahead and that members are aware of current performance against the plan.