Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Community Partnerships, Public Protection & Maidenhead

To consider the Council Plan, including the Technical Appendix and:

i)               Agree to take the Council Plan to Full Council in April 2024 for consideration and agreement.

ii)              Consider the recommendations made by Corporate Overview & Scrutiny at their meeting on 25 March 2024, and agrees to accept these, as appropriate.

AGREED: That Cabinet considered the Council Plan, including the

Technical Appendix and:

i)               Agreed to take the Council Plan to Full Council in April for consideration and agreement.

ii)              Considered the recommendations made by Corporate Overview & Scrutiny at their meeting on 25 March 2024, and agrees to accept these, as appropriate.

The Chair introduced the report to Cabinet by saying that he welcomed the positive contributions from both residents and fellow Councillors from all parties during the consultation period. He especially wished to thank Councillor Hunt for encouraging her Conservative Group to engage positively in the process. He wished to praise the sessions that had been held with residents, charity groups and especially young persons. He said that it was of the upmost importance to put the Council on a strong financial footing to serve the borough effectively. Fixing the mess was therefore identified as being the first aim on the list of priorities, as this paved the way for the others. The second aim was for a cleaner, greener, safer, and more prosperous borough, which was close to the Chair’s heart. The third aim was for children and young people to be offered the chances for a good start in life. Aim 4 was for people to live healthy and independent lives in supported communities. Finally, aim 5 was a high performing Council that delivered for the borough. He wished for the Council to be at the heart of the community and for it to be outward looking and not inward.

The Chair then commented positively on the quality of the debate at the Corporate Overview & Scrutiny Panel that met to discuss the Council Plan a week prior to the meeting. Some changes had been suggested by the Panel, which formed part of the recommendation before Cabinet, which was to delegate to the Chair and the Chief Executive, the ability to make any changes to the Plan, following that Panel meeting. Most of the changes were being adopted, with others needing a few more final tweaks.

Councillor Coe, Cabinet Member for Household & Regulatory Services, wished to pick up on a comment made at the Panel meeting. He said that one of the key ways in which residents could engage with the Council was by complaining, with a route to doing this being via the ‘report it’ function. He wished to see that strengthened within the Council Plan, with a line being put in there to commit to improving the function. He said that it would reduce costs and save Councillor and Officer time. In the future, he wished for the function to be more user friendly and in turn, more smartphone friendly.

The Chair agreed and said that it certainly married up nicely with 2 of the aims that had previously been outlined. He confirmed that it had been discussed at the Corporate O&S meeting and that he in consultation with the Chief Executive, would certainly look to take it forward.

Councillor Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Communities & Leisure, said that Councillor Coe had raised a very important point and that he had recently experienced using the report it function to report a blocked drain in his ward. He had seen this being physically unblocked, but it was not until 5 weeks later, that this was actually communicated to him. Councillor Reynolds then commented on the consultations that took place. 16 parish Councils, 28 Councillors and the voluntary sector all had gotten involved, which was great to see.

AGREED: That Cabinet considered the Council Plan, including the

Technical Appendix and:

i)               Agreed to take the Council Plan to Full Council in April for consideration and agreement.

ii)             Considered the recommendations made by Corporate Overview & Scrutiny at their meeting on 25 March 2024, and agrees to accept these, as appropriate.