Issue - meetings

Report of Councillor J Birkin, Portfolio Holder for Council Services

RESOLVED - That Cabinet adopted the proposed Productivity Plan as set out in the report and publish in line with Government expectations.

REASONS FOR DECISION – Whilst the timing of the Productivity Plan has been dictated by government, the intent of the plan aligns with the Council’s own improvement plans identified through the Council Plan and the Emerging Engagement and Improvement Strategy.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - The option of not publishing the Productivity Plan was considered but rejected as this would be ignoring the request of the government department and given that the Plan has been produced there would be little or no value in this approach.

Please note that this was not a Key Decision and so can be implemented with immediate effect by officers.

Members were informed that the Council, along with other local authorities, had been requested by the Minister for Local Government under the previous Government, to produce a ‘Productivity Plan’. In particular. Councils were asked to consider a number of themes about existing and future service transformation, financial savings, and the barriers to further change. They were also asked to address a range of specific questions relating to these themes.

The report to Cabinet explained that a draft Productivity Plan had been produced in response to the Government’s request. This highlighted what the Council had done to improve its services and to make better use of resources, how it had made better use of technology and its ongoing work to help continue to achieve further efficiencies and service improvements.

Cabinet discussed the draft Productivity Plan. Members felt that much of the work and analysis which had gone into preparing the Plan would be of ongoing value to the Council. They thanked the officers for their efforts on this.

RESOLVED - That Cabinet adopted the proposed Productivity Plan as set out in the report and publish in line with Government expectations.

REASONS FOR DECISION – Whilst the timing of the Productivity Plan has been dictated by government, the intent of the plan aligns with the Council’s own improvement plans identified through the Council Plan and the Emerging Engagement and Improvement Strategy.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - The option of not publishing the Productivity Plan was considered but rejected as this would be ignoring the request of the government department and given that the Plan has been produced there would be little or no value in this approach.