Issue - meetings

The Chief Executive to submit a report which seeks Member approval to refresh the Corporate Mission, Vision, Values and Priorities in order to reset the direction of Melton Borough Council to 2020.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Orson, referred to the previously circulated report and explained that

(a)  it summarised the work undertaken to refresh the Council’s Corporate Mission, Vision and Priorities.  These had been developed in consultation with Members and Officers to ensure they better capture the agenda in 2018 and the issues the Council was currently dealing with.  They retained much of the original focus from 2015 but now incorporated greater recognition of the Council’s efforts to tackle the low wage economy, increase housing availability, boost the profile of the area to encourage tourism, whilst also incorporating the Council’s ambition to become more commercial and an employer of choice;

(b)  against these priorities, the Council had collectively worked through a process to identify those things it specifically wished to achieve and had built these into a new Corporate Delivery Plan.  This would create a focus for the Council’s efforts over the next 12-18 months and found an appropriate balance between those things the Council must do and those which were nice to do.  The new plan was within the agenda papers and some key highlights included :-

·         Secure the Local Plan and refocus on delivery

·         Develop a new Town and Place Partnership to maximise the Council’s profile, increase inward investment and stimulate the visitor economy

·         Undertake feasibility studies into the next phase of development at the Cattle Market and into the future of leisure facilities in Melton.  These studies were crucial to ensure the Council was clear on its ambitions and that they were ultimately deliverable

·         Work to establish a Council owned housing company to support both the Council’s commercial and social ambitions

·         Increase capacity and capability to better tackle environmental issues, anti-social behaviour and nuisance

·         Review and improve the Council’s approach to supporting customers.  Initial reviews were planned within the People and Communities directorate and also in Planning

·         Undertake a review of all Council assets to maximise their value and usage

·         Implement a new Workforce Strategy to ensure the Council recruited, developed and retained the best possible team at Melton

(c)  Officers had reviewed available resources and identified where resources needed to be refocussed in order to support delivery of the new Corporate Delivery Plan.  The Council anticipated being able to contain the majority of required resources within existing budgets, with the exception of one supplementary estimate required to support the appointment of an environmental enforcement officer.  Whilst the Council was mindful of placing additional burdens on the Council’s finances, there was a belief this was proportionate and affordable.  The decision to support this also needed to be taken in the context of the anticipated positive outcome from the waste procurement process and the recent adoption of the new commercial strategy.  Member will also be aware that later in the year the council would be holding a further workshop to support the Council’s financial stability as plan B was developed and ensure the budget management strategy was sufficiently robust and achievable;

(d)  the final part of this first  ...  view the full minutes text for item 126