Agenda item

To inform Members of the feedback received from the consultation on the Draft Council Strategy 2019 – 2023 and to request that the Strategy, amended in response to the consultation feedback, is adopted.

The Council considered a report (Agenda Item 14) which sought to inform Members of the feedback received from the consultation on the Draft Council Strategy 2019 – 2023 and sought that the Strategy amended in response to the consultation feedback be adopted.

MOTION: Proposed by Councillor Lynne Doherty and seconded by Councillor Hilary Cole:

That the Council:

“(1)      notes the feedback received to the draft Council Strategy.

(2)       agrees that in response to the feedback received:

(a)       To develop a "Delivery Plan" to support the Council Strategy 2019 – 2023.

(b)       to include a number of textual changes to aid clarity and a small number of format changes.

(3)          adopts the West Berkshire Council Strategy for 2019 – 2023 subject to the changes identified within the report.”

Councillor Doherty asked the Council to adopt the strategy which built on the Council’s strengths and past achievements. Councillor David Marsh commented that he could not support the Strategy because it did not address the  climate change crisis adequately. He believed that the Strategy should reflect the new Council which would have different priorities.

Councillor Cee Dillon stated that in his opinion the Strategy lacked ambition and did not set out clearly for residents what the Council would be doing over the next five years.

Councillor Jeff Brooks stated that this document had been written prior to the elections and that new Members had not had any input into it. There was a new Council with a new Leader in place and therefore an opportunity to revise the Strategy. Councillor Tony Vickers felt that the document was too generic and did not reflect the needs of West Berkshire.

Councillor Steve Masters stated that he would like to see more focus on looking after the most vulnerable, transport and protecting the environment in the strategy and he could therefore not support it.

Councillor Steve Ardagh-Walter stated that he too supported initiatives designed to reduce environmental impact. The Council had invested in a number of initiatives over the past 11 years to that effect but accepted that there was always more that could be done. However these initiatives would cost money and had to be balanced against other priorities and the impact on Council Tax.

Councillor Erik Pattenden stated that the information around improving outcomes for children was vague and set out high level points but not any targets.

Councillor Dominic Boeck reiterated that this was a strategy and the strategy was designed to allow the Council to prioritise its activities. The strategy was designed to give Officers guidance in order for them to make operational decisions.

Councillor Rick Jones was concerned that Members were confusing a strategy, which was designed to give direction, with a plan which would set out what the Council would do in order to implement that strategy. The Council produced a number of strategies which were designed to give direction and these were usually underpinned by a plan which set out the delivery mechanism.

Councillor Hilary Cole commented that Members were failing to grasp that this was a high level document which would be supported by plans and governing groups to deliver and deliver those plans. She noted that only 156 responses were received during the consultation which equated to responses from 0.1% of the District’s population.

Councillor Lynne Doherty stated that she was disappointed at the lack of support shown for the strategy. It was important that all parties worked together in the best interests of their residents. Members would need to come together to build on the good work the Council was already doing. She stated that the Administration were not complacent and asked Members to understand that as per the recommendations the Council would be developing a Delivery Plan to support the Strategy.

The Motion was put to the meeting and duly RESOLVED.