Agenda item

This paper presents the final wording, following public consultation, for the Council Vision 2022-2026.

The Chair invited the Group Head of Policy to present her report which confirmed the final wording, following public consultation, for the Council Vision 2022-2026. She highlighted that 86% of respondents to the consultation had agreed with the Council’s aims for the next four years as set out in the consultation. Areas of concern had been raised in the consultation and would be passed on to the relevant departments, but it was believed that all of these had been identified by Councillors during their preliminary work on the Vision document last summer.  The survey feedback had resulted in the Vision being made easier to understand; jargon having been removed; content being more focussed and proactive; and providing greater clarity over the Council’s and other partners’ services and roles.

It was confirmed that there would be annual progress reports against the milestones at each of the four years of the plan, and Officers were currently working on how these would be reported. A report on this would come to the next meeting of the Committee on 31 March 2022 which would include the new Corporate Plan indicators for the period as well.

            The Group Head of Policy drew Members’ attention to Appendix A of the report which set out the proposed wording for the Vision and in doing so she confirmed that she needed to suggest to the Committee, making an amendment to the Vision Aim entitled “Fulfilling Arun’s Economic Potential” [How Will we Achieve this [Page 120 of the agenda pack] (1) which read “Create the conditions that will support, attract and retain high tech businesses, including the creative digital sector” – to the wording set out in bold below which if approved by Members would appear in the published Vision as:

1.         Create the conditions that will support high tech businesses including the creative digital sector and green businesses, reducing the need for the workforce to commute out of the District.

Having had the amendment proposed by Councillor Cooper and seconded by Councillor Pendleton it was declared CARRIED.

The Chair then returned to the substantive recommendation inviting questions on the remaining aspects of the document. A query was raised on (B) Protect and enhance our natural environment’ [on page 119 of the Agenda Pack] as it was felt that this was increasingly important and needed more attention being paid to it so as to protect the District from development built on green fields destroying biodiversity.

A Member amendment was proposed for item (4) of ‘Improving the wellbeing of Arun – How will we achieve this’ [on page 117 of the Agenda Pack] for the inclusion of the words ‘medical and dental’ after ‘primary’ so that the amended sentence would read:

4.         Support the NHS Clinical Commissioners to provide primary, medical and dental care facilities to meet the growing needs of our community.’

Having had the amendment proposed by Councillor Walsh and seconded by Councillor Seex, it was declared CARRIED.

Having had the substantive recommendation proposed by Councillor Cooper and seconded by Councillor Pendleton,

The Committee

RECOMMEND TO FULL COUNCIL

That the Council Vision 2022 – 2026 be approved.