Agenda item

The Council Vision 2022-2026 was approved at Full Councill in March 2022. To support the Vision, we have a comprehensive set of measurable performance indicators which allow us to identify how well we are delivering across a full range of services. Two kinds of indicators were agreed at the Policy and Finance Committee on 17 March 2022. The first of these are the subject of this report, the ’Vision Indicators’ and this is the first annual report on them. These annual indicators primarily update the progress against strategic milestones. 

Covered in a separate report are the Key Performance Indicators which are primarily numeric and measured and reported quarterly to Committees. 

[10 Minutes]

[Councillor Greenway declared a Personal Interestduring discussion of this item as a member of Friends of Bersted Brooks and a member of Bersted Parish Council. He also redeclared his Personal Interest in the Item as a Member of West Sussex County Council]

[Councillor Blanchard-Cooper declared a Personal Interestduring discussion of this item as a member of Friends of Mewsbrook Park]

Upon the invitation of the Chair, the Group Head of Technical Service introduced the report to the Committee. He explained the Council Vision for the period 2022- 26 had been developed with Councillors at a series of workshops and then agreed by Full Council. It set out goals and would guide decision making for this period. The Vision was divided into 4 key themes: improving the wellbeing of Arun; delivering the right homes in the right places; supporting our environment to support us; fulfilling Arun’s economic potential. There were overall aims for each of these themes and some specific objectives to be achieved over the four year period. These were strategic and longer term objectives. Some of them may be changed or added to as priorities changed. The Policy and Finance Committee were responsible for overseeing performance across the Council . The annual report (appendix 2) set out progress against these objectives. It was intended as a useful and informative report for all Members which would give an overview of progress in all areas of the Council. These were grouped by Council Vision theme, rather than Committee.

          Members were then given the opportunity to ask questions, summarised as follows:

• CV24 (tree planting) – Was there more we could do to attract private investment and working with Parish Councils to get more trees in the ground? The Group Head of Environment and Climate Change explained this was set out in the Tree Planting Strategy, and they were always looking at additional ways to get funding.
• CV32 – How could we build a better working relationship with West Sussex County Council to better work together to achieve our goals. This question was not within the remit of the Committee, and the Group Head of Technical Services would take it away to consult with the relevant Group Head.
• CV27 and CV28 – Had the roles of Sustainability Officer and Ecologist been filled? The Group Head of Environment and Climate Change confirmed the role of the Sustainability Officer had been filled, and interviews had recently been held for the role of Ecologist.
• CV24 – Could figures be provided on the survival rates of the trees being planted, as it was felt whips may not survive as well as standard trees? The Group Head of Environment and Climate Change explained that in his experience, planting whip trees was very successful, sometimes more so than standard trees. Of the 8000 trees planted in Brookfield Park, there was a 95% survival rate, and he would be happy to report back on survival rates in the future.
• CV5 – Adopt Public Arts Strategy – One Member Considered this to be a priority and expressed concern regarding the lack of indoor space for art in Bognor Regis, the adequacy of public performance spaces in the District and wished to see progress on adopting a public art strategy, including performance art and sculpture. This matter was not in the remit of the Committee and the Group Head of Technical Services would feed this back to the relevant Director.
• CV25 (coastal defence) – Would the results of annual inspections of sea defences be provided to this Committee? The Group Head of Technical Services explained these records were operational and did not come back to Committee, they were used to monitor the performance and condition of assets, identifying where works needed to be carried out in the short and longer terms.
• CV7 – Should this be removed from the indicators? The Group Head of Technical Services explained this would be a matter for the Policy and Finance Committee to consider.
• It was suggested that in future there was some sort of indicator showing the Committee which areas of the report they had responsibility for. The Group Head of Technical Services would feed this back to the report author.

The Committee noted the report.