Agenda item

To consider and endorse, for agreement by County Council, the KCC Strategic Statement for 2015-2020.

Cabinet received a report of the Leader, Mr Paul Carter, providing for consideration, the findings of the public consultation on the Councils draft five year strategic statement; ‘Improving Outcomes and Increasing Opportunities’ and seeking endorsement of the document, as amended, for agreement by County Council.

Mr Carter introduced the report, and recommended it to members for endorsement to County Council.  He welcomed the succinct and clear style in which the document was written and reminded all Directors that Directorate Business Plans must be derived from the strategic aims set out within the statement as the activity that followed any endorsement of the strategic aims by County Council would be critical to realising the vision set out therein.  Directorate Business Plans would be considered by the relevant Cabinet Committees in order to ensure that this was the case.

He also commented on the consultation that had been undertaken.  Although the response had not been overwhelming, Mr Carter welcomed the comments that had been received and regarded them as having helped to shape a better final draft document.

David Whittle, Director of Policy, Strategy, Relationships and Corporate Assurance, spoke to the item.  He acknowledged that engaging the public in the consultation had been difficult as it had in other similar consultations on Bold Steps for Kent and Toward 2010 for example and this had prompted the council’s decision to move to a series of in depth events around the county, engaging residents in a more meaningful way and providing the council with very useful qualitative data which added a great deal of value and lead to significant changes to the original draft document.

The Cabinet Member for Communities, Mr Mike Hill, confirmed that the document would be useful for directorates in producing business and commissioning plans and that it had already provided useful guidance within his portfolio during consideration of the future of the Libraries service in Kent in order to ensure that any proposals for the future delivery of the service was fit for purpose and helped to achieve the wider strategic aims of the County Council.

The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health, Mr Graham Gibbens, commented on table 3 within the draft document, which described the desired outcomes toward the wider goal of older and vulnerable residents being safe and supported and having choices that enabled them to live independently.  He welcomed the recognition of the need for Health and Social Care to work closely together and the importance of early assessment and treatment for those with mental health issues.  

The Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Mr Mark Dance, welcomed the report and spoke of the benefits of economic development for all communities in Kent.  He particularly highlighted the work that had been facilitated by regional growth fund monies to work with young people who were not in education, employment or training, which would be the subject of a television programme that evening.

The Leader concluded the discussion by drawing attention to the suggested measures for performance contained within the report.  He expected that these would continue to evolve over time at the hands of Cabinet Committees, Directors and Cabinet Members in order that they remained relevant and useful to target delivery.

It was agreed that the findings of the public consultation and subsequent changes to the draft strategic statement as set out in the report be NOTED and the draft five year strategic statement; “Increasing Opportunities, Improving Outcomes” at appendix 1, be RECOMMENDED to County Council for APPROVAL.