Agenda item

To receive a report presenting the Cabinet Members’ priorities that they wish to see reflected in the 2016/17 directorate business plans so that the Cabinet Committee can comment on them before the business plans are drafted.  

1.         The Strategic Business Adviser, Ms Phillips, introduced a report that sought comments from the Cabinet Committee on the Cabinet Members’ priorities they wished to be reflected in the 2016/17 directorate business plans as set out in pages 76 and 77 of the report.  Ms Phillips explained that many of the priorities would be jointly delivered by several services across the directorate and there were cross-cutting priorities which would be reflected in all the county council directorates’ business plans eg developing and implementing the district deals.  The priorities would be reflected in the business plan and would help shape and inform the directorates’ and divisions’ priorities for 2016/17. Work was being undertaken with each of the divisions to identify the priorities and identify the commissioning activity for the next three years.

2.            A draft of the business plan would be submitted to this Cabinet Committee on 11 March meeting for comment.  All of the Directorates’ business plans would then be approved collectively by Cabinet Members by early May.

3.            Mr Hill highlighted his priorities on future integrated Resilience and Community Safety from his portfolio explaining that the Kent Police and Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue had joined to form an integrated team base at Fire Headquarters at Loose Road, Maidstone.  His aim was to have closer working with the health partners and collate information from public personnel eg parking wardens, community wardens etc that would to be analysed and collated to be used in reducing community safety issues.  He concluded that Trading Standards also had a role to play in community safety with its success in prosecuting rogue traders etc.

4.            Mr Balfour stressed the importance of each of the priorities within the remit of his portfolio listed on page 76.  He added that he wanted to add to the list “How we encourage drivers being more courteous and considerate on Kent roads”.

5.            Mr Balfour responded to questions by Members as follows:

a)    A suggestion was made that consultations and working closer with Parish and Town councils should be embedded within KCC’s work as they could take on more responsibilities but often needed advice on how to start.   Mr Balfour agreed with the suggestion and to the Parish councils being given the capability to take on more responsibilities.  Although they were not mentioned in the list they were embedded in partnership working.

b)    Ms Phillips advised that the Cabinet Members’ list of priorities would be embedded into the directorate business plan and would not be a separate list.  Some of the priorities would be grouped such as Heritage, the rural agenda and the Kent Environment Strategy with an overarching heading that encapsulated them all.  The two cross-cutting priorities listed on page 77 were listed because the District Deals came under the remit of Growth, Environment and Transport Directorate (GET) while every directorate has a lead on the PREVENT priority; the other cross-cutting priorities in Appendix 1 are ones we all contribute to, but will be led by other directorates.

c)    Mr Balfour explained that the priority “Make on-street parking arrangements across the county more cost effective to deliver significant revenue savings” would be part of an overall package to help district and borough council colleagues to find ways to reduce costs eg looking at whether managing parking back office functions could be dealt with on a more centralised basis. This is a discussion that needs to be had, and not for KCC to dictate.

d)    A comment was made that the maintenance of white lines on carriageways should be reflected in carriageway maintenance as they made it easier to see road junctions, especially at night.  Mr Balfour suggested that white lines indicated the edge of the road so drivers therefore do not have to think about it and could consequently drive faster. However if drivers have to think about where they are going, then they would have to drive more carefully and courteously.

e)    A comment was made whether a more effective context could be made for public transport within the list of priorities.  Mr Balfour said that there is a commitment for public transport which is subject to finance.

f)     A suggestion was made that anything to alleviate Operation Stack was welcomed.  This impacted on many businesses and charities in Kent.

g)    A comment was made regarding the reference to Heritage and rural being put together as there was a lot of heritage sites in the urban context and the categorisation of heritage and rural should be avoided.  Mr Balfour agreed and gave the example of Western Heights which was in a quasi-urban rural setting.  He said that in the context of “landscaping” this could be rural or urban too.

h)   A suggestion was made regarding the cross cutting priority “ask the market to solve problems”, that it could also say “asking the market not to create problems” eg land banking.  Mr Balfour said that this was market engagement and KCC needed to make sure that it was getting the best possible resolution to problems through good commissioning and procurement.

i)     A comment was made that road signs should be kept clean and foliage on the sides of the highways be cut back.  There was a need to ensure that visitors had a good overall experience when visiting Kent.  Town and Parish councils in the East of Kent were keen to carry out soft landscaping. Mr Balfour considered that it may be better for road signs etc to be maintained locally by Town and Parish councils.  Mr Hill added that there was a need to look at what the Parish Councils could do locally and appropriate funding being provided for the tasks they undertake.

j)      Mr Balfour said that the future of the Members Highway Fund would be addressed as part of the overall budget.

k)    Members gave examples of working with Parish Councils to fund projects by using their Member’s grant to gain match funding from Parish Councils.

6.            Mr Loosemoore advised that he had been working with Tenterden Town Council as they wanted to take up the Parish village caretaking and work was being undertaken on how that responsibility could be shared and devolved especially regarding soft landscaping and grass cutting in the area.

7.            RESOLVED that:-

(a)  the comments and the responses to questions by Members be noted;

(b)  the Cabinet Members’ priorities for the 2016/17 directorate business plans be noted; and

(c)  a further report be submitted to the March meeting of this Cabinet Committee.