Agenda item

[To consider the report on the Our City: Our Plan Refresh, which will be received by Cabinet]. 

The Director of Strategy gave a presentation on the Our City: Our Plan Refresh, a copy of which is attached to the signed minutes.  The Our City: Our Plan was the Council’s Strategic Framework for Levelling Up.  The Our City: Our Plan was reviewed annually.  The refresh had included:-

·       Strategic Narrative: New Policy areas captured e.g. cost of living crisis.

·       Objectives and Outcomes: Consistent with previous version.

·       Key Activity: Activity Updated.

·       Performance Framework: Changes to Performance indicators where required due to exceptional circumstances.

The Director of Strategy remarked that the plan had been developed through extensive engagement with local people.  The key principles in the 2023/2024 Performance framework were as follows: -

·       All indicators were published in the plan and did not change throughout the year unless there were exceptional circumstances.

·       Indicators were classified by system / Council to make clear where the Council had less direct overall control on performance.

·       Reporting was on a quarterly basis, and reference targets, historical data and benchmarking wherever data was available.

·       Reporting on a quarterly basis would continue to be alongside financial performance and the strategic risk register, to Cabinet and Scrutiny Board. 

The Director of Strategy summarised the changes which were being made to performance indicators as detailed in the slides.

Members asked questions about engagement and consultation.  The Director of Strategy responded that there were a number of different mediums used.  Surveys was one of the methods used.  In the final report to Cabinet, before Full Council, she would provide further information on the response rate and methods used.  

The Vice-Chair gave the view that he felt the Our City: Our Plan could be more ambitious.  As an example, he stated the Plan could give a target for reducing youth unemployment by a certain percentage by next year. 

A Panel Member raised the importance of a thriving local economy within the Council’s Wards.  She wanted to see monitoring and evaluation of the strategic impact of the Council on economic growth in the Wards.  The Director of Strategy responded that the performance management approach was continuing to mature in terms of the data and how Power Bi dashboards were being used to allow Councillors to view the data in an accessible way.  Where possible they would try and be able to show data in a ward-by-ward format.     

A Panel Member asked how the Council was utilising the fame of successful sports persons in the City to encourage others to live active and healthier lifestyles.  He also asked about alcohol problems in specific communities and what the Council was doing to help address the problem.  Finally, he asked what promotion the Council did to encourage people to keep places tidy and clean and clean up after dogs. 

The Executive Director of Families referred to the work which Schools undertook in contacting sports persons directly to work with them.  The Council also invited sports stars to the Children and Young People in Care Awards.  She was aware that some of the youth organisations in the City had also reached out to professional sports persons from Wolverhampton.  The Council were currently developing a strategy on physical activity which she was sure could be received by one of the Scrutiny Panels in the future. 

The Director for Strategy remarked that she was well aware that different communities were impacted differently with certain problems.  The Healthy lifestyles survey was attracting thousands of responses and EDI information was an integral part of the survey.  She would follow up on the dog fouling question.  The Scrutiny Team Leader advised that the Residents, Housing and Communities Scrutiny Panel would be considering alcohol harm in the City at their next meeting on 16 February 2023.     

A Panel Member asked about Yoo Recruit and the Council’s plans for the future.  The Chief Operating Officer advised that a report on Yoo Recruit would be received by the Resources and Equality Scrutiny Panel in March 2023. 

A Member of the Panel commented that the Our City: Our Plan, whilst it mentioned partnerships, it did not specifically mention volunteering or specific events like Wednesfield in Bloom or local clubs.  He praised, The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and the amount of volunteer groups in the City which had received the national honorary award.  He felt this needed to be included as part of the overall plan.  Voluntary groups were encouragingly working together to create youth clubs again in the City.       

The Director of Strategy acknowledged that the voluntary and community sector were key partners in the City who carried out vital work.  In the Healthy Inclusive Communities Priority there was a broad objective about the Council wanting to support and grow the community and voluntary sector.  She acknowledged there could be more detail in the report to emphasise the importance of the voluntary and community sector and took this on board for a future report. 

A Panel Member raised the importance of post 16 qualifications.  The executive Director for Families endorsed the Member’s view. 

A Panel Member raised a concern about the businesses on Victoria Street in the City Centre.  She asked about the financial support which a consultant was looking into.  The financial support seemed to have been time limited to June 2022 and not until the end of December 2022.  The Director of Regeneration responded that there had been a number of meetings with the Council and the businesses concerned.  It had been agreed at an early session the parameters for the dates of payments in consultation with the businesses.  He would respond in writing as to whether there had been further representations from businesses about the payment dates and any plans to change the dates. 

Resolved: That the Our City: Our Plan Refresh be endorsed.