Issue - meetings

Following the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 23 January 2025, a revised draft Annual Service Delivery Plan for 2025/26, setting out a wide range of activities, milestones and targets to strengthen the links between the Corporate Strategy 2023-2027 is provided in Annex 1.

The recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 23 January 2025 are also attached for information.

Consideration was given to the draft Annual Service Delivery Plan, a performance management tool that set out the priority actions for the year, along with key milestones and targets that could be used to monitor whether the council was on track with delivery.  The Plan also provided the opportunity to realign the Key Performance Indicators, strengthened accountability and aligned priorities with budget setting. 

The draft Plan had been discussed and welcomed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at their meeting on 23 January 2025.  Cabinet had due regard to the suggested amendments put forward by the Committee, as set out at paragraph 6.2 of the report. 

RESOLVED:That

(1)        the report be noted;

(2)        the draft Annual Service Delivery Plan (attached at Annex 1), be approved;

(3)        any remaining drafting changes be delegated to the Chief Executive in discussion with the Leader of the Council; and

(4)        the proposed process for reporting updates on the Annual Service Delivery Plan, set out in paragraphs 7.1 to 7.3, be approved.

(Decision Notice D250010CAB)

The report introduced an Annual Service Delivery Plan to strengthen links between the Corporate Strategy 2023-27 and the activities of the Borough Council and which set out priority actions for the year.  The Plan also provided the opportunity to realign the Key Performance Indicators, strengthened accountability and aligned priorities with budget setting. 

A draft Annual Service Delivery Plan for 2025/26 setting out a wide range of activities, milestones and targets was provided at Annex 1.  The draft Plan had been discussed and welcomed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at their meeting on 23 January 2025 and the draft Plan at Annex 1 included a number of amendments to reflect the discussion of the Committee. 

It was recognised that there were still some gaps in information, predominately caused by external factors, and these should be addressed ahead of 2025/26.

RESOLVED:That

(1)        the report be noted;

(2)        the draft Annual Service Delivery Plan (attached at Annex 1), be approved;

(3)        any remaining drafting changes be delegated to the Chief Executive in discussion with the Leader of the Council; and

(4)        the proposed process for reporting updates on the Annual Service Delivery Plan, be approved.

A draft Annual Service Delivery Plan for 2025/26, setting out a wide range of activities, milestones and targets to strengthen the links between the Corporate Strategy 2023-2027 is provided in Annex 1.

The report of the Chief Executive and the Leader introduced an Annual Service Delivery Plan to strengthen links between the Corporate Strategy 2023-27 and the activities of the Borough Council and which set out priority actions for the year.  The Plan also provided the opportunity to realign the Key Performance Indicators, strengthened accountability and aligned priorities with budget setting.

A draft Annual Service Delivery Plan for 2025/26 setting out a wide range of activities, milestones and targets was provided at Annex 1.

Members welcomed the introduction of a Service Delivery Plan as a valuable tool in monitoring performance and tracking progress and suggested a number of amendments and corrections which were noted by the Strategic Economic Regeneration Manager including a request for data related to the housing register and empty properties.

With regard to the Borough Council maximising opportunities to influence the implement of the Government’s ‘devolution’ agenda within Tonbridge and Malling (detailed in 13.1 – Efficient and Effective Council – Active) Members discussed options related to areas that did not have parish/town council representation.   It was proposed by Cllr Hood, seconded by Cllr Hoskins and supported by the Committee, that the milestone for 13.1 be amended to include:

(i)                  ‘Report on progress of any governance review relating to the unparished part of the Borough and any other boundary review of parished areas.’

*Recommended:   That

(1)             the report be noted;

(2)             the draft Annual Service Delivery Plan (attached at Annex 1) be commended to Cabinet for approval, subject to the proposed amendment set out in (i) above;

(3)             any updated information addressing current gaps in information be considered during Quarter 1 reporting of the Annual Service Delivery Plan; and

(4)             the process for reporting updates on the Annual Service Delivery Plan, set out in 5.6 to 5.8 be commended to Cabinet for approval.

*Recommended to Cabinet