Agenda item

To enable Cabinet to give consideration to comments made to it by the Corporate Management Committee in respect of the above.

That the recommendations of the Resources and Corporate Services Portfolio Holder be approved.

Cabinet was informed that, at the meeting of the Corporate Management Committee held on 13 February 2017, Members had considered the Performance Report for Quarter Three. An officer update was provided in relation to several indicators and projects.

The Committee had agreed to make the following comments to Cabinet:

(a)  the Committee is concerned at the ongoing decline in performance in the handling of planning applications, especially major applications;

(b)  the Committee would like to see the various Portfolio Holder financial savings working parties continue in some form and that any reports/briefing papers submitted to those meetings should be circulated to all Members for their information;

(c)  the Committee would like to see an All Member briefing at which Members would be informed of, and could contribute towards forming, the overall vision for the future waste management and recycling contracts and the retender process and which should include a focussed initiative to promote recycling amongst the general public.

The Cabinet had before it the following comments of the Resources and Corporate Services Portfolio Holder made in response to the comments of the Corporate Management Committee:

“The comment about Planning could imply that it was considered that there was concern about the way that planning applications are processed. I would like to make it absolutely clear that Cabinet do not consider there is an issue about the way that planning applications are dealt with. Furthermore, the time taken to consider minor and other applications is ahead of target. Whilst it is accepted that the time taken to deal with major applications is behind target, Planning have been receiving exceptional numbers of applications and should be commended for the way in which they have managed this workload.

With regard to the comment about the Portfolio Holder financial savings working parties, these were established for a particular purpose which was to consider potential savings options. The work on the budget has now moved on. As Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Finance I will lead the work with Cabinet colleagues to undertake the difficult decisions both about implementing savings and balancing the budget. Overview and Scrutiny will be consulted as necessary as part of this ongoing process.”

The Cabinet also had before it the following recommendations ofthe Resources and Corporate Services Portfolio Holder:

(a)  It is noted that only the major applications are behind target due to the exceptional numbers of applications being received and Planning be commended for the way they have managed this workload.

(b)  The Portfolio Holder financial savings working parties do not continue but that, going forward, Cabinet will consider all options surrounding the difficult decisions facing us in relation to the budget and consult with Overview and Scrutiny as necessary.

(c)  The All Member Briefing on 26^th April will include a session on the waste and recycling contract.

Having considered the comments of the Corporate Management Committee and the comments and recommendations of the Resources and Corporate Services Portfolio Holder:

It was moved by Councillor G V Guglielmi, seconded by Councillor Watling and:

RESOLVED that the recommendations of the Resources and Corporate Services Portfolio Holder be approved.