Joint presentation by the Deputy Chief Executive and Director for Families and Communities and Director for Economy Infrastructure and Skills
Minutes:
The Committee received a joint presentation (PowerPoint slides attached Appendix 1 to the signed minutes) from the Director for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills and the Deputy Chief Executive and Director for Families and Communities on their respective service areas (including budgets, visions and key priorities for the ensuing year) and suggested topics for scrutiny where Members’ attention could add most value, as follows:-
a) Economy, Infrastructure and Skills (Table 1)
|
Service Area |
Suggested Topics for Scrutiny |
|
Highways and Built County |
(i) Highway Contract Performance; (ii) Major infrastructure Projects; (iii) Climate Change and Flood Risk Management; (iv) Safer Roads Partnership. |
|
Business and Enterprise |
(i) Ensuring Infrastructure led growth; (ii) Reviewing the effectiveness and refresh of the Economic Recovery, Renewal and Transformation Strategy; (iii) Achieving more higher value jobs for Staffordshire in light of the Supporting Town Centre Regeneration Strategy. |
|
Learning and Skills |
(i) Training & Skills and the Future Economy; (ii) Community Learning Self-Assessment Report and Quality Improvement Plan. |
|
Connected and Sustainable County |
(i) North Staffs Air Quality Plan; (ii) National Bus Strategy and Staffordshire Bus Strategy Improvement Plan; (iii) Future Travel Agenda – ‘Live Lab’ Project Outcomes; (iv) Household Waste Recycling Centres Project Progress; (v) Climate Change Action Plan 2. |
b) Families and Communities (Table 2)
|
Service Area |
Suggested Topics for Scrutiny |
|
Staffordshire Archives and Heritage Service |
(i) Service Transformation; (ii) Covid-19 Recovery Plan; (iii) Digital Offer; (iv) Collections Development. |
|
Regulatory Services and Community Safety |
(i) Service Development; (ii) Covid-19 Recovery Plan. |
|
Rural County |
(i) Re-organisation of Operating Model; (ii) Countryside Estate Review; (iii) Covid-19 Recovery Plan. |
|
Staffordshire Libraries and Arts Service |
(i) Libraries Review; (ii) Community Engagement Plan; (iii) Library Relocations. (iv) Digital Offer |
|
Education Strategy and Improvement |
(i) Education and Skills Strategy; (ii) Special Education Needs and Disabilities Strategy and Written Statement of Action; (iii) Covid-19 Recovery; (iv) Strong Academy Trusts; (v) Vulnerable Learners; (vi) Pupil Place Planning. |
In the discussion which ensued Members noted the wide-ranging scope of services within their remit. They sought clarification on various strategic management and operational issues highlighted in the presentation and identified areas of particular interest to them, as follows:-
Areas of Interest (Table 3)
|
Service Area |
Topic |
|
Libraries and Arts (Families and Communities) |
Supporting Community Managed Libraries (as part of a Holistic Service). |
|
Education Strategy and Improvement (Families and Communities) |
Sexual Harassment and Safeguarding in Education. |
|
Business and Enterprise (Economy Infrastructure and Skills) |
Economic Recovery in the Hospitality Sector. |
|
Learning and Skills (Economy Infrastructure and Skills) |
Skills Funding post Brexit. |
|
Highways and Built County (Economy Infrastructure and Skills) |
(i) Highways Contract Performance and Transformation (including innovation); (ii) Major Projects Funding and Review of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs); (iii) Safer Roads Partnership, Enforcement and Future Partnership Working; (iv) Safer Roads Partnership, Enforcement and Future Partnership Working. |
|
Connected and Sustainable (Economy Infrastructure and Skills) |
(i) Climate Change (including provision of EV charging Infrastructure); (ii) Flood Risk Management; (iii) 20 mph Speed Limits and Divisional Highway Programmes; (iv) High Speed Broadband/Digital Infrastructure Strategy. |
In response to requests from Members, the Scrutiny and Support officer undertook to circulate copies of the joint presentation PowerPoint slides to Members for their information/future reference.
RESOLVED – (a) That the report be received and noted.
(b) That further consideration be given to the inclusion of the potential items for scrutiny identified in Table 3 above, in the Committee’s Work Programme for 2021/22 Municipal Year.