Agenda item

The Council considered a report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships which presented the latest draft of the County Durham Vision 2035 (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Director of Transformation and Partnerships informed the Council that the draft vision document had been developed with partners as a shared vision for the county for the next 15 years. Extensive public consultation had been carried out between 12 June and 31 July 2019. As referred to in the Leaders Report, the vision would be agreed by each of the Council’s partners on the County Durham Partnership Board and would be launched at the County Durham Partnership event on 25 October.

In Moving the report Councillor S Henig explained that the new County Durham Vision would aspire to see County Durham become a place for more and better jobs, where people lived longer and independent lives with well-connected communities that supported each other. The Vision had been subject to significant consultation over recent months and there was a belief that the vision was something everyone could share across the Council and the wider partnership.

Councillor L Hovvels Seconded the report and highlighted the work carried out with partnership agencies, the voluntary and community sectors, Area Action Partnerships and the public.

In response to a question from Cllr R Bell regarding performance management reporting through the Service Directorates and Overview and Scrutiny, the Director of Transformation and Partnerships informed the Council that when the Council adopted the ‘Altogether Better’ objectives in 2008/09, all such arrangements including partnership governance, strategies, policy management framework and scrutiny arrangements were reviewed to ensure that they fitted with the vision at that time. There would now be an ongoing process of review with the adoption of the new vision and explained that it was extremely important to ensure that governance, performance management and the various action plans were assessed with the adoption of the new vision.

Councillor Wilkes referred to the Council reducing carbon emissions by 2035 and explained that from his point of view, 2035 was the day by which the Council should be eliminating carbon emissions and could not offer his support.

Upon a vote being take it was

Resolved

(a) that the public consultation feedback contained and summarised within the report be noted;

(b) that the Council agree the vision for County Durham in accordance with Article 4 paragraph 4.01(a) of the Council’s Constitution;

(c) note that the vision would be agreed by each of our partners on the County Durham Partnership Board and will be launched at the County

Durham Partnership event on 25 October;

(d) Note that a new branding strategy was being developed for the vision; and

(e) Note that a review of the delivery framework and monitoring arrangements for key strategies had commenced.