Agenda item

The Council considered a report of the Corporate Director of Resources which sought approval of the Council Plan covering the period 2022-2026 (for copy see file of Minutes).

Councillor C Martin, Chair of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board informed Council that the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board had welcomed the opportunity to consider the draft Council Plan at its meeting on 17 June 2022.

The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board was keen to understand how performance against the objectives would be measured and welcomed the opportunity to be involved in the developing and monitoring of the performance framework.

The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board also welcomed the inclusion of key performance indicators in the Plan which set out what success looked like and how it would be measured.

Members expressed the view that the cultural offer and actions outlined in the Plan should be built on and stressed the need to promote every aspect of the County’s heritage.

In particular, it was important that the heritage and culture of all towns and villages was reflected within the Plan including The Story at Mount Oswald project which would bring together five collections for the first time at a flagship facility which would transform the way the history of County Durham was told.

The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board welcomed the inclusion of a fifth objective for the Council on the Environment and the parity given to the Ecological Emergency.

The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board considered and endorsed the change in approach to previous plans from appending the Council’s equality policy to embedding the objectives within the Plan itself.  It was suggested that the next iteration of the Plan include a link to the policy for completeness.

The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board understood that going forwards the Plan was to be refreshed every year and welcomed the opportunity to help shape the future of County Durham.

The opening date for The Story at Mount Oswald noted in the Plan was queried.

Moved by Councillor A Hopgood, Seconded by Councillor R Bell and

Resolved:

That the Council Plan 2022-2026 attached at Appendix 2 of the report be approved.