Agenda item

An opportunity for the Portfolio Holder’s to provide an update to the Panel on developments within their portfolio.

The Panel received updates from the portfolio holders.

Cllr Jill Cleary, Leader

The Leader reported that there was a breadth of activity that the Council had undertaken including being committed to developing its People Strategy, alongside supporting staff both now and in the future.  Pulse surveys would be undertaken with all staff and there would be opportunities for extensive training.  The Council would do their best to support staff.  The Leader and Group Leaders had discussed the new Employee Engagement Plan and agreed to build on successful resources such as staff briefings, the Employee Forum, diversity and inclusion groups and staff surveys.  It had been agreed at the HR Committee that there would be a new approach to performance development including growth and goals. The Council was also updating its Market Supplement Policy. 

Resources and priorities were being kept under review with a requirement to increase the budget and capacity to enable the delivery of local government reorganisation.  The Council had key Corporate Plan priorities to deliver, alongside maintaining its daily services to the residents of the New Forest.  EMT were bringing all projects and priorities into a single plan to support the budget setting process and delivery through to 2028.

A member asked a question regarding the Solent Freeport and the Dibden Bay consultation, and whether the Council was in favour of the Dibden Bay Proposal.  In response, the Leader acknowledged that the application had only recently been received and had not had the opportunity to look at the proposal.  The proposal would be brought to members and include a Member Briefing.

A question was also raised regarding the Corporate Peer Challenge and the recommendation for all groups to be better represented on the Council and how this could be encouraged.  In response, the Leader stated that the Conservative Group was regularly trying to encourage younger and more diverse representatives to become involved in politics but was finding this difficult, especially with local government organisation on the horizon.  The questioner felt that youth groups, schools and colleges could be engaged with and agreed that it was a continual challenge to attract new representatives.

Cllr Jeremy Heron, Finance and Corporate

The portfolio holder reported he was pleased with the significant progress of Solent Freeport in the past few months.  Concern was expressed regarding the seed capital being at risk, if not used.     

The Solent Freeport would benefit the entire district in delivering economic growth and should be supported.

The second quarter of the financial year was ending with the budget being monitored and a subsequent report to be presented to the Cabinet.

A Corporate Peer Challenge follow up visit would be taking place in November.  It was also highlighted that an opposition member was chairing the Financial Strategy Task and Finish Group.  

A member of the Panel felt that the Officer who dealt with social media regarding the waste collection rollout should be recognised for their professionalism in handling the media and the Portfolio Holder agreed.

A Panel member asked about CIL monies being guaranteed for New Forest projects in light of local government reorganisation.  In response, the Portfolio Holder stated that the Council held CIL funding in two forms a) the funding attributed to the Town and Parish Councils and b) the funding that the Council held for district funding.  The Council was keen for the money to be used to deliver projects. Several projects were already being delivered along with future projects being planned.  It was explained by the Assistant Director – Place Development that the council published an Infrastructure Funding Statement annually, on-line which explained where the Council had spent CIL money and where it planned to spend money over the coming year.   A report on non-committed CIL spending would be presented to the appropriate committee in due course.