Agenda item

To receive the new Borough Plan 2021-22, key council strategies and plans and related delivery plans including:

a)    Borough Plan 2021-22

b)    Brent Transport Strategies

c)    Social Value Policy and Ethical Procurement

Councillor McLennan, as Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Resources

introduced a report on the progress on the Borough Plan 2020/21, the Borough Plan 2021/22 and the Council’s policy framework.

Shazia Hussain, Assistant Chief Executive then gave a presentation on the Borough Plan 2021/22 and the key supporting strategies and plans and specifically the Poverty Commission, the Equality Strategy, the Black Community Action Plan and the Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy. She advised that the Borough Plan was developed within the changed local, regional and national context including the impacts of the global pandemic and other pressing challenges affecting a range of service and policy areas such as the climate emergency and the housing crisis. The Borough Plan would have five overarching strategic themes with desired outcomes and actions that would run for the entirety of the plan and form the basis of its delivery. She assured members that detailed delivery plans were in place for each of the supporting strategies and plans and that all were supported by performance measures and key indicators that were linked to other Council strategies and service plans. She advised that refocused performance reporting was being developed alongside this and new reports would be presented on a quarterly basis to Cabinet and the Scrutiny Committees.

The Committee was then invited to raise questions on the updates provided, which

focused on a number of key areas as highlighted below:

• It was noted that corporate and departmental strategies were refreshed at different times and some, such as the Financial Inclusion Strategy 2015, Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2014-17 and Housing Strategy 2009-14, were currently being reviewed.
• In response to a question regarding the delivery of corporate and departmental strategies, it was noted that they were developed and managed on a departmental basis, reviewed regularly and subject to member scrutiny. The successful delivery of the Borough Plan was subject to the successful delivery of these strategies.
• It was noted that the new performance framework was being developed with a number of principles in mind. Progress on activity would be monitored using key performance indicators and corporate performance reports to ensure that the leadership be assured of delivery with proportionate and meaningful performance measures including the use of ‘journey’ indicators to demonstrate progression to long-term aims.
• In response to a question regarding measuring the performance of poverty reduction actions, it was noted that a number of the key indicators included in the performance framework would feed into the overall picture of poverty in the borough. Members suggested that the national measures of relative and absolute poverty be taken into consideration when measuring poverty levels across the borough.
• Whilst it was recognised that more work needed to be done to ensure residents did not litter, it was noted that Community Clean-Ups and Skips were important initiatives that encouraged community participation and awareness.
• In response to a question regarding the level of funding for environment-related services, it was explained that social value could be used as a means of helping to provide alternative methods to support local communities over and above the services that were already delivered. It would also look to engage and embed social value within procurements across the council, members and supplier base.
• It was noted that the Council was committed to working alongside Transport for London to ensure residents continue to use cleaner modes of transportation as restrictions are lifted, for example by promoting active travel and Schools Streets. It was recognised that changes to travel infrastructure needed to be coupled with community engagement at every stage.
• In response to a question regarding the impact of population growth on the delivery of key strategies and plans, members were assured that each strategy had a year-by-year delivery plan that would account for changing local, regional and national contexts.
• It was noted that pavement widening schemes were being implemented by the Highways Team in conjunction with Town Centre Managers and were funded through pandemic-related central government funding. These schemes were being reviewed regularly and residents were encouraged to report any issues that may arise.
• In response to a question regarding the impact of the Transport Strategy on those with disabilities, it was noted that it had been developed in consultation with the Disability Forum and the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Members were assured that the administration were committed to ensuring all transport infrastructure was accessible.
• It was noted that there would be a steering group for each priority outlined in the Equality Strategy and membership compromised of those groups and individuals who would be delivering its objectives.