Agenda item

Context:

To scrutinise the Improvement Objectives contained in the Improvement Plan 2016-17 ahead of a decision by Council on 12^th May 2016.

Key Issues:

The setting of annual Improvement Objectives and the production of an Improvement Plan are statutory requirements under the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009. 

The Improvement Plan is produced in two parts.  This is the forward looking section of the plan and is focused on commitments and aspirations.  It presents an opportunity to set the key actions that will deliver the Council’s priorities of education, support for vulnerable people, supporting business and job creation and maintaining locally accessible services.

The Improvement Plan 2015-17 was published in May 2015 and contained five objectives closely aligned to delivering the Council’s priorities. The improvement objectives for 2016/17 are a continuation of five objectives set in May 2015:

·                     We will improve at all key stages of education.

·                     We will safeguard people, whether young or old, while reducing people’s dependence on social care.

·                     We want to enable Our County to thrive.

·                     Maintaining locally accessible services.

·                     We want to be an efficient, effective and sustainable organisation

The information for scrutiny focusses on the detail of the Improvement Objectives for 2016/17, which will be contained within the full Improvement Plan. The objectives have been reviewed and updated to continue relevant activity that was already committed in the objective and include any new actions that have been identified. The Improvement Objectives are currently subject to a public consultation which will run until 22^nd April 2016 and feedback from the consultation will be incorporated into the objectives, as relevant, prior to being put forward for approval by Council on 12^th May 2016.  

This is a draft plan for scrutiny and at this stage some parts of the plan are not fully completed and targets not finalised, these will be completed ahead of the decision by Council.

Some changes have been made to the format plan to reflect latest legislation, respond to feedback from the Wales Audit Office as well as the Authority’s own learning. 

These are:

·                     Explaining the structure of the objective so everyone understands why certain information is included.

·                     Continuing to ensure clearer links between actions and measures with associated targets for improvement.

·                     Embedding the Well-Being of Future Generations Act requirements in our planning, including considering how our activity contributes to Welsh Government seven wellbeing goals

During 2016-2017 Monmouthshire County Council will undertake two substantial assessments of need and wellbeing within the County as a consequence of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act and the Social Services and Wellbeing Act. The information that is gained during this work will provide a much deeper evidence base to inform the publication of the Council’s well-being objectives by 31st March 2017 (a requirement under the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act). At the point of developing the wellbeing objectives a fundamental rethink of improvement objectives will be undertaken in line with the principles of the Act.

Part two of the plan, focusing on what has been achieved in 2014-15, will be presented to Council in October 2016 when full audited information becomes available for publication. Prior to that select committees will be presented with reports showing progress against the objectives set for 2015-16.

Member Scrutiny:

Having scrutinised the report, the following points were noted:

·         The Head of Operations would investigate the following issues raised and report back to Select committee Members:

-       What level of recycling is generated through incineration?

-       Whether the Authority has a mandate to save £250,000 by removing glass from the comingled recyclates.

-       The cost effectiveness of incineration rather than recycling.  It was noted that this is not the case now but depended upon the recycling market in simple financial terms albeit the Authority has recycling targets set by Welsh government, so incinerating everything was not feasible.

-       It was noted that the feasibility of materials being sold at recycling centres had been raised with Viridor.

·         A six month pilot scheme was being undertaken in Abergavenny regarding glass collection prior to implementation in 2017.

·         In response to a Select Committee Member’s question regarding a Council owned property in Caldicot, it was noted that this was a matter for the Estates Team.

·         In response to a Select Committee Member’s question regarding the Select Committee visiting Rover Way in Cardiff, the Scrutiny Manager stated that this matter could be investigated.