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The Chief Operating Officer submitted a report a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and presented the Better Colchester Strategic Plan 2020-2023 to the Cabinet. In view of the new Strategic Priorities agreed by Council and the declaration of the Climate Emergency it was necessary to update the current Strategic Plan. It addressed the key challenges facing the borough and set out the Council’s priorities, which were organised into five strategic themes:-
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Tackling the climate challenge and leading sustainability
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Creating safe, healthy and active communities
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Delivering homes for people who need them
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Growing a fair economy so everyone benefits
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Celebrating our heritage and culture.
The Better Colchester Strategic Plan would for the first time set out key goals by which success would be measured together with commitments for what would be delivered in the first year of the Plan.
Councilor Willetts attended and with the consent of the Chairman addressed the Cabinet to stress the need for the Cabinet to match the ambitions in the Plan with actions. For example, whilst it was noted that the climate challenge was the top priority, this was not reflected in the proposed decision on the procurement of food waste vehicles, where it was proposed that vehicles that would produce carbon emissions would be procured. The administration only demonstrated commitment to the climate challenge where it was easy or inexpensive to do so.
Councillor Warnes attended and with the consent of the Chairman addressed the Cabinet in respect of the “Growing a fair economy s everyone benefits” theme of the Plan. The Plan emphasised the need to attract inward investment to Colchester. However, there was also a need to build on the wealth within local communities. In future, the Council needed to build on the strategic priorities to help business flourish by using the money and procurement potential within the main anchor institutions in Colchester. The Council could work alongside the principles of the Preston model to ensure that spending by public authorities supported small and medium sized local businesses, and to place less reliance on large corporations.
Councillor Cory, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategy, thanked Councillor Warnes and agreed with the spirit of his comments. The Council was committed to asset based community development and encouraged investment that lead to social gains, such as the local fibre network. He also highlighted the Council’s response to the Climate Emergency, which was aiming to introduce systemic change in the Council’s processes and decision making. There was a clear commitment to tackling the climate challenge to reaching the target of carbon neutrality by 2030.
Councillor J. Young, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Performance, Councillor King, Portfolio Holder for Business and Resources, Councillor Fox, Portfolio for Housing and Councillor Lilley, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Wellbeing and Public Safety, stressed their support for the Better Colchester Strategic Plan. They highlighted a number of policies and initiatives that demonstrated the commitment to the priorities in the Plan and how these benefited local communities including:-
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The Cultural Strategy;
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Tree planting;
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The Town Fund bid;
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Provision of affordable housing;
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Youth Zones;
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One Colchester and support to charities and community groups.
RESOLVED that:-
(a)
The progress made in delivering the 2018-21 Strategic Plan be noted and the need to refresh the Plan be agreed.
(b)
The Strategic Plan 2020-23 be approved
RECOMMENDED to COUNCIL that the Strategic Plan 2020-23 be adopted and that it be included in the Policy Framework.
REASONS
To enable the Strategic Plan 2020-23 to be agreed and adopted.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
The current Strategic Plan expires at the end of 2020-21 but does not reflect significant new priorities agreed by the Council as part of setting its budget strategy and Medium-Term Financial Forecast. Crucially the current Strategic Plan does not reflect the unanimous decision by Full Council to declare a Climate Emergency.
A new plan is required and needs to be adopted by full Council. The absence of a relevant Strategic Plan would create a significant risk of the Council failing to identify and deliver on its core priorities.