Agenda and minutes

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Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P Beal, J Bhondi, C Crofts, D Sayers

To approve the minutes from the Corporate Performance Panel held on 11 September 2023.

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The minutes of the meeting of the Corporate Performance Panel held on 11 September 2023 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

These declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on any item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

Councillors R Colwell, S Dark, A Kemp, B Long and J Moriarty declared an interest as Norfolk County Councillors.

To consider any business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chairman proposed to accept as urgent under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There was no urgent business.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chair of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before a decision on that item is taken.

Councillors B Anota, A Beales, C Joyce (Zoom), M de Whalley, J Moriarty, S Ring, J Rust (Zoom) and S Squire (Zoom) were present under Standing Order 34.

The Monitoring Officer confirmed that Panel Members and Councillors attending on Zoom would not be able to participate any vote.

There was no Chair’s correspondence.

There were no call-ins.

Members of the Environment and Community and Regeneration and Development Panels have been invited to attend for this item.

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The Chief Executive presented the report which appended the new proposed Corporate Strategy for the period 2023 to 2027.  It set out the priorities of the Council under four main headings and detailed the aims and ambitions.  Members were advised that the strategy was not a list of projects and workstreams the Council is engaging or will engage in under the Corporate Strategy and it was highlighted that it was the Council’s overarching document.  It was noted that the Corporate Strategy set out those priorities and key principles of the Administration for the four year period and also detailed some background data around the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk area.

The Chief Executive advised that the Assistant to the Chief Executive would explain how the Corporate Strategy fitted into the Council’s process of Directorate Plans and budget setting.

The Assistant to the Chief Executive drew Member’s attention to page 16 of the Agenda which set out how the Corporate Strategy fitted into the Council’s performance management framework.  It was explained that Corporate Strategy was the high level overarching document which set out in broad terms the priorities and vision of the Administration.  The Corporate Strategy was supported by individual Directorate Plans and those in turn were supported by other strategies and plans which included the medium term Financial Plan and the Financial Plan for each of the individual years. 

The Assistant to the Chief Executive explained that the Cabinet Report set out how the Corporate Strategy fitted into the Council’s performance management framework and that the Council’s activities were too broad and diverse to be included within one document and advised that the other policies, action plans and projects needed to be read in conjunction with the Corporate Strategy.  The Corporate Strategy itself set the framework for each of those documents .

The Assistant to the Chief Executive advised that the Strategy was produced every four years by the Administration in consultation with senior council officers.  Progress was reported to Cabinet and the Corporate Performance Panel on a bi-annual basis.  Alongside the Corporate Strategy there would be action plans which will be underpinned by key performance indicators and progress was reported quarterly to the Corporate Performance Panel.  From the Directorate Plans there were Service Plans, for example, in the Legal Directorate and under there would be service plans for licensing and corporate governance.  It was highlighted that each of the services within each Directorate would produce Service Plans, each member of the team would have an annual appraisal and would have targets set.

Members were advised that the Corporate Strategy was reviewed on an annual basis and it was important that the Council continually horizon scanned and remained agile in reacting to local, national and worldwide events.

The Chief Executive added that the delivery model would now include an Annual Monitoring Report which would be a summary of targets each year and be published on  ...  view the full minutes text for item CP64

Members of the Environment and Community and Regeneration and Development Panels have been invited to attend for this item.

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The Chief Executive presented the report and reminded Members that the Borough Council (BCKLWN) agreed at the Council meeting on 30 March 2023 to make a clear public position on the County Deal for Norfolk before Norfolk County Council (NCC) made a final decision at the NCC Council meeting on 12 December 2023.

The Chief Executive advised that Chris Starkie, Director of Growth and Investment from Norfolk County Council (NCC) was present on Zoom to answer any technical questions.

It was highlighted that all Councillors had received updates and briefings on the County Deal.

Members were advised that there was no requirement for a response to NCC but the report was in response to the Motion at Full Council and included in the meantime of writing the report and going to NCC 12 December, if any other changes were needed an update would be given.  The report set out broad governance arrangements and details were available on NCC website.

The Chair, Councillor Dark thanked the Chief Executive for the report and invited comments and questions from the Panels and Councillors attending under Standing Order 34.

The Chair thanked Chris Starkie for attending to answer questions on any aspect of the County deal.

Councillor Long declared an interest as a County Councillor and explained that he had been appointed to the Norfolk County Councillor Working Group which was looking at the constitution reforms and looked at what the deal meant and together with the briefings received was therefore well versed as to the current position where and why.   Councillor long outlined what this would mean for the Borough Council, where it would have a say or a veto on the proposal for an elected Leader.  Councillor Long highlighted that the most important thing personally for him was adult education because a range of courses were required for different job skills available in West Norfolk.

Councillor Long sought clarification on development corporations and invited Chris Starkie to confirm that the information he had outlined to the Panels was correct.  In response, Chris Starkie confirmed the information was correct and outlined the powers which were passed to the Directly Elected Leader compared with Council as a whole and indeed borough and district councils.  All powers handed down from Government would be to NCC rather than to the Directly Elected Leader with the exception of the ability to establish development corporations.  Councillor Long correct development corporations can only be established in partnership and with the agreement of the local authority and in this case the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk and budget would need to be agreed by NCC Cabinet.

Councillor Blunt commented that he had read and agreed with the recommendations in the report and added that giving support to the negotiation process was fundamental to ensure that the  Borough Council was in the game.  Councillor Blunt expressed concern regarding comments made previous to this document by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item CP65

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There were no Portfolio Holder questions.

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The Cabinet Forward Decisions List was noted.

The Chair, Councillor Dark invited the Panel to email him with any items for consideration.

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The Chair, Councillor Dark invited the Panel to email him with any items for consideration.

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Councillor Nash asked for the 2021 Taxi Testing Contract to be considered at a future meeting. 

To note that the date of the next meeting of the Corporate Performance Panel will take place on 13 November 2023 at 4.30 pm in the Assembly Room, Town Hall.

The next meeting of the Corporate Performance Panel will take place on 13 November 2023 at 4.30 pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.