Agenda and draft minutes

There were apologies from Councillors Karen Blundell, Eric Carter, Andrew Eade, Ian Fletcher, Veronica Fletcher, Jayne Greenaway, Thomas Janke, Adrian Lawrence, Raj Mehta, Jacqui Seymour, Malcolm Smith, Bill Tomlinson, Karen Tomlinson, and David Wright. 

None.

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting held on 24 October 2019 be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

The Leader and Chief Executive will present this item and invite questions from the Assembly.

The Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive presented the Council’s programme for 2022-2023.

The presentation set out the Council’s priorities and the work that had been carried out to those ends in the previous municipal year.

As an organisation, these priorities were at the heart of everything that was done and significant engagement had been undertaken to ensure that the Council’s work delivered for those living and working in the Borough.

The Leader set out a number of key achievements of the Council in 2021/2022:

•      APSE Council of the Year 2021

•      ADASS peer review - Telford & Wrekin’s Adult Social Care Services are ‘Exceptional’

•      Outstanding Children Services

•      LGA Peer review found that “has a relentless focus on neighbourhoods and very high standards that it works constantly to attain and exceed. It is an organisation that is striving constantly to deliver for local people.”

•      Over one thousand vaccines delivered thanks to ‘Betty’ the Vaccination Bus and supported the delivery of 63,000 vaccines across the Borough

•      Shortlisted for LGC Council of the Year 2022

•      Shortlisted for the MJ’s 2022 Local Authority of the Year and Senior Leadership Team of the Year awards

Every child, young person and adult lives well in their community:

In the advancement of this priority, the Council had undertaken a number of projects. Among those highlighted were the ’10 by 10’ initiative, a national first, which encouraged and enabled children to take part in ten life-enhancing activities before the age of 10. Also discussed was the Council’s independent living work, championing and supporting specialist housing as well as introducing Virtual House and an Independent Living Centre, both of which showcased life enabling home improvements for those with additional needs. Members were also informed of the work done in relation to Betty the Vaccination Bus, a scheme that had tackled vaccine inequality and enabled over 1000 people to receive a Covid-19 jab by offering a convenient, local, vaccine centre.

Everyone benefits from a thriving community:

This priority had taken on special significance in recent months due to inflationary pressures and the ensuing cost of living crisis. The Telford Land Deal, a national first-of-its-kind collaboration between the Council, HM Treasury, and Homes England, had delivered around 25,000 sq/m of commercial, 2.9 ha of brownfield developed, 188 housing units, and £37m of private sector investment in 2020/2021. The Land Deal had also created 337 new jobs in the Borough in the same year. In total, the Deal had created 1,726 jobs, 941 homes, and redeveloped 19.4 ha of brownfield since its inception. The Telford Growth Fund had also helped to improve opportunities in the Borough, developing new, high skilled, local jobs.

The Administration had been focussed on youth prospects and unemployment in particular, and since 2016, the proportion of 16-17 year olds not in education, employment, or training had been reduced from 6.1% to 3.8%. 

Since 2019, the Council had committed itself to improving the Borough’s high streets and had provided numerous  ...  view the full minutes text for item SA7

To consult Members on proposals for the scrutiny work programme for the municipal year 2022-2023.

The Director: Policy & Governance provided a brief overview of the draft work programme. Each scrutiny committee would approve the programme at their first meeting of the year. The work programme was dynamic and could be adjusted as the year progressed to adapt to unforeseen priorities.

The Chair requested that Members email any queries to Democratic Services.