Agenda item

To receive an update on the Telford & Wrekin Council Plan.

The Leader of the Council presented the report of the Director: Policy & Governance.

The report presented the updated Council Plan which sought to drive delivery of the Council’s vision to “protect, care and invest to create a better borough” during the period 2024/25 to 2026/27.

In order to deliver the Council’s vision, the Council Plan identified four priorities:

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

· Everyone benefits from a thriving economy

· All neighbourhoods are a great place to live

· Our natural environment is protected, and the Council has a leading role in addressing the climate emergency

Significant progress had been made on delivering against these priorities which included being the first Council in the West Midlands to be judged outstanding in successive inspections by Ofsted for Children’s Social Care Services.  A reduction in the number of referrals for safeguarding and statutory services by 30%.  There had been an increase in the number of offenders referred for treatment from criminal justice of 44.2% in the 12 months ending May 2024 compared to 2023/24 and continued to deliver one of the best alcohol treatment rates in the country.  Some 340 units of extra care housing had been delivered in 2024/25 to support specialised living accommodation.  The Council had provided over 37,500 people with over £7m in support including £100 given to 6,000 pensioners, together with financial support through a variety of welfare support schemes including household support fund, discretionary housing payments, emergency welfare assistance and council tax hardship fund during 23/24 and 24/25.  A sum of £1.17m had been invested in environmental improvements and enhancements into local parks, nature reserves and green guarantee sites with some 11,664 trees being planted and the creation of 32 new wildflower areas.

Investment had taken place to expand schools and education centres making these more accessible to everyone.   Regeneration had taken place on the high street, new factories had been built, together with start-up units and the regionally significant Agri-tech Park enabling the private sector to create job opportunities for residents.

The key priority remained that that the communities were the best place to live and work with a thriving economy, improved high streets, factories and business units come, stay and extend bringing job opportunities, expanding the school and education offer to the centre of town, protecting the local natural environment in Telford.

The final commitment was that the Council be efficient, effective and innovative in order to maintain the lowest council tax in the Midlands, make wise investments with the surplus supporting front line services in order to protect, care and invest in the Borough.

Cabinet Members expressed that the plan was linked to the vision document which had been created following significant resident input. The four priorities provided services to match the Council’s high expectations and to be on the side of residents.  Protecting, caring and investing was at its heart, enabling everyone to live well and ensuring neighbourhoods were a great place to live.  The Council is a community focussed Council providing efficient, effective services which benefit the thriving community.  Its aim was to protect the natural environment, mitigate against climate change, whilst having a plan that meant long term financial stability. The medium-term financial strategy delivered against the vision and the resources required to achieve it.  The Council had a good track record of delivery in communities which had a positive effect on peoples’ lives.  The Council wanted to continue to make the borough the best it could be.

The Leader of the Conservative Group commented that the Vision 2032 plan had recently been before Cabinet where he enquired about partners who were not listed in the plan, and in particular secondary education, as this was a central government request.  In relation to population, he asked for clarification on the correct figure as two numbers had been cited.  He set out that one of his personal values was social responsibility and he agreed that the Council had a duty to the most vulnerable in society both morally and at law. He agreed with residents being asked to accept and act upon their own responsibilities so that people can do what they can to help themselves.  He asked that the Council protect the natural environment from overdevelopment and protect land that has never been developed and suggested urban densification would be a sensible way forward on already developed land.

The Leader commented that key partners would be attending the vision event later in year which included health, Police, the voluntary sector and representatives from further education.  He welcomed the recent and future ministerial visits and the support from the local MP who would champion the Council’s causes.  He confirmed that the correct population figure was 191,000.  In relation to the Local Plan, that would be a debate for the future, and it would have to consider the need for more housing and protecting the natural environment.

RESOLVED – that the updated Council Plan 2024/25 to 2026/27 including the vision and key priorities be approved.