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Agenda item

Local Government Association Peer Challenge Report Action Plan

To consider the progress made in relation to the implementation of the Local Government Association Peer Challenge Report Action Plan. 

Minutes:

65.1          Attention was drawn to the report of the Head of Corporate Services, circulated at Pages No. 79-91, which provided an update on the progress made in relation to the implementation of the Local Government Association Peer Challenge Report Action Plan.  Members were asked to consider the report.

65.2          The Head of Corporate Services explained that the Local Government Association had carried out a Peer Review of Tewkesbury Borough Council during the week commencing 2 March 2020 and this was the second update report.  The progress against the actions was positive and that had been endorsed by the Local Government Association when the Head of Corporate Services and the Chief Executive had met with them six weeks earlier.  Delivery of the action plan was being monitored by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the majority were things which Officers had been aware of prior to the peer review and several were now ‘business as usual’.  Particular attention was drawn to Action 9 - Consider the undertaking of a comprehensive and regular residents’ survey and Members were informed that a survey had been sent out to 5,000 residents during October with the closing date for responses the following week.  It was hoped to have some high level results prior to Christmas with a more detailed report to follow.

65.3           A Member asked how Tewkesbury Borough Council was intending to catch-up with Cheltenham Borough Council in relation to the garden community delivery given the progress that had been made on the cyber park.  In response, the Chief Executive clarified that Cheltenham Borough Council was an equal partner to Tewkesbury Borough Council in that project and the majority of housing sites were within Tewkesbury Borough.  The project had been rolling for four years and, to a large extent, delivery had been focused on the employment site, i.e. the cyber centre, with millions of pounds of investment.  Tewkesbury Garden Town was three to four years behind so it was not fair to compare them. He stressed that these were major projects which took a significant amount of time and all garden communities across the country started from different positions.  Tewkesbury Garden Town was a concept at this moment in time which was the earliest of stages.  Cheltenham Borough Council had been given planning status through the Joint Core Strategy 1 which had been adopted by all three Joint Core Strategy authorities and that same level of status would not be achieved for the Tewkesbury Garden Town until Joint Core Strategy 2 had been adopted.

65.4           A Member asked how regularly the residents’ survey was undertaken and how those being surveyed were selected.  In response, the Head of Corporate Services indicated that, ideally the survey would be undertaken every two years and a representative sample of properties was used to ensure coverage across all Borough Wards.  The Corporate Services Manager advised that Stratford District Council’s consultation unit had been used for this so comparative statistical data would be available which would be weighted and statistically sound.  A Member raised concern that the Tewkesbury Borough News was still not being delivered to residents in Sandhurst and he was aware that was also an issue for Minsterworth residents.  The Corporate Services Manager explained that there was no way to ensure 100% guaranteed delivery for the entire borough – some properties were simply too rural; however, regular discussion took place with distributors and Officers did request evidence of delivery, of which there was a significant amount in Minsterworth.  Nevertheless, she undertook to review this again with the current edition.  She confirmed that compensation had been received for areas that had been missed previously and Officers were diligent in terms of checking copies had been delivered. The Chief Executive asked Members to let the Corporate Services Manager know if residents were not receiving the Borough News and reminded Members that they could request a copy from the team if they needed one.  The Corporate Services Manager confirmed that they did have some hard copies available which could be posted or a link was available to an electronic version which she undertook to send to all Members.

65.5           It was

RESOLVED          That the progress made in relation to the implementation of the Local Government Association Peer Challenge Report Action Plan be NOTED.

Supporting documents: