Issue - meetings

Surrey County Council Strategic Reset

Meeting: 29/09/2020 - Cabinet (Item 132)

132 Surrey County Council Strategic Reset pdf icon PDF 207 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

  1. That the key themes emerging from the planning assumptions and evidence base that have informed the strategic reset be noted.
  2. That the input of the Member Reference Group in informing the Strategic Reset paper be noted.
  3. That the financial implications, impacts on the Transformation Programme, and the impacts on Directorate business plans be noted.
  4. That the four emerging priority objectives (Tackling inequality and ensuring no one is left behind; Driving inclusive growth; Creating a greener future; and Enabling resilient and connected communities) that will form a new focus for the council and become the basis of a refreshed Organisation Strategy be approved.
  5. The process being undertaken by Directorates to understand the implications for future years following the impact of Covid-19 on residents, communities and the council be noted.

Reason for Decision:

Through the council’s response to Covid-19 a number of the council’s organisational priorities have come into sharper focus, including themes such as a strong and prosperous economy; happy, healthy, connected and resilient communities; a greener future; and being a leading council. There is consensus that the 2030 Vision remains the right focus, but how we get there might need to change without losing the strong foundations that have been established over the past two years.

It is recommended that as part of the strategic reset a focus on these emerging priority areas will help the council to better prioritise its resources, refocus its transformation programme and ensure a stable provision of services going forward.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Resources and Performance Select Committee]

 

 

Minutes:

The Leader introduced the report explaining that the Strategic Reset Group had inputted to the report and recommendations from the group were welcomed. It was explained that a more detailed report would be considered by Cabinet in October. The pandemic had led the council to review the 2030 strategy which was designed with partners. The vision for Surrey in 2030 still held true but the report reprioritised areas the council would be focusing on in the current climate. With regards to the budget requirements, 2021/22 would be difficult and challenging.

 

The Leader stated that Surrey was vital in supporting the economy and was the single largest contributor to the GVA. The county would lobby government to ensure Surrey was supported and would work with the Local Enterprise Partnership and partners to ensure people can be re-skilled. The way in which residents had responded in the pandemic had been positive and admirable.

 

Four key priorities- Tackling inequality and ensuring no one is left behind; Driving inclusive growth; Creating a greener future; and Enabling resilient and connected communities had been identified and would guide the council over the coming months. More work would be undertaken to specify how these priorities would be delivered.

 

RESOLVED:

 

  1. That the key themes emerging from the planning assumptions and evidence base that have informed the strategic reset be noted.
  2. That the input of the Member Reference Group in informing the Strategic Reset paper be noted.
  3. That the financial implications, impacts on the Transformation Programme, and the impacts on Directorate business plans be noted.
  4. That the four emerging priority objectives (Tackling inequality and ensuring no one is left behind; Driving inclusive growth; Creating a greener future; and Enabling resilient and connected communities) that will form a new focus for the council and become the basis of a refreshed Organisation Strategy be approved.
  5. The process being undertaken by Directorates to understand the implications for future years following the impact of Covid-19 on residents, communities and the council be noted.

Reason for Decision:

Through the council’s response to Covid-19 a number of the council’s organisational priorities have come into sharper focus, including themes such as a strong and prosperous economy; happy, healthy, connected and resilient communities; a greener future; and being a leading council. There is consensus that the 2030 Vision remains the right focus, but how we get there might need to change without losing the strong foundations that have been established over the past two years.

It is recommended that as part of the strategic reset a focus on these emerging priority areas will help the council to better prioritise its resources, refocus its transformation programme and ensure a stable provision of services going forward.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Resources and Performance Select Committee]