Agenda item

[Report of the Chief Executive.  To be introduced by the Leader of the Council]

This report will provide an update on the Borough Plan and ask Cabinet to agree the Council’s approach to implementing the Fairness Commission recommendations.

The Leader introduced the report which provided an update on the Borough Plan and sought approval in regard to the council’s approach to implementing the Fairness Commission recommendations.

Cabinet Members and Officers responded to questions from Councillor Barnes:

-           The Council was committed to the provision of clean air on school streets.  An extensive LTN and air quality monitoring programme would be implements in order to maximise the quality of air in the borough.

-           A ‘good economy recovery plan’ had been published which set out how investment would be made in local businesses and jobs.

-           Homes for Haringey had an extensive transformation programme for properties in poor conditions and were working in consultation with tenants and leaseholders.  Work was also taking place with Housing Associations to improve conditions in properties owned by these organisations.

RESOLVED that Cabinet

1.         Note the Borough Plan Update Report at Appendix A and agree that the next full Borough Plan should now be prepared for adoption in the financial year 2022/23.

2.         Note the Covid-19 Community Impact Assessment at Appendix B and agree that this, alongside other data insight projects, should inform our ongoing response to Covid-19 and preparations for our next Borough Plan.

3.         Accept the findings of the Fairness Commission; note progress in implementing the recommendations; and agree that the council should continue to implement these recommendations as explained in the report in Appendix C.

Reasons for decision

The Borough Plan 2019-2023 was adopted in February 2019. The Cabinet Report stated that the Plan should be seen as ‘a living document’. In December 2020, Cabinet agreed that officials should ‘refresh’ and consult upon an updated Borough Plan 2019-2023.

Officers have reviewed the Borough Plan and presented an Update Report at Appendix A. Due to changes in circumstances since the Recovery and Renewal Report, including another wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, continued uncertainty about the pandemic's impact on the borough and the limited time left in the Borough Plan cycle, and with a new Cabinet now in place, it is no longer deemed beneficial to undertake a full refresh of the Plan. Instead, Cabinet is asked to agree that this Update Report should continue to inform the Council’s delivery of our current programme as well as the development of a full new Borough Plan over the next 18 months to be adopted in the financial year 2022/23. 

The Fairness Commission (‘the Commission’) was launched in July 2018 and made a series of recommendations in February 2020 to address inequality in the borough. Cabinet received an update report in March 2021 on our progress in implementing these recommendations. The Council’s Borough Plan Update Report at Appendix A now explains the lessons we have learned around equality and fairness during the pandemic and Appendix C sets out in full technical detail the progress the Council has made so far in implementing the recommendations of the Commission.

Cabinet is now asked formally to accept the findings of the Fairness Commission and agree that the council should continue to implement these recommendations as explained in Appendix C. Not every recommendation can be accepted in full for practical reasons. Where this is the case, alternative options are being explored.

Alternative options considered

Publish and consult upon a refreshed Borough Plan

It would be possible to refresh the Borough Plan 2019-2023 in full and consult as originally envisaged. However, given the continued uncertainty caused by the long-tail of the Covid pandemic, and the limited time left on the current Borough Plan cycle, this is no longer deemed feasible or desirable. The Borough Plan Update Report and the Council's delivery planning and Performance Monitoring processes (explained in paragraph 6.4) will achieve the necessary purpose.

Not accept the findings or recommendations of the Fairness Commission

It would be possible not to accept the findings or recommendations of the Fairness Commission. However, this would run counter to the council’s strategic objectives. The Commission was launched to better understand the causes of unfairness in our borough and to reconsider the actions that we could take to counter this. The evidence and findings are robust and have already informed a number of our significant organisational agendas and should continue to do so going forward.