Document Community Services Service Area Plan Update Quarter 3 2023/24

The Committee noted the Quarter 3 update on the Community Services Area Plan for 2023/24.

Members’ attention was drawn to the report’s appendix which provided a summary of all work priorities within the service area plan, and showed that of the 32 objectives listed, 18 had been completed so far with 14 continuing to be in progress with an update given on each.

Officers advised that all the objectives within the Service Area Plan were underway with a number of objectives that were marked as completed in Quarter 3.  For example implementation of the new Armed Forces Covenant, moving the Council’s Safeguarding Policy into new ‘business as usual’ and achieving full GDPR compliance to work with Surrey Heartlands and Alliance partners.  The Runnymede Health and Wellbeing Partnership would be launched in March 2024.

The main part of the report gave an overview of progress against the outstanding objectives.  Of the 14 objectives that remained to be completed, Members were advised that a number of items were always intended to roll into the next municipal year.  These included Chertsey Museum Digitisation, the Better Care Fund demonstrator wet room, digitalisation of the telecare services, and the Egham Hythe Centre Community Hub – viability work, as well as improvements to the play areas, Runnymede Pleasure grounds and the Community Safety Strategy.  Therefore, focus was on 9 objectives that were aspired to be completed in 2023/24. 

Members observed that Community Services had been tasked with the addition of the Citizens Panel as an objective.  Work on this objective had moved forward and an update would be provided in due course.  Officers confirmed that populating the panel would focus on participants with an interest in the various subjects rather than being service area experts.

The Committee duly noted the report and looked forward to progress reports in due course.