Agenda item

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built presenting the 2021/22 high-level Business Plan for the Department of the Built Environment.

Officers reported that the Plan had been produced based on the current organisational structure and that this would be reviewed further towards the end of 2021-22 in line with the Target Operating Model. Members were informed that there was a new corporate template that clearly linked to and defined how the department supported the Corporate Plan and the adopted strategies.

In response to a question, Officers highlighted that the draft City Plan 2036 placed significant emphasis on the delivery of healthy and inclusive streets.

A Member questioned why the Sports Strategy had been included within the equivalent document for PHES but not here. Officers stated that the report submitted to PHES had been a combined report with three separate business plans for the Department of Built Environment (DBE), Open Spaces and Markets and Consumer Protection appended. It was reported that the Sports Strategy was very high on the agenda for Open Spaces but that, due to limited time and workstreams, those aspects captured within this business plan were only the very high-level strategies with DBE’s principal strategic commitments set out on page 621 of the agenda pack. Members were assured that this did not, however, mean that the Department would not seek to implement the Sports Strategy and others in so far as possible.

Another Member commented that it would be good to include reference to the monitoring and enforcement of planning conditions within the Plan. She went on to note that, under the Transport Strategy, the Plan referred to the need to prioritise and provide more space for people walking but did not make reference to cycling. Under the Climate Action Strategy, one of the key priorities was around reducing embodied carbon and the Member questioned whether something regarding refurbishment and reuse of buildings could be added here. Finally, the Member noted that, under the KPIs, there was mention of increasing office space and stated that she would be interested to know whether increased provision of residential accommodation should also be referenced here.

Officers reiterated that this was a high-level business plan supported by a number of divisional plans and that details such as compliance figures and development management would be included within these. Members were also informed that Officers were working at pace across the organisation to capture KPIs that have a  direct link to the corporate performance framework and corporate strategies. Officers undertook to respond further to the Member on the specifics of the questions raised in writing.

RESOLVED – That Members approve the 2021/22 high-level Business Plan for the Department of the Built Environment.