Agenda item

The Executive Mayor in Cabinet amended the report recommendations and RESOLVED to:

2.1       Approve the “Future Croydon” - the Transformation Plan 2024–2029, and agreed that the reporting cycle was to be clarified at a future Cabinet meeting.

2.2       Approve the update to the existing transformation plan, previously agreed at Cabinet in November 2022, renamed the Council Improvement Programme 2022 – 2027.

The Executive Mayor introduced the Transformation Plan 2024-2029 which outlines how the plan will be achieved, transforming and modernising council services.  

The Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes, Councillor Lynne Hale shared with Cabinet that the Transformation Plan 2024 - 2029 was a welcome plan that builds on the foundations of the significant improvement work already undertaken. The proposals mark a pivoting point for Croydon with its radical customer focused plans which will maximise the use of technology and put residents first, always mindful of accessibility. It will be achieved by working together, with staff and our partners in the voluntary, business and statutory sectors to develop new ways of working and ensuring residents are heard.

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Jason Cummings informed Cabinet that the strategy intends to make Croydon the most efficient borough in London and fully expects to see other councils following Croydon’s lead. Further, only a complete transformation of how the council operates will allow the challenges ahead to be met. Steps will be taken to ensure technological advancements will be accessible, simple, easy and convenient to all residents. The Director of Transformation, Sharon Godman was welcomed to the team.

The Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery, Nick Hibberd added that the corporate management team were focused and committed to supporting the delivery of the plan, working with communities and partners to ensure all of the funding works.

The Chief Executive Officer, Katherine Kerswell noted all seven Corporate Directors were cited in the report to signal the commitment and plan provided firm foundations in moving the council forward. The staff response to the plan was positive, and CE paid tribute to all who had been involved with informing the plan citing that it is an exciting moment.

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Stuart King welcomed and acknowledged the significance of the plan. However, it was noted that it was not a Council Plan that elected members could engage in but that of the Executive Mayor - as not part of the Council’s Budgetary & Policy Framework. Further, in regard to recommendation 2:1 a request was made to consider a formal reporting regime of every three months to cabinet rather than every six months for the next 12 months or for as long as the period that the panel remain in Croydon in order to give all Members a transparent and visible opportunity to engage with the programme.

The Executive Mayor responded that the reporting process and recommendation would be reviewed to see whether it should comeback more often and changed to “Subject to Review”.

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Cummings interjected that a significant number of the elements of the Transformation Plan would come through the Cabinet process individually and, as the Executive Mayor has provided a commitment to review it over all suggested elements could be labelled within the agenda to be clearer as to what is being updated.

The Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Callton Young, stated that he was keen to see a more detailed plan that fleshed out some of the high level ideas and concurred with the comments made by Councillor King. Councillor Callton Young, asked how much confidence could be placed in the figures provided at this stage.

The Executive Mayor responded that the document was succinct and makes the direction of travel clear. The savings were built within the MTFS and will flex during the process.

Councillor Cummings confirmed that the document was an overview of the Transformation Plan. In terms of the figures, it was confirmed that they will vary but the total will add up even if individual elements change.

The Executive Mayor concluded that a reporting cycle would be clarified.

The Executive Mayor in Cabinet amended the report recommendations and

RESOLVED to:

2.1      Approve the “Future Croydon” - the Transformation Plan 2024–2029, and agreed that the reporting cycle was to be clarified at a future Cabinet meeting.

2.2      Approve the update to the existing transformation plan, previously agreed at Cabinet in November 2022, renamed the Council Improvement Programme 2022 – 2027.