Return to Agenda

Division(s): N/A


ITEM EX18

EXECUTIVE – 15 MARCH 2005

SOCIAL INCLUSION

Report by the County Council Management Team


Background

  1. On 19 October 2004 the Executive adopted a draft Social Inclusion Strategy which addresses the issues in the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee’s social inclusion scrutiny review report.

  2. The Executive also noted that the Social Inclusion Strategy would be supported through the development of a prioritised corporate Social Inclusion Action Plan.

    3. Social Inclusion Strategy

  3. The Council's Social Inclusion Strategy builds organically from our aim, objectives and values and draws together relevant policy decisions previously taken by the Executive, as well as reflecting current guidance produced by, for example, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Social Exclusion Unit.

  4. The Strategy paints both a positive and realistic picture of where the Council currently stands whilst also setting a robust framework for further activity through an increasingly focused, strategic and more joined up approach.

  5. Strong examples are provided of directorate activities that promote social inclusion. The Strategy outlines a robust framework for data based action planning, monitoring, implementation and governance.

    6. Equality and Social Inclusion Steering Group

  6. The Social Inclusion Strategy states that the operational implementation of equality, social inclusion and community cohesion activities will be overseen on behalf of CCMT by a small, high level and focused cross-directorate officer group, with delegated authority and a strategic council-wide overview.

  7. The aim of the Equality and Social Inclusion Steering Group is to promote the principles of equality and social inclusion and to contribute to the effective leadership and management of the Council’s equality and social inclusion activities, as a major provider and procurer of services, as the largest employer in Oxfordshire and as a partner and community leader. The terms of reference and membership are attached to this report. (Annex 1) (download as .doc file).

    8. Social Inclusion Reference Group

  8. The Social Inclusion Strategy also states that the Deputy Leader will chair a social inclusion reference group of appropriate officers from all directorates and targeted local voluntary organisations operating in this field, plus a limited number of County Councillors. This group is of strategic importance given the increasing emphasis being placed by the Audit Commission on what their Comprehensive Performance Assessment framework consultation document refers to as "user focus, diversity and human rights", which will be integral elements of future corporate assessments.

  9. The reference group has been established and has agreed terms of reference and a schedule of meetings for 2005/06. Details are attached to this report. (Annex 2) (download as .doc file).

    10. Social Inclusion Action Plan Framework

  10. The Equality and Social Inclusion Steering Group has been progressing the development of a social inclusion action plan.

  11. A significant amount of work has been undertaken by officers in the Chief Executive’s Office and all directorates in identifying and mapping planned activity for 2005/06 by services and teams, defining intended social inclusion outcomes and referencing quantifiable outputs, including BVPI, PSA and other relevant targets. All activities in the social inclusion action plan framework have been related to the six key measures for achieving social inclusion identified in the Social Inclusion Strategy. Specific actions to deliver against most of the targets given can be found in directorate, service and team plans.

  12. The steering group has been mindful of our understanding of the intentions of the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee’s Social Inclusion Scrutiny Review and the recommendations within their report.

  13. These included recommendations that:

    1. the CCMT social inclusion ‘Champion’ should produce an ‘action plan’ demonstrating improved linkages across directorates on social inclusion issues, identifying barriers to joint working and ensuring that preventative work is effectively joined up between key services;

    2. the Social Inclusion Group should deliver the social inclusion ‘action plan’ to the Directorates and the ‘action plan’ should be mapped onto service plans;

    3. the Executive should ensure that a group of challenging BVPIs and PSA targets are identified and ‘badged’ as ‘social inclusion indicators’ and included as a group in the annual performance monitoring and reporting framework.

  14. A proposed framework for the Social Inclusion Action Plan is attached to this report. (Annex 3) (download as .pdf file). This is a living document addressing the requirements set out in paragraph 13 above. CCMT considered the framework at their meeting on 23 February 2005 and accepted it as the basis for a prioritised corporate Social Inclusion Action Plan to be developed by the steering group during the first part of 2005/06. The framework has also been endorsed by the Social Inclusion Reference Group.

  15. The framework provides a systematic and strategic basis for the further development of a prioritised corporate Social Inclusion Action Plan. This will draw out specific actions in directorates to deliver against prioritised targets which will contribute towards achieving the intended social inclusion outcomes. The final action plan will therefore contain SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timetabled) outputs that can be evaluated and reviewed and that will enable us to measure the real difference being made. The steering group will ensure that appropriate specific actions are identified consistently within all directorates by the end of 2005/06.

  16. This will also help to ensure that the scrutiny review recommendation that the action plan should be mapped onto service plans is delivered fully and effectively by 1 April 2006, as the planning process for the 2006/07 service plans will include a much more detailed revision of process than has been possible for this round and is also intended to encompass resource allocation more comprehensively.

    17. RECOMMENDATIONS

  17. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to agree the Social Inclusion Action Plan Framework set out in Annex 3 (download as .pdf file) to the report as the basis for a prioritised corporate Social Inclusion Action Plan to be developed during 2005/06.

JOHN PARRY
on behalf of the County Council Management Team

Background papers: Nil

Contact Officers:
John Parry, Director for Community Safety & Chief Fire Officer Tel: (01865) 855205
Adrian Harper-Smith, Corporate Strategies Manager, Chief Executive’s Office Tel: (01865) 810179

March 2005.

Return to TOP