Leader’s Statement to Full Council Meeting 22nd July 2009

Update on Chief Executive target setting

Following Abdool Kara commencing his role as Chief Executive on 29th June, the Member Panel, consisting myself, the Deputy Leader and Labour Leader, have met with Abdool and the consultant Max Caller to agree his targets. These can be summarised as follows; 1. Review of senior management arrangements to ensure they are fit for purpose; and more general review to ensure that the council’s overall staffing resources are focussed on its priorities. 2. Improved performance across the council together with an outcome-focussed appraisal process and review of reward throughout organisation. 3. Achieve viability for continued occupation of Swale House with partners, or identify alternatives. 4. Sharpen Mid-Kent Improvement Partnership outcomes, and assess MAA progress. 5. Identify savings of £2m for 2010/11 as part of real term reduction of £5m over the next three financial years. 6. Review of progress on regeneration and clarity on anticipated outcomes against identified timescales. 7. Preparation for housing re-inspection. 8. Strengthen leadership across the council. 9. Make a positive impact within Swale.

An informal appraisal will take place in October 2009 to review progress on all targets. Further reviews will take place during Abdool’s first year, with a final review and roll forward of targets in July/August 2010. Members will have the opportunity to feed back to the Member Panel during this time.

LGA Annual Conference

I attended the Annual Assembly this year at Harrogate with Councillor Derek Conway and our new Chief Executive Abdool Kara. This was possibly the best Annual Conference I have attended.

The opening speaker was Sir Christopher Meyer, former Ambassador to the United States. He gave a fascinating insight into leading political figures of recent times such as Bill Clinton and .

I then attended and contributed to a workshop on strategic flood risks Chaired by Keith Mitchell Leader of Oxfordshire and the SEEDA Board member with rural responsibilities.

The highlight of the Conference for me was the first session on Wednesday. We had presentations from Rachel Lomax, former Deputy Governor of the Bank of , Barry Quirk Chief Executive of Lewisham LBC and LGA Deputy Chair Richard Kemp. The presentations were on the global economic picture, the outlook for the UK economy and the role that the local councils might play in recovery. Although the message was decidedly gloomy it was very well presented and thought provoking.

Later on Tuesday I attended a talk by Michael Parkinson the Government’s Dignity Ambassador on the shift in population demographics as the baby boomer generation reaches retirement age. The certainty of more elderly residents with substantially higher expectations and less money to meet those expectations.

Thursday had the major political speeches by Vince Cable who is usually very good but I felt on this occasion was slightly below par. Also David Cameron, very assured, and John Denham the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. He commented on the need for politicians to gain respect and regain public confidence. He appeared totally unwilling to accept any blame lay with MPs!

The Conference continued with a Question Time panel on race relations etc with Andrew Neil, Hugh Muir of and Yasmin Aliibhai-Brown. We then finished with a personal view of the future of business by Professor Richard Scase of the University of Kent.

The networking opportunities were extensive. On Tuesday evening Abdool and I had dinner with the Leader of Essex County Council, several of his Cabinet Members and some of the leaders of Essex District Councils.

On the Wednesday evening Councillor Conway, Mr Kara and I were part of a dinner party of twenty representatives of Kent Local Authorities including the Leader of Kent County Council, Paul Carter, nine District Council Chief Executives, eight District Council Leaders and three Deputy Leaders.

During the Conference I managed to have meetings with the Leader and Deputy Leader of Medway Council and the Leader of Gravesham Council to discuss the North Kent MAA. I also met with the Leaders and Chief Executives of both Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone to discuss the Mid Kent Improvement Partnership.