The meeting covered several key topics, including the minutes of the previous meeting, the diversity annual report, financial performance, and strategic tasks. Here are the main points discussed:

Diversity Annual Report

The diversity annual report was presented by Catherine, who highlighted key points from the report and the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) scheme updates. The report included data on residents, employees, and councillors, and discussed the gender pay gap, job applicants, and the EDI action plan. Key initiatives included British Sign Language training for frontline staff, neurodiversity training, and support for carers and people living with dementia.

Financial Performance

Katie presented the financial performance report, which showed an overall underspend of £1.663 million in the revenue budget and £5.710 million in the capital budget. The underspend was attributed to various factors, including additional grants and business rates income. The capital underspend was mainly due to delays in projects like the crematorium and Bingham. The report also discussed the impact of inflation and pay increases, as well as the challenges faced by Streetwise and the Rushcliffe Oaks Crematorium.

Strategic Tasks

Charlotte introduced the annual update on strategic tasks, which outlined the goals and progress of various initiatives under the new corporate strategy. The report aimed to provide a clear understanding of what each task intended to achieve and would be updated annually to track progress.

Feedback from Scrutiny Groups

Councillors provided feedback from various scrutiny groups, including discussions on IT infrastructure, sewage infrastructure, carbon management, and the performance of Streetwise. Issues like the timing of report distribution and the need for more detailed data were also raised.

Work Programs

The work programs for the upcoming meetings were discussed, with a focus on rolling items and key topics like the management of open spaces and the combination of the Growth and Development meeting with the Communities meeting.

Overall, the meeting covered a wide range of topics, providing updates and discussing future plans for various council initiatives.