Corporate Strategy 2025-30

Our Council

A financially sustainable, well-governed council, with a workforce equipped to support the people we serve

 

Why is this important?

The Council faces unprecedented financial challenges. There are many reasons for this but the important thing is to ensure that we take action to ensure the Council, and the services we provide, are sustainable now and in the future. To support this, it is crucial that the decisions the Council takes are evidence-based and reflect the wishes of our residents.  We also need to adapt our workforce to ensure it is fit to meet these historic challenges and we will work with our recognised Trade Unions through the Social Partnership Forum to achieve this.

 

What will we do to achieve this?

• Set a balanced budget in view of the financial challenges facing the Council, with full engagement of all stakeholders, and in the context of a sustainable Medium Term Financial Plan
• Meet our Council Tax and Housing Rent collection targets, and reduce arrears in regards to both
• Ensure the improvements implemented through the Corporate Governance Improvement Plan are embedded within the organisation at both elected member and officer level
• Strengthening the oversight and engagement of non-executive members through effective scrutiny
• Strengthen and embed our Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation processes
• Deliver our Participation Strategy and ensure residents have a voice in shaping the future state of the Council and are able to get involved in or influence the democratic process
• Deliver our Future Workforce plan and address challenges relating to recruitment and retention, working with our trade union partners through the Social Partnership Forum.
• Ongoing delivery of strategies which support employee health and mental well-being
• Ensure our corporate and service planning processes reflect our challenges, and enable proper planning, delivery and monitoring of our objectives over the medium term
• Ensure organisational and directorate risks (threats and opportunities) are identified, managed and mitigated effectively

 

How will we know?

Quantitative data from our Corporate scorecard relating to

• HR absence
• Council Tax / Housing Rent collection rates and arrears

Qualitative sources

• Budget setting process
• Medium Term Financial Plan
• Statement of Accounts
• Corporate Governance and Improvement Plan
• Annual Governance Statement
• Overview and Scrutiny annual report
• Digital Strategy
• Delivery of Participation Strategy
• Self-assessment report
• Elections data in 2027 (e.g. contested seats)