To: THE EXECUTIVE
27 April 2021
Service Plan Refresh 2021-2022
Chief Executive
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To provide the Executive with details of the proposed content for the 2021/22 service plans. This includes highlighting the progress made in delivering the council plan themes since the last service plans and the key changes for these new versions in the context of the pandemic renewal principles.
2 Recommendation
2.1 To approve the new services plans to be published on the website. The PDF versions are attached as annexes A-C.
3 Reasons for Recommendation
3.1 Departmental Service Plans describe how directorates are working towards the delivery of the Council Plan and form a key part of the Council’s overall local performance framework. It demonstrates the work of services in delivering the objectives set out in the Council Plan and provides the basis for the quarterly service reports.
4 Alternative Options Considered
4.1 None considered
5 Supporting Information
Overview
5.1 All directorates have reviewed the content of their individual Service Plans in preparation for 2021/22. This work has concentrated on three main areas:
· developing and updating actions to deliver the Council Plan key objectives
· updating the targets for the performance indicators where relevant
· developing operational actions and performance indicators which support departmental business and reflect the priority to address COVID recovery as agreed by the Executive in August 2020.
5.2 A total of 44 actions linked to the Council Plan objectives were achieved and deleted from the previous service plans and a further 30 have been added for the upcoming year. These are distributed across the Council Plan themes and illustrated in figure 1 below. Additionally, 13 further priorities have been set, directly linked to recovery from the pandemic.
5.3 As with previous plans, equality actions have been identified with an (E) at the end of each action within service plans. This demonstrates the integration of equalities work across the delivery of the Council Plan.
Key changes
5.4 Whilst the service plans generally follow the same framework each year, to set out the strategic progress against the Council Plan objectives, this year there have been a number of changes. In addition to the changes in priority actions there have broadly been two areas of alteration:
· Formatting changes
· COVID impacts
5.5 In terms of formatting, this has been refreshed with the aim of improving the readability and flow of the document. Sections for each theme have been more clearly signposted and the accessibility considered. More documents are now read digitally and so this format is targeted towards this change. However, the page remains set to A4 if printing is required.
5.6 There will also be new formatting for the website version, to link to existing published information, such as the Council Plan objectives, wider strategies and the renewal principles. A web version will also be introduced to prevent the need for uploading the plans as PDFs, which are not permitted for accessibility reasons.
5.7 There has also been significant changes to the operations of all services due to the impacts of the pandemic. Therefore, whilst the delivery of the Council Plan agreed in October 2019 remains key to the strategic direction of the council, there is also a new need to reflect on additional priorities to support recovery from COVID-19. In particular, reflecting on the recovery and renewal principles, agreed by The Executive last year. These additional priorities are highlighted in a new section at the end of the service plans. More detail on the impact the pandemic has had on Council Plan delivery is included within the usual quarterly monitoring reports.
6 Consultation and Other Considerations
Legal Advice
6.1 There are no specific legal implications arising from the recommendations in this report.
Financial Advice
6.2 Approval of the service plans does not have any impact on the Council’s finances, although there is a key link between agreeing and delivering the priorities within the budgets available to each area.
Other Consultation Responses
6.3 All directorates and the Corporate Management Team have reviewed the new service plan drafts and provided any further amendments. These are reflected in the copies attached to this report.
Equalities Impact Assessment
6.4 Bracknell Forest Council undertakes EqIAs on significant changes to policy or new policies, projects, procedures or services and decisions that could have disproportionate impacts on individuals or groups protected under the Equality Act 2010.
Strategic Risk Management Issues
6.5 Having robust governance arrangements including clear service delivery plans with performance targets that have been reviewed and approved is fundamental to ensuring that departments are working in line with the Council’s strategic direction and mitigates the risk of the Council’s key objectives not being achieved.
Background Papers
None
Contact for further information
Katie Flint, Policy Officer - 01344 352217
Katie.flint@bracknell-forest.gov.uk