Decision details

RESOLVED that the Executive:

i.       RECOMMENDED to Council to approve the Council Plan attached at Appendix A;

ii.     Support delivery of the Council Plan and ensure the organisation remains resilient and sustainable by endorsing the proposed Business Change programme summarised in Appendix A;

iii.    RECOMMENDED that Council adopts with effect from 1 December 2023 a flexible use of capital receipts strategy as set out at Appendix B to provide funding needed to ensure the Council Plan and Business Change programme are successfully delivered.

iv.    Review and consider the recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny

Commission, included as Appendix D.

1.     The Council Plan is essential to the organisation’s policy framework and effective operations. It outlines the priorities for the Council in the coming four years’ and focuses the work to be undertaken.

2.     The development of the Council Plan is based on multiple layers of engagement and development; this has led to incorporating significant feedback into the structure and wording of the content. There has been feasibility testing as part of the development, to ensure that the content has longevity for the plan period and ambitious, but realistic deliverability.

3.     The plan includes a core enabling priority to be an ambitious, resilient and

sustainable organisation. Much of this will be delivered through the business change programme to ensure the organisation is fit for the future. The aspiration is to be the best organisation possible. The proposed flexible use of a capital receipts strategy in Appendix B will enable the council to use capital receipts to support and enable the delivery of the business change programme’s priorities and facilitate the delivery of savings and improved outcomes for service users.

Alternatives have been explored through the development of the plan and

incorporated into the final version. Funding to support the Business Change

programme could be sought from the Council’s reserves, however the scale of

financial pressures being faced suggests that those should be protected for

alternative uses.

None

Meetings and workshops.

Council Staff.