Decision details

To consider the timetable for corporate planning for 2012-13; the Strategic Plan and Medium Term Financial Strategy are key elements of the corporate planning framework for the Council.  They are also a key part of the ‘golden thread’ which runs from the vision for the borough set out in the Sustainable Community Strategy through to corporate priorities and outcomes and targets for individuals in appraisals.

That an update to the strategic plan and the corporate planning timetable, as set out below, be agreed.

The corporate planning process within the Council ensures that the overall vision for the borough is delivered.  The priorities and outcomes in the Strategic Plan are developed alongside the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) to ensure a consistent approach between service delivery and budgets.  Service planning allows the Council to convert high level objectives from the Strategic Plan into actions for each directorate, service or team across the Council, which then feeds into individual staff appraisals.

On 12 August 2009 Cabinet agreed to decide annually whether to update the existing Strategic Plan or to create a new one.  Following extensive change in the national arena it was agreed to write a new Strategic Plan 2011/12 to take the Council through to 2015 alongside the MTFS.  It is recommended that in light of the new plan only being developed last year, the plan for 2011-15 is updated for 2012-13.  The update will include the work of the Cabinet on the future shape of the organisation and medium term planning and prioritisation of the actions required to achieve the outcomes outlined in the Strategic Plan.

Cabinet have been considering each of the Council’s corporate outcomes at Cabinet Away Days throughout the summer to identify priority actions for each. This has been developed alongside developing proposals for investment and savings for the budget. This work will continue into September, with an away day planned for October to look at the future shape of the organisation based on the priorities and actions identified. These cabinet away days will inform the update of the Strategic Plan.

An update would include:

·  A review of all the outcomes and associated actions;

·  An update of what was achieved in the year (in 2011/12 we…);

·  An update to any local or national context where relevant;

·  An update to the foreword; and

·  An update on the Sustainable Community Strategy refresh if available.

Timetable for developing the Strategic Plan 2012/13 update

The timetable is proposed for the development of the 2012/13 update, as set out above.

A full new Strategic Plan for 2012-16 could be produced.  This is not thought appropriate, as a new strategic plan was only created last year.

Alternatively, it could be decided that the Council already has a four year plan in place and therefore there is no reason to produce either an update or another full document.  This is not thought appropriate as the local and national context is constantly changing and the Council needs to be able to demonstrate how it is planning and managing the issues arising from these changes.