Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report

1.1       To present Committee with the Corporate Plan 2025-2028 and the accompanying annual Corporate Delivery Plan 2025-26 for consideration and approval.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

i.       agree the draft Corporate Plan (2025-28) as attached at Appendix 1, for publication, subject to minor edits based on Member comments;

ii.      agree the draft annual Corporate Delivery Plan (2025- 26) as attached at Appendix 2.

3.0       Key Issues

            Background

3.1       Members will be aware of the challenging environment within which the Council currently operates.  The escalating fiscal strain, fuelled by rising prices, a cost-of-living crisis and economic challenges are having significant adverse impacts on individuals, families and services across the city and widening inequalities.

3.2       Members have set the challenge to the Council of pivoting its focus and resources to meet the challenges and opportunities which emerge over this Council term. The process through which the new three-year corporate plan has been co-designed with elected members was essential and provided a platform to help inform and connect the Council’s resource planning cycles (budgets, people, capital and assets) and the development of a Medium-Term Financial Plan. 

3.3       Members will be aware of the discussions which has taken place since the election of the new Council through Standing Committees, Party Group Leaders meetings and all Member workshops in relation to the emerging draft Corporate Plan and proposed priorities for future investment.

3.4       In December 2024, SP&R Committee agreed that a draft Corporate Plan be published for a public consultation exercise between January – March 2025. Whilst response numbers were small, most comments received were supportive of the priorities outlined in the corporate plan.  Minor changes to language have been made to the draft corporate plan where feedback highlighted the need for greater clarity in some areas.

            Corporate Plan 2025-2028

3.5       Members will be aware of the importance of the corporate plan as a key governance document, cited in the Council’s constitution as the means by which the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee sets the strategic direction of the council. It sets out what the council wants to achieve for the city and the key priority actions to make this happen.  These priorities are then used as the basis for informing any emerging medium-term financial plan. 

3.6       The corporate plan is also a key communication tool for staff across the organisation in understanding the strategic importance of their work in terms of helping  to shape the city and improving people’s lives. This contribution and impact ranges from cleaning our streets, lifting bins, maintaining our excellent parks, delivering key strategic programmes such as our employability schemes, delivering large scale events or providing essential back office support.

3.7       Subject to Committee consideration and approval, it is proposed that the members approve the draft Corporate Plan 2025-28 for publication (subject to Full Council).  Should Members do so, it will be published online, and an underpinning communications plan will commence in June that articulates the Members ambitions for the Council, as laid out in our corporate plan.

            Corporate Delivery Plan 2025-2026

3.8       As the 3 year corporate plan is strategic in nature, it is accompanied by an annual Corporate Delivery Plan (2025-16).  This gives Members greater detail on what will be delivered against each priority with the resources allocated for 2025-26.  It also contains a series of performance indicators for 2025-26 and associated targets.  This give Members greater oversight of what is being delivered within the financial year and articulates the scale of work which continues to be delivered by Council and the impact of this within communities across the city. Members are asked to endorse this draft Delivery Plan, which will form the basis of progress updates to Committee throughout the year and accompanied by a year-end report to SP&R Committee.

3.9       Financial and Resource Implications

            There are no immediate resource implications.  However, the priorities agreed in the corporate plan will form the basis of the rate setting process over the coming years.  Members are also asked to note that a financial planning workshop for Members is currently being arranged that will discuss the financial needs of the priorities contained within the corporate plan.

3.10      Equality of Good Relations Implications /

            Rural Needs Assessment

            Equality screening has been completed as part of the plan development process.”

            The Committee agreed:

i.     the draft Corporate Plan (2025-28) as attached at Appendix 1 to the report, for publication, subject to minor edits based on Member comments which had been raised at the meeting; and

ii.    the draft annual Corporate Delivery Plan (2025-26) as attached at Appendix 2 to the report.