Policy and Resources Committee |
25 July 2017 |
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Is the final decision on the recommendations in this report to be made at this meeting? |
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Corporate Planning Timetable |
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Final Decision-Maker |
Policy and Resources Committee |
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Lead Head of Service |
Head of Policy and Communications |
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Lead Officer and Report Author |
Angela Woodhouse |
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Classification |
Public |
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Wards affected |
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This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee: |
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That the timetable for refreshing the Strategic Plan and Service Planning be approved.
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This report relates to the following corporate priorities: The corporate planning process is centred on achieving the Council’s corporate priorities:
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· Keeping Maidstone Borough an attractive place for all; and · Securing a successful economy for Maidstone Borough. |
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Timetable |
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Meeting |
Date |
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Policy and Resources Committee |
25 July 2017 |
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Corporate Planning Timetable |
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1. PURPOSE OF REPORT AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 This report sets out the corporate planning timetable the process for reviewing and identifying the council’s priorities and the resources needed to deliver them. The committee considered a report on the timetable for developing the medium term financial strategy in June.
2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
2.1 The Strategic Plan is a core element of our corporate planning. The priorities and outcomes in the Strategic Plan are developed alongside the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) to ensure consistency between service delivery and budgets. Service Planning allows the Council to convert high level priorities from the Strategic Plan into actions for each directorate, service or team across the Council, which then feeds into individual staff appraisals.
2.2 A report on the Medium Term Financial Strategy, elsewhere on the agenda for this meeting, describes the high level of uncertainty about the local government funding environment. This emphasises the importance of linking closely the Strategic Plan update with development of the Medium Term Financial Strategy.
2.3 Each year the Policy and Resources Committee are asked to agree whether to refresh the existing strategic plan or create a new one. A timetable of activity is then planned around this process.
2.4 The timetable includes a period of public consultation and reports to service committee meetings on the budget.
3. AVAILABLE OPTIONS
3.1 The Committee could either choose to create a new strategic plan, refresh the current plan or that there is no reason to produce either an update or a new plan.
3.2 A timetable for corporate planning is outlined in section 4; the Committee can review and amend this timetable as appropriate.
4. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 It is recommended that as the current Strategic Plan was subject to significant change in 2016-17, the present plan is refreshed to ensure contextual information is up to date and areas of focus in relation to the action areas 2018-19 are agreed. Not updating the plan is not recommended as the local and national context is constantly changing and the Council needs to demonstrate how it is planning and managing change.
4.2 A refresh of the Strategic Plan for 2018-19 would include:
· Identification of areas of focus for 2018-19;
· Refresh of any contextual information in the document such as statistics; and
· An updated foreword and performance measures.
4.3 Outlined below is a proposed timetable for updating the Strategic Plan and development of budget proposals.
Timetable
Date |
Action |
25 July 2017 |
Policy and Resources Committee consider the corporate planning timetable; Policy and Resources Committee agree roll forward of Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2018/19 – 2022/23 and updates as appropriate |
September 2017 |
Workshop with councillors to feedback results from the resident survey, to inform budget setting and the refresh of the Strategic Plan |
September 2017 – March 2018 |
Service planning with Heads of Service and Unit Managers |
September 2017 – November 2017 |
Develop detailed budget proposals for 2018/19 |
December 2017 – January 2018 |
Budget Consultation |
13 December 2017 |
Budget Proposals considered by Policy and Resources Committee; Strategic Plan priorities considered |
January 2018 |
Consultation with Service Committees on Budget Proposals |
January 2018 |
Priorities and performance measures workshop with Councillors if appropriate |
14 February 2018 |
Policy and Resources consider Strategic Plan refresh and final Medium Term Financial Strategy |
28 February 2018 |
Strategic Plan and Medium Term Financial Strategy considered at full Council |
5. CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK
5.1 As outlined in the table above the resident survey held in summer 2017 and budget consultation will inform the refresh of the Strategic Plan and the Medium Term Financial Strategy.
6. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION
6.1 The timetable in section 4 sets out the next steps.
7. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
Issue |
Implications |
Sign-off |
Impact on Corporate Priorities |
The corporate planning process is centred on reviewing and identifying the council’s priorities and the resources needed to deliver them. |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Risk Management |
Risks associated with the delivery of the Strategic Plan will be set out in the Strategic Risk Register |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Financial |
The timetable includes budget consultation and development of the Medium term Financial Strategy which will set the council’s budget including growth and savings required. |
Section 151 Officer |
Staffing |
Creating a new strategic plan will have significant staffing implications in terms of input into the process and embedding the priorities recently agreed. Staff resources have been allocated for updating the present plan. |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Legal |
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Equality Impact Needs Assessment |
Equalities will need to be taken into account when we plan the consultation and any service changes resulting from the budget |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Environmental/Sustainable Development |
N/A |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Community Safety |
N/A |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Human Rights Act |
N/A |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Procurement |
N/A |
Head of Policy and Communications |
Asset Management |
N/A |
Head of Policy and Communications |
8. REPORT APPENDICES
None
9. BACKGROUND PAPERS
None