As central government cuts funding, we must build long-term financial resilience and efficiency by maximising the benefits of technology, partnerships, data, resident insight and a commercial mindset to reform how we work.
We are putting the resident experience at the centre of everything that we do.
We are enhancing how residents access our services, as we bring more online, whilst continuing to assist residents who need support over the phone and in person.
Residents can continue to access a one-stop-shop for council services online, supported by an accessible website that offers translation in over 100 languages.
In addition, our Digital Inclusion Strategy will provide residents with the connectivity, equipment and skills needed to help navigate an increasingly digital world.
We're building more strategic alliances with global anchor organisations and community groups to bolster the local economy and draw in the expertise we need to improve how we deliver services.
We want to go further in maximising the benefits of data, automation, and co-production in shaping the decisions we make.
We're also developing the council's commercial culture to better identify income opportunities and secure greater value through our investments.
These aspirations are shaping how we redesign our town hall, which will embody what it means to be a modern, efficient, and commercially minded organisation.
Our ambition
Our ambition is to continue to reform how we work with residents, staff and partners to drive efficiency and innovation in how we deliver our services, as we seek to secure the best possible outcomes for all residents.
Short term goals
In the short term, we will:
- respond positively and quickly to feedback, complaints, and compliments to improve how we work and resident satisfaction with our services
- maximise smart working as part of the 'Hello Hybrid Future' programme
- continue to bolster our cyber security capabilities
- maximise the added value secured through our procurement processes
- continue to operate effective governance arrangements across the council, to support assurance, compliance, transparency, and collaboration across decisions.
Long term goals
In the long term, we will:
- deliver on the aspirations of our Resident Experience and Access Programme to provide a consistent and inclusive approach for resident access across the council
- challenge digital exclusion to better connect residents with council services
- deliver a programme of work to improve digital confidence and literacy in the council through our technology adoption programme
- drive up our in-house capabilities in digital automation and artificial intelligence
- apply the latest business intelligence to better inform decision-making and improve outcomes for residents
- embed universal standards for policy and strategy development across the council, centred on co-production, quality evidence, equity, and climate considerations
- enhance our commercial culture, financial returns and added value through our refreshed Commercial Strategy
- undertake a comprehensive review of the council's non-residential property division to inform a new Property Strategy and Strategic Asset Management Plan.