Council-wide Proposals

Share Council-wide Proposals on Facebook Share Council-wide Proposals on Twitter Share Council-wide Proposals on Linkedin Email Council-wide Proposals link


Council-wide Services

We have a range of support services that enable the Council to be safe and well-managed. These include areas such as Human Resources, Finance, ICT, Legal, Transformation, data and support to decision-making. Overall, the budget for this area is £29.2m.


Council-wide Priorities

Key priorities in this area are as follows:

Enabling an efficient and empowering Council

  • Deliver a budget plan that addresses how services will remain affordable despite increased demand and constrained resources
  • Embed plans for flexible working across the organisation rather than staff being predominantly based in Council buildings
  • Ensure the Council is well-managed and governed
  • Implement a People Plan to further develop and support staff across the organisation
  • Deliver a digital programme to support services to be more responsive to customers, communities, and businesses. Alongside this we will continue to provide accessible services to those not able to connect with us digitally

A Fairer Future: Tackling the Poverty Emergency

  • Supporting people experiencing poverty to be heard so they can shape local services
  • Responding to the immediate consequences of poverty faced by our residents
  • Addressing the root causes of poverty and working to reduce poverty across the borough


Council-wide Proposals

To balance the budget and ensure there is enough money to tackle the priorities set out above, we are proposing the following:

(3.1) Additional investment to tackle poverty through a range of schemes set out in an anti-poverty plan: An additional £400,000 is proposed from next year to support the Council’s approach to reducing poverty. This will support a range of schemes that will be set out in an anti-poverty plan. Key actions may include improving advice services, supporting people into work, improving access to digital skills and tools, improving access to housing, and supporting projects that will support a fairer economy.

(3.2) Reducing costs by embracing flexible working and delivering services from a range of locations: The Council has developed a programme to continue the approach to flexible working taken during the pandemic. Staff will be supported to work from a range of locations rather than just offices or operational buildings. This will reduce staff travel costs and the running costs of Council buildings as well as reducing emissions. It will also provide the opportunity to rent out vacant space. Overall, this could save £450,000 over the next three years.

(3.3) Additional investment in a programme of health and safety and improvements to buildings and other assets: We constantly review our health and safety obligations and propose to invest an additional £200,000 from next year to support our programme of improvements to buildings and other assets.

(3.4) Additional investment in priority support services that require additional funding: We have reviewed all our support services to make sure they are efficient and effective. This is due to save £1.6 million. We have also identified some priority areas for investment including legal support for safeguarding cases, support for apprenticeships, emergency planning, support for committees and resources to improve communications. Overall, this will cost £510,000 from next year.

Further ideas for the future

To meet future challenges the following is being considered, but work is at an early stage:

(3.5) Consider reviewing administration support and identify the potential for technology to deliver a more efficient service: Administration support is important to ensure the front line can focus on delivering good services to customers. We will explore the best model for delivering this support and consider the role of technology to support more efficient administration within the Council.


Council-wide Services

We have a range of support services that enable the Council to be safe and well-managed. These include areas such as Human Resources, Finance, ICT, Legal, Transformation, data and support to decision-making. Overall, the budget for this area is £29.2m.


Council-wide Priorities

Key priorities in this area are as follows:

Enabling an efficient and empowering Council

  • Deliver a budget plan that addresses how services will remain affordable despite increased demand and constrained resources
  • Embed plans for flexible working across the organisation rather than staff being predominantly based in Council buildings
  • Ensure the Council is well-managed and governed
  • Implement a People Plan to further develop and support staff across the organisation
  • Deliver a digital programme to support services to be more responsive to customers, communities, and businesses. Alongside this we will continue to provide accessible services to those not able to connect with us digitally

A Fairer Future: Tackling the Poverty Emergency

  • Supporting people experiencing poverty to be heard so they can shape local services
  • Responding to the immediate consequences of poverty faced by our residents
  • Addressing the root causes of poverty and working to reduce poverty across the borough


Council-wide Proposals

To balance the budget and ensure there is enough money to tackle the priorities set out above, we are proposing the following:

(3.1) Additional investment to tackle poverty through a range of schemes set out in an anti-poverty plan: An additional £400,000 is proposed from next year to support the Council’s approach to reducing poverty. This will support a range of schemes that will be set out in an anti-poverty plan. Key actions may include improving advice services, supporting people into work, improving access to digital skills and tools, improving access to housing, and supporting projects that will support a fairer economy.

(3.2) Reducing costs by embracing flexible working and delivering services from a range of locations: The Council has developed a programme to continue the approach to flexible working taken during the pandemic. Staff will be supported to work from a range of locations rather than just offices or operational buildings. This will reduce staff travel costs and the running costs of Council buildings as well as reducing emissions. It will also provide the opportunity to rent out vacant space. Overall, this could save £450,000 over the next three years.

(3.3) Additional investment in a programme of health and safety and improvements to buildings and other assets: We constantly review our health and safety obligations and propose to invest an additional £200,000 from next year to support our programme of improvements to buildings and other assets.

(3.4) Additional investment in priority support services that require additional funding: We have reviewed all our support services to make sure they are efficient and effective. This is due to save £1.6 million. We have also identified some priority areas for investment including legal support for safeguarding cases, support for apprenticeships, emergency planning, support for committees and resources to improve communications. Overall, this will cost £510,000 from next year.

Further ideas for the future

To meet future challenges the following is being considered, but work is at an early stage:

(3.5) Consider reviewing administration support and identify the potential for technology to deliver a more efficient service: Administration support is important to ensure the front line can focus on delivering good services to customers. We will explore the best model for delivering this support and consider the role of technology to support more efficient administration within the Council.