Corporate peer challenge
Corporate peer challenge
Following on from the Corporate Peer Challenge that took place in October 2023, an action plan was agreed at Cabinet in March 2024. The following themes will be addressed throughout 2024/25 and reported on more widely in the quarterly reports.
Action:
Clearly develop and communicate the Councils vision supported by clear internal and external-facing leadership.
Outcome:
- Successful campaign delivered to promote the priorities of the Corporate Strategy 2024-2028 and actions being taken to deliver them.
- Vision embedded with staff, residents, communities and businesses.
Action:
Maximise the council’s leading role as a valued local and regional public sector strategic partner with others.
Outcome:
- Key player in regional planning network meetings.
- Help shape the integrated care approach to health and wellbeing.
- Lead the North Essex Economic Board to drive forward economic growth.
- District Strategic Assessment undertaken to help shape the Community Safety Partnership Action/Delivery plan.
- Influence the Community and Voluntary sector commissioning process through active collaboration.
- Impact on the communities close to the Large Site Asylum Centre at Wethersfield offset.
- Through the Essex Resilience Forum, effectively respond to issued which impact the district.
Action:
Establish the new ‘corporate priorities’ with an ambitious delivery plan with a golden thread through Medium Term Financial Strategy, strategies, processes and prioritisation. Support this by an evidence-based performance management programme.
Outcome:
- New Annual Plan themes embedded across the organisation.
- Performance Management Framework developed and improved performance management process implemented.
- Corporate priorities embedded into organisational templates.
Action:
Encourage innovation within the context of a mature approach to risk management.
Outcome:
- Risk appetite aligned with Corporate Strategy ambitions.
- Risk Management training delivered to members and key officers.
- Innovation built into service design.
Action:
Develop a wellresourced and SMARTer Transformation programme that clearly identifies the roles of senior leaders to deliver corporate priorities and seeks to innovate and balance the budget, supported by an effective change management strategy.
Outcome:
- Governance and reporting structures agreed.
- Fit for the Future Team developed.
- Scope and approach to transformation programme agreed.
- Members fully understand and support the approach to transformation.
- Approach and timetable for service reviews and organisation design work agreed.
- Financial targets developed.
Action:
Create a workforce and organisational development strategy that tackles issues around capacity, skills gaps, succession planning, health and wellbeing and retention.
Outcome:
- Values and Behaviours reviewed and embedded in the organisation.
- Organisational strategy developed.
- Approach to workforce planning agreed.
- Review of organisational design agreed.
- Wellbeing day held for staff.
- Recruitment and retention package improved.
- Onboarding process improved.
Action:
Maximise the use of council assets to be clear on their purpose – regeneration, social or commercial to maximise income through capital investments.
Outcome:
- Property and Asset Strategy Group established.
- Asset Management Strategy and Action Plan developed.
- Review of Operational Asset requirements completed.
Download the Annual Plan for 2024/25