Strategic Plan 2022-26

The Strategic Plan is the council’s most important document as it set out what will be delivered between 2022 and 2026.

The strategic plan is the council’s main plan. It sets out the most important priorities for the council between 2022 and 2026. These priorities come from the Mayor’s vision and the administration’s manifesto.

All local authorities must deliver certain services and make decisions. These are set out in law. The plan also includes important actions that the council will take to make sure these services and decisions are the best they can be.

The Mayor and his Cabinet are responsible for making sure the actions in the plan are carried out. The plan is supported by and aligned with the council's Medium Term Financial Strategy.

Every year, the council will publish an annual delivery plan. This will show how the plan priorities will be delivered.

The plan is used for monitoring how well the council is achieving its priorities and achieving the outcomes we expect.

Monitoring against our delivery plans will allow us to track how much we are doing, how well we are doing and what difference we are making. Every six months, a progress report will be published.

Once a year, an annual report will be presented to Cabinet. In this way, the plan makes it possible for residents and elected representatives to find out about what the council has achieved and where more progress is needed.

At the end of each section, we have provided measures which capture the broader changes we want to see for residents and the borough.

We will measure the effectiveness of council services as part of the monitoring of our annual delivery plan.

Our priorities

The Strategic Plan is made up of eight priorities.

1. Tackling the cost-of-living crisis

with measures including freezing council tax for four years, and additional financial support for residents.

2. Providing homes for the future

By working with developers and housing associations to deliver a minimum of 1000 social homes for rent each year.

3. Accelerating education

through a series of learning interventions and financial support, investing in youth services, and increasing opportunities for younger people to go into further education.

4. Boosting culture, business, jobs, and leisure

With measures including supporting small businesses, start-ups, and markets; creating jobs and training opportunities; and one hour free parking at our markets.

5. Investing in public services

For example by bringing outsourced services back into public hands.

6. Empowering communities and fighting crime

for example by working with the police to have more uniformed officers on the streets.

7. Working towards a clean and green future

By establishing a Mayor’s advisory board to guide our response to climate change and a host of green measures including green heating systems on housing estates and electric vehicle charging.

8. A council that listens and works for everyone

Download the Strategic Plan 2022-2026