corporate plan 2011 - 2016

TORFAEN COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL

CORPORATE PLAN2011 - 2016

OUR VISION

Torfaen: A safe, prosperous, sustainable place where everyone has the opportunity to be the best they can be

OUR VALUES

Supportive, Fair, Effective

Contents

Foreword – Councillor Bob Wellington 4

Introduction – Alison Ward CBE 5

Part 1 - Our Priorities 7

Priority One 8

Priority Two 12

Priority Three 16

Priority Four 20

Priority Five 24

Priority Six 28

Priority Seven 32

Part 2 - Our underlying principles and themes 37

Part 3 - Building an excellent Council 45

Part 4 - Medium Term Financial Planning 49

Foreword – Councillor Bob WellingtonLeader of the Council

I am delighted to introduce Torfaen County Borough Council’s second Corporate Plan.

This plan builds on the successes delivered through our first Corporate Plan, but has a greater focus on providing support for the most vulnerable people and communities in the County Borough.

Our seven corporate priorities recognise the challenges facing Torfaen residents as a consequence of the severe cutbacks in public services expenditure, the cuts in benefits and the prospect of escalating unemployment.

It is our aim to protect services in these areas as much as we can by maximising the use of our ever diminishing resources and ensuring all our future spending plans,

bids for additional resources and savings proposals are considered in the context of their contribution to the achievement of our priorities.

By focussing on priorities that help and support our most vulnerable citizens – supporting those living in poverty; preventing homelessness; safeguarding children; protecting vulnerable adults; working to reduce inequality by increasing work opportunities and using our resources wisely – everyone will be able to share in the success of Torfaen.

I am looking forward to tackling the challenges ahead.

Foreword – Councillor Bob Wellington4

Introduction – Alison Ward CBEChief Executive

We have clear ambitions to deliver the aspirations set out in this Corporate Plan and make a genuine difference to the lives of people living and working in Torfaen.

We will continue to work in partnership with others from the public, private and voluntary sectors and local communities to help improve the long-term shared outcomes of Torfaen’s Community Strategy. This plan explains our contribution to these shared outcomes.

Our priorities for the next five years focus on providing support to our most vulnerable citizens. Our activities will be designed around the needs of Torfaen citizens and are aimed at delivering maximum impact whether they are county wide or tailored to particular communities, families or individuals.

To help us achieve this, we will ensure the council is an organisation fit to rise to the challenge. Staff will be valued and developed to enable them to adapt continually to the challenges ahead. We will encourage and adopt ways of working that concentrate on delivering our priorities, plan for the future, deliver efficient services and focus on those most in need.

Our success will be measured by how well we deliver the priorities set out in this Corporate Plan. It is an exciting challenge that the council and myself are looking forward to delivering.

Introduction – Alison Ward CBE 5

PART 1 - OUR PRIORITIESOur priorities were agreed by Councillors following an intensive exercise looking at the views of key stakeholders, the advice of service professionals and a range of demographic and performance information for the Torfaen area.

These priorities will form the basis of our policy framework for the next five years, during a period where we will be facing significant resource pressures.

With this in mind, our priority areas must not be seen as a guarantee of increased investment, more an intent to protect a specific outcome as much as we possibly can.

Due to the current economic climate, it must be recognised that the protection of our agreed priority areas means it will be necessary for us to reduce our expenditure in non-priority areas. This may represent a reduction in the level

of some services or changes to the way they are delivered.

Our priorities are not in any particular order. All have equal importance.

• Supporting families and children living in poverty to get through the recession.

• Preventing Torfaen residents becoming homeless.

• Safeguarding children, especially those with additional (special) educational needs and supporting positive attitudes towards education.

• Protecting the most vulnerable adults and supporting those with disabilities and other long-term conditions.

• Targeting support to deprived communities and families suffering from crime and anti-social behaviour.

• Using resources wisely, to include maintaining the highway infrastructure and reducing energy consumption and waste.

• Supporting initiatives which generate employment and training for work opportunities.

For each of these priorities listed, we will focus on a set of activities which are detailed on the following pages. Our ability to deliver these activities will tell us whether we have succeeded in meeting the needs of our most vulnerable citizens and communities by 2016.

Our activities and measures of success will be reviewed annually and the results will be made public so residents can monitor our progress.

PRIORITY ONESupporting families and children living in poverty to get through the recession

Poverty is usually defined relative to the standards of living in a society at a specific time. People’s experience of poverty can be very different and wide ranging. When income is insufficient to meet basic needs (such as housing, food and fuel costs) people will also be excluded from taking part in activities which are an accepted part of daily life in our community.

In the current financial climate, everyone living in Torfaen is experiencing higher costs of living. For some families these rising costs have a much greater impact on household incomes meaning they are forced to make some very stark decisions on what they can

afford on a day-to-day basis.

People on the lowest incomes are hardest hit as they have little or no capacity to make savings and often have to borrow money at very high interest rates just to meet basic needs.

We want to work with our partners to expand services that can alleviate the impact of poverty such as maximising access to benefits, raising standards of educational attainment and addressing health inequality.

We want Torfaen to be more resilient to economic change and provide support to not only help people lift themselves out of poverty but stay above the poverty line.

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Over the next five years we will:

1.1 Ensure people receive the benefits they are entitled to

We will have succeeded if, by 2016:

• Good customer advice and information is readily available.

• Families and vulnerable people are maximising their income by receiving the benefits to which they are entitled.

• New benefit claims and changes of circumstances are dealt with promptly and accurately.

• We are effectively working in partnership to minimise benefit fraud.

1.2 Encourage social inclusion


• Our housing support and benefits advice services meet the needs of customers, enabling them to maximise their independence.

• More people have been helped to become financially included.

• Parents have improved parenting skills and demonstrate positive parental engagement.

• Affordable good quality childcare is available to help support economic independence.

Priority One - Supporting families and children living in poverty to get through the recession10

1.3 Raise standards of educational attainment


• Educational achievement is more consistent and progress is continued through all transitions, particularly when pupils move from primary to secondary school.

• Pupils, aged 16 (including those in our care) who leave education, training or work based learning, do so with an approved external qualification.

1.4 Provide opportunities for people to improve their health


• More children are showing an increased awareness, a positive attitude and a positive behaviour change towards physical activities and healthy eating.

• People are being supported by us and our partners to tackle their medical conditions.

• More children, young people and adults are participating in, or providing coaching for physical activities and sport.

Priority One - Supporting families and children living in poverty to get through the recession 11

The home plays a significant role in supporting a person’s physical health, mental well-being and overall quality of life.

Being homeless or threatened with homelessness can have a devastating effect on a person’s life. Studies have consistently shown that without an appropriate home and relevant support, a person’s health, well-being and quality of life undoubtedly suffers and declines.

The quality, as well as the fabric, of a home has a fundamental influence over people’s sense of well-being and the life chances experienced. A home is essential to an individual’s and family’s sense of identity, sense of community and provides the basis

for social networks.

The homelessness prevention agenda is key to supporting people to remain safely within their homes and is even more important following the Government’s comprehensive spending review and changes to welfare benefit reform that will impact on Torfaen residents in the future.

We want to provide timely advice and assistance so we can intervene and support people at a much earlier stage. We want to work with people and their families, landlords and support agencies to ensure, wherever possible, people can remain safe within their current homes and not face the anxiety, stress and trauma associated with becoming homeless.

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PRIORITY TWOPreventing Torfaen residents becoming homeless


2.1 Raise awareness of available housing options


• People have an increased awareness of the range of housing options potentially available to them.

• People who are registered on our Common Housing Register and Help2Own list are offered advice and assistance.

2.2 Ensure the range and quality of housing is appropriate to meet people’s needs


• We are delivering a housing solutions service, based on local need.

• We have maximised opportunities to bring empty properties back into use.

• Young people with high, complex support needs are receiving appropriate supported housing.

• We have implemented a new scheme of property appreciation loans for private home owners.

• Appropriate provision for gypsy travellers has been made and existing sites are being regulated and monitored in accordance with agreed protocols.

• More affordable housing is available across the county borough.

Priority Two - Preventing Torfaen residents becoming homeless14

2.3 Enable good, sustainable housing development across the County Borough


• Lifestyle impact assessments are carried out on all new housing developments linked to the delivery of the housing investment programme.

• A new local housing strategy has been agreed and is being delivered and monitored.

• Housing renewal grant applications are processed effectively and all work commences within grant timescales.

Priority Two - Preventing Torfaen residents becoming homeless 15

PRIORITY THREESafeguarding children, especially those with additional (special) educational needs and supporting positive attitudes towards education

Children and young people cannot learn if they feel unsafe and uncertain about their wider lives.

We want to ensure they can learn by putting their needs at the centre of our approach; being alert to the risks to children and young people and sharing our concerns promptly whenever they occur.

We will have effective, preventative approaches where we act to minimise the risk to the children and young people we serve and will be prepared, where an incident does occur, to examine it and

understand what we might do better to reduce the likelihood of such an

incident happening again.

At the same time, we want to uphold the right of every child and young person to participate in the full range of activities in our schools and communities. We will work to ensure everyone understands this is a right and entitlement.

We will work with our schools to stop children and young people drifting into disaffection, disengagement and exclusion and enable everyone to participate in education by helping them to develop the skills required to fulfil their potential.

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3.1 Ensure learning for all children and young people is inclusive and accessible


• Pupil exclusion and attendance rates have improved and are at least in line with the average level for the whole of Wales.

• A new protocol for managing the process of moving pupils between schools is in place and the number of managed pupil moves has reduced.

• The number of young people not in full-time education has reduced.

• All vulnerable children and young people are receiving appropriate transport to school.

3.2 Ensure children are safe


• Safeguarding and child protection practice is consistently applied across schools, professionals and the local community.

• The well-being of children and young people is protected because all schools are operating robust anti bullying strategies.

• The quality of core assessments, child protection conference and review reports have improved and are being carried out within statutory timescales.

Priority Three - Safeguarding children, especially those with additional (special) educational needs and supporting positive attitudes towards education18

3.3 Develop educational provision for pre school children


• More children are exhibiting positive attitudes and are capable, confident learners because the foundation phase, the skills-based curriculum and the associated assessment arrangements have been implemented.

• Teachers and support staff have the skills to promote speech and language development, and the health and wellbeing of children.

• Children and their families are benefiting from integrated care, co-ordinated by and delivered from one point of contact.

3.4 Support and protect vulnerable children


• Children and young people in difficulty are being supported through counselling to achieve their full potential.

• The needs of children with complex and less complex needs are being effectively met through a collaborative approach with our statutory partners, the voluntary sector, parents and pupils.

• There has been a reduction in the number of child protection registrations and looked after children.

• All children have access to regular play activities.

Priority Three - Safeguarding children, especially those with additional (special) educational needs and supporting positive attitudes towards education 19

PRIORITY FOURProtecting the most vulnerable adults and supporting those with disabilities and other long term conditions

It is important risks that threaten the independence of vulnerable adults are managed effectively. By improving people’s confidence and skills the focus of their care can be shifted from illness and dependency to supporting them to maximise what they can do for themselves.

Health and social care support is currently complex, fragmented and fails to address the person and carer as a whole. People want to be able to live in their own home with support and have their health and social care problems solved quickly.

We want to work closely with our partners to focus on the health, well-being

and potential of the people we jointly support.

We want to balance the supply and demand for our services to achieve and maintain reliability and responsiveness, and change our patterns of service so people are supported to remain or return to their homes.

We also want to offer support to carers so we can meet expectations and promote the independence and self determination of the most vulnerable adults in Torfaen.

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4.1 Improve access to social care services


• A full range of accurate information is easily accessible to inform people of the services and support that are available.

• Multi-agency teams can be contacted through a single point of access.

• Vulnerable adults have access to advocacy services.

4.2 Ensure people’s needs are assessed in a timely manner and the care provided is appropriate


• Waiting times for specialist assessments have reduced.

• The number of inappropriate admissions into hospital has reduced.

• All service users have up to date care plans.

• All carers are offered an assessment of their needs so they are fully supported to fulfil their caring role.

Priority Four - Protecting the most vulnerable adults and supporting those with disabilities and other long term conditions22

4.3 Ensure the range and quality of social care services are appropriate to meet people’s needs


• The range of community equipment services has been extended.

• New integrated working arrangements with partners are in place.

• The all Wales Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) guidelines have been implemented leading to improved protection for vulnerable adults in the community.

4.4 Promote people’s independence


• Adults are being supported to live in the community.

• More service users are in receipt of Direct Payments.

• Occupational Therapy waiting lists are reduced.

• The time taken to process Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) is shorter.

Priority Four - Protecting the most vulnerable adults and supporting those with disabilities and other long term conditions 23

PRIORITY FIvETargeting support to deprived communities and families suffering from crime and anti-social behaviour

Even though crime and anti-social behaviour levels have fallen in Torfaen, everyone has a right to feel safe as they go about their daily lives. We can play our part by tackling issues of crime and anti-social behaviour.

There are some types of crime and anti-social behaviour that have a particularly harmful impact on families and communities. These include incessant anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse, sexual violence, domestic burglary, violent behaviour to individuals and environmental crimes such as graffiti, fly-tipping and

littering.

Residents have told us that the cleanliness and safety of Torfaen is a key issue for them and we believe that by tackling environmental problems, we can enhance the appearance of local communities, while at the same time eliminating ‘signal crime’ such as vandalism which encourages more serious problems in neighbourhoods.

We want to work with our partners, the police, voluntary groups and local communities, to take action that will help communities and families feel safe.

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5.1 Support people and local communities to engage in positive activities


• Effective programmes are helping more young people acquire improved skills and life chances.

• Detached youth work and play opportunities are operating throughout Torfaen.

• A multi-agency approach is supporting vulnerable young people over the age of 16 so fewer disengage.

5.2 Coordinate activities that reduce anti-social behaviour


• Effective programmes have been implemented that raise awareness and tackle domestic abuse.

• The number of ‘Safer Neighbourhood schemes’ in operation has increased.

• Comprehensive diversionary programmes are in place in identified ‘anti-social hot spots’ to resolve issues of community concern.

• Effective substance misuse services have been developed and maintained.

• Premises licensed to sell alcohol are visited on a regular basis and test purchases are made to reduce underage sales.

Priority Five - Targeting support to deprived communities and families suffering from crime and anti-social behaviour26

5.3 Ensure the local environment is safe, managed and maintained


• Physical improvements have been made to local neighbourhoods so they are better places to live and work.

• The amount of untidy and poorly maintained land and buildings in Torfaen has reduced.

• New housing developments have been designed so the layouts reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and improve access provision.

• Incidences of fly-tipping and fly-posting are effectively dealt with and appropriate enforcement action taken.

Priority Five - Targeting support to deprived communities and families suffering from crime and anti-social behaviour 27

We have a responsibility to maintain and enhance Torfaen, not just for our current residents but for future generations.

This means taking action now to protect and maintain the urban and rural environment, reduce carbon emissions and ensure everyone reduces and recycles as much waste as possible.

We recognise our own contribution towards the sustainable and prudent use of natural resources and our duty to minimise the use of unsustainable resources through our activities and services.

To help us maximise the use of our available resources, we want to reduce the amount of accommodation we occupy. Over the next few years, we want to reduce our accommodation by moving out of inefficient buildings with large amounts of under-utilised space and encouraging new ways of working.

We also want to improve our school buildings and teaching environments. We will engage with the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) on their plans for a long-term investment programme to create a generation of 21st century schools which are fit for the future and continue our work to design and deliver technology-rich learning for pupils aged 14 to 16.

PRIORITY SIxUsing resources wisely, to include maintaining the highway infrastructure and reducing energy consumption and waste

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6.1 Deliver efficient and effective waste and recycling services


• Recycling rates have increased through the introduction of new initiatives and community recycling schemes.

• A new waste collection system has been introduced.

• New contract arrangements have improved our waste disposal facilities.

• A long-term organics contract for the treatment of separately collected food and green waste has been procured.

6.2 Ensure roads and streets are safe, maintained and clean


• Roads and pavements in Torfaen are maintained to safe standards.

• Road safety engineering and safe route schemes have been delivered.

• Highways and streets are clean.

Priority Six - Using resources wisely, to include maintaining the highway infrastructure and reducing energy consumption and waste30

6.3 Work in different ways to reduce our costs


• More of our surplus assets have been transferred to community organisations or disposed of, and the use and value of our remaining assets have been maximised through new service delivery models.

• Carbon emissions from our owned/occupied buildings and street lights have reduced.

• The amount of office space used by the Council has reduced.

• Our ICT infrastructure has been upgraded, migrated and relocated.

6.4 Create new learning settings which are appropriate for the 21st Century


• Technology-rich resources and learning are being used across Torfaen.

• Our school buildings are modernised.

• Pupils, aged 14-16, are participating in digitised learning.

Priority Six - Using resources wisely, to include maintaining the highway infrastructure and reducing energy consumption and waste 31

PRIORITY SEvENSupporting initiatives which generate employment and training for work opportunities

Employment generation is crucial to improving the local economy and increasing the level of sustainability in Torfaen. Helping people who are currently not economically active to move into work can be linked to a number of benefits outside of the direct economy, all of which help to improve people’s health and well-being.

We want to deliver a coordinated approach to increase employment opportunities by linking schemes which we lead on with those operated by our partner organisations like Jobcentre Plus, registered social landlords and other public and

private sector employers.

We want to improve the skill levels of people of working age. We will support local people to gain and keep the jobs which are available, or which are created through enterprise activity. This will include providing a higher skilled and motivated workforce required for the high value jobs being generated within our Digital Valley programme and the green energy sector.

In partnership with our schools, we will work with children and young people and their parents and carers to raise aspirations and improve attitudes towards learning so they achieve the best they possibly can. This means ensuring education is engaging and exciting, and gives children and young people the confidence, skills and knowledge to succeed in later life.

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7.1 Support communities to become sustainable, empowered and prosperous


• We are effectively working in partnership to deliver more Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) work clubs.

• Social enterprises have been created and the number of new business starts has increased.

• Visitor footfall and spend across the county borough has increased.

• A business advisory service is providing support to both new and existing businesses.

• Road, rail, and public transport improvements have been delivered.

7.2 Improve people’s access to learning opportunities, qualifications and training


• A consistent and coherent multi-agency approach to the delivery of basic skills training is in place.

• People are engaged in work based learning and the number of learners participating in pre-entry and higher level training has increased.

• More community groups are providing access to Adult and Community Learning facilities.

Priority Seven - Supporting initiatives which generate employment and training for work opportunities34

7.3 Transform educational provision for young people aged 14 to 19


• The 14-19 learning pathways in all schools, further education, and work based settings have been strengthened.

• The number of young people not in education, employment and training has reduced.

Priority Seven - Supporting initiatives which generate employment and training for work opportunities 35

PART 2 - OUR UNDERLyINg PRINCIPLES AND ThEmES

Our underlying principles and themes

There are a number of common themes which we will consider when we are planning and delivering our services. Throughout the year, we will continue to build on our progress to date and where appropriate ensure aspects of these themes are incorporated into our activities to deliver the aspirations set out in this plan.

Our underlying principles and themes are:

• Promoting the Welsh Language

• Promoting sustainability

• Reducing inequality

• Enhancing well-being

• Improving communication and engagement

• Exploring innovation and efficiency

Promoting the Welsh Language:

We see the promotion and protection of the Welsh language as an integral part of the equality agenda in Wales.

The Welsh Language Act 1993 sets down an expectation that English and Welsh will have equal status in the conduct of public business in Wales. The act requires us to prepare a ‘Welsh Language Scheme’, which shows how we will fulfil these responsibilities and what actions we will undertake to improve the services we provide through the medium of Welsh.

Our underlying principles and themes38

Promoting sustainability:

We are committed to promoting the objectives of sustainable development through our activities and working with others.

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) launched its Sustainable Development Scheme – ‘One Wales – One Planet’ in 2009. This sets out their vision of a sustainable Wales and showed how they would promote sustainable development through their work. As part of their approach to promoting sustainable development, WAG developed a Sustainability Charter to encourage others to reflect their commitment.

In May 2010, we formally signed up to WAG’s Sustainability Charter. We made a commitment to become an exemplar organisation; to lead and inspire others to act; and to provide clear leadership for sustainable development both within our organisation and those we work with. By signing the Charter, we agreed to make sustainable development one of our central organising principles.

We were also one of the first signatory organisations in Wales who signed up to ‘one planet living’. One planet living means reducing the amount of resources we consume to a level so we are not consuming more than our ‘fair share’ of the world’s limited resources. This requires us to think and act very differently when planning and providing our services.

We recognise sustainability needs to influence everything we are involved with. We are already undertaking a wide variety of activity to embed sustainability into our everyday work and we have a policy commitment in place to promote sustainable development throughout Torfaen.

We will use a structured approach to deliver our sustainability action plan so we have a clear understanding of the potential social, economic, environmental and health implications of our decisions and activities and where possible take action to reduce any negative impacts.

Our underlying principles and themes 39

Reducing inequality:

In recent years we have strived to meet the statutory requirements placed upon us by the Race Relations Act, the Disability Discrimination Act and the wide range of equality legislation developed over the past four decades. These different pieces of legislation created a complex and inconsistent legal environment for us to work within. However, in October 2010, the first phase of the new Equality Act 2010 came into force which brings about one single piece of legislation on equality.

To help us meet our responsibilities under this new legislation, we have developed an ‘Equality Promise’. This sets out our policy and future actions in relation to the promotion of greater equality of opportunity in Torfaen, and serves as our Equality Scheme, something we are required to produce by the specific duties placed on the public sector under the Equality Act 2010.

It focuses upon identifying the inequality issues within Torfaen and outlines how we will work towards achieving better outcomes for people where there is evidence of inequality in our service provision. We believe all Torfaen citizens can expect to be treated fairly and with respect when using or coming into contact with council services and we will work closely with the public and our partners to resolve issues where such standards are not evident.

Ensuring our services help and support vulnerable people within our communities is important. We will work towards improving and maintaining our services so they assist and protect the rights of the people and groups covered by the Equality Act. Our ‘Equality Promise’ describes the specific actions we will take to fulfil our statutory responsibilities to promote equality for people regardless of disability, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion and language.


Enhancing well-being:

The Torfaen Health Social Care & Well-being Strategy is the driving force behind our activities to improve the health and well-being of our citizens and communities.

This strategy was jointly prepared by us and our partners, the Aneurin Bevan Health Board, Torfaen Voluntary Alliance and Gwent Police, together with user and carer representatives, working under the guidance of the Local Service Board.

Whilst this strategy will drive a lot of the service change and improvement needed to improve health and social care, we believe a different approach is needed for well-being.

To date, our activities have largely focused on health improvement – building knowledge and services around increasing physical activity; reducing smoking and alcohol consumption; and promoting healthier diets.

However, well-being is much wider than this and can be considered as two main elements – feeling good and functioning well.

This plan includes many activities that support these elements.

Whilst our health improvement agenda will help people to ‘function well’, we think enhanced well-being will result from connecting people and communities so they become active, engaged in learning as a lifelong habit and involved in voluntary activity.

Many of our statutory functions will also have a direct impact on people’s well-being such as the provision of good quality housing and the protecting the local environment.

In the future, we want to focus developments around the wider well-being of our citizens. With our partners, we want to work to raise people’s aspirations and meet potential across all the partnerships we are involved with.


Improving communication and engagement:

We recognise the importance of effective communications and how it underpins our values of being supportive, fair and effective. A vital aspect of improved communication is to raise local awareness of the services we provide to encourage full use of them by our residents.

We want to talk and listen to everyone in Torfaen and want people to feel they can talk to the council and be heard. We want to work in ways that meet people’s needs and do not disadvantage members of particular groups and communities.

We believe residents, partners, businesses and visitors should be well informed, regularly consulted with and have the opportunity to get involved; informing us of their experiences so they can influence future decisions and the services available to them.

Our council newspaper ‘Torfaen Talks’ already provides residents with information about the work going on in Torfaen, but digital media is playing an ever-increasing role in delivering messages, engaging communities and allowing the public to give their views.

Expanding our communications activities will help encourage people to get involved in local groups and communities. We want to grow the membership of our citizens’ panel so more people have a say on issues that may affect them and we are committed to using the latest technology to develop online tools so people can give us their views in new and better ways.


Exploring innovation and efficiency:

We are continually looking at ways to drive down our costs, increase our productivity and improve our income levels.

Identifying cross cutting initiatives and working in collaboration with other local authorities and partners is an essential part of transforming the way we do things. We also want to engage both our staff and citizens to use their collective creativity and problem solving skills to identify other ways of improving the things we do.

We want everyone at all levels of the organisation to acknowledge, understand and accept a culture of ‘personal’ as well as ‘organisational’ responsibility in respect of driving down our costs, delivering our services and improving life in Torfaen.

We want everyone to play a part in identifying and exploring opportunities for improvement, including those that might normally be considered ‘radical’. We want this approach to be applied consistently across all our services, functions and teams. If there is a more efficient or effective way of delivering a service, we want to explore the possibilities and wherever possible make changes.

Key stakeholders will be regularly engaged during this work to ensure everyone understands the reasons for any proposed changes and has the opportunity to comment on them.


PART 3 - BUILDINg AN ExCELLENT COUNCIL

Developing our staff:

We have a large and committed workforce, many of whom live in the County Borough and have made a career choice to provide public services in their local area. We know our employees are the most essential element in ensuring high quality services are delivered to citizens.

We want to be an ‘employer of choice’ with both a strong reputation and good people management practices. We want to ensure our staff are consistently aware of what is required of them, skilled to meet those requirements and clear about how they are doing.

It is essential we have the right people, with the right skills, in the right jobs, at the right time. Through effective workforce planning we will address the growing pressures of rising citizen expectations; budgetary constraints; workforce shortages; and media scrutiny.

Our People Plan will ensure we have a workforce for the future, one which is flexible to meet the needs of the people of Torfaen.

Planning our services:

We are committed to delivering good quality services for citizens. To promote good performance, all our services prepare annual service improvement plans which set out what activities we are proposing to deliver, how these activities will be resourced and how we will know if our activities are really making a difference.

Each service improvement plan is supported by a series of detailed team plans, which link to individual work plans for each member of staff. Together, these plans create a ‘golden thread’ that runs through the organisation and helps staff understand how their work contributes to our agreed priorities.

Building an excellent Council46

monitoring and reporting our performance:

We monitor and report our performance on a regular basis, comparing our results with the best performing authorities across Wales.

Our performance management framework is helping embed performance information in the day-to-day management of our services, allowing us to fully understand and demonstrate the difference our activities are making.

All our service improvement plans and team plans contain detailed measures of success, which are regularly updated and illustrate our progress.

Delivering our statutory functions:

This Plan sets out the priorities we want to protect as much as possible from budgetary and resource cuts over the next five years. The current economic climate makes it difficult for us to commit to investing more resources in our agreed priority areas in the future. We will however, seek to maintain the current levels of service performance in these areas or change the way we deliver services to secure and deliver improvement.

In addition to our agreed priorities, there is legislation in place which requires us to provide certain services and support to those citizens who require it. Currently, there are some cases where we are providing over and above the minimum statutory requirements prescribed by law.

We will continue to deliver all of our statutory functions, but we will be looking at these statutory services to see whether it is possible to reduce our service provision in some areas to the minimum levels required. We will ensure our citizens play a major part in making any changes to our statutory service provision, both before decisions are made and during the implementation stages.

Building an excellent Council 47

PART 4 - mEDIUm TERm FINANCIAL PLANNINg

Medium term financial planning50

Our medium Term Financial Plan:

Our Medium Term Financial Plan will be a complementary document to this plan and will set out the resources needed to deliver activities in our agreed priority areas.

We already know the amount of resources available to us in the future will be reducing. It is vitally important therefore that we shift the focus of our financial planning work to look at the medium term so we can start to show the direction of travel based upon forward budget indications.

Medium term financial planning 51

We need to:

• look at our likely future budgetary pressures and resource gaps and be clear about what we can afford to deliver and what we need to cut back on.

• start understanding and mapping the national agenda and the potential for sharing the delivery of some services with other local authorities.

• look at how we spend all our available money rather than just identifying the savings required and how we can align our available spend with our revised corporate plan priorities.

• develop and deliver transformation proposals for service delivery including collaboration and efficiency and look at possibilities for us to generate income.

• understand the impact of the future funding indications including the potential for these to change and how the grant funding available to us may change.

• look at ways to protect the amount of money we allocate to schools and social care and understand the impact of increasing demand for some of our services and the impact of changes on vulnerable groups and the voluntary sector.

• enhance our approach to workforce planning, in particular harnessing a local memorandum of understanding to enable flexible workforce development.

• ensure we can meet the financial challenges facing us in the future.

Produced by Torfaen County Borough Council April 2011

For further information, please contact:

The Improvement Team

Civic Centre,

Pontypool,

Torfaen

NP4 6YB

Telephone: 01495 742158

Email: [email protected]

If you would like this document in an alternative format, please contact the

Improvement Team on 01495 742158

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corporate plan 2011 - 2016

Documents

corporate priorities

success of torfaen

torfaen residents

vulnerable citizens

needs of torfaen citizens

vulnerable people

county wide

vulnerable adults