nkdc corporate plan 2011-15

North Kesteven District Council

Corporate Plan 2011-2015

> Establishes the council’s overall vision and priorities

> Gives clear direction for resource planning and budget setting

> Guides our relationships with the community and partner organisations

> Outlines direction for service and team plans, and personal targets

WelcomeWelcome to the new corporate plan for North

Kesteven, a plan designed to ensure that the

Council continues to deliver excellent services

for 100 flourishing communities in North

Kesteven. The plan also tackles the main

challenges facing the district, with actions

identified to deliver priorities developed through

widespread consultation. I am confident that we

will deliver the aspirations described in this plan

and I look forward to working with everyone to

make a difference for all our communities.

Cllr Marion Brighton OBE

Leader of the Council

Introduction

Boring. Bureaucratic. Irrelevant. Three words

which describe corporate plans in many

organisations, plans which promise much but

achieve little. That’s not the NK way. This plan

describes fifteen actions to deliver our priorities:

our economy, our homes, and our communities.

The plan also sets the agenda for improving the

way we do things at NK, with 10 actions for

improving services and driving efficiency in

everything we do.

Ian Fytche

Chief Executive

About North Kesteven In the heart of rural Lincolnshire, just south

of the City of Lincoln, North Kesteven has

two main towns: North Hykeham and the

historic market town of Sleaford, as well as

over 100 distinctive, rural villages. Covering

356 square miles, some 94% of the area is

classified as green space.

There is a growing population, currently at

105,700. The population of North Kesteven is

slightly older than the national average and the

population particularly the older population is

expected to grow at a high rate over the next

decade.

Generally, people are becoming better off in

NK. Most of the jobs come from industries in

distribution, hospitality, public services and

construction. Unemployment is low, although

earnings are below average. However

qualification levels are above average for the

East Midlands and Great Britain.

Average house prices are above the

Lincolnshire and East Midlands averages but

below the national average. Crime in the district

is also low – the area is ranked as the eighth

safest place to live in England.

The health of people in North Kesteven is

generally better than the England average

although people are less healthy in two deprived

wards (Billinghay and Sleaford).

About the CouncilAt a local level the country is divided into a

series of local authorities or councils and

voters in each area elect people to sit on the

council and represent them.

North Kesteven District Council comprises 26

wards. 43 Members of the Council are elected

every four years. The Council appoints

councillors to serve on an Executive Board (the

principal decision making body of the Council),

the Planning Committee, the Licensing Panel,

the Standards Committee, Overview and

Scrutiny Panels and a range of other

committees and external organisations.

North Kesteven is one of seven district councils

in Lincolnshire, working in partnership with

Lincolnshire County Council, 78 town and parish

councils, NHS Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire Police,

and a range of public, private and community

sector partners. Partners work together through

‘Partnership NK’, preparing a community plan for

the district to ensure that the total resource is

allocated effectively and efficiently to deliver a

shared ambition for NK.

The Council employs around 375 people.

The Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive

and Corporate Director manage the Council,

currently supported by six service heads.

The Council is a service provider, a regulator of

important areas related, for example, to licensed

premises, planning and food hygiene, a partner

and a community leader, working to ensure that

NK is a great place to live, work and visit.

North Kesteven District Council is an ambitious

council with a strong track record. The Council

is widely recognised for the quality of services

as diverse as waste collection, planning,

housing, culture, sport and arts, environmental

services and community safety. The Council is

also recognised as a high performing, value for

money organisation, with the Audit Commission

commenting that the ‘Council performs well

with the resources it has available’.

The Council is also recognised for innovation in

delivering challenging priorities for the district.

NK was the first council in the country to achieve

50% recycling, and the first to build energy

efficient straw-built council houses.

From June 2011, the Council will operate with

five service divisions:

› Development, Economic and Cultural Services

Delivering services which shape the future of

North Kesteven.

› Housing, Partnerships and Communities

Providing services for people and communities

in North Kesteven.

› Environment and Public Protection Providingservices designed to protect and enhance the

environment in North Kesteven.

› Strategy and Customer Services Transformingthe services of the Council, developing

strategies for the council, and ensuring

excellent customer service.

› Business Management Ensuring that theCouncil’s finance, human resource, management

and administration services work effectively to

support delivery.

A Vibrant Economy:

› Regeneration A Masterplan for Sleaford wasdeveloped, providing a focus for

regeneration: new homes, new jobs, new

shops, infrastructure and leisure

opportunities.

› Economic Development The SleafordStation Business Centre opened for

business, following the refurbishment of

railway station buildings, providing eight new

business units. and opportunities for new

jobs and investment.

› Heritage and Tourism Lottery funding of£436k has helped shape and promote

Aviation Heritage in the District, bringing

visitors to North Kesteven.

› Business Support NK provides 66 Units fornew and growing businesses, and achieved

90% occupancy during the year.

Better Connections:

› Almost £1m of public transport initiatives wassecured as part of the agreement to

redevelop the former Lincoln Castings

foundry in North Hykeham.

› A new bridge and path link across the A17between Sleaford and Leasingham was

opened.

Managing Change:

› 60,000 customers have used the newPlanning Online service enabling customers

to view and comment on planning

applications online.

› NKDC was the first to build affordable homeswith straw; rewarded with the Green Apple

award for environmental best practice.

› 17 council properties have been completedin the District, as part of a programme to

build 46 new council homes in NK.

› Exceeded targets to deliver 150 affordableproperties and 100 start on sites during

2010/11. 388 new affordable homes have

been delivered since 2008, securing over

£14million investment into the district.

How we do...A Year of Achievement

A Sustainable Future:

› NKDC has reduced its carbon footprint byover 4% in one year with a target reduction

of 25% within five years.

› The waste collection and recycling serviceappreciated by residents is being promoted

as an example of good practice and

efficiency by the East Midlands Improvement

& Efficiency Partnership.

Community Wellbeing:

› Local Democracy Week involved almost 100pupils in developing budget proposals for the

district council

› The Sleaford Shopmobility scheme was re-launched by the NK Access Group

› Over 50 pupils aged 8-11 at local primaryschools met with the local authorities to

inform how they wanted services to be

developed for them

› The mobile play bus, known as ‘The Pod’,offers active play for young people living in

rural communities

› NKDC’s leisure provider introduced freeswimming for young people aged under eight

NKDC is proud of the services which it provides

for people who live, work and visit here.

North Kesteven District Council has a strong

track record backed by continuous improvement,

high performance and value for money.

The last few years have seen…

› An extensive consultation exercise helpedthe Council and Partnership NK develop new

priorities for the District.

› Survey results showing that 75% of residentsthought the Council performs well with the

money it has available and 78% of residents

rated the quality of Council services as good.

› Efficiency savings since 2008 totalling £1.6million, enabling investment in services and

projects, and keeping the council tax low.

› Further savings of £340,000 from servicereviews, ensuring that NKDC has a balanced

budget to achieve challenging savings whilst

maintaining commitment to front line

services.

› Reaching the achieving level of the localgovernment quality framework,

demonstrating that NKDC has a commitment

to fairness and providing services for all

parts of the community.

› A new partnership with West Lindsey, City ofLincoln and Lincolnshire County Councils, to

develop a new local plan for the area, so that

future growth is planned effectively and

efficiently.

Measuring Success Our Plan 2011-15

‘Our Community: Our Plan’ has recently been developed by ‘Partnership NK’ as the new

Community strategy for North Kesteven.

The Council’s corporate plan describes what NKDC will do to contribute to the delivery of ‘Our

Community: Our Plan’. The corporate plan describes five actions for delivering our priorities, ten

actions for improving the organisation, and 10 indicators for tracking the financial and organisational

health of NKDC.

The corporate plan is a ‘high level’ document, providing a lead to the organisation on those areas

where a joined up approach is needed. The plan recognises that there are some areas which

should be identified as corporate actions, and that there also needs to be the opportunity to respond

to new challenges and opportunities. The plan is therefore a framework for action, with flexibility.

Detailed activity planning will take place through five service delivery plans, recognising that

planning is best undertaken by those who will be ‘doing the doing’. Service Delivery Plans will take

the lead from the corporate plan, and ensure that team and individual objectives are aligned to

corporate objectives, to create a ‘golden thread’ from organisation-wide vision through to day-to-day

activity.

Delivering Priorities

Priorities are reviewed annually, with reference to an annual ‘state of the district’ report. Analysis

contained with the state of the district report is used to identify challenges facing the district, and

as the basis for consultation.

Our Economy

To promote the prosperity of

North Kesteven

What we plan to do…

1.To implement projects identified within the

Sleaford Masterplan.

2.To develop a Masterplan for North

Hykeham, and to implement projects

identified within it.

3.To develop new workspaces for new and

growing businesses in North Kesteven.

4.To promote and encourage the

development of tourism.

5.To promote North Kesteven as an area that

attracts new business and supports

expansion of existing businesses includes

the food and agricultural sector.

What we will spend on this priority…

› The Council has included in its approvedbudget £396,100 for 2011/12 and £388,200

for 2012/13.

How we will measure success…

› Project plans will be developed for actions1, 2, 3, and 5, with milestones for delivering

projects for each year.

› Success in the development of tourism willbe measured by the number of visits to

NKDC visitor attractions, including the

National Centre for Craft and Design, and

the Natural World Centre.

› In addition, the partnership will trackchanges in GDP, employment, the number

of VAT registered businesses, and the value

of tourism to the NK economy.

Our Homes

To provide good quality housing

to meet the diverse needs of

communities in North Kesteven


1.Prepare a Local Plan, and an Infrastructure

Delivery Plan, and ensure delivery.

2.Act as a responsible landlord and to increase

the Council’s housing stock taking into account

proposed changes to Housing Finance.

3.Work with partners to increase the stock of

rented social housing, and affordable

housing generally.

4.Bring empty homes back into use.

5.Increase the supply of homes for people with

specific needs, for example, older people,

vulnerable people, people with dementia.


› The Council has included in its approvedbudget £767,200 for 2011/12 and £793,500 for

2012/13 (this excludes any budget for the

Council’s role as landlord).


› A project plan will be developed to measureprogress for action 1.

› Action 2 will be measured with reference totenant satisfaction and the number of new

homes provided.

› Action 3 will be measured with reference to thenumber of affordable homes provided.

› Action 4 will be measured with reference to thenumber of homes brought back into use.

› Action 5 will be measured with reference to thenumber of housing units provided.

› In addition, the partnership will also track thenumber of homes and affordable homes

provided and the number of empty homes

brought back into use.

Our Communities

To promote the sustainability,

wellbeing, safety and health of North

Kestevens communities.


1.Encourage sustainable living

2.Ensure that communities within North

Kesteven remain safe

3.Encourage healthy and active living

4.Improve access to Council services

5.Support vulnerable residents


› The Council has included in its approvedbudget £7,170,200 for 2011/12 and

£6,896,400 for 2012/13.


› Action 1 will be measured with reference tothe carbon footprint from NKDC operations.

› Action 2 will be measured with reference toresident satisfaction with regard to anti-social

behaviour.

› Action 3 will be measured with reference tovisitor numbers to NKDC sports and leisure

venues and programmes.

› Action 4 will be measured with reference toresident satisfaction with Council services.

› Action 5 will be measured with reference tosatisfaction with Council services amongst

hard to reach groups.

› In addition, the partnership will track progressthrough the health profile for North Kesteven,

the active people survey of physical activity

levels, the carbon footprint for the district, and

the level of crime within the district.

Our Council

To guide the Members and workforce in

the way of working at North Kesteven


Human Resources

Develop and implement a workforce strategy

for North Kesteven.

Develop a programme for managing change.

Efficiency and Effectiveness

Develop VFM and customer satisfaction

indicators that evidence the Council’s

position.

Develop VFM programme to ensure efficiencies

continue to be identified through Service Reviews.

Performance

Develop a robust set of Corporate Health

indicators that can be benchmarked with

other local authorities.

Reputation

Ensure that the Council receives positive

consultation outcomes and media

coverage (locally and nationally).

Partnership

Develop new partnerships within North

Kesteven and Lincolnshire to ensure that

priorities for the district are delivered

effectively.

Governance and Fairness

Assess the implications of the Localism Bill and

implement changes as necessary.

Review and update proposals for the

assessment of community impact, equality

impact, and the implications section of

committee reports.

Transparency

Develop proposals for improving access

to information and transparency.


› The Council has included in its approvedbudget £3,025,500 for 2011/12 and

£2,892,500 for 2012/13.

How we will measure success

› Each action will be measured through aproject plan, through annual consultation

with residents about quality, performance

and value for money, and with reference to

the Council’s values:

• Efficiency and effectiveness

• A learning environment

• Access to services for everyone

• Partnership working

• Equal opportunities

› Ten corporate health indicators will bedeveloped to track the performance of the

council with regard to its finances,

resources, governance and efficiency.

nkdc corporate plan 2011-15

Documents