The six recommendations
Develop a long-term vision for the borough
We need a clear vision for the borough. It should set out ambitions for economic growth, investment, and renewal that align with local priorities.
Integrate our approach to place-stewardship and neighbourhood working
We should bring our place-based work together in a more coordinated way. We should engage the communities and their elected representatives more effectively.
Use the updated Charter for Public Participation to strengthen trust
We've made progress in engaging residents. But we need to be clearer about when we use different approaches and more consistent in our practice. The refreshed charter is a chance to strengthen trust, especially where it's low.
Adopt one set of values and embed them consistently
Understanding of the council's values varies across the organisation. Following the independent culture review, we need one clear set of values and behaviours. We should support this with a programme that embeds our values and measures how consistently we use them.
Strengthen our strategic, corporate approach to transformation
The council faces an £84m budget gap by 2029/30. We need to shift from directorate-led approaches to a unified 'one council' model. The transformation programme needs strong political and officer leadership. It also needs a stronger central function to drive change.
Improve processes to support innovation and faster delivery
Good governance and processes have helped us improve, but some processes still cause delays. We now have an opportunity to refine them, so they support more agile working and innovation.