Agenda item

The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report

1.1       To present Committee with the 2025-2028 Corporate Plan (Appendix 1) and seek approval for it to be published for public consultation early in the new year.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

i.       consider and agree the draft Corporate Plan (2023-28) as attached at Appendix 1;

ii.      agree that the draft Corporate Plan, subject to minor edits based on Members feedback, be published in January 2025 for public consultation;

iii.    note that a draft annual Corporate Delivery Plan (2025-26) will be submitted for the consideration of Members in January / February 2025.

3.0       Key Issues

3.1       Members will be aware of the challenging environment within which the Council currently operates.  The escalating fiscal strain, fuelled by rising prices, a cost-of-living crisis and economic challenges are having significant adverse impacts on individuals, families and services across the city and widening inequalities.

3.2       It is never as important for the Council to ensure it pivots to meet the challenges and opportunities which emerge over the coming months and years. The process through which the new three-year corporate plan is co-designed with elected members is essential and how this connects with and helps inform the Council’s resource planning cycles (budgets, people, capital and assets) and the development of a Medium-Term Financial Plan. 

3.3       Members will be aware of the discussions which has taken place since the election of the new Council through Standing Committees, Party Groups Leader meetings and all Member workshops in relation to key areas of the corporate plan and proposed priorities for future investment focus to help shape the emerging new Corporate Plan.

            Corporate Plan 2025-2028

3.4       Members will be aware of the importance of the corporate plan as a key governance document, cited in the council’s constitution as the means by which the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee sets the strategic direction of the council. It sets out what the council wants to achieve for the city and the key priority actions to make this happen.  These priorities are then used as the basis for informing any emerging medium-term financial plan.

3.5       A copy of the proposed draft Corporate Plan (2025-2028) is attached at Appendix 1 for Members consideration and feedback. Members will note that the themes are largely aligned with the themes emerging from the recently published Belfast Agenda as well as the additional focus on ‘our services’ and ‘our organisation’.

3.6       Subject to Committee consideration and Full Council approval, it is proposed that the draft corporate plan be published in January 2025 for public consultation.

            Corporate Delivery Plan 2025-2026

3.7       Members will appreciate the scale of work which continues to be delivered by Council and the impact of this within communities across the city. The intention is to bring forward the detailed delivery plan for the 2025-26 period for the consideration of the Committee, in early 2025, which will be aligned with the budget setting process.

3.8       Financial and Resource Implications

            There are no immediate resource implications.  However, the priorities agreed in the corporate plan will form the basis of the rate setting process.

3.9       Equality of Good Relations Implications /

            Rural Needs Assessment

            Equality screening has been completed as part of the plan development process.”

            The Committee:

                       i.          agreed the draft Corporate Plan (2023-28) as attached at Appendix 1 to the report;

                     ii.          agreed that the draft Corporate Plan be published in January 2025 for public consultation; and

                    iii.          noted that a draft annual Corporate Delivery Plan (2025-26) would be submitted for the consideration of the Committee in January / February 2025.