Corporate Plan for 2009/2010

The Corporate Plan sets out our programme for achieving our objectives and meeting the challenges facing the Council in 2009/10 and the two subsequent years.

We have adopted a new Vision and five Council Aims to give direction and ambition to the development of the services we provide. Our Aims are set out in this Plan and we believe that they reflect what people are looking for from the Council. We want to provide first class, accessible services; show that we are a listening Council; and work with partners to make a safe and healthy place and create opportunities for employment, enterprise and innovation.

We have committed to over thirty specific Council Actions which we will deliver in 2009/10 to make real progress on our Aims.

In common with all other organisations and individuals, we are facing the effect of the economic downturn. We have done, and will continue to do, all we can to help local businesses and residents to weather the impact of the recession.

The most significant effect on the Council's plans has been the downturn in house building and the implications for major new developments such as Northstowe. Working with developers to adapt the development programme to the new economic situation will be a continuing challenge over the medium term.

The tenant ballot on the council's proposal to transfer its homes to South Cambridgeshire Village Homes (a new not-for-profit local housing association) resulted in tenants putting their faith in the council with 73% voting to keep the Council as their landlord. We will therefore now be looking at ways of addressing the challenges of continuing to run the housing service with the limited funds available. We will involve tenants and tenant representatives to help us continue to provide the best housing service we can despite the serious financial constraints that we face.

Over the last two years we have made great strides in improving the Council following an Audit Commission Corporate Governance Inspection in 2007. A re-inspection in February 2008 recognised that the Council had made some real progress although there was still some way to go. An Improvement Board was set up in 2007 to oversee and support our progress. The Board concluded at its meeting in January 2009 that the Council had now made sufficient progress to make its own way and the Board could disband. This signifies a major milestone in the Council's improvement journey and one of which everyone connected with the Council can be proud.

We are now well on the way to being a Council that can move confidently forward to tackle the challenges mentioned above and focus on our core business of enhancing the quality of life for everyone who lives and works in the district.

Contents of the Plan

Our Corporate Plan
Our Vision, Aims and Values
How have we Performed?
Challenges for the Council in 2009/10
Delivering our Council Aims
Enhancing our Capacity to Deliver our Council Aims
Ensuring that we achieve this plan and preparing for 2010/11

Appendix 1 Achieving our Council Aims - what we will do in 2009/10
Appendix 2 Actions to support the delivery of our Council Aims in 2009/10

Download the Corporate Plan 2009/10