Meeting documents

Cabinet
Tuesday, 17 January 2006

CA170106-06

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ITEM CA6

CABINET – 17 JANUARY 2006

MEDIUM TERM CORPORATE PLAN 2006-2010: STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

Report by the Leader of the Council


Introduction and Background

  1. On 22 June 2005, my report to Cabinet identified that the new administration's overall vision for Oxfordshire would focus on the following elements:

    • Preserving the historic sites of the City of Oxford and the county’s market towns and villages
    • Protecting Oxfordshire’s countryside, green belt and farming industry
    • Ensuring that the City and towns are welcoming and friendly to all
    • Providing a real choice of transport
    • Ensuring that the local economy can thrive
    • Encouraging shoppers and visitors to explore Oxfordshire’s unique heritage and to visit its shops, restaurants, theatres and other attractions with easy access
    • Ensuring that streets are attractive, the air is clean and that people feel secure
    • Ensuring sufficient affordable housing for Oxfordshire’s residents

  1. This was encapsulated in the Oxfordshire Community Partnership Vision Statement which was adopted by the Cabinet on 15 November 2005:
  2. "We want Oxfordshire to be a thriving County which adapts to a changing world and remains a special place to work, live and visit."

  3. The Cabinet also adopted new objectives for the Council of "low taxes, real choice and value for money". This was agreed on 7 June and re-affirmed on 22 June and 15 November.
  4. The Cabinet also agreed (on 15 November) a set of values to be observed in pursuing the Council’s objectives based on the acronym CHOICE. They are:
  5. Customer focus

    Honesty

    One team

    Involvement

    Can-do

    Efficient and effective

  6. Over the past few months substantial work has been undertaken by the Cabinet, working with Directors, to establish the key priorities of the Council over the coming years.
  7. Strategic Priorities

  8. The following strategic priorities are proposed:

We want to:

    • maintain a prosperous economy which gives you real choice of access to jobs, homes, leisure and services;
    • give all of us – throughout our lives – the opportunity to enjoy effective teaching and learning;
    • safeguard our communities and maintain our rural character;
    • help the disadvantaged among us to live better and more fulfilled lives and to promote personal independence;
    • keep improving your services by listening to what you tell us about them;
    • make Oxfordshire – its City, towns, villages and countryside - welcoming, safe and exceptional places to live, work, learn and visit.

We will achieve these through the Council’s leadership and by working with others in the public, private and voluntary sectors and, by so doing, will help to achieve the Oxfordshire Community Partnership vision which is "We want Oxfordshire to be a thriving County which adapts to a changing world and remains a special place to work, live and visit".

  1. These priorities are consistent with our vision, objectives and spending plans.
  2. More detail on the specific actions in support of these priorities and the detailed outcomes we plan to achieve will be included in our Corporate Plan for the County Council. The timetable for the approval of the Corporate Plan is as follows:
  3. Approval Process

    Date

    Corporate Plan considered by Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee

    02/03/06

    Corporate Plan considered by Cabinet

    07/03/06

    Corporate Plan approved by Council

    04/04/06

    RECOMMENDATION:

  4. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED, subject to consideration of any advice from the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee, to approve the Strategic Priorities for inclusion in the Corporate Plan to be submitted to Council on 4 April 2006.

KEITH R MITCHELL
Leader of the Council

Background Papers: Nil

Contact Officer: Paul Edwards, Corporate Performance Manager, Tel: 01865 815307

January 2006

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