Strategic Direction

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Value Findings 2008/2013

 

  • The council needs to be clearer what individual initiatives are trying to achieve and to follow through more rigorously to make sure that the expected outcomes and impact are achieved. Clearer choices need to be made about which proposals for improvement fit best with overall priorities and aims, to enable resources to be targeted more effectively.
  • The council’s leadership has been effective in establishing a culture of continuous improvement, motivating people and ensuring that there is increasing clarity about overall direction. Members and senior officers need to coordinate the different streams of activity better and target resources to best support overall improvements.
  • The council’s political structures work well and are increasingly effective in ensuring that policy decisions are responsive to local views. Council decision-making is open to public scrutiny.
  • Senior management have a cohesive approach, and the management structure helps to provide capacity and resilience. However, it fosters an operational focus at the expense of strategic management, and there is scope to rationalise it.
  • The council has set out its overall direction well, with a clear vision now supported by well-defined strategic priorities. In the past, service plans were well articulated, but they were not clearly linked to corporate and area priorities. The improved clarity of overall direction provides a more effective basis for planning, but it is too early to see how well the new planning and performance management framework will work.
  • The council is committed to community engagement and is very active in seeking the views of the local community, making widespread use of surveys. However, this work could be more effective, with no systematic approach to consistently inform policy and service delivery. An opportunity is being missed to share experiences and best practice, and to improve coordination of all community engagement activity.

Where are we now?

 

  • Aberdeenshire Council has an agreed (2017) Council Plan in place which includes our 11 priorities based on the long term vision in 2007.
  • We have developed a 15 year Medium Term Financial Plan and there is a clear link on how budget and resources support the delivery of our priorities.
  • The importance of area and place is central to strategic thinking and operational management and locality/area working is at the heart of how the council functions.
  • Stable and effective arrangements are in place for political governance.
  • The council has continued to develop effective working relationships with a wide range of partners.
  • Strategic leadership across the council provides direction for our priorities.

What are our key challenges?

We are in the midst of challenging times in the public sector. Leadership from both elected members and officers is crucial to provide stability and direction in an uncertain landscape. Leadership development, appropriate organisational governance and cultural growth will continue to be required to ensure we have a stable and well-performing council that adds value to the communities we serve. It is acknowledged that the council should build on the current visibility of strategic leadership in relation to supporting/embedding vision, values and aims

Where are we going?

 

  • The council’s priorities will continue to provide the direction of travel but will be monitored and reviewed appropriately to ensure impact.
  • The management and leadership of budget and resources will continue to be a key area of focus for the council.
  • We will continue to ensure that communities are supported by effective partnership working.
  • The scrutiny functions of political governance will continue to be developed.
  • The council recognises from recent self-assessment and evaluation that there is a need to increase visibility of strategic leadership in relation to supporting/embedding vision, values and aims.