The Interim Chief Executive presented the Council’s draft Corporate Plan for 2011-2014, which set out the Council’s purpose and goals for the next three years, together with the activity that the Council would deliver this year, the targets being working towards and how residents, businesses, voluntary, community and faith groups of Wirral could hold the Council to account and measure performance.

The draft Corporate Plan reflected the priorities for local people, identified through the 2010 Wirral’s Future consultation and put in place a clear and transparent framework for the organisation to deliver on those priorities and implement the commitments agreed by the Council in relation to its budget for 2011-2012. The plan presented a structured approach to make the most of available resources, to take advantage of opportunities open to the Council and to tackle the significant challenges that faced Wirral.

He commented that Chief Officers were preparing individual departmental business plans, which would set out in more detail how the actions and targets in the Corporate Plan would be delivered alongside any additional activity linked to the Council’s goals. The Chair indicated that he would review the Departmental Plans with the relevant portfolio holders, and he expected that they would be signed off before the end of April 2011.

The Chair commented also that at a time of difficult financial challenges, the Corporate Plan presented an opportunity for the rejuvenation of local government and would make the Council more open and transparent. Although, some 1100 members of staff were leaving the organisation on a voluntary basis, there was a commitment to training, developing and equipping the workforce to take the Council forward.

Resolved – That the draft Corporate Plan be approved and referred for adoption by full Council for implementation from the 1 April 2011.