To agree proposals for the Council's Corporate Plan 2020-24 for recommendation to Council.  The council's constitution requires cabinet to make recommendations to council in respect of budget and policy framework; the Corporate Plan forms part of this framework.

The Corporate Plan has been developed to set the ambition for the council following public consultation and engagement with key stakeholders.  Over 2000 people have been engaged through a range of pop-up events, targeted workshops throughout the county and an online survey. 

The Corporate Plan shapes the future of Herefordshire with the overall aim to improve the sustainability, connectivity and wellbeing of the county by strengthening communities, creating a thriving local economy and protecting and enhancing our environment. 

Through the development of the Corporate Plan, three corporate priorities and objectives have been identified. These are:

"           Environment - protect and enhance our environment and keep Herefordshire a great place to live

"           Community - strengthen communities to ensure everyone lives well and safely together

"           Economy - support an economy which builds on the county's strengths and resources

Recognising that these priorities do not exist in isolation, three cross-cutting themes of sustainability, connectivity and wellbeing have emerged. These themes will underpin the priorities and ambition set out in the Corporate Plan and guide future service design, planning and policy making.

The Corporate Plan is a strategic plan that sets out the overarching ambition, the annual delivery plan provides more detail of the projects and initiatives that will be undertaken in 2020/21 to meet the commitments made in the Corporate Plan 2020-24.

That:

(a)  The draft corporate plan 2020-24, as set out at appendix A, be recommended to Council;

(b)  Authority be delegated to the Assistant Director People and Performance, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make any amendments necessary arising from the discussions at Cabinet, prior to consideration by council specifically:

                              i.        An additional sentence to be inserted committing the council to working with the farming community to promote sustainable stewardship of the County’s farmland, soils and woods;

                            ii.        Reference to maintenance of public rights of way, bridges and street lighting to be inserted alongside maintenance of roads;

                           iii.        Additional photographs to be inserted to break up the large blocks of text in the introduction from the leader of the council and the background information on the county;

                           iv.        Typographical corrections to ensure consistency through the document.

1.       Cabinet may choose to amend the proposals.  It is open to Cabinet to recommend alternatives to the ambition and outcomes to those proposed.  However any alternatives should be informed by the evidence base available and the prevailing financial and policy context.