Councillors have given their approval to this year’s annual improvement report, which charts progress made by Denbighshire over the past year in a number of key areas that contribute towards achieving the Council’s top priorities, which are:
- Developing the local economy
- Improving performance in education and the quality of our school buildings
- Improving our roads
- Vulnerable people are protected and are able to live as independently as possible
- Clean and tidy streets
- Ensuring access to good quality housing
- Modernising the council to deliver efficiencies and improve services for customers
The council’s Corporate Plan 2012-17 sets the strategic direction for the council and its priorities for the five-year period plus detail about what the council intends to do each year to help deliver these priorities as set out in annual service plans and the Corporate Plan Annual Delivery Document.
In presenting the report to members, Denbighshire’s Chief Executive, said: “Last year, the council agreed its new five-year Corporate Plan, which is without question the most ambitious Corporate Plan the council has ever had.
“Even in the face of unprecedented financial pressures in this current economic climate, we still feel it is appropriate to have ambitious plans in place although we may encounter difficulty in bringing them to fruition.
“This report evaluates our progress so far. We know that some of our priorities will take several years to deliver, and we realise that the full benefits of our Corporate Plan will be realised beyond 2017. In particular, the priorities focussing on the economy and education have a timescale beyond the five years of our Corporate Plan.
“However, it is important for us to be able to demonstrate the progress we have made at the end of each year, and I am pleased to say that we made significant progress with some of our priorities during 2012/13, and we were able to lay the foundations for success for those (like developing the local economy) that have a longer-term focus.
Key proposals for additional investment for the five year period, subject to the availabilty of funding, will include:
- £97 million in improving school buildings, implementing area reviews, refurbishment and other improvements to schools.
- £10.4 million investment in roads
- £21 million in three extra care facilities across the county
- £2 million investment in the economy.
- £4 million in information communication technology (ICT) and office building assets.
The Annual Improvement Report will be made available in
council reception areas, libraries, one stop shops or on the website at www.denbighshire.gov.uk
