In this section you will find information about our strategies, plans and policies as well as information on how we monitor and manage performance to help ensure we improve and maintain the quality of services to the residents of Forest Heath.

To contact the Performance Management team, please email performance@forest-heath.gov.uk or telephone 01638 719274 / 719280.
 
Our Corporate Plan
We undertook a comprehensive public consultation exercise to inform the Council's direction for the future and have aligned our new priorities to meet public demand.  A summary of the Corporate Plan for 2008-2012 is given in the following paragraphs.  Alternatively, you can view or download a full version of our Corporate Plan (Adobe Acrobat, file size 3MB).

Each year, we will produce an Annual Delivery Plan which will provide detail of the key actions we will be looking to undertake during the forthcoming year to deliver against the broad ambition of our corporate priorities.  We will be reporting the progress we have made against each of these actions in our Annual Report.

Our Annual Delivery Plan 2008/09 is available to view or download.

Our Mission
To be a highly regarded organisation providing and enabling excellent services, continually improving the quality of life for the Forest Heath community.

Our Vision

Clean - We will continue to keep the district clean and ensure that our towns and villages are attractive places in which to live, work and visit.

Green - We aim to ensure that Forest Heath's natural environment is protected and enhanced for all and we will work to limit our impact on the global environment.

Safe - We will work with our partners and the community to ensure that Forest Heath remains a very safe place that can be enjoyed at all times and where everyone is respected.

Prosperous - Sharing in wealth through employment opportunities is vital to securing a vibrant, cohesive and sustainable community for the future. We will use our resources and leverage to improve access to opportunities for learning and paid work for all who seek it.

How the vision will be achieved:

• In partnership with public, private and voluntary sectors
• Through co-ordinated activity under the umbrella of the West Suffok Local Strategic Partnership
• By working with and influencing the Suffolk Strategic Partnership
• By continually improving our own service delivery
• By targeting actions within the Suffolk Local Area Agreement where this meets our stated priorities
• We will extend our leadership role for the area - calling on private, public and voluntary partners to work with us
• We will work to see that our powers and services contribute to achieving the long term vision

Our Values

Professionalism - Our employees and elected Members will meet adopted codes of behaviour, relevant professional standards and probity in all that we do. Service standards will be further developed and expanded, to ensure that the customer knows what can be expected from us at all times.

Efficiency - We aim to do the right thing, first time, every time - and to do it well. We are continually improving our  services and we empower our managers and staff to do what needs to be done, in order to make things better. We have made good progress in removing unnecessary steps in our processes and we will continue to improve systems and make savings.

Accountability - All Forest Heath Councillors and employees are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and to take informed and well-managed decisions. We will ensure that we learn from any mistakes. Poor performance or incapability will be dealt with in a professional and appropriate manner.

Value for Money - We intend to make every penny of the taxpayers' contribution count. We will work hard to ensure that our services are lean and efficient and that our partnerships and grant aid have maximum effect. We aim to improve our formal Use of Resources inspection rating (including data quality) in the coming years and we are investing in the management of our assets.

Our Priorities

Affordable and accessible housing - Using the Planning system to increase developer obligations to build more affordable units within developments

Community engagement and communication - Increasing dialogue with the community through representative groups

Community safety - Working with partners to reduce the fear of crime and improve public safety

Economic regeneration - Prioritising issues of town centre management and improvement to ensure that economic vitality is improved

Outreach projects for young people - Supporting opportunities and activities which keep young people safe and active

Street scene and environment - Managing the local environment and safeguarding the future through action against global warming

Transport Issues - Lobbying for the dualling of the A11 north of the Barton Mills roundabout

Our Strategies and Policies

We also have a range of strategies and policies that provide a framework to enable us to deliver our services effectively.

For more information on Strategies and Policies, please contact the Corporate Development Officer (Policy) at policy@forest-heath.gov.uk

More information is available on our Council Performance and Review page.