Council business plan

What is the business plan?

The business plan is the document that sets the overall strategic and financial framework for the council's services and is updated annually.

This year, rather than the council plan being a printed document, we have published it here on the council's website (download below) enabling us to keep it up-to-date more easily and cost effectively.

Council Business Plan 2020-25 (Mar 2022 Update) (pdf 17.4mb)

What is the vision for the East Riding?

Despite the challenging financial climate, we continue to have high ambitions for the area and its significant opportunities and potential. We also continue to strive to remain one of the top councils in the country.

To focus on this aspiration we have established a simple and powerful vision for the East Riding:

Your East Riding... where everyone matters

What are the council's priorities?

With the increasing pressures on budgets, it is more important than ever that we focus on the things that matter most in the East Riding. We have five corporate priorities to ensure we gain the most use of our limited resources. 

The council's five corporate priorities are:

Growing the Economy 

Working with others to support sustainable economic growth and strong communities, ensuring the East Riding is a great place to invest in, live, work and visit.

Valuing the Environment 

Responding to climate change, developing our infrastructure and safeguarding our heritage.

Empowering and Supporting Communities

Support resilient and healthy communities, tackling inequalities, particularly those around health, which in a number of instances have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Protecting the Vulnerable

Supporting in times of need, protecting from harm and improving the quality of life.

Helping Children and Young People Achieve

Supporting and inspiring children to raise their aspirations and reach their potential.

How does the business plan fit into the bigger picture?

The planning framework ensures we use resources effectively and take into account how we are performing and the views and priorities of service users, residents and the wider priorities of national Government when developing our services.

The East Riding community plan 2016-2021 is a plan for the whole of the East Riding shared by all those working together to improve the quality of life in the area and driving what is done in each of our organisations - this has been renewed this year.

The local plan is the name for the collection of documents that together provide the framework for managing development and addressing the key planning issues within an area. The local plan reflects the aspirations of local communities, guides investment decisions, as well as the quality and appearance of towns and villages, coastline and countryside and, is used to determine planning applications.

Linked closely to the business plan are more detailed strategies and plans often focused on specific groups of people or functions to drive the delivery of the council’s priorities. Increasingly, many of these strategies are jointly developed and monitored with partners, for example, the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Service plans are a tool to enable services to turn plans into action, monitor performance and effectively manage their business. The service plans are updated annually in the spring.

How much do we spend on our corporate priorities?

The financial plan includes gross revenue spending of £830.5m for 2021/22.

How do we manage our finances?

The financial strategy sets out how resources will be used to deliver our strategic key outcomes over the medium term, whilst taking account of developments in national priorities. It reflects the financial implications of other corporate strategies and is key to managing the financial impact of the risks to which the council is exposed.

The key considerations for the financial planning process are:

• council priorities
• corporate strategies
• national priorities
• transformation projects/service reviews
• risk strategy.

Once a draft budget is prepared each year, there is wide consultation with all of the council’s Members, the Schools’ Forum, local strategic partners, business ratepayers and trade unions.

Consultation is also undertaken with a variety of local people through our annual budget event.

How was the council tax level set this year?

For further information visit the council tax and what it pays for page.

What is our capital investment programme?

Our capital investment programme covers such things as engineering works to highways, property maintenance and coastal protection. Despite continuing national economic difficulties, the Council's future capital programme is substantial, with investment totalling £421m for the period 2020-2026.  £145m is currently programmed for delivery in 2020-21. 

We will continue to seek external funding but will need to prioritise future capital investment based on our corporate priorities.

How do we monitor our progress?

We manage our performance very closely through a comprehensive performance management framework that operates across the council. This ensures that Members and council officers are able to make informed decisions that will drive service improvement. This process is also closely linked to our planning framework which ensures that resources are used effectively in support of the council’s priorities.

Additionally, residents will be kept up-to-date with progress in the 'Your East Riding' magazine through stories about the real differences we are making to people in the community.