The advantages of having just one council providing all services are evident everywhere. Imaginative projects are making North Lincolnshire an even better place to live, work and visit.
The council constantly seeks partnerships with local communities, businesses, other public bodies and the Government. It sees this as the most positive way that a modern council can innovate, provide good value and respond to local needs.
The council's structure is all about customers. Our aim is always the same: to respond to people’s needs and priorities.
Our democratic structures are open, transparent and accessible. We make decisions quickly, based on wide consultation. Scrutiny and standards committees provide checks and balances, ensuring that local people always come first.
We were rated an ‘excellent’ council in 2004. The Audit Commission’s new tougher test gave us three stars out of a possible four and judged our rate of improvement as adequate. We aim to do even better.
Our ambitions
These ambitions say what the council wants to achieve and how it is going to achieve its goals.
There are eight ambitions - four are shared with our partners in the North Lincolnshire Strategic Partnership. The other four reflect what we need to do internally as a council to meet the ever-changing demands of local government.
Our four shared ambitions are the result of what those who live and work here in North Lincolnshire have told us they want to see improved.
Our internal ambitions recognise the changes that will have to take place within the council so that we can achieve our shared ambitions.
The eight ambitions are shown below:
Shared:
- An area that is thriving
- Communities that are confident and caring
- Individuals can see the difference
- Everyone works together for the benefit of North Lincolnshire.
Council:
- Empowering people to do the most important things better
- Supporting members to lead their communities
- Developing partnerships that make a difference
- Improving the capacity of the organisation.
What matters to us
We must deliver these priorities fairly, responsively and responsibly. So we keep in mind a further set of principles, focusing on:
Customers
Our customers – the people for whom we provide services – ultimately drive all our work. It may seem obvious, but we must plan services for our customers’ benefit, not our own. We target those services at times and places where they are most needed. We listen to what people say, and change where necessary. The result should be delighted customers.
Communities
We do not work in isolation. The council knows that it can build a better future only in partnership. We work closely with other organisations through the North Lincolnshire Strategic Partnership.
The council consults widely on the long-term future of the area. Such input is vital to the Local Development Framework (LDF). This will govern the nature of development in North Lincolnshire over the next 10 to 20 years. It governs vital questions about how and where housing, commercial and industrial development happens, and how we cope with population growth. For instance, an estimated 11,000 extra homes could be needed in the next 15 years. The type of housing and where it goes are questions that we need to answer.
Governance
The council is here to represent and serve local people. So it must maintain the highest standards in decision-making and responding to concerns. We do this by making sure nobody is excluded. That way, we can promote involvement by all who want to participate.
Culture
We also know that we’ll never give our customers the best unless we have committed staff. We actively seek ways to give our people a clear sense of their roles. They feel valued. And they know that the council responds to their concerns and provides an environment where they can do their best.
Value for money
Local government is always under financial pressure. Not only must we keep costs down. We must continue to raise standards too. The two are not mutually exclusive. We have shown that we can cut costs while making services better. We will keep doing it. Only by proving that we offer high quality, yet efficient services can we build public support for our future plans.
Find out more