Consultation for the Council Plan 2020-23

Consultation for the Council Plan 2020-23

Why are we doing this?: 

Wrexham County Borough Council provides many services to you, whether you live here, work here or are just visiting, such as: schools, waste collection, social care, council housing, planning services, roads, museums, country parks and trading standards.

Our vision for the future is that all the people that live here are supported to fulfil their potential, prosper and achieve a high standard of well-being.  We will be a strong and inclusive community leader to help make this happen. 

Our Council Plan

This Council Plan outlines what our priorities will be up to March 2023 to help us achieve our vision and to contribute to Wales’ Well-being Goals.  These are the services we will be focussing most on improving and which we believe will have the most benefit to you if we get right.   

Our other important services will still be delivered but details about those will be included within our internal business and service plans.  We will also be continuing to work on key areas that underpin all of our work across the Council – areas such as anti-poverty, equality and the Welsh Language.

Our six priorities are:

  • Developing the economy
  • Ensuring a modern and resilient council
  • Ensuring everyone is safe
  • Improving secondary education
  • Improving the environment
  • Promoting good health and well-being

To read the full draft Council Plan click here.

Tell us what you think

It is proposed that these six priorities will be our priorities for the next three years, therefore we are keen to hear your opinions about the focus of each of these priorities to make sure your views are taken into account as we finalise our plan.  We would also like to know what you think about the Council Plan as a whole and if you think it will help us to deliver our vision that all the people that live here are supported to fulfil their potential, prosper and achieve a high standard of well-being.  This consultation is open from 4th February to 17th March.

What happens next? 

 Once this consultation closes, the results will be analysed and the findings used to finalise our Council Plan 2020 – 2023 which will be presented to Council in May 2020 for approval. We will ensure that we feedback to you the results of the consultation at that time.

What we found out: 

The survey asked respondents to read a description of each priority and of the areas of focus for 2020-23. Respondents were then asked to what extent they agreed that identified areas of focus for 2020-23 would achieve each priority.

Respondents were also asked to what extent they agreed that delivering all six of the priorities would enable the Council to meet its vision that all people living in Wrexham County Borough are supported to fulfil their potential, prosper and achieve a high standard of living.

There were 98 responses overall - this is a low response rate and not all respondents answered every question / fully completed the survey.  We think this might be for a number of reasons – because of the recent consultation on the six priority areas in summer 2019, there were no proposals about any specific service changes or cuts, as well as the emerging Covid 19 situation. 

For each priority, there are clear areas of focus which the large majority of respondents strongly agreed or agreed would contribute to achieving the priority.  Additionally, more people strongly agree or agree than strongly disagree or disagree that almost all the identified areas of focus will contribute to achieving the priorities. 

The single area of focus which the majority of respondents strongly disagreed or disagreed would meet a priority was ‘Welsh language’ for Priority 2 – Ensuring a Modern and Resilient Council (30% strongly disagree or disagree, 21% strongly agree or agree).  This correlates with the profile of respondents to the survey overall, only two of whom indicated that they spoke Welsh.  The council is, nevertheless, required to meet the legislative requirements of the Welsh Language Standards.

A report detailing the findings is available here.

 

What difference has it made?: 

Analysis of comments received from respondents offers a range of suggestions and ideas as to how the council’s priorities could be achieved.

The findings of the survey have been used to further develop the detail within the proposed priorities.  The Council had been due to consider the Plan for approval at its meeting in May 2020, however the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has delayed this process and approval is now expected in Autumn 2020.  The agreed Council Plan will be available on the Council’s website.

 

Consultation start date 04 February 2020
Consultation end date 17 March 2020