Meeting Corporate Objectives The Council recognises the importance of the strategic role that housing plays within the Local Authority, and the extent of this role has been publicly acknowledged within the Council's Financial Strategy. The 200232 Housing Services Business Plan has been produced in accordance with the Council's overall financial strategy, and its success will contribute considerably to the Council's wider financial aims.
The Council is clear that in order for housing to be able to meet its strategic role, it must firstly ensure that it is on a sound financial footing, and the Business Planning process will deliver this. This will allow housing, in its wider format, to play a full and varied part in meeting the Council's overall objectives.
In June 1999, the Council consulted widely with the local community, holding events across the Borough, before establishing its Community Vision. This forms the basis of the Community Planning Framework, which established the key corporate priorities for the Council and for the community of:
- Regeneration;
- Sustainable development;
- Best Value;
- Partnerships.
To achieve those priorities, the Council has prepared several corporate strategies, e.g. * Capital Strategy, * Resident Involvement in Gosport, * Crime and Disorder Strategy Update, etc., all of which require a substantial input from housing if they are to prove effective. These strategies have been produced corporately, utilising the Council's management framework to ensure that business decisions are made that corporately support the Council's objectives.
The Council's Management Team fully considers both strategy and aims and objectives, before identifying the principle actions for the forthcoming year. These are set out within the Council's Corporate Plan, before being used as a management tool in the development of budgets, action plans, Best Value Performance Plans and Staff Development Plans. This process is more fully described within the Housing Strategy.
Since the outline Business Plan was written last year, the Council has undertaken a comprehensive options appraisal of the housing stock, which is documented in some detail later in the plan (see background paper: Options Appraisal*). The findings of the appraisal were fully discussed at a Corporate Management Team away day, facilitated by the consultants that undertook the appraisal project.
The Council clearly recognises the role that housing plays in the wider corporate strategy, and the links between housing, social exclusion, poverty and ill health. The Council will ensure that the interests of the more vulnerable members of the community are not excluded from the regeneration process. The strategy to achieve this is covered in greater detail in the Housing Strategy document.
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