Draft Council Strategy 2023-27

Activity closed. Results published.

Background

Our Council Strategy is written every four years to align with our local electoral cycle, and refreshed every other year. It explains what we want to prioritise and improve, whether that's a statutory service, eg: emptying bins, fixing potholes or safeguarding vulnerable children, or a new area of focus such as reaching zero net carbon. It also explains how we propose to achieve our priorities and work with our communities and partner organisations to deliver the strategy.

Our annually reviewed Medium Term Financial Strategy is a rolling three-year strategy, which is built to ensure that the financial resources, both revenue and capital, are available to deliver the Council Strategy.

You can find more information on how we pay for the services we provide on our Council Finance pages.

The current Council Strategy for 2019-2023 is coming to an end, so a new one is needed for 2023-2027.

How we developed our draft strategy

In developing our draft strategy we've considered: feedback from the 2021 Residents' Survey and other public engagement exercises, what we've learned from events and experiences over the last four years, and the long term aspirations of the West Berkshire Vision 2036. We've also viewed it in the context of other local policies and strategies, eg: the Environment Strategy 2020-2030 and Economic Development Strategy 2020-2023.

We've drawn this information together, along with the knowledge that we have to face challenges created by the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the Climate Emergency, and are proposing that we focus on the following five Priority Areas and the Outcomes that will help to achieve them:

• Providing opportunities for all and more help when you need it
• Protecting and enhancing our environment
• Stronger communities
• Great place to live, learn and do business
• Building public services for the future

You can read the Draft Council Strategy 2023-2027 [3MB] and supporting evidence document [4MB] .

Why we want your views

We'd like to hear your views on our draft Council Strategy, in particular our proposed Priority Areas and their associated Outcomes, and if you think there's anything we've missed. 

How to take part

If you'd like to comment on our draft strategy, please complete our survey by midnight Sunday, 26 February 2023. It should take about ten minutes.

If you have any questions about the consultation, please contact rcpteam@westberks.gov.uk.

What happens next

Your feedback will be used to shape the final Strategy, which will be considered for approval by elected members at the meeting of the Full Council on Thursday, 5 October 2023.

Following this, the final strategy will be published on our Strategies, Policies and Plans webpage.