One Council Sustainable, Effective and Delivering
Residents in the district deserve high-quality, well-run services, and to achieve this we adopt a ‘One Council’ approach in everything we do. This means everyone who works for the council is part of one team, focused on getting the basics right and delivering the best possible services for people in the district, building on progress already made and driving forward our bold transformation programme.
For the Council to be truly effective, it must operate as an efficient, agile, and lean organisation that makes the best use of technology and streamlined processes to provide an excellent customer experience and deliver on the ambitions set out in the District Strategy and this Council Plan. Working closely with partners is essential to ensure services make sense to residents, reduce duplication, and maximise the resources available to the district.
Budgets need to be managed effectively, and revenue collected where this is due.
To make this happen, the council transformation portfolio will prioritise the following areas:
- Continuous Improvement
- Customer and Digital
- Locality Working
- Organisational Effectiveness
Continuous Improvement
The Council will develop its use of evidence and data to help it drive improvement through better understanding of the district, its assets and needs and the impact of Council services. It will be supported in this by the Health Determinants Research Collaboration which is a unique asset supporting the use of data and evidence and associated skills in decision making. Evidence will inform policy and the allocation of resources. The Council will continue to be open to scrutiny and challenge from internal and external bodies including peer review and committed to learning from their findings.
Customer and Digital
A new Customer Experience Strategy will deliver a customer first culture, expand digital access to services, support a deeper understanding of customer needs and expectations, embed prevention and early help into our approach to customer services and listen to customer feedback using it to drive change. Our elected members will benefit from improved and responsive support systems and behaviours.
Meaningful engagement with residents and employers will lead to service improvement, stronger relationships, and better outcomes. Involving local people and organisations in shaping services and policies and in delivering positive outcomes helps to ensure that what the Council does reflects local needs and priorities and utilises local assets. The Council will seek to re-think service delivery through new ways of working made possible by new technology including safely and responsibly harnessing the power of AI. Staff at all levels will be equipped with the digital literacy and skills needed to innovate and deliver digital solutions.
Locality Working
Locality Working brings services, partners and communities together at a local level to deliver a coordinated approach to prevention and early help. This way of working will ensure support is responsive to local priorities, strengthen individual and community resilience, enabling people to lead fulfilling lives and reducing the likelihood of issues escalating into crisis or requiring costly intervention.
This approach connects council teams, health partners and the voluntary and community sector through shared leadership and joint delivery. It aligns with the NHS Integrated Neighbourhood Teams and Bradford Children and Families Trust’s Early Help arrangements to create one connected, coordinated, person-centred system of support for residents.
In areas such as Holme Wood and Ravenscliffe, Locality Working will connect with the Pride in Place regeneration programme, which targets investment in neighbourhoods with the greatest challenges and potential. Together, they will deliver lasting improvements to local environments, enabling residents to participate, connect with one another, take pride in their area and thrive.
Organisational Effectiveness
The Council will embed a “One Council” culture, in which Council services are relentlessly focussed on our communities, work effectively together as one team and deploy resources where they are needed to deliver the best possible services and outcomes.
This is a central objective of our programme of culture change which promotes “One Council” thinking and corporate behaviour across our workforce including strengthening positive and productive relationships between Council officers and elected members. Our corporate values – “brilliant, bold and balanced” and a comprehensive set of associated behaviours will help to drive performance, accountability and continuous improvement.
Our people are at the heart of our plan. We will ensure that we have a great workforce equipped to do their jobs well. This means ensuring that Bradford Council is a great place to work where everyone has opportunities to thrive and access learning, has the right tools to do their jobs including skills, facilities and IT, understands and has the support to meet what is expected of them and is accountable for the outcomes that they deliver.
To achieve this, each service must have a clear plan in place that links to the Council Plan and District Strategy.
We need robust internal and external communications that deliver:
- Effective communication between staff, elected members, and residents
- Good communication with residents and when things do not go well, issues are dealt with as fast as possible and if necessary, things are put right.
One Council priorities
In complement these key areas of transformation, there are also several other service transformation priorities within our transformation programme that will support us to realise our One Council priorities to deliver a sustainable and effective Council that delivers high quality outcomes for our residents.
Continuous Improvement
Objective: Deliver continuous improvement using evidence and data
| Action | Milestone 26/27 | Milestone 27/28 | Milestone 28/29 | Measures | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deliver good performance and clear accountability through establishing and delivering the Performance Framework | Performance Framework for the Council developed and agreed, and reporting starts in line with this. | Monitor performance, continuously improving using data. | Monitor performance, continuously improving using data. | Timeliness and completeness of performance reporting Compliance with Performance Framework Improvement in key performance indicators (KPIs) across priority areas Number of corrective actions implemented based on performance data |
OCEX |
| Review and strengthen the performance function across the council to deliver the intelligence the organisation needs | Cross Council Performance Group set up Agreed approach to Performance actioned Review of the JSNA |
Intelligence function provides regular reporting to SDs to inform the development of policy within their department | OCEX |
Customer and Digital
Objective: Enhance customer experience and expand digital access to services
| Action | Milestone 26/27 | Milestone 27/28 | Milestone 28/29 | Measures | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Improving customer care across the council through the Customer/Contact Management Transformation Programme | Develop a Customer Service Plan / Strategy to include service standards and embed these across the council Member portal |
Training needs analysis to be undertaken and training delivered for all customer facing staff. Begin unitisation of calls into the contact centre. |
Full channel shift to Digital by Default backed up by support for vulnerable customers | 100% usage of Member Portal by 28/29 | OCEX/ Corporate Services |
| Ensure a Productive dialogue with residents via the Resident Engagement Plan | Set out the plan for engagement and deliver engagement in Q3 and Q4 | OCEX/ Environment | |||
| Ensure that all residents can access services quickly, easily, and consistently, while enabling the Council to use its resources more effectively, reduce operational costs, and focus staff time on those with the most complex needs. | Approve Customer Strategy and TOM Data led scope: CRM, contact centre optimisation, and data and channel shift towards digital enablement |
Customer Strategy and TOM deployment continue CRM procurement, identify areas for consolidation, Website improvement continues all pages reviewed and updated |
Launch new CRM. Iterative roll out. All agreed services onboarded | Reduction in avoidable demand Cost efficiency from channel shift Less telephony and in person services as digital adoption grows – sustainable workforce model Increase utilisation of skilled staff for complex need |
Corporate |
| Ensure transformation is effectively underpinned by technology through the Digital Programme and delivery of key digital transformation projects, for example ERP, Adult Case Management, CRM etc | Deliver significant system change programmes including ERP Review and improve the process for identifying and allocating IT resources Improve digital skills in the workforce Maximise the use of IT systems and applications |
Continue to deliver safe quick wins to enable efficiencies through digital. Digital by choice. Launch annual maturity assessments to drive the next planning cycle. System consolidation and optimisation Continue to develop the wider digital ‘product suite’ |
Continue to deliver safe quick wins to enable efficiencies through digital. Digital by choice. Utilise annual maturity assessments to drive the next planning cycle. Continue to develop the wider digital ‘product suite’ |
CRM system ERP system Customer Strategy Digital Improved CSAT scores Channel Shift to Digital (‘digital by choice’) Training Coverage and Quality Digital Maturity Score Digital Adoption Rate |
Corporate |
Locality Working
Objective: Work alongside people, partners and communities at a locality level to deliver a targeted prevention and early help approach tailored to local needs
| Action | Milestone 26/27 | Milestone 27/28 | Milestone 28/29 | Measures | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deliver Neighbourhood Connect Programme | Soft launch Neighbourhood Connect model in initial areas Establish multi-agency locality operational leadership groups Begin workforce training in strengths-based and relational practice Commission academics to support the development and evaluation of neighbourhood connect, linked with HDRC Co-produce tools with staff and residents |
Embed data and digital enablers to record contacts, interventions and outcomes Roll out Neighbourhood Connect model across all localities Embed joint working arrangements with Partners Move multi-agency staff into co-located sites and establish collaboration working principles Initial evaluation data, adapt model reiteratively |
Deliver full impact and cost-consequence evaluation - including value of cost avoidance in system, and improved outcomes and wellbeing | Stronger individual and community resilience evidenced through evaluation Reduced demand on statutory and high-cost services Demonstrated system wide cost effectiveness through cost avoidance measure |
Adult Social Care, Health and Housing |
| Deliver Pride in Place projects in Keighley, Ravenscliffe and Holme Wood | Environment | ||||
| Deliver Integrated Health Neighbourhoods Programme | Adult Social Care, Health and Housing | ||||
| Deliver Family Hubs Project | BCFT |
Objective: Collaborate with neighbourhoods /create and adapt safe places to live work and play
| Action | Milestone 26/27 | Milestone 27/28 | Milestone 28/29 | Measures | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collaborative working with Registered Social Landlords to investigate allegations of Social Tenancy fraud - bringing properties back into use and reducing housing waiting lists | Adult Social Care, Health and Housing |
Organisational Effectiveness
Objective: Embed a “One Council” culture, in which Council services are relentlessly focussed on our communities, work effectively together as one team and deploy resources where they are needed to deliver the best possible services and outcomes.
| Action | Milestone 26/27 | Milestone 27/28 | Milestone 28/29 | Measures | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and implement organisational delivery model. | Align Service Operating Models to achieve unified approach to Council operations | Continue to plan, do, check to ensure alignment with any service models. Review the Council Plan and set up the process to develop the new plan for 2030-2035 |
Continue to plan, do, check and act to ensure alignment with any service models. Develop and publish the new Council Plan 2030-2035 |
Organisational blueprint Service models aligned to the Target Operating Model |
OCEX/Corporate |
| Ensure oversight of restructures across the organisation | Establish single gateway and tracker for restructure business cases. Standardise documentation and approval path (including enabling service signoffs) |
Quarterly portfolio reviews; publish compliance dashboards to SLT. Integrate lessons learned and improve templates |
Embed assurance cycle (pre/post-implementation reviews). Benchmark cycle times and outcomes; optimise workflows |
% restructure cases through single gateway Compliance rate |
Corporate |
| Set principles regarding spans and tiers and other elements of organisational design | Ensure all restructure business cases align with agreed spans & tiers principles | Audit structures; identify non-compliance and exceptions with rationale. Implement corrective actions via HR business partners. |
Annual optimisation cycle; integrate with workforce planning and succession. | Compliance to spans and tiers Organisational layers Exceptions managed |
Corporate |
| Deliver Culture Programme to ensure high support high challenge culture is embedded | Embed values and behaviours into systems and processes across the Council Create a Leadership Development programme that is accessed by all leaders and managers in the Council to ensure best practice and support in leading their teams effectively |
Embed a Leadership Development programme that grows aspiring leaders and managers in service areas for succession planning and retention of skill | Culture pulse surveys and targeted interventions; recognition framework embedded. Succession pipeline operational; talent reviews annually. |
Leadership programme coverage Manager effectiveness score |
Corporate |
| Ensure the council represents the district's diversity through the Council Equality Plan | Deliver the actions in the plan relating to recruitment and retention and achieve an increase in representation for all protected characteristics | Deliver the actions in the plan relating to recruitment and retention and achieve an increase in representation for all protected characteristics | Increase representation from minority ethnic groups to the district average | Increase representation from minority ethnic groups to the district average | OCEX |
| Reduce the use of agency staffing | Review use of agency staff with service areas and consider options to reduce Agree commercially sustainable approach to use of agency staff across service areas |
Retain commercially sustainable, agreed levels of agency support year-by-year | Sustain agreed levels; annual review; link to workforce plans and succession. | Agency FTE as % of total workforce Agency spend (£) vs baseline |
Corporate |
| Ensure good internal and external communications plans are in place. | Set out an internal communications plan Undertake a baseline survey of views and read rates |
Deliver improved internal communications and staff engagement line with the plan with increased take up and read rates | Testing with internal customers shows increased positivity about internal communications and increased read rates. | Testing with internal customers maintains positivity about internal communications and increased read rates | OCEX |
Objective: Resources are provided to enable effective services
| Action | Milestone 26/27 | Milestone 27/28 | Milestone 28/29 | Measures | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Social Care recording system ERP Service Improvement offer to support service-based changes |
Large change programmes and the wider transformation programme resourced to enable delivery at pace | Large change programmes and the wider transformation programme resourced to enable delivery at pace | Large change programmes and the wider transformation programme resourced to enable delivery at pace | Resources delivered according to ERP milestones. | Corporate |
| Ensure transformation is effectively underpinned by technology through the Digital Programme and delivery of key digital transformation projects, for example ERP, Adult Case Management, CRM etc | Digital tools and capability in place to underpin effective delivery of change programmes. | Digital tools and capability in place to underpin effective delivery of change programmes. | Digital tools and capability in place to underpin effective delivery of change programmes. | Resources delivered according to Digital and ERP milestones. | Corporate |
Financially Sustainable Council
Objective: Ensure that financial processes enable effective organisational management and demonstrate best financial practice
| Action | Milestone 26/27 | Milestone 27/28 | Milestone 28/29 | Measures | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery of the MTFS and preparation of annual budgets (S25) in line with recovery plan, and ongoing liaison with MHCLG | Publication and agreement of Budget Reports and exceptional financial support agreed with MHCLG | Publication and agreement of Budget Reports and exceptional financial support agreed with MHCLG | Publication and agreement of Budget Reports and exceptional financial support agreed with MHCLG | Reduction of exceptional financial support in line with recovery plan | Corporate |
| Deliver early close down of the accounts to enable best practice financial management. | Publication of Statement of Accounts 30.04.26 | Publication of Statement of Accounts 30.04.27 | Publication of Statement of Accounts 30.04.28 | Publication on external website | Corporate |
| Compliance with CIPFA Code of Practice and other statutory guidance | 2026/27 unqualified audit opinion | 2027/28 unqualified audit opinion | 2028/29 unqualified audit opinion | ISA 260 report from external audit | Corporate |
| Deliver cross council assurance of spend and a culture of financial accountability | BBERT processes enable regular reporting Spend control MTFS delivered budget savings | Reduce the use of agency staffing |
Objective: Support all services to deliver value for money (VFM)
| Action | Milestone 26/27 | Milestone 27/28 | Milestone 28/29 | Measures | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revised financial regulations and associated training | Revisions taken to Governance and Audit and agreement from full Council December 2027 | Revisions taken to Governance and Audit and agreement from full Council December 2028 | Revisions taken to Governance and Audit and agreement from full Council December 2029 | Agreement of financial regulations at Full Council | Corporate |
| Providing timely management information and clear accountability | Achieving required timelines for external reporting. | Achieving required timelines for external reporting. | Achieving required timelines for external reporting. | Achievement of agreed timescales on forward plan | Corporate |
Modernise processes and systems to ensure streamlined services for citizens and departments supporting citizens.
| Action | Milestone 26/27 | Milestone 27/28 | Milestone 28/29 | Measures | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support the implementation of ERP | Data Cleansing and Chart of Accounts Preparation. | Review, testing and implementation of chosen solution. | Continued implementation and roll out of training. | Improved finance processes and systems | Corporate |
| Identification of commercial / additional income streams to supplement/fund Council activities | Proactive process to identify external sources of income including grants | Proactive process to identify external sources of income including grants | Proactive process to identify external sources of income including grants | Amount of external income- to be agreed | Corporate |
Objective: Ensure Council spend of public funds is scrutinised and follows appropriate governance to safeguard citizens and the delivery of the overall Council Plan.
| Action | Milestone 26/27 | Milestone 27/28 | Milestone 28/29 | Measures | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strengthening governance and accountability for financial reporting. | Review governance and terms of reference to ensure that these deliver financial transparency | Number of reports to CMT, Executive and Council with capital implications have all been pre reviewed by PAG. | Corporate |
Objective: Transformation of financial management culture to facilitate effective delivery of the Council Plan.
| Action | Milestone 26/27 | Milestone 27/28 | Milestone 28/29 | Measures | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embed new financial structure and drive improve performance | 75% permanent staff in post | 90% of permanent staff in post (retention) | Retention of 90% staff in post (retention) | Retention of 90% permanent staff in post (retention) | Corporate |