2024-2028 Corporate Plan p4

Delivering our Plan

To drive performance at all levels across the organisation, we developed a Performance Management Framework. 

This framework clearly illustrates how our corporate strategies, aims, and objectives, all cascade down through the organisation, and ultimately to each employee’s individual work plan.

The Community Plan (2017-2032)	The Community Plan sits at the top of the framework and sets the 15-year vision for the borough. It is led by the Council and was developed in partnership with a range of stakeholders from across the borough's public, private and voluntary sectors.
The Corporate Plan (2024-2028)	This four-year strategic plan for Council sits below the Community Plan. It shapes our services and drives our annual business planning process to ensure everything we do is aimed at achieving our objectives and our vision.
The Performance Improvement Plan	This annual improvement plan sits below the Corporate Plan. It sets our key improvement objectives for the year ahead and helps meet the objectives of both the Community Plan and the Corporate Plan.
Annual Business Plans	Each service area develops an annual business plan, Objectives and performance indicators link directly to the Community Plan, Corporate Plan and Performance Improvement Plan.
Employee Personal Development Plan (PDP)	These plans sit at the bottom of the framework and are developed by employees annually. They link each employee’s work, and learning and development needs, to departmental objectives, the Corporate Plan, and ultimately the Community Plan.

Reporting on our Plan

Our reporting structures have been designed to ensure proper oversight and accountability across all Council activities.

They provide our Senior Management Team and Elected Members with assurances that our governance arrangements are robust.

This helps to ensure transparency, accountability and to further drive continuous improvement.

These arrangements are outlined below.

On an annual basis, we also publish a Performance Self-Assessment Report.

This demonstrates to our citizens, service users and stakeholders the Council’s progress in discharging its duties under Part 12 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 in relation to performance improvement arrangements.

In line with statutory requirements, the report is published on our website by 30 September each year.

You can view and download our previous Self-Assessment Reports on our website.

Our reporting arrangements are as follows:

• The Community Plan is reported to:
  • The Strategic Alliance (every six months).
  • The Community Panel (every quarter).
  • The Neighbourhoods and Communities Committee (as appropriate).
• The Corporate Plan is reported to:
  • The Senior Management Team (every six months).
  • Full Council (every six months).
• The Performance Improvement Plan is reported to:
  • The Senior Management Team (every quarter).
  • The Corporate Resources, Policy, and Governance Committee (every quarter).
• Annual Business Plans are reported to:
  • The assigned Director (every quarter).

Funding Our Plan

Within this section, we outline our projected sources of income and areas of expenditure for the 2024/25 financial year.

While these projections are based on the 2024/25 financial year, they can be used as an indicative guide for the duration of this Plan.

Where our money comes from:

• 72% From District Rates
• 13% From Fees and Charges
• 14% From Grants
• 1% From Other

How we will spend our money:

• 12% From Capital Financing
• 17% From Corporate Services
• 20% From Parks and Open Spaces
• 14% From Community, Leisure and Environmental Health
• 4% From Economic Development
• 25% From Waste and Street Cleansing
• 4% From Planning and Building Control
• 4% From Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage

What we are responsible for

We deliver a wide range of key services, as shown below, to help improve the quality of life for our citizens, to promote the borough as a place to visit and do business, and to protect and enhance our natural environment.

• Environmental Health, Animal Welfare and Dog Control
• Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage
• Bin Collection and Recycling
• Planning and Building Control
• Parks, Cemeteries and Open Spaces
• Community Planning and Development
• Public Conveniences
• Off-street Parking
• Economic Development
• Leisure, Recreation and Sport
• Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Partnerships
• Licensing

What we are not responsible for

There are some common misconceptions about what we are responsible for, and whilst we do not deliver the services outlined here, your Elected Members can advocate and make representations on your behalf to these and other organisations.

• Roads, potholes, footpaths, streetlights, bridges and on-street parking
• Water, sewerage and septic tank clearance
• Electricity
• Penalty Charge Notice issued at off-street parking
• Housing
• Flooding

For enquiries relating to ‘Roads, potholes, footpaths, streetlights, bridges, and on-street parking’:

• Contact: Department for Infrastructure

For enquiries relating to ‘Water and sewage, including septic tank clearance’:

• Contact: Northern Ireland Water

For enquiries relating to ‘Electricity’:

• Contact: Northern Ireland Electricity

For enquiries relating to ‘Penalty Charge Notice issued at off-street parking’:

• Contact: NSL

For enquires relating to ‘Housing’:

• Contact: Northern Ireland Housing Executive

For enquires relating to ‘Flooding’:

• Contact: Flooding Incident Line
• T: 0300 200 0100 (24 hour)

Playing your Part

We are now calling on you, the citizens, communities and businesses of Mid and East Antrim, to help us achieve our vision of making the borough a safe, vibrant, shared and inclusive place to live, visit, work and invest.

We cannot deliver this Corporate Plan alone, and whilst collaboration with organisations from across the region can strengthen our ability to do so, we still need the support and cooperation from our most influential partner - you.

We have listed some of the key things you can do to help us on this journey:

• Exercise safety on our roads
• Be a responsible pet owner
• As business owners, offer apprenticeships and placement opportunities
• Donate unwanted items to charity
• Reduce, reuse and recycle
• Report problems e.g. fly tipping, anti-social behaviour etc
• Use litter bins provided
• Get involved in community and voluntary work
• Shop local
• Support our elderly and vulnerable
• Use public transport

Screening

In accordance with the statutory requirements set out in Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), whereby the Council must carry out its functions having due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity and regard for the desirability to promote good relations, this Plan has been subject to an equality screening.

The equality screening exercise did not identify any major adverse effects on any Section 75 category or requirements for mitigation, and therefore determined that there was no necessity to conduct a full equality impact assessment.

In accordance with the Rural Needs Act Northern Ireland (2016), the Council has given due regard to rural needs by carrying out a rural needs impact assessment of this Plan.

No adverse impacts were determined as part of this process.

This Plan will have a positive impact on the borough as a whole.

As part of our statutory duty to promote sustainable development, we carried out Climate and Sustainability screening.

This considered the likely impacts of this Plan, following the 5 pillars of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda.

No adverse impacts were determined as part of this process.

A Data Protection Impact Assessment screening was also undertaken, and as a result of this, a full Data Protection Impact Assessment was not deemed necessary.

Closing Remarks from the Interim Chief Executive

As we draw this document to a close, I would like to reiterate our commitment and enthusiasm for the strategic journey laid out in this Corporate Plan.

Our goals are ambitious, but by working together, they are within reach.

We understand that the road ahead may present challenges, but please be assured, addressing the needs of the borough remains our highest priority.

For those eager to stay informed and engaged with our efforts, I warmly encourage you to follow our journey via our social media channels.

These platforms offer a window into the transformative work we are carrying out across the borough.

For more detailed updates of our progress in achieving the objectives laid out within this Plan, I invite you to monitor our website for six-monthly progress reports.

These updates will allow you to see the tangible impacts of our collective efforts.

In our quest for continuous improvement, your feedback is invaluable.

We welcome your suggestions and comments on areas where we can enhance our services at any point throughout the year.

Please feel free to reach out to us at: performance@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

As we embark on our journey into the next four years, let me express my sincere gratitude for your support and partnership.

Together, we will forge a future that reflects our shared values and ambitions, ensuring a prosperous and sustainable borough for the generations to come.

Valerie Watts
Interim Chief Executive

Other formats

If you would like this publication in an alternative format, such as large print, or another language, please email: communications@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
1-29 Bridge Street
Ballymena
BT43 5EJ

T: 0300 1245 000

E: enquiries@midandeastantrim.gov.uk