BARRY TOWN COUNCIL
C O R P O R A T E P L A N 2 0 1 7 - 2 0 2 2 CONTENTS
Introduction from the Leader 1 Barry Town Council 2 Councillors 3 The Council 4 Code of Conduct 5 Our Services 6 Our Resources 7 Our Corporate Governance 8 -9 Wellbeing 10 The Council's Corporate Objectives 11 - A Prosperous Barry 12 - A Resilient Barry 13 - A Healthier Barry 14 - A More Equal Barry 15 - A Barry of Cohesive Communities 16 - A Barry of Vibrant Culture and 17 Thriving Welsh Language - A Globally Responsible Barry 18 Vale of Glamorgan Wellbeing Plan 19 Have Your Say 20 INTRODUCTION FROM THE LEADER
Barry is the largest Town Council in Wales, with a population of 52,000 residents and I believe we have a very powerful voice to serve and represent local people in the Town. Since I was elected onto the Council in 2007, the Council has grown both professionally and in stature and I believe we are ready to take on the challenge of shaping local services for our community. The introduction of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 has seen the Council adopt the 7 Wellbeing Goals for Barry: • A prosperous Barry • A resilient Barry • A healthier Barry • A more equal Barry • A Barry of cohesive communities • A Barry of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language • A globally responsible Barry I am confident that we can face the challenge and deliver these goals, making a positive impact on the wellbeing of our residents. We will continue to work with partners, including the Vale of Glamorgan Council, community groups and organisations and local businesses to develop new initiatives, as well as maintain and deliver our services, such as the Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery and the Pioneer Hall in the centre of Town. Our Corporate Plan lays out in detail how we will achieve these seven goals over the next five years and will also report annually on how the Corporate Plan will contribute to the four key areas identified in the Vale of Glamorgan Wellbeing Assessment and Wellbeing Plan. I believe the next five years will see Barry Town Council continue to grow and move forward with the twenty two elected Councillors, who will use their knowledge, skills and forward thinking as a strong voice for our diverse and expanding Town. We will be supported in our role by the professionalism and dedication of all our staff and we are ready to face the future with an ambitious, yet deliverable Corporate Plan. Best wishes,
C O U N C I L L O R B R O N W E N B R O O K S Leader of Barry Town Council 1 BARRY TOWN COUNCIL
There are 735 Town and Community councils in Wales; this number has remained relatively stable since the 1980s after the Local Government Act 1972 reformed and rationalised the structures of local government in Wales. Community and Town Councils form the most local level of government: they are corporate bodies and local authorities and cover many rural and urban areas throughout Wales. In the Vale of Glamorgan, there are 4 Town Councils and 22 Community Councils.
As the part of local government closest to the people, Community and Town councils have a powerful voice to represent local people. As an elected tier of local government, Town Council activities are controlled by Acts of UK Parliament or legislation introduced by the National Assembly for Wales. The other tier in Wales consists of Unitary Authorities, for example, for Barry, the Vale of Glamorgan Council is the unitary authority who has a legal duty to deliver services such as education, town and country planning, environmental health and social services.
A typical community council represents around 1500 people; however, Barry Town Council serves the largest population in Wales with over 52,000 people.
Essentially Barry Town Council’s powers fall within three main categories:
representing the whole electorate within the community;
delivering services to meet local needs; and
striving to improve quality of life in the community.
2 COUNCILLORS
In Wales there are approximately 8000 community and town councillors, who represent the interests of the communities they serve as a whole. They are recognised as having a role in providing the voice of the citizen in the development and delivery of public services in Wales.
Barry Town Council has 22 elected Town Councillors who have three main components to their work.
Decision making - Through meetings and attending committees with other elected members, councillors decide which activities to support, where money should be spent, what services should be delivered and what policies should be implemented. In undertaking their role they are bound to observe the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Councillors.
Monitoring - Councillors make sure that their decisions lead to efficient and effective services by keeping an eye on how well things are working.
Getting involved locally - As local representatives, councillors have responsibilities towards their constituents and local organisations.
3 THE COUNCIL
Our Vision Barry Town Council – Bringing Together Communities
Our Mission Creating an inclusive community for the wellbeing of all residents in Barry
Our Values • People Every day we will go further to make a difference to the lives of people in Barry. We will treat colleagues, partners, customers and residents with the respect they deserve and believe only our best is good enough. • Pride We are proud of the role we play in making Barry a success. We will accept the responsibility invested in us and rise to meet the challenges we need to overcome. • Place We will celebrate all things Barry and strive to make our streets, communities and town even greater places to live, work and visit
The Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 has introduced the Five Ways of Working set out below: o Involving o Collaborative o Long – term o Integrated o Prevention
Barry Town Council is committed to integrating these ways of working into its values.
4 CODE OF CONDUCT Code of Conduct for Wales All Councillors and non-councillors with voting rights shall observe the code of conduct adopted by the council. All councillors shall undertake training in the code of conduct within six months of the delivery of their acceptance of office form.
Councillors are expected to uphold the Nolan Principles of Public Life which are: 1. Selflessness 2. Integrity 3. Objectivity 4. Accountability 5. Openness 6. Honesty 7. Leadership
The Chief Officer (Town Clerk) is required to compile and hold a Register of Members' interests and ensures an electronic Register of Members' interest is made available to the public on the Council’s website.
Code of Conduct for Staff The public is entitled to expect the highest standards of conduct from all qualifying employees of relevant authorities. The role of such employees is to serve their employing authority in providing advice, implementing its policies, and delivering services to the local community. In performing their duties, they must act with integrity, honesty, impartiality and objectivity. The Code of Conduct for staff covers areas including: • Accountability • Political neutrality • Equality • Stewardship • Personal interests • Information • Whistleblowing • Appointment of staff 5 OUR SERVICES
• Burial authority for Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery, and delivering services at Porthkerry Cemetery on behalf of the VOG Council;
• Managing community facilities, for example, Pioneer Hall;
• Administering the Office of the Town Mayor and associated Civic events;
• Providing financial assistance to community groups and third sector organisations through Grant funding;
• Working in partnership with the VOG Council to deliver a new community green space at Cemetery Approach Gardens;
• Appointing representatives onto School Governing bodies;
• Representing the voices of the community on partnerships or external bodies such as the Community Liaison Committee, Barry Regeneration Advisory Group, Pride in Barry, Town Centre Forum and the Memorial Hall Theatre Trust
• Commenting on planning applications as statutory consultees (we have to be consulted in law)
6 OUR RESOURCES
Barry Town Council employs 24 staff, split across Management and Support Team and Core Services Teams.
The Town Council set a budget identifying next year’s expenditure including an allowance for contingencies, outstanding expenditure incurred in previous years, payments to or from reserves and earned income from services. The net running costs of the Council for the year (expenditure less earned income) is funded by a Precept that is collected by the Vale of Glamorgan Council as an addition to the Council Tax from all dwellings in the Town of Barry. The Precept represents 86% of the Town Council’s income that is used to pay for services and planned levels of spending.
One of the key statutory tasks a Council undertakes, irrespective of its size, is to prepare an annual budget. At its simplest, the budget compares what the Council would like to spend in the forthcoming year on local services and activities with the amount of income it expects to generate. The excess of planned spending over income is made up by the precept or by drawing on reserves held by the Council. During the period from November to January the Council’s Committees will review the current year spending and levels of income in detail, determine the cost of spending plans for the forthcoming year and provide for contingencies and consider the need for reserves. Each Committee will provide their budget recommendations that are submitted to the Town Council’s meeting in early February to approve the budget and confirm the precept.
For 2018/19, the Council’s total budget is £1,326,750
7 OUR CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CIPFA Good Governance in the Public Sector defines Governance as comprising: “the arrangements put in place to ensure that the intended outcomes for stakeholders are defined and achieved”. The fundamental function of good governance in the public sector is to ensure that entities achieve their intended outcomes while acting in the public interest at all times and a number of principles for Good Governance have been identified as:
Barry Town Council’s desired governance outcome and objectives are set out below:
8 OUR CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
9 WELLBEING
The Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 sets out ways that all public bodies in Wales can improve the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales. It asks public bodies to:
• Think about the long term • Work better with people and communities • Look to prevent problems • Look to join things up • Establish Public Services Boards • Develop Local Wellbeing Assessments and Plans
The Sustainable Development Principle described in the Act is the process of improving the economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales. Section 40 of the Act stipulates that Barry Town Council (due to its income levels) has a duty to take all reasonable steps towards meeting the local objectives included in the local wellbeing plan that has in effect in their areas and must publish a report detailing progress and must make considerations in their Planning cycle to integrate objectives.
Barry Town Council is now involved in shaping the Vale of Glamorgan’s Wellbeing Plan to ensure it meets the needs of the local community in Barry.
10 COUNCIL'S CORPORATE OBJECTIVES
Barry Town Council’s Corporate Objectives demonstrate the Council’s contribution to the 7 Wellbeing Goals for Barry which have been agreed as:
1. A prosperous Barry
2. A resilient Barry
3. A healthier Barry
4. A more equal Barry
5. A Barry of cohesive communities
6. A Barry of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh Language
7. A globally responsible Barry
The following pages set out the Council’s objectives which will contribute to each of the seven outcomes above.
We have identified key actions that will enable us to deliver these objectives and will report progress on an annual basis.
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Vale of Glamorgan Wellbeing Plan
Barry Town Council’s Corporate Plan contributes to the four key areas of work identified in the Vale of Glamorgan’s Wellbeing Assessment and Wellbeing Plan.
We have a statutory duty to report annually on how we have helped to achieve the Wellbeing Plan goals for the Vale. The Wellbeing plan is due to be published in May 2018 so our first report will be due in May 2019.
19 Have Your Say
Barry Town Council will listen to the views of people in Barry and try to reflect local needs with all of our work.
Do you have any comments to make about our Corporate Plan? Is there something we could be doing better?
If so, please get in touch as your feedback is valuable.
Get in Touch
Barry Town Council 7, Gladstone Road Barry CF62 8NA
01446 738663
www.barrytowncouncil.gov.uk
@barry_TC
@barrytowncouncil
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