South Ayrshire Council is taking further steps to ensure that it is as fully prepared as possible for tackling key tasks that it is likely to face in the next 12 to 18 months.

The Council’s Policy and Resources Committee has agreed in principle to the adoption of a strategy for addressing a prioritised set of the key tasks.  The overall aim of the strategy: to ensure the Council does the right things, in the best way, to the highest standard it can achieve.

Already the Council has acted to ensure it is geared up for the Local Authority Elections next year, and is prepared for any implications or resultant changes that may occur afterwards.  A special Working Group has been set up comprising six Councillors and appropriate senior officers.

The Council’s Policy and Resources Committee has already approved the setting up of the special Working Group, and has asked that recommendations produced by the Group should be submitted to the committee.

Now it has agreed that the Council should examine a prioritised set of key tasks which the Council’s Corporate Management Team and Heads of Service identify as requiring to be tackled, to give the Council a clear direction, a set of agreed priorities, and the necessary planning, resource and performance management arrangements to have them effectively carried out.

The Chief Executive of South Ayrshire Tom Cairns, presenting outline details of the strategy to the Committee explained the key issues to be addressed, including the establishing of a new vision for South Ayrshire, developing a leadership capacity to deliver that vision, and revitalising our review processes to ensure policies and services are delivered effectively.

Taking the Council Forward - A Strategy for Success (123KB)

Said the Leader of South Ayrshire Council, Councillor Gibson T. Macdonald: “It is our responsibility to ensure that we take every step available to us to plan ahead. There is a lot of work to be done by the officers of the Council, and equally there is a lot of responsibility for the elected members, and also work to be undertaken by them, to make sure the Council is prepared for the future.

“It is quite obvious that care will have to be taken to ensure that any decision making does not inhibit an in-coming administration following next year’s elections. Equally, it would seem likely that a number of key issues will have significant implications for our partner organisations, and the intention is that we fully consult with them.”

October 2006