Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Development and Transformation.

(a)            That the ambition, approach and scope for the Our Future Council transformation programme be approved, and plans to progress to a full business case, be endorsed. This would be presented to Joint Overview Committee for feedback and Cabinet for approval in January 2025.

(b)            That the draft transformation plan, target operating model design, governance plans and draft delivery plans for whole-council transformation, be endorsed (appendix B) The final versions would be presented Joint Overview Committee for feedback and Cabinet for approval in January 2025.

(c)             That authority be delegated to Executive Director for Corporate Development to commission strategic advisor, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, (PwC) to the value of £520,000 to deliver a full business case with investment and implementation plans.

(d)            That authority be delegated to Executive Director for Corporate Development, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance & Capital Strategy, to replenish and approve use of the transformation fund allocated from capital and revenue reserves of £3m to be made available to support invest to save transformation activity.

Reason for the decision

Dorset Council was facing significant financial pressures and increasing demand for services, a challenge common to many local authorities. To address this, we must undertake a comprehensive, whole-council transformation to ensure sustainable and effective service delivery.

Cllr B Wilson, Cabinet Member for Corporate Development and Transformation introduced a report that set out the ambition and outline business case for the transformation of Dorset Council under “Our Future Council”.  The report set out the plans to develop a full invest to save business case early in 2025.  Our Future Council was an extensive, whole council transformation programme and was a crucial component of the new Council Plan for improving outcomes for residents and organisational efficiency as well as being vital for future financial resilience.

Decision

(a)            That the ambition, approach and scope for the Our Future Council transformation programme be approved, and plans to progress to a full business case, be endorsed. This would be presented to Joint Overview Committee for feedback and Cabinet for approval in January 2025.

(b)            That the draft transformation plan, target operating model design, governance plans and draft delivery plans for whole-council transformation, be endorsed (appendix B) The final versions would be presented Joint Overview Committee for feedback and Cabinet for approval in January 2025.

(c)             That authority be delegated to Executive Director for Corporate Development to commission strategic advisor, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, (PwC) to the value of £520,000 to deliver a full business case with investment and implementation plans.

(d)            That authority be delegated to Executive Director for Corporate Development, in consultation with Cabinet Member for Finance & Capital Strategy, to replenish and approve use of the transformation fund allocated from capital and revenue reserves of £3m to be made available to support invest to save transformation activity.

Reason for the decision

Dorset Council was facing significant financial pressures and increasing demand for services, a challenge common to many local authorities. To address this, we must undertake a comprehensive, whole-council transformation to ensure sustainable and effective service delivery.