Corporate Plan 2024 to 2028

The Corporate Plan will support the delivery of the Draft Programme for Government – aimed at improving wellbeing for all by tackling disadvantage and driving economic growth. It will also support the delivery of the Community Plan (2017 to 2032) for the borough.

Based on the evidence gathered Mid and East Antrim Borough Council have identified a range of strategic themes and objectives. These are as follows:

Strategic Theme: People

Ambition:

By 2028, Mid and East Antrim will be a safe, inclusive, and welcoming borough, where diversity and cultural differences are celebrated, and communities live in peace. Our people will have equity of opportunity and support to achieve their full potential, in both a professional and personal capacity. Individuals and communities will be empowered to be independent and self-sustaining, enabling us to concentrate our efforts on those who need it most.

To achieve this, we will:

1. Work in partnership with employers and stakeholders to support those seeking employment, provide upskilling support, improve access to the labour market for those with disabilities, and promote skills pathways.
2. Promote the benefits of offering apprenticeships and work experience opportunities to enhance skill development and bridge the gap between education and employment.
3. Support and deliver opportunities for our citizens to improve their physical, mental, and emotional health.
4. Explore ways to help vulnerable and marginalised individuals feel welcome and supported in their local communities, removing feelings of isolation or exclusion.
5. Lead by example to improve equality, accessibility, and inclusion across the borough by embedding it into everything we do.
6. Work alongside partners to encourage good relations, enhance community pride, and reinforce a strong sense of belonging in our communities.
7. Strengthen community safety, and boost public confidence, by forging collaborative partnerships that focus on proactive and comprehensive crime prevention.

What you will see:

• Programmes to encourage employability and skills development of citizens.
• Enhanced volunteer and work experience/placement opportunities within Council.
• Opportunities to take part in diverse and accessible physical activities.
• Programmes to support mental and emotional health.
• Initiatives to support those who are vulnerable, marginalised, or who have a disability.
• The delivery of good relations activities.
• Early intervention and support programmes for those most at risk of becoming involved in crime.

Strategic Theme: Place

Ambition:

By 2028, Mid and East Antrim will be widely recognised as an ideal place to live, visit, work and do business. We will have vibrant, clean, and harmonious shared spaces, designed to showcase our natural, and built, heritage and assets. Our tourism offering will be filled with diversity and richness of culture, history, and heritage, attracting visitors on a global scale. Businesses, new and existing, will have the required support to grow and prosper, leading to an economically innovative and sustainable borough, offering stable employment, inclusive growth and an ideal place to invest.

To achieve this, we will:

1. Support the development of a sustainable, dynamic, and prosperous local economy that helps businesses to grow, and promote the borough as an ideal place to do business for both new and existing companies.
2. Help drive sustainable economic growth by promoting the borough as a leading visitor and cultural destination, utilising our natural, and built, heritage and assets.
3. Support our towns and villages to help regenerate and stimulate economic activity, while protecting and conserving our natural and historic landscape.
4. Enhance and expand our amenities, parks, open spaces, and built heritage, making sure they meet the needs of all, while encouraging their respectful and mindful use.
5. Conduct Council business in a way that encourages economic prosperity within the borough.

What you will see:

• Support for local start-ups, businesses, and social enterprises.
• Promotion of the borough as an attractive investment location, with a particular focus on tourism and cleantech.
• Further development of our tourism offering, with an emphasis on community-led and regenerative tourism.
• Targeted conservation and regeneration activities.
• Enhanced parks, open spaces and built heritage.
• Delivery of an effective and efficient planning service.
• Prompt payment of our suppliers.

Strategic Theme: Planet

Ambition:

By 2028, Mid and East Antrim will be at the forefront of balancing progression with sustainability. We will be an emerging NI hub for innovation, environmental and cleantech skills training, and green economic growth. 

Our commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 will have set a standard for excellence across the region. Our dedication to safeguarding our natural and built heritage and preserving the environment through climate change mitigation and adaptation, will ensure a thriving and resilient future for generations to come.

To achieve this, we will:

1. Empower, educate, and work in partnership with our citizens, communities, and businesses, to progress the borough towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
2. Support local communities to create an environmentally resilient and sustainable borough that is equipped to deal with emergency situations, including climate adaptation.
3. Protect our natural environment, enhance biodiversity, and retain or increase Council’s current levels of carbon capture.
4. Lead by example and reduce the impact of our own operations to progress our organisation towards net zero emissions by 2040, by embedding sustainability and climate adaptation into all decision making.
5. Deliver an effective and efficient waste service that supports citizens, communities, and businesses to reduce waste and promote a more circular economy.

What you will see:

• Championing and supporting of environmental learning and best practice.
• Delivery of a range of projects to support businesses to achieve net zero.
• Collaboration with local communities to encourage climate and environmental resilience and sustainability.
• The protection and restoration of natural habitats, increased tree cover, and enhanced biodiversity through our parks and green spaces.
• A reduction in our operational energy consumption and carbon emissions.
• Achievement of environmental standards and targets, coupled with boosted reuse and recycling rates.

Strategic Theme: Performance

Ambition:

By 2028, we will operate as a single entity, fully embracing the vision of the Reorganisation of Public Administration (RPA 2015). We will be a sustainable, customer focused organisation and employer of choice, attracting and retaining the right people, with the right skills, to deliver our vision for the borough. We will provide value for money services by building solid foundations, learning from our mistakes, and instilling sound governance arrangements.

To achieve this, we will:

1. Redesign the organisation to work more effectively and efficiently, ensuring financial competence and resilience, delivering social value, and offering good value for money services in a sustainable manner.
2. Develop our key support services to help us achieve our goals, underpinning and enabling us to operate effectively and meet our core, statutory and regulatory obligations.
3. Continue to work alongside, and collaborate with, our partners to progress the delivery of the Community Plan and other Council strategies, sharing knowledge, skills, and best practice, to create synergy and influence decision making to achieve the best outcomes for the borough at an affordable cost.
4. Empower and equip our staff, through comprehensive skill development initiatives, fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and growth, ultimately enhancing individual and organisational capabilities.
5. Prioritise employee health and wellbeing, encompassing physical, mental, and emotional health, creating an environment where everyone feels valued, motivated and confident, enabling them to thrive personally and professionally.
6. Invest in our Elected Members, providing them with the required skills and knowledge to effectively govern.
7. Include stakeholders in our decision-making processes through consultation, communication, and engagement, in order to increase satisfaction levels.

What you will see:

• Implementation of our ‘Good Governance’ review.
• Robust budget arrangements and sound financial management.
• Utilisation of technology to improve service delivery.
• Delivery against the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• The adoption of a ‘Customer-First’ approach.
• Health and wellbeing initiatives for staff.
• Skilled, adaptive, and proactive staff and Elected Members.
• Increased levels of customer and staff satisfaction.

The Corporate Plan applies to all people and areas across the borough, it is therefore anticipated that while not specifically targeted, all Section 75 categories will benefit from the policy.

The Corporate Plan vision is “Mid and East Antrim will be a strong, vibrant, safe and inclusive community where people work together to improve the quality of life for all”.

Corporate and Support Services Directorate

Are there any factors which could contribute to or detract from the intended

Aim or outcome of the policy or the decision?

If yes, (please list below)

Financial: Yes

Legislative: Yes

Other, please specify:

Environmental, Social, Economic, Political and Technological.

Who are the internal and external stakeholders (actual or potential) that the policy will impact upon? (please list below)

Staff

Service users

Other public sector organisations

Voluntary, community or trade unions.

Other, please specify:

Businesses

• • What are they?
• • Who owns them?
  • Community Plan
  • Corporate Plan
  • Annual Business Plans.
  • The Local Government Act (NI) 2014.
  • Programme for Government Framework (2016 to 2021, and 2021).
  • Department for Communities policies/legislation/guidance.
  • Department for the Economy policies/legislation.
  • Northern Ireland Audit Office policies/legislation/guidance.