Practical plan published

A document which sets out the priorities for Redditch and how the Council will work to deliver these is now available publicly online.

The Council Plan, which is regularly reviewed, needs to ensure it reflects and serves the needs of the local community in the most appropriate way.

This time, the plan has been condensed and simplified under four key priorities to enable the council to establish aligned performance indicators to measure, understand and quantify progress effectively.

Based on customer feedback, the plan includes priority actions for each of the four strategic areas, providing a clear focus for addressing issues and allocating budgets.

The plan was revised at the end of last year and was approved by councillors in November 2023. Officers and councillors will now be guided by the framework of the Plan which covers short-, medium- and long-term priorities around:

• Housing
• Economy and Regeneration
• Parks and Green Spaces
• Community Safety

As well as considering the council’s priorities for delivering value for money for the services provided.

Commenting on the Council Plan, Councillor Matt Dormer, Leader of the Council, said: “The future for Redditch is exciting not least because we see our masterplan for the regeneration of the town which we are making a reality after securing £15m in Town Deal funding from the Government.

“You will see that work is under way to create a community hub, putting public services under one roof and a related plaza redevelopment off Alcester Street.

“This shopping and leisure plaza will open up the space, a move which has been commended by independent consultants, and connect the town centre to the Kingfisher, meaning more footfall for our businesses.

“All of these plans will create a better place for our residents and visitors to live, work and spend their spare time and of course creating more jobs and building on transport links with a new improved train station.

“Auditors have told us that we are in a strong position financially to continue with these ambitious plans, which have also been commended by independent consultants and our peers from the Local Government Association who conducted a review earlier this year. “This is down not only to our prudent budgeting but our creative investments and going forward we plough the benefits back into our communities who are the backbone of our borough.

“Delivering services which are important to our residents is our priority which is why I am delighted to share this review which sets out these priorities based on what residents have told us through consultations.

“We are seeking continuous improvement and will be inviting feedback on a range of services going forward. The Council will also be undertaking a full review of the Council Plan later this year, so please take time to have your say on these and together we can unlock Redditch’s true potential.”

A copy of the Council Plan is available to view here.