Our Mission, Corporate Aims and Values
A single "mission statement" guides the County Council:
Under our strategic objectives, we have identified key areas for additional investment by the County Council. They are:
"To make County Durham the best place in which to live, work and bring up a family."
Within this, we have five corporate aims, each supported by a number of strategic objectives. The corporate aims and strategic objectives are listed below.
Promoting Strong, Healthy and Safe Communities
- To enhance the capacity of communities and enable people to participate in community life.
- To support and protect vulnerable adults, young people and children.
- To help to reduce crime and fear of crime.
- To help to improve the health of local people.
- To invest in our children and young people.
Building a Strong Economy
- To create and retain jobs in County Durham
- To create a diverse and robust employment structure with high quality jobs.
- To create the physical conditions necessary to enable flourishing economic activity.
- To foster an enterprise culture.
Looking after the Environment
- To revitalise, conserve and protect the County's settlements, countryside and historical features.
- To manage waste and resources sustainably, reduce pollution and adapt to climate change.
- To provide an integrated, effective and safe transport system in support of access for all.
Developing Lifelong Learning
- To improve provision for early learning for our children.
- To improve educational attainment for all children in our schools and inspire them to enjoy learning throughout their lives.
- To provide high quality learning opportunities for all to gain enjoyment, achievement, progression and enhanced emplyment prospects.
- To support the development of an adaptable and skilled workforce.
- To improve recreational, creative and cultural opportunities and promote a sense of cultural identity.
Effective corporate leadership
- To enhance community leadership and improve the way we communicate, listen and respond.
- To use our resources effectively.
- To continually improve the delivery of our services and implement solutions that support local needs, priorities and aspirations.
- To develop our capacity to embrace change and improve the way our services are provided.
Key areas for investment
Under our strategic objectives, we have identified key areas for additional investment by the County Council. They are:
- Services for older people - true cost of care; partnership capacity and; integration of services with Primary Care Trusts.
- Children's services - invest to save through prevention and choice and Laming requirements.
- Reduction, recycling and re-use of waste.
- Key Stage 4.
- School renewal and rationalisation.
- Children's Centres.
- Library standards.
Priorities
The County Council's medium-term priorities set out the plans for improvement for the period from 2005/06 to 2007/08.From all the priorities for improvement, we have identified the following top priorities:
Service Priorities
- Key Stage 4 - improving attainment at Key Stage 4.
- Services for older people - true cost of care; partnership capacity; and, integration of services with Primary Care Trusts.
- Services for children and young people - invest to save through prevention and choice, and Laming requirements.
- Waste management - reducing waste and increasing recycling/composting and re-use.
Corporate Priorities
In view of the wide scope of the improvement programme, we have identified five key priority areas:- Equalities and diversity - implementing the Corporate Equalities Plan.
- Performance management - further developing and improving the corporate framework.
- Community engagement - improving community engagement.
- Customer services - delivering a co-ordinated strategy for accessible service delivery.
- People strategy - establishing and implementing a Corporate Workforce Development Plan.
The County Council's Values
The County Council has a set of values which it works to. We value:- All people who live, work or learn within the County and those who visit it, and strive to enable them to enjoy the best possible quality of life.
- Excellence in the way we provide services and will constantly seek to improve them.
- Our attractive County and its rich culture, heritage and environment, and we will ensure that in meeting the needs of today we do not compromise our ability to address the needs of the future.
- Difference. We respect and celebrate individuality and we will ensure that everyone's rights are preserved and promoted.
- High aspirations and will seek to promote a culture in which people can develop and achieve their full potential.
- Working with others in an open and understandable way to bring about a sense of trust in the Council, our employees and partners.
- The participation of everyone. We are committed to listening to all views and will help you to be involved and included in issues, which affect your quality of life.
