We recently launched our draft Corporate Strategy 2022 to 2027, which, once consultation is completed, will become the council’s main strategic document. Setting the overall vision for the council, its services and what we are trying to achieve alongside many partners in Bristol and beyond. It is a high-level strategic response to the opportunities and challenges facing Bristol now, and in the future, forming the basis of detailed future business plans and how the council organises itself.
The strategy includes our proposed priorities for the coming five years, taking account of major challenges like COVID-19 and recovery, climate change, the ecological emergency and tackling structural inequality and poverty in the city.
It sits along the recent quality of life survey, which showed rising satisfaction with the council and our leadership, but highlighted wider challenges facing the whole of Bristol and specific areas within it. Therefore, this strategy isn’t about just saying nice things; it is a very real challenge to us, our partners and national and international systems of government, governance and economy to make positive changes, tackle complex, ingrained and long term structural issues and work towards a values-led vision rooted in fairness and opportunity for all.
For the council’s part, we need to keep delivering good quality services and continuing our journey to become an organisation which is better at enabling and developing others. We must set an excellent example as an employer, create more efficient systems and processes, work better together, empower and enable others to act, and, in some cases, withdraw and get out of the way.
Everyone will be included in our city’s success and will have a home where they can achieve their aspirations, regardless of their background or where they grew up. It will not be easy, but Bristol can bounce back from the pandemic and rise to its challenges, supported and enabled by a council that is the right size for the job and is no longer seen as a collection of services, but as an effective development organisation that allows everyone to thrive.
The Corporate Strategy serves as the foundation upon which all other council plans and strategies are built. When we make any major decision and, every year when we make annual plans for our hundreds of services, the Corporate Strategy is what we refer to and try to deliver. It’s vital we get it right for local people and we have listened carefully to the views of citizens, including our Citizens Assembly, when drafting the document. Now we want everyone to have their say and help us prioritise for the years to come.
We’re inviting everyone who lives, works and visits Bristol to look at the draft Corporate Strategy focusing on the city council’s draft five-year strategy for 2022 to 2027 and tell us what they think through the consultation.
The consultation will last for six weeks and people can give their feedback until midnight on Sunday 26 September 2021. The Corporate Strategy consultation, along with all relevant supporting documents, is available at www.bristol.gov.uk/corporatestrategy2021
