Woking Borough Council Corporate Strategy – Woking For All High performing council

Chapter 3 of Woking For All, detailing our 3 priorities in delivering a high performing council.
Published: 2 April 2025

Contents

A trusted and transparent council that lives within its means. A council that aspires to deliver best practice across all services and puts residents at the heart of what we do.

Priority: A culture of continuous improvement across all services and functions

Our objective: Develop the systems, processes, and culture that enables the Council to meet its Best Value duty.

We will achieve this through:

  • developing an Organisational Development plan to equip the Council with the skills and culture to discharge its Best Value obligations
  • upgrading the Council’s housing systems to deliver service improvements

We have completed:

  • implementation of a Property Management system
  • launching a new and more accessible Council website
  • upgrading the Council’s primary finance system

Outcomes:

  • a responsive, customer focused organisation
  • implementation of improved systems across several directorates
  • website upgrade enabling customers to self-serve effectively
  • improved budget monitoring, accountability, and transparency
  • council systems better integrated

Success measures:

  • improved data quality across systems to enable better performance management
  • reduction of officer time spent on tasks that can be automated via system enhancement
  • increased numbers of residents and businesses completing online transactions through self-service
  • improved resident/staff satisfaction

Our objective: Ensure effective governance to enable rounded decision-making, based on a proper understanding of options and their consequences (including financial, legal and risks) which are tested through appropriate scrutiny.

We have completed:

  • strengthening the performance of the Council’s wholly owned companies through more effective governance of the relationship with the companies
  • embedding a new and enhanced committee reporting template
  • strengthening the Forward Plan process
  • strengthening the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny arrangements

Outcomes:

  • effective oversight applied to the management of Council companies
  • stronger alignment between the companies to the Council’s priorities
  • members presented with clear advice and guidance, including the full implications of proposed decisions
  • an Overview and Scrutiny function that adds value and strengthens the Council’s decision-making process
  • a well planned/considered Forward Plan

Success measures:

  • company business cases approved by the Council and Government
  • clear decisions relating to the future of wholly owned companies
  • members feel sufficiently informed in their decision-making
  • an Overview and Scrutiny function that is valued by Members and is compliant with statutory guidance
  • a forward plan that effectively represents the pipeline of planned council activity

Our objective: A Council that prepares for Local Government Reorganisation while continuing to prioritise service delivery.

We will achieve this through:

  • working with partner authorities in Surrey to enable a smooth and structured transition as part of Local Government Reorganisation
  • delivering our statutory functions, corporate priorities, and directorate plans for 2026/27

Outcomes:

  • functions, staff, and services are smoothly and confidently transferred with minimal disruption on vesting day
  • staff are informed, involved, and reassured about future arrangements, roles, and ways of working

Success measures:

  • the successor authority benefits from meaningful knowledge transfer and design input from Woking Borough Council
  • residents experience consistent service delivery and quality during the reorganisation period

Priority: A modern employer with a high performing workforce

Our objective: Staff are developed and supported to deliver high performing and cost-effective services.

We will achieve this through:

  • reviewing and updating the council’s recruitment and retention strategy

We have completed:

  • developing a pay and progression strategy to ensure staff are rewarded
  • developing a strategy and action plan for equalities, diversity, and inclusion

Outcomes:

  • council services are provided by a knowledgeable and skilled workforce
  • equalities, diversity, and inclusion considerations are evident as part of council decision-making processes
  • employees are engaged and motivated
  • processes are consistent and transparent

Success measures:

  • Positive employee survey results
  • Change programmes create efficiencies and improvements across the council
  • Survey results indicate employees feel the organisation is fair and diverse
  • The strategies are developed and agreed
  • Employment terms have been reviewed

Priority: A financially responsible council with sustainable and affordable plans

Our objective: Effective financial management and planning.

We will achieve this through:

  • developing and implementing a debt reduction strategy
  • delivering the 2026/27 budget in line with the Medium-Term Financial Strategy

We have completed:

  • creating a finance section that has the right skills and capacity in place
  • finalising historic accounts to meet statutory reporting requirements and return to the statutory timetable for 2025/26
  • delivery of refreshed Medium Term Financial forecasts and a balanced 2026/27 budget with clearly identified savings and mitigations to reduce budget gaps
  • identifying a Council-wide financial envelope which is not dependent on commercial activity

Outcomes:

  • improved financial transparency and decision-making
  • enhanced budget management and forecasting
  • enhanced accountability and transparency in the use of public funds
  • Woking’s finances are stabilised allowing the Council to operate within its financial means

Success measures:

  • councillors and officers recognising the Council’s duty in all financial business and using public resources responsibly
  • a ‘right sized’ budget for the Council focused on delivering to citizens
  • a balanced Housing Revenue Account and a sustainable Housing service
  • implementation and use of robust financial, budgeting, and accounting systems

Our objective: Effective use of our estate to deliver maximum value for money and support the council’s place-shaping responsibilities.

We will achieve this through:

  • addressing energy management issues to reduce consumption and costs
  • creation and delivery of a robust maintenance capital works programme

We have completed:

  • implementation of an asset review and subsequent rationalisation plan
  • developing and implementing a Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP) that supports the Council’s strategic priorities and place-shaping agenda

Outcomes:

  • a clear strategy that enables the prioritisation of effort and works
  • a SAMP that will manage the pipeline of asset disposals over a defined period and level out Council assets verses debt
  • an approach to link estate management and place-shaping through the Local Plan
  • implementation of capital works to increase income where appropriate

Success measures:

  • streamlined, effective maintenance planning and escalation process implemented
  • achieving annual disposal targets and meeting criteria set out by Commissioners
  • development/adoption of a capital works programme based on condition surveys
  • reduction in administrative overheads

Our objective: Effective approach to the commissioning, procurement, and contract management of organisations that supply goods and services to the council.

We have completed:

  • reviewing and enhancing procurement and contract management processes
  • ensuring the council is compliant with the Procurement Act 2023 requirements
  • developing and adopting a Commercial Strategy

Outcomes:

  • assurance that the council is achieving Best Value in relation to procurement
  • contract Standing Orders updated to reflect new requirements
  • training provided to staff based on specific requirements
  • Corporate Contract Register fully up to date to drive management information
  • pipeline of procurement/contract activity
  • clarity around the approach and implementation of commercial activity across the council

Success measures:

  • new Contract Standing Orders adopted
  • ongoing review of procurement and contract savings opportunities
  • new procurement and contract management frameworks developed
  • savings delivered via procurement activity
  • improved Government Commercial Assessment Framework score
  • fewer direct awards/exemptions issued due to greater rigour around processes
  • the adoption of an updated commercial framework that reflects best practice and takes account of planned procurement and contract management improvements

Our objective: a financially responsible Council with sustainable and affordable plans.

We will achieve this through:

  • deliver the commercial programme: execute the company divestment strategy and asset sales

We have completed:

  • delivery of full business cases for Council wholly owned companies in order to support the Council’s strategic priorities
  • undertaking an assessment of company compliance with the Company Governance Framework

Outcomes:

  • review the future of the Council’s companies in order to best protect the public purse, reduce debt, and meet the Council’s strategic objectives
  • ensure value for money in relation to investment and disinvestment decisions
  • ensuring robust and effective commercial governance is in pace and fit for purpose
  • reduction in exposure and liabilities
  • resource refocused on core Council functions

Success measures:

  • reduction in Council exposure to risk associated with companies
  • consistent quality of business cases and commercial decision-making
  • clear assessment of the viability of wholly owned companies to inform clear decision-making and next steps
  • continuing contingent debt relief
  • reduced debt
  • reduction in Council exposure to risk associated with companies

Our objective: tackle the legacy issues confronting the council rigorously, to best protect the public interest.

We have completed:

  • reviewing historic charges to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) to ensure they are fair and legitimate, including costs relating to the Sheerwater Regeneration Scheme, and taking corrective action where necessary
  • development of a response to the publication of the Grant Thornton Value for Money Review

Outcomes:

  • tenant rents used correctly/effectively
  • clarity and assurance around the HRA ringfence arrangements
  • clearly defined next steps and actions in relation to the Grant Thornton review i.e. historic loan arrangements and associated decisions/governance

Success measures:

  • a HRA that is clear and transparent with all subsidies removed
  • increased confidence in the council dealing with legacy issues and meeting expectations of Government and Commissioners
  • successfully extracting the council from legacy arrangements where possible