Future New Forest: Transforming tomorrow, together

Investing in our people and services to meet customer needs, protecting the council's financial position, and embedding sustainability through our Future New Forest transformation programme. Underpinning the delivery of our priorities is the council's transformation programme; Future New Forest.

This ambitious programme will influence how we operate, enable us to support our strategic objectives and to make choices for the future.

The programme will focus efforts on our customers and easy to use digital-first delivery of services, efficient working practices and processes, our people and capabilities, the use of our assets and accommodation and ensuring a sustainable financial position.

The council has developed equality objectives that are embedded in this plan and will maintain an overarching commitment to environmental sustainability in all that we do.

Being financially responsible

Being financially responsible, we will: 

Maintain a balanced budget and deliver value for money to our residents through service reviews, procurement and contract management, and transformation efficiencies.

Maintain an up-to-date medium term financial plan and financial strategy to address the council's financial challenges beyond the short-term

Be commercially focused in our approach to investment strategies and income opportunities guided by strategic priorities.

Maximise the use of our assets and accommodation to support efficient and effective delivery of our future service provision.

It will be measured by:

Percentage variance to Council budget +/- (General fund budget variations).

Percentage variance to Housing Revenue budget +/- (HRA budget variations).

Percentage of Council Tax collected in year.

Percentage of Non-domestic Rates collected in year.

Delivery supported through:

Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP)

Transformation strategy

Asset & accommodation strategy

Procurement strategy

Designing modern and innovative services

Designing modern and innovative services, we will: 

Standardise and apply common design patterns and platforms across the council to release capacity and deliver efficiency benefits.

Proactively use data and insight to inform decision-making and report performance through a robust performance management framework and culture.

Maximise the use of new technology, automate manual processes and keep our software up to date with technology releases.

Maintain robust and resilient ICT infrastructure to protect the integrity of data and our digital systems

It will be measured by:

70% of benefits realised at project closure across all ICT projects in the annual work programme.

Percentage of ICT incidents resolved within SLA.

70% of ICT projects to be delivered on time and on budget in the annual work programme.

Percentage unscheduled downtime for critical systems

Delivery supported through:

Digital strategy

ICT security and information governance policy

Putting our customers at the heart

Putting our customers at the heart, we will:

Deliver customer and digital strategies that meet our customers' needs.

Develop and provide services using data and insight to ensure that we understand our customers and meet the needs of our diverse communities.

Implement a customer relationship management system that keeps customers informed on progress and instils confidence in service delivery.

Increase the number of services available online, whilst focusing face to face and telephone contact for those who need it most.

It will be measured by:

Percentage resident satisfaction in perception measures.

Staff survey average satisfaction score of 3.5 or higher (out of 5) for the question what would be your overall rating of the NFDC ICT service.

Resident survey average satisfaction score of 3.5 or higher (out of 5) for the question How do you rate the quality of digital services at the council.

Delivery supported through:

Customer strategy

Being an employer of choice

Being an employer of choice, we will:

Deliver a people strategy that outlines how we attract, retain, and grow talent.

Encourage diversity and champion equality within our workplace, developing and supporting an inclusive working environment where all staff are respected with zero tolerance of bullying and harassment. Invest in skills development, training, and career progression opportunities to ensure a skilled and resilient workforce and leadership team for the future.

Commit to paying at least the national living wage to our staff.

Promote employee wellbeing and prioritise work-life balance by adopting flexible and family-friendly working practices.

It will be measured by:

Percentage of vacancies filled first time.

Percentage staff turnover.

Average number of days sickness absence per employee.

Number of council apprenticeships.

Delivery supported through:

People strategy Pay policy