Strategic Vision
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Vision for Town
Targets for 2015
Town Council Role
What do we want the electorate to say about
us?
What is our Scope?
What are our values?
© Bishop’s Stortford Town Council
What is our Scope?
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What do we want the electorate to say about the Council? eg
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What are our vision and values in respect of engagement in areas which are wholly or
principally the responsibility of another authority (eg planning beyond our role as a
statutory consultee) eg
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The Town council is our council, the Town Council are truly representative of the people of
the town
It doesn’t matter, they don’t really care
‘Great Allotments and Cemetery’
Other than through our role as statutory consultee, we will neither challenge nor assist in
challenging the decisions of another democratically elected authority
Where we have tangible evidence of a democratic mandate we will, on selected major
issues, challenge other democratically elected authorities
We will campaign actively on major issues, even if it means going head to head with another
authority, where we believe our view is in the interests of the people of Bishop’s Stortford.
Engagement in areas which are not wholly or principally the responsibility of any one
authority (eg business development, enhancement of amenities)
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We will not engage in areas outside our principal responsibilities
We will engage only in areas defined in our strategic plan which we will review annually
We believe that we ‘own’ the health and wellbeing of Bishop’s Stortford and will actively seek
to facilitate developments or change which supports this, unless it is clearly the
accountability of another authority
© Bishop’s Stortford Town Council
What are our values?
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What are the key principles or values which will guide the organisation and implementation of the
strategic priorities eg
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Beyond our statutory responsibilities, we will only take on other activities in cases of extreme and critical
failure or if they make money
We will take on additional services only if
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We will actively seek to expand our influence across multiple services or functions because we believe we
truly represent the people of the Town
What are the key principles or values which will guide the organisation and implementation of the
core services eg
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They make money or (or and?)
We believe we can deliver a significant improvement in quality or democratic legitimacy of decision making in at a
reasonable price in a service which is important and visible to the public
we aim to provide a basic service at a minimum price (Lidl)
We aim to deliver value for money whilst providing a service of the highest quality (Waitrose)
We aim to deliver a ‘middle of the road’ service at highly competitive price (Tesco, Sainsburys)
What financial constraints will we impose eg
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Reducing the budget and precept is a prime aim. Wherever possible we will do so through efficiencies to
protect core services but will if necessary cut services and pare back projects to maintain a year on year
reduction throughout this council
We believe that reducing the precept is desirable. Wherever possible we will do so but will not sacrifice the
quality or provision of core services.
We will endeavour to maintain a flat precept throughout the term of this council and will adjust projects and
services accordingly
Whilst we do not seek to increase the precept unnecessarily, we believe that this Council’s contribution to
the overall Tax bill is small and that we best serve the people by investing in the strategic projects and
services we have identified even if this requires a modest increase in precept
© Bishop’s Stortford Town Council