A District Council is like a number of businesses all rolled into one. East Hampshire is directly responsible for planning and environmental services, the provision of housing, leisure facilities, and basic services such as refuse collection and street cleaning. The Council also works in partnership with others in the public, private and voluntary sectors in the interests of the environment, the economy and the social fabric of the district. As East Hampshire's local democratic assembly the Council also acts as an advocate and champion of local interests on issues as diverse as public transport, health and crime prevention.

In carrying out these functions the Council employs people from a range of professional disciplines and, through research and consultation, seeks to reflect the needs and wishes of residents and a variety of community interests.

The Council Strategy is a three year document which is reviewed annually. It sets out the priorities for the Council and the key actions needed to deliver these priorities. This clearly shows what the residents of East Hampshire can expect from the Council. This provides focus for the organisation – so that everyone is aware what the Council is trying to achieve. The Strategy outlines how the Council will be contributing to the actions in the Community Strategy. The current Council Strategy runs from 2008 -2011.

The Council continues to operate in an environment of limited resources and increasing constraints. As a result of this, policy and performance review has become increasingly important as a means of ensuring that the needs and demands of local people are balanced to best effect and as a means of seeking greater efficiency and effectiveness in everything the Council does.

As part of the commitment to continually improve efficiency and effectiveness, competition will also be used to test and improve the services provided to ensure value for money.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COUNCIL STRATEGY

To deliver our aim of “Improving People’s Lives” we understand we need to work with other public sector bodies, the voluntary sector and the business community. We do this by playing a leading role in the East Hampshire Community Partnership (EHCP). The responsibility of the partnership is to agree a Community Strategy with achievable objectives to which partner organisations will contribute.



The diagram shows the relationship of the Council Strategy to the Community Strategy by outlining how the actions of EHDC will contribute towards achieving the overriding ambitions contained in the Community Strategy.

This strategy is then supported by the action plans in the Council’s individual units, e.g. Housing, Revenues and Benefits, which show the detailed actions planned for every service.