Internal Strategy

Comhairle’s Corporate Strategy

The Team will:

Develop a new Corporate Strategy during the first year of each Comhairle’s term of office by working with Committees and Departments.
Maintain a performance management system that provides periodic monitoring reports on progress towards achieving the Corporate Strategy using information from the Comhairle departments.
Liaise with the Communications Officer to ensure that the Comhairle reports the progress made towards the achievement of the Corporate Strategy to the public.
Ensure that the Comhairle secures maximum benefit for the islands by collating and maintaining a list of approved projects for any non-service specific funding that flows from the Scottish Executive.

The Team will:

Investigate appeals referred to the Chief Executive in line with the Comhairle’s Complaints procedure.
Co-ordinate the Comhairle’s response to a complaint if it deals with serious misconduct, corruption or involves more than one department.
Advise the Chief Executive on the response that is made to each appeal.
Be the first point of contact for the Local Government Ombudsman.
Encourage greater awareness and good practice on complaints handling.

The Team will:

Prepare corporate standards and guidance relating to best value reviews in consultation with Management Team and monitor and report on progress to the Chief Executive and the Audit and Scrutiny Committee.
Participate in and provide support for Strategic Best Value reviews.
Participate in Departmental Best Value reviews.
Prepare the Comhairle’s submission for the Best Value Audit.
Monitor the implementation of any action plans resulting from the Best Value Audit or any other relevant performance audit.
Report on progress as required to the Chief Executive and the Audit and Scrutiny Committee.

The Team will:

Undertake a rolling review of Corporate Governance in line with the CIPFA/SOLACE code.
Monitor the implementation of any action plans resulting from Corporate Governance reviews and take the lead on developing any relevant corporate standards.
Take the lead on Corporate Risk Management.

The Team will:

Develop and implement new ways of engaging with stakeholders on a Comhairle-wide basis.
Develop guidance on consulting and involving stakeholders at a service/departmental level and monitor compliance.
Promote the Modernising Government agenda and co-ordinate the Modernising Government Fund programme at a corporate level.

The Team will:

Develop corporate standards, in consultation with Management Team, for Departmental Service Planning including three year business planning.
Work with the Director of Finance to develop and implement policy led budgeting.
Develop, in consultation with Management Team, and implement a quality assurance framework for Departmental Service Plans.

The Team will:

Ensure appropriate investigative and research support for the Audit and Scrutiny Committee.
Facilitate the co-ordination of research and intelligence within the Comhairle.
Co-ordinate the development of a comprehensive corporate information database.

The Team will:

Advise departments on performance management systems and maintain a corporate database of statutory and local performance indicators and those relating to Community Planning.
Monitor compliance with service standards for all Comhairle services.
Clerk the Corporate Management Team.
Report periodically on performance, in line with an agreed timescale and format, to the Chief Executive, the Policy and Resources Committee, the Audit and Scrutiny Committee and the Community Planning Partnership.
Provide information for public performance reporting at corporate and community planning level.
Participate in cross departmental or inter agency working groups dealing with procedures and protocols.

The Team will take the lead in the department for the following areas in the Chief Executive’s Office:

Details of the services to be provided by the Chief Executive's Department in the Uists and Barra are currently being prepared.