Transformation Strategy 2022 - 2027

Governance and Approach

Governance 

One of the perceived strengths of the current TIC approach has been the governance arrangements for overseeing the management and delivery of the programme. A key objective of the TIC Programme Board has been to provide for ‘robust and inclusive governance arrangements that will aim to encourage and promote creativity, flexibility and learning across the organisation in support of sustainable change and transformation. but will also be underpinned by a comprehensive project and performance management approach to ensure effective implementation and delivery of required outcomes.’

The TIC ‘Taking Stock’ Review undertaken in 2019, identified the positive culture and environment created within the TIC Programme Board, which has engendered an honest and transparent approach to the Programme’s improvement work. The Board has also sought to strengthen its role in monitoring and overseeing progress and delivery of outcomes from the work programme. There is now an opportunity to further review the approach in this area and to bring for an even greater focus to the delivery aspects of the programme.    

It is proposed that the TIC Programme Board will be renamed the ‘Transformation Board’ and will now meet on a quarterly basis. These meetings will place greater emphasis on the progress and outcomes achieved in respect of the transformation priorities identified within the Transformation Strategy and annual Delivery Programme and to help identify solutions to problems or barriers that may be impacting on progress. 

It is also recommended that the membership of the Transformation Board is now be widened to include all Directors, and that it should also reflect some of the new priorities that are now to be incorporated within the Programme e.g., Workforce, Net Zero Carbon and the Accommodation/buildings priorities.

 

Delivery

Small, focussed Delivery Groups will also be established to support the implementation of each of the transformation priorities and these will be led by a Director/Head of Service.

Each Delivery group will produce an end of year summary and then agree a new delivery plan for the following year taking into account the priorities, as agreed at Transformation Board.

Quarterly progress meetings will be held with the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Transformation and 6 monthly updates will be reported to Cabinet.

 

Resources

The successful outcomes generated by the TIC Programme during the last 10 years, also demonstrates the importance of having dedicated resources to provide the necessary capacity to help deliver an effective organisational change and transformation programme. 

This capacity allows the programme to be developed and delivered in a structured and timely way and to drive actions, oversee progress and to support an effective monitoring and reporting framework.

The current TIC team will undertake this role but will now be renamed the ‘Transformation Team’.

Resources within the team may need to be reviewed to ensure that it has the capacity and skills to support the priorities outlined within the programme.

 

People, Skills and Culture

 

Staff engagement and communication

People will need to be at the heart of the process of delivering change and transformation across the Council.  Changing the culture of the organisation and pace of change will be imperative to ensure the delivery of an ambitious programme that will improve services, as well as making better use of resources.

We want to empower our workforce to be innovative and creative and to bring new ideas to improve services. It is not just ‘what’ we achieve, it is also about ‘how’ we do it. We want to foster a one Council culture that embodies positivity, personal responsibility, openness, and transparency. People will need to be empowered to be advocates of change and adopt our values and behaviours. These behaviours can create a shared culture that celebrates a fresh and unique approach to public service, and how we expect our workforce to behave. By demonstrating more outcomes and people focussed values and behaviours, we can help provide the best possible service to our communities and create a great place to work. 

Staff will have a range of opportunities to become involved within the Transformation Programme: 

• Staff Intranet
• Suggestions and ideas
• Participation in projects and reviews
• Passing on customer views and feedback
• Staff Surveys 
• Transformation Newsletter

 

Learning and Development

The Council’s learning and development function will also have a key role to play in any organisational transformation programme, by ensuring that staff are able to develop the necessary skills, knowledge and behaviours required to support the type of change required.

The Transformation Programme itself can also have a role to play in supporting the development of these skills and behaviours, by actively engaging staff in the work of the programme. 

One of the key themes to emerge from the review of the Councils response to the Covid-19 was that staff felt more empowered and were encouraged to think creatively when looking to develop new solutions to the challenges posed by the pandemic. The Programme should continually seek opportunities for staff to be actively engaged and participate in the projects and reviews that will underpin the delivery of the programme. The principles of collaboration and partnership working has been very much at the heart of the TIC approach and the new phase of transformation should look to further build on this approach.

The programme should also seek to develop the skills and knowledge required to support a sustainable approach to the transformation journey which will enable teams to resource their own change and improvement work on an on-going basis.

A Future Leaders Programme has been established to help the Council identify and develop its senior leaders and it has been agreed that the Future Leaders programme will be closely aligned with the Transformation Programme to provide participants with skills and experience in leading on transformation projects.

Learning and development activity will be aligned to supporting the delivery of the Transformation Programme through the following:

• Leadership – Directors& Heads of Service Development/Future Leaders Programme
• Management development Programmes
• Specific skills e.g. digital skills, continuous improvement

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