Council business plan outlines priorities for year ahead

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has published the update to the business plan for 2024, which sets out the priorities for the year ahead.

The update focuses on five council priority areas, each of which has a 2024 priority action set by the cabinet:

• Growing the economy – to deliver a level 3 mayoral combined authority for Hull and East Yorkshire
• Valuing the environment – to maintain our highways
• Empowering and supporting communities – strategic investment in leisure, countryside, coastal and digital services
• Protecting the vulnerable – supporting independent living through easier to access, more personalised services
• Helping children and young people achieve – supporting our most vulnerable including children and young people with special educational needs (SEND) and our care leavers

Priorities are reviewed each year and set the framework for how the council works to create and deliver a safe and thriving place to live, work and visit, centred on strong and empowered communities.

Supporting these priority areas is a business change programme which brings together strategies for digital, commercialism and agile working.

Councillor Anne Handley, East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Leader said: “The East Riding of Yorkshire has many unique characteristics and a wide range of built and natural assets, such as the varied coastline, including some of the highest cliffs in England, together with beautiful countryside, historic parishes and busy market town high streets with quality shops and restaurants. We are close and connected to the two historic cities of York and Hull and the Humber estuary, providing huge opportunities to drive further ongoing economic growth in the area, especially in the field of net zero carbon reduction and green energy provision.

“Growing our economy is at the heart of our plans. A strong economy plays a big role in our health and wellbeing and quality of life. We are committed to improving skills, connections, digital technologies and networks which attract new investment and drive business growth to provide good jobs. We continue to strengthen our sustainable tourism and cultural offer and make the most of our vibrant towns and communities which make up our rural and coastal economies. The devolution deal for the East Riding and Hull will help us to realise these ambitions.

“We will tackle climate change, protecting our heritage and countryside whilst developing our built infrastructure. We will help homes and communities to be more resilient to climate change and be a force that accelerates the region’s transition to a sustainable economy.

“We want more people to live healthy, connected, independent lives for longer whatever their background. We have a strong commitment, working with others, such as community and voluntary groups and town and parish councils, to invest in community assets and engage with communities on what matters most to them.

“Protecting vulnerable adults and supporting people in times of need runs throughout all our work. Our strategies for adult social care set out our approaches to make the most of our resources. Early help is important and we aim to invest in opportunities that prevent, reduce and avert crises or the need for high cost and more intensive support.

“Supporting and inspiring children, including those with special educational needs and those who are vulnerable, including our care leavers, to reach their potential is a priority for us. We want all children and young people to do well, learn and develop skills for life, to be safe, happy, healthy and active members of their community. We have an ambition for all our children and young people to have the chance to live and be educated in the East Riding. We are taking action to reduce the use of out of county specialist placements by improving and expanding our local provision. Over the coming year we will focus on addressing the emotional wellbeing needs arising from the pandemic.

“We will continue to work hard to deliver our priorities and maintain the quality of life we value in our East Riding.”

Read the council business plan 2024 here: https://www.eastriding.gov.uk/council/plans-and-policies/council-business-plan/