Cllr Tom Rowe says "Council’s Strategic Plan not fit for purpose"

The Council recently approved a new Strategic Plan, championed by the Liberal Democrats and Labour Councillors, but without gaining the support of the Conservative Group.

Cllr Tom Rowe (Rural North Ward) and Conservative spokesman on Strategic Objectives said “Colchester Council has a strategic plan with some very lofty and admirable goals. However, there is little-to-no connection between these objectives and how much any of it will cost, or how the council plans to spend taxpayers' money in a sustainable way to meet its objectives.

To deliver their strategic plan, the Council has put together an extensive list of Key Performance Indicators. These Indicators include, for instance, the percentage of council tax and business rates collected, a target for income collected from bereavement services and garden waste, and the "Pathway to net Zero".

Colchester Council creates an extensive list of financial accounts at the behest of the Government, but nonsensically hasn't linked them to its Key Performance Indicators. So there are seemingly no financial objectives or cost controls baked into its strategic plan.

Overall, Colchester Council's strategic plan isn't focused closely enough on what residents care about. It is not clear how the Council plans to achieve its goals, and it does not provide enough information about how taxpayers' money will be spent. With financial pressures on many households, and the Council raising taxes and reducing services, it is more important than ever that they spend our money wisely. Colchester Council must do better.

A Conservatives pledge to prioritize waste collection, improve town planning, and unleash our potential in the leisure and tourism sector.