Five-Year Business Plan - Stirling Council - stirling.gov.uk phone 01786 404040 text 07717 990 001
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Stirling Council
Five-Year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
stirling.gov.uk phone 01786 404040 text 07717 990 001
Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
1
Contents
Executive Summary 2
Our Vision and Strategic Outcomes 3
Prosperous 4
Healthy 5
Achieving 6
Resilient 7
The Next Five Years 8
Outcomes Focus 8
Approach - Council’s Priorities 10
Strategic Priorities 12
A Quality Education and Social Care 12
B Poverty 13
C Affordable Housing & Social Housing 14
D Inclusive Economic Growth & City Region Deal 15
E Environment & Infrastructure Improvements 18
F Tourism 19
Major Influences on Stirling over the Next Five Years 20
Community Engagement 24
Participatory Budgeting 25
How we Work 26
Corporate Scorecard 27
Performance Management Framework 28
How we are Funded 30
Appendices 37
2
Executive Summary
CAROL BEATTIE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE (Interim)
As a Council, our vision for Stirling is a place where
everyone can thrive, and together with our partners
and communities, we are driving forward an
ambitious programme of change to achieve this.
Central to that is the Council’s Five-year Business
Plan, which is designed to be a blueprint that will
work to enable all our citizens and communities to be
prosperous, healthy, achieving and resilient.
The plan is reviewed every year and updated in line with any changes in the
Council’s priorities and any relevant external factors.
At its core are the Council’s 6 priorities:
Education and Social Care – we will look after all our citizens, from early years
to adulthood, by providing quality education and social care services, to allow
everybody to lead their lives to their full potential.
Poverty – we will target all forms of poverty across our communities and mitigate
the impact of austerity and welfare cuts on those hit hardest.
Affordable Housing and Social Housing – we will create more affordable
housing and social housing in all our communities. We will lead by example as an
organisation in setting exceptional standards in building practice, environmental
practice, employer practice, tenant relations and homelessness prevention.
Inclusive Growth and City Region Deal – we will deliver inclusive growth
and promote prosperity. We will deliver a City Region Deal and pursue policies
and solutions that encourage high quality, high paying jobs into all of Stirling’s
communities.
Environment and Infrastructure Improvements – we will create and implement
environmental and infrastructure improvements. We will deliver new ownership
and delivery methods around energy generation, public transport and internet
access, ensuring profits and services work for community, not commercial
priorities.
Tourism – we will commit and co-ordinate our resources to ensuring Stirling
becomes a must-visit destination; with heritage, culture, environment and
economic strategies working hand in hand to encourage tourists to stay for a
minimum of three days and two nights.
The Five year Business Plan details how each of these priorities will be achieved,
and acts as a guide for the Council operationally and financially, helping us
prioritise resources, leadership and partnership activity in a way that achieves the
greatest, measurable success for Stirling and all its people.
Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
3
Our Vision and Strategic Outcomes
To be bold, ambitious and community-led, delivering quality
services with customer focus, tailored to the different needs of
our communities.
Strategic Local Outcomes
Stirling Council is committed to ensuring the best possible outcomes for
everyone who lives in the Stirling area.
Our Community Planning Partnership (CPP), has a Local Outcomes
Improvement Plan (LOIP), known as The Stirling Plan, in place, which sets
out a clear and ambitious vision for the Stirling area; to be somewhere
everyone can thrive. It identifies how we will work through locality plans to
support communities who are experiencing the poorest of outcomes.
The Stirling Plan has identified four key outcomes which form the
common strategic guidance for the Council and its partners, to allow
common plans and measures to be developed and to tackle areas of
greatest inequality:
Prosperous:
People are part of a prosperous economy that promotes inclusive growth
opportunities across our communities
Healthy:
People are healthy and live full and positive lives, within supportive
communities
Achieving:
People are skilled and supported to make a positive contribution to
communities
Resilient:
People are part of safe and caring communities, within an attractive, safe
and sustainable environment
A list of the community planning partners with statutory duties as required
by the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act is included in Appendix
1. Appendix 2 shows how we work with these and other partners to deliver
services which address the strategic outcomes.
4
Prosperous
4.2% 4.2%
unemployment unemployment
Stirling Nationally
Stirling mirrors Scottish trends in economic activity on the
whole but critical inequalities persist.
These can be masked by the presence of some very affluent areas but it Stirling is one of the
remains a key priority to reduce this inequality and ensure that Stirling two most affordable cities
really is somewhere everyone can thrive. in the UK for average house
The diagrams below show some indicators of how prosperous Stirling prices relative to wages
is, with further detail contained in the The Stirling Plan.
8% of Stirling’s working age population are 12%
employment deprived (11% nationally)
9% of Stirling’s residents
are income deprived, less
than the Scottish average,
which is 12%
JOB DENSITY
17.2% is significantly higher than £
almost 1 in 5 the national average
households are 0.89
WORKLESS Per one adult aged
between 16 and 64
Workplace earnings are the
SAME as the national average,
GVA growth in Stirling is
expected to out-perform whilst those for Stirling’s
Scotland over the period residents who out commute
2017-20 are HIGHER
Data shown above is for 2018-2019
Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
5
Healthy
Areas of challenge and
greatest inequality in
Overall, Stirling performs better that the national Stirling relate to standard of
average for HEALTH AND WELLBEING. housing, job density for a
However, poor outcomes directly correlate with disadvantage,
city (below 1%), high number
as measured in the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). of residents with one or
more health conditions, a
Tackling inequality will therefore have a positive effect on citizens’ health, wide and polarised rate of
as well as increasing prosperity. life expectancy amongst
males and females, and a high
4 of Stirling’s datazones are in the 10% most deprived number of residents living in
for health outcomes in Scotland. fuel poverty.
Life expectancy varies
widely:
Although the average for
Stirling is higher than the
28% of Stirling’s 17% report health national average, there are wide
residents have one factors limiting day to disparities within Stirling, which
or more LONG TERM day activity also correlate to the areas of
HEALTH CONDITION
highest deprivation:
78.8 FOR MEN
19%
of STIRLING’S CHILDREN LIVE IN POVERTY-
less than the national average 82.6 IN WOMEN
Data shown above is for 2018-2019
6
Achieving
Overall attainment is better than the Scottish
average, however, 16 datazones are within the
10% most EDUCATIONALLY DEPRIVED nationally,
and 5 are in the 1%
94% of Stirling’s young
people go into EDUCATION,
TRAINING OR WORK,
slightly higher than The number of
nationally CARE EXPERIENCED
CHILDREN AND YOUNG
PEOPLE is below the
national average; more of
Stirling’s young people
now live and access
education in Stirling than
previously.
3.0% of
YOUNG PEOPLE (18-24)
are UNEMPLOYED
and looking for work, which is
is below the national average.
Data tells us that Stirling can evidence real opportunities
to advance its GROWTH because of generally high
performance in areas such as high business start-up
rates, the number of highly qualified young people and a
strong sense of community.
However, that growth has to be accessible to every Stirling citizen to be truly inclusive
and there remain challenges, which Stirling Council will strive to reduce over the
course of the next five years.
Data shown above is for 2018-2019
Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
7
Resilient
Actual and perceived crime levels are
indicators of a resilient community.
Recorded crime and offences in Stirling is 10%
below national averages, at 842 crimes per
10,000 population.
However, once again, there is a correlation between
rising crime rates and deprivation, as evidenced
by the increase in reported crime in certain areas.
As we continue to tackle inequalities, the aim is
that all of our communities are equally safe and
sustainable.
REPORTED CRIME has DECREASED
over the last ten years; however some areas
have crime rates DOUBLE those of the area
average
Stirling residents’
PERCEPTION OF
FEELING SAFE when Similar to national averages,
walking alone after 32% of Stirling households
dark and home alone live in FUEL POVERTY
at night is HIGHER
than the national and 7% in EXTREME FUEL
average. POVERTY.
Data shown above is for 2018-2019
8
The Next Five Years
Outcomes Focus
As a Council, our strategic vision is for Stirling to be “somewhere everyone
can thrive,” based on delivering services centred on our citizens and
communities.
We have a bold and detailed plan, guided by inclusive growth principles,
to reposition the area as an economic and cultural powerhouse with strong
international reach.
We have aligned the outcomes defined by our communities and partners with
the priorities of the Council, to create this measurable and inclusive Five-Year Plan
(2019 – 2024). It will work to enable all our citizens and communities to benefit
from the drive to strengthen Stirling’s economy and its services.
We will do this in a way that seeks to reduce exclusion by increasing community
participation in our decision making through a continued conversation with
citizens and through Participatory Budgeting (see page 25). We will tailor our
approach and design our services to meet the requirements of those who need
them most, and will continue to measure and assess our performance in order
to improve the services we deliver, seeking to learn what we can from other
organisations and working alongside our partners to enhance the customer
experience across the council.
This means prioritising resources, leadership and partnership activity in a way that
achieves the greatest, measurable success for Stirling. We will do this by taking
a collaborative approach alongside our partners, which will build community
capacity and influence, taking account of local evidence and case studies to ensure
our available resources are used where they will have maximum effect.
Capital investment by the Council is also important in bringing in further funds to
the area to contribute to economic opportunity. During the five years of this plan,
the impact of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal investment will
be evident, but we will continue to seek other avenues for finance and funding to
achieve all our plans for development. Investment beyond the City Region Deal,
such as our rural economic plan and the broader inclusive growth agenda, is of
equal importance.Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
9
The Council will continue to respond to an increasingly challenging economic
environment by seeking innovative and effective ways of delivering high-value
services in partnership with our residents and communities.
How we deliver this plan reflects the Council’s priorities, the agreed local
outcomes, political priorities and local circumstances. Councillors will determine
the principles and direction of this, and the Chief Executive and the Corporate
Management Team are accountable for its detail and delivery.
A skilled, motivated and committed workforce is central to this plan and critical
in ensuring we deliver the best possible services for Stirling. The Stirling Council
Workforce Plan is closely aligned to the five-year plan to ensure we have the
correct skills mix, training and development opportunities for all our employees.
Our Values
BE COMMUNITY-LED,
BE ONE COUNCIL: ONE TEAM,
BE A LEARNING COUNCIL,
BE RISK-AWARE: NOT RISK-AVERSE,
BE OPEN & RESPONSIVE10
Approach - Council’s Priorities
The Council has agreed 6 Strategic Priorities to be delivered within the
five years of its term. These are at the core of the plan to achieve the PHAR
(Prosperous, Healthy, Achieving and Resilient) outcomes, and will be tracked
to ensure there is accountability throughout.
A robust approach to service planning will ensure that every service is aware how it
contributes to the Strategic Priorities and what their responsibilities are in relation to
them. Appendix 3 shows this approach.
Appendix 4 provides greater detail of the Council’s priorities and the following
section outlines the measures we will use to track our delivery against each priority.Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
11
OVERARCHING VISION: STIRLING - A PLACE FOR EVERYONE TO THRIVE
PROSPEROUS HEALTHY ACHIEVING RESILIENT
CPP STRATEGIC OUTCOMES
Create
more affordable housing
Look after all and social housing in all of
citizens, from early years Target all forms our communities. Lead
to adulthood, by providing quality of poverty across our by example as an organisation in
education and social care services, to communities and mitigate the setting exceptional standards in
allow everybody to lead their lives to impact of austerity and welfare building practice, environmental
their full potential cuts on those hit the hardest practice, employer practice, tenant
Priority A Priority B relations and homelessness
prevention
Priority C
Create and Commit and
Deliver inclusive implement environment coordinate our resources to
economic growth and promote and infrastructure improvements. ensuring Stirling becomes a must
prosperity. We will deliver a City Deliver new ownership and delivery visit destination; with heritage,
Region Deal and pursue policies and methods in energy generation, culture, environment and economic
solutions that encourage high quality, public transport and internet access, strategies working hand in hand
high paying jobs into all of ensuring profits and services work to to encourage tourists to stay for a
Stirling’s communities community, not commercial minimum of three days and
Priority D priorities two nights
Priority E Priority F
COUNCIL PRIORITIES (in support of PHAR)
BE COMMUNITY-LED, BE ONE COUNCIL: ONE TEAM,
BE A LEARNING COUNCIL, BE RISK-AWARE: NOT RISK-AVERSE,
BE OPEN & RESPONSIVE12
Strategic Priority A
Quality Education and Social Care
We will look after all citizens, from early years to adulthood,
by providing quality education and social care services, to
allow everybody to lead their lives to their full potential.
Measures *Progress to date Desired Actual
Trend Trend
Reduce the number of The number of data
datazones in Stirling Council zones in the 10% most
area that are in Scotland’s 10% deprived has increased
most deprived. by 1, this is mainly due to
a re-drawing of datazones
within the Cornton area.
Increase the % of LAC leavers We have increased from
attaining literacy & numeracy 45% to 55%.
SCQF Level 4 or better.
Increase the % of LAC leavers We have increased from
attaining literacy & numeracy 18.2% to 35%.
SCQF Level 5 or better
Positive destinations for all of Slight increase from
our young people above the 93.3% to 93.8%.
national average
Reduce the average length of We have significantly
stay in adult care homes reduced from 2.2 to 1.1
Years.
Reduce the number of looked This has reduced from 32
after and accommodated to 25.
children in external residential
care or foster placements
*Please note data above compares 2015/16 – 2016/17 and 2017/18 data where available.Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
13
Strategic Priority B
Poverty
We will target all forms of poverty across our communities
and mitigate the impact of austerity and welfare cuts on
those hit the hardest.
Measures *Progress to date Desired Actual
Trend Trend
% of children living in poverty Data available for current Info
available
after housing costs year only – 19% next year
% of children living in low Currently the lowest is
Info
income families - reduce the 0% and highest is 53%. available
% gap between lowest and Up-to-date data will be next year
highest released next year.
Reduction in the % of Figures show that this
households in extreme fuel indicator has stayed the LEVEL
poverty same at 7%
*Please note data above compares 2015/16 – 2016/17 and 2017/18 data where available.14
Strategic Priority C
Affordable Housing & Social Housing
Create more affordable housing and social housing in all
our communities. Lead by example as an organisation
in setting exceptional standards in building practice,
environmental practice, employer practice, tenant relations
and homelessness prevention.
Measures *Progress to date Desired Actual
Trend Trend
Reduce the % of homeless We have significantly
households in B&B for more reduced this from 68.2%
than 50 days. to 38.4%
Increase in the number of void This has dropped
housing properties re-let within from 68.2% to 38.4%.
28 days Significant investment is
being made to increase
this.
Increase the % of social housing This was at 22% in Info
(by tenure) from 22%. 2016/17. Updated figures available
will be available later this later this
year
year.
% of council dwellings that This has increased from
meet the Scottish Housing 97.19% to 99.19%
Quality Standard
Reduce the % of all employees This has reduced from
(18+), who work in Stirling with 20% to 16.9%
hourly pay below the Living
Wage
*Please note data above compares 2015/16 – 2016/17 and 2017/18 data where available.Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
15
17
Strategic Priority D
Inclusive Economic Growth
& City Region Deal
We will deliver inclusive economic growth and promote
prosperity.
Measures *Progress to date Desired Actual
Trend Trend
Increase the business start-up This has decreased slightly
rate per 10,000 adults from 25.1% to 24.26%.
Increase the 3 year business This has decreased to
survival rate from 68.7% 64.3% however we are
still above the national
average.
Increase the business This has significantly
expenditure on R&D per head increased from 4,876 to
(per thousand £) 8,768.
Decrease from 38.6% the Data is still being Info
employment in low paying compared for 18/19. available
later this
sectors year
Increase the dwell time and Currently this is 2.2 days. Info
spend in Stirling’s tourism available
next year
economy
*Please note data above compares 2015/16 – 2016/17 and 2017/18 data where available.16
Strategic Priority D
Inclusive Economic Growth
& City Region Deal Continued
The Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal is
a 10 to 15-year commitment from the Scottish and UK
Governments to invest £90.2m into the regional area.
This commitment is boosted by further investment of
more than £100m by regional partners including Stirling
Council, Clackmannanshire Council and the University of
Stirling.
We will finalise the Stirling elements of the City Region Deal and formally sign
the deal with both the Scottish and UK Governments, unlocking our route to
the financial investment. We will seek to maximise the impact of the City Region
Deal for Stirling, promoting the delivery of inclusive growth, and where possible
leveraging additional funding from Government and other partners. We will
develop, with our regional partners, a schedule of how and when the initiatives
will be delivered over the lifetime of the deal. We will demonstrate that we have
the capability to deliver these projects to plan and to budget.
Measures
These will be finalised in line with the City Region Deal and its constituent
business cases, however, they will include:
• Gross Value Added (GVA) to the regional economy
• High quality jobs created
• Skills development with inclusive pathways
• Digital start-ups and follow on businesses
• Increased visitor numbers to Stirling with people staying longer
• Improving activity and health indicatorsFive-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
17
19
It has been agreed that the City Region Deal investment will be focused on:
• Innovation through the new Scottish Environment Centre and an Aquaculture
Hub delivered in conjunction with the University of Stirling.
• Digital through further development of the Stirling Digital hub and the creation
of 3 regional hubs.
• Culture and Tourism through the development of our Cultural, Heritage and
Tourism assets, and the new National Tartan Centre for Scotland to be sited at
Forthside.
• Transfer of the MOD land at Forthside to Stirling Council for future development
purposes.
• Transport, Connectivity and Low Carbon primarily through development
of new Active Travel Routes across the region and the development of a new
Regional Energy Masterplan.
Underpinning the capital investment is a Regional Skills and Inclusion Programme
that will ensure that Inclusive Growth lies at the heart of our deal. This will drive new
opportunities and routes into employment for people across the region, helping
tackle inequality and ensuring that businesses and communities throughout the
region are able to engage with and benefit from the City Region Deal.
To complement the City Region Deal the Scottish Government has committed
a further £5m to develop infrastructure around the Kildean Business Park and in
Callander.18
Strategic Priority E
Environment & Infrastructure Improvements
We will create and implement environmental and
infrastructure improvements. We will deliver new ownership
and delivery methods around energy generation, public
transport and internet access, ensuring profits and services
work for community, not commercial, priorities.
Measures *Progress to date Desired Actual
Trend Trend
Increase % of households that This has stayed level at LEVEL
are energy efficient 97%.
Increase % of total household This has risen from 53.5%
waste recycled or composted to 57%.
Reduce number of service This has decreased from
requests to clean up dog 442 – 399 over a 3 year
fouling period.
Increase from 86% the number This has decreased from
of households with internet 86% to 85%.
access
Increase the % of our This has risen from 89.3%
operational buildings which are to 90.5%.
suitable for their current use
Corporate emissions in 2016 This has reduced in total
were 15,955 tCO2e. Target over 3 years by 35%.
is 40% reduction by 2021
(2006/07 baseline)
Tonnage of household waste This has reduced from
sent to Landfill. 18,029 tonnes to 12,117
tonnes.
*Please note data above compares 2015/16 – 2016/17 and 2017/18 data where available.Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
19
Strategic Priority F
Tourism
We will commit and co-ordinate our resources to ensuring
Stirling becomes a must-visit destination; with heritage,
culture, environment and economic strategies working
hand in hand to encourage tourists to stay for a minimum
of three days and two nights.
Measures *Progress to date Desired Actual
Trend Trend
Increase the dwell time and Currently this is 2.2 days. Info
spend in Stirling’s tourism available
economy next year
Increase the % of food safety This has increased from
inspection pass rate 93% to 95%.
Increase and improve cycling Data is yet to be released
Info
routes by 20% in 2022 and on this long term available
50% in 2027 compared to 2017 measure. TBC
levels.
*Please note data above compares 2015/16 – 2016/17 and 2017/18 data where available.20
Major influences on Stirling over the
next five years
Economic Influences
• Stirling’s unemployment levels match that of Scotland as a whole (4.2%) with
1,900 people in the area looking for, but unable to find a job at any one time.
• Stirling has lower rates of economic activity, and higher rates of economic
inactivity than Scotland as a whole.
• Stirling resident earnings are higher than Stirling workplace earnings.
• Business start-up rates are still relatively high compared to the rest of Scotland.
• The ratio of jobs to working population is increasing and is ahead of Scotland.
• Gross Value Added (GVA) per head is behind Glasgow and Edinburgh but
ahead of the Scottish average.
• A successful City Region Deal will see us gain the financial investment
necessary to deliver a programme of change for Stirling that will unlock our
full potential and result in a healthier, wealthier, greener and better-connected
future for Stirling, Scotland and the UK. The programme will benefit everyone
who lives, visits, works and invests in Stirling and beyond by permanently
boosting GVA, creating 3,000 additional jobs, ensuring sustainable growth
across all areas, closing gaps in attainment and health inequalities, increasing
Foreign Direct Investment, increasing overseas exports, benefitting all citizens
through work and skills programmes, increasing tourism by 25%.
• Investment in a broader inclusive growth plan, including the delivery of a
significant economic plan for rural Stirling is also a priority over the next 5
years.
• The Council has been carefully assessing the potential implications of Brexit,
including the possible economic impact. We are actively working with partners
and industry to ensure that any such impacts are mitigated or avoided. These
could include a lack of skilled resource and our ability to recruit in particular
sectors.Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
21
Financial Influences
• It is anticipated that there will be continued financial pressure on our
government grant.
• Councils again have the ability to increase council tax, with the maximum
permitted increase raised to 4.79% for 2019/20.
• There will be increasing service delivery costs, due to inflation.
• Pension and salary costs will increase.
• There will be continued demographic pressures.
The Council is actively involving local communities in our budgeting processes,
for example, through the Big Conversation consultation, and is developing a
Participatory Budgeting Framework and Programme.22
Using Digital Technology to Shape our Infrastructure
• Stirling has one of the highest levels of internet connectivity in Scotland.
• In early 2017, Stirling became Scotland’s fourth Gigabit City, in order to deliver
high speed connectivity which will encourage economic growth and inward
investment within the City. Construction commenced in June 2017.
• In April 2018, CityFibre announced a £10m investment in Stirling to connect
18,000 premises to ultrafast broadband using Fibre to the Premise technology.
Construction work commenced in November 2018 and will continue into 2020.
• Approximately 5.2% of households do not have access to superfast broadband.
The Government’s Reaching 100% broadband initiative (R100) is targeted to
reduce this to 0% of households by 2022.
• Through our Digital Strategy we will improve digital engagement with
our citizens, businesses and visitors, via our upgraded website and the
development of an enhanced range of customer focussed online services to
transform the way we do business.
• Stirling is developing its smart capability through the Smart Cities programme.
Over the next year, Stirling will have developed solutions around smart energy,
waste, mobility, and will have greatly enhanced our data capture and the way
we manage and use that data to improve services. Progress has been made to
date on the following:
• We have installed 30 smart compactor litter bins across the city, providing
more efficient waste collection.
• We have sited a comprehensive transport monitoring system, giving real
time data around the city.
• We are completing the development of a smart energy monitoring system
in the top 30 energy consuming buildings under Council ownership,
expected for completion in March 2019.
• We have developed a comprehensive open data platform which will be
refined and developed in the year ahead.Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
23
Political Direction and Public Policy
• In April 2018 the Fairer Scotland Duty (Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010) came
into force. It places a legal responsibility on the Council to actively consider
how we can reduce inequalities caused by socio-economic disadvantage,
when making strategic decisions.
• The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 was issued by the
Scottish Government on 25th October 2016. This replaces the current
Single Outcome Agreement with the Local Outcome Improvement Plan
(The Stirling Plan).
• The Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 was passed by the Scottish
Parliament on 11th February 2016 and saw the establishment of a
national body - Community Justice Scotland - on 31st March 2017. The
arrangements for local strategic planning and delivery of community
justice will be undertaken with local community planning partners.
• The Clackmannanshire and Stirling Health and Social Care Partnership
(HSCP), responsible for the delivery of adult health and social care
services, was implemented from 1st April 2016. The Chief Officer has
financial responsibility for the joint budgets across the three partners
- Clackmannanshire Council, Stirling Council and NHS Forth Valley. The
partnership approach also includes third and independent sectors.
• Effective community planning arrangements are at the heart of public
service reform. The Stirling Plan will commit our community planning
partners to an evidence-based approach to determining priorities and
tackling inequalities. This will put communities at the heart of everything
we do and focus on early intervention and prevention, to achieve financial
stability and improve outcomes.
• As part of the Forth Valley and West Lothian Regional Improvement
Collaborative, we will work with partners to close the education attainment
gap and raise standards for all children and young people. The Regional
Improvement Collaborative will help achieve this by sharing evidence of
what works and providing expert and practical support for staff in Stirling’s
schools and nurseries.24
Community Engagement
Background to our approach to Community Engagement
The Scottish Government introduced new revised national standards for
community engagement in September 2016. These are good practice principles
designed to support, inform and improve the process of community engagement.
The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 has a specific focus on
promoting effective engagement and participation to help communities achieve
greater control and influence in the decisions and circumstances that affect
their lives. The national standards for community engagement are important in
supporting organisations in putting the Act into practice. They can be used to
shape the participation process used by public bodies as well as shaping how
community organisations can involve wider communities of interest.
The key aspects of the national standards are inclusion, support, planning,
working together, methods and communication. These will allow us to assess
the impact of engagement and use what has been learned to improve our future
community engagement.
Stirling Council has an active and committed Community Engagement Team.
Their work is focused on building capacity in communities, so our citizens can
play a full role in planning, designing, delivering and evaluating services, initiatives
and programmes that are delivered locally. The team also facilitates community
consultations, and offers advice and guidance on applying for a wide range of
grants and funding, and on the range of support and services that are available
locally and nationally.Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
25
27
Participatory Budgeting
The Council is committed to embracing Participatory Budgeting as a way for local
people to have a direct say in how and where public funds are used. Participatory
Budgeting is about more than just the funds - it is about seizing opportunities and
thinking about resources as a whole. It will help us meet the needs of our different
communities across Stirling - better reflecting local circumstances and aspirations.
Participatory Budgeting is an approach which can be used alongside other models
of community engagement and empowerment, as part of a wider strategic
approach to advancing participatory democracy.
Community empowerment and a deepening of participatory democracy are key in
redressing the inequalities that exist within Stirling.
Stirling’s approach to Participatory Budgeting reflects active involvement
by communities in the co-design of future projects by ensuring community
involvement at the design stage in identifying priorities and making initial
proposals for options.
During 2019/20, while introducing our approach, initial proposals/ideas will be
developed in the Infrastructure service area. Funding of £700,000 (£100,000 for
each Electoral Ward) has been allocated this financial year.
This approach will allow the Council to identify infrastructure works to be
undertaken bringing officers and communities to work together to define the
projects that will be completed within a community and included in service
planning for the following year.26
How we Work
Corporate Overview
People are proud to live and work in Stirling, we are ambitious for Stirling’s
future and have bold plans in place to deliver the best outcomes for the area
and it’s communities. We will continue to attract growth and shape and manage
effectively ensuring we deliver tangible benefits for local people.
We will meet the challenges and opportunities we face by demonstrating
community leadership enabling people to self-help, supporting the most
vulnerable and shaping and managing our public space.
Working with our citizens at a local level and delivering services in a different way
that suits the future needs of communities, we will deliver significant changes over
the next 5 years. Our City region Deal will seek to create high quality jobs, skills
development and new digital start-ups within Stirling.
The council delivers a wide range of services across the 7 Electoral Wards. The
council is focused on ensuring everyone in Stirling thrives, working together with
partners and communities to ensure we deliver the right service, at the right time
to the right people.
We aim to empower our communities to ensure they have the skills, ambition and
ownership needed to flourish.
The Council services manage the following annual budgets (2018/19 figures)
General Fund - Revenue Budget £211.034m
General Fund - Capital Programme £25.227m
Housing Revenue Account - Revenue Budget £21.020m
Housing Revenue Account – Capital Programme £14.499m
The Housing Revenue Account is a ring-fenced budget covering the Council’s
management of its housing stock and is funded through rental income. Legislation
requires that Local Authorities keep different accounts for the purposes of
distinguishing transactions for different purposes, with the Housing Revenue
Account being a specific requirement.Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
27
Corporate Scorecard
Adopting the PHAR (Prosperous, Healthy, Achieving and Resilient)
outcomes in to the corporate plan allows for greater alignment with
the Council priorities and increases the transparency of decision
making.
:
As a Council team, delivering on the following objectives for how we work,
will ensure success in achieving the strategic outcomes and priorities
identified above.28
Performance
Corporate Management Framework
Scorecard
Stirling’s Performance Management Framework
Planning & Prioritising
COMMUNITY Local Outcome Improvement Plan (The Stirling Plan)
PLANNING
Long term outcomes for residents relating to quality of life and opportunities
PARTNERSHIP
LEVEL
Prosperous, Healthy, Achieving, Resilient
Stirling Council Business Plan
STIRLING Strategic priorities and objectives covering delivery of:
COUNCIL
CORPORATE • The Council’s elements of the “The Stirling Plan”
LEVEL
• The Council’s 6 priorities
• Participatory Budgeting budget
Service Plans - Strategic Workforce Plan
Service level priorities and actions – activities that support the delivery of long
STIRLING
term outcomes and strategic objectives
COUNCIL
SERVICE
LEVELFive-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
29
Reporting & Managing Reviewing & Improving
Participatory Budgeting
The Stirling Plan
As a way for local people to have a direct
Annual report on outcome indicators and
say in how and where public funds can be
progress made across the partnership
used to address local requirements.
Council Annual Report
Report on progress towards strategic
objectives as well as overall council
performance
Assurance and Improvement
Corporate Scorecard The Assurance and Improvement Plan (AIP)
Key indicators relating to operational sets out the planned scrutiny activity for
management of the organisation Stirling Council over a 3 year period. The
considered by Council Management AIP is based on a shared risk assessment
Team carried out by the local area network of all
the external scrutiny bodies who engage
Committee Scorecards with the council and carry out inspections
and audits. In 2018 we underwent our
Regular reporting on progress in relation Best Value Audit, and we will create
to Committee responsibilities improvement plans based on the findings
due in spring 2019.
Service Scorecards
Service level scorecard used in
management of services • Benchmarking
To compare Stirling Council’s
Clackmannanshire & Stirling performance with other local
Health & Social Care Partnership authorities and transfer good practice
• Service Self Assessment and
Regular reporting through the Integrated
Improvement Plans
Joint Board
• Internal Audits
Strategic Workforce Plan • Local Government Benchmarking
Regular reporting to Corporate Framework
Management Team • Public Service Improvement Framework30
How we are funded
The Council receives funding through a number of sources, which include:
• General Revenue Grant from the Scottish Government.
• Non-Domestic Rate income levied on local businesses and other
organisations.
• Council Tax income from local residential properties.
• Fees and Charges from a range of services where a direct charge is made at
the point of use.
The split between the various main sources of funding is shown in the figure
below.
Fees and charges 3% Revenue Grants Ringfenced 4%
Rates
19%
Revenue
Grants 52%
Council
Tax 22%
The figure shows the percentage of Council funding by source for 2019/20. For
2019/20 the Council aims to raise a total of £227.7 million from the above five
main sources.
The Council’s income from central Government, including the non-domestic rates
income that is levied nationally, equates to 75% of overall income. The remaining
25% is generated from local residents, visitors to our area and others who use
services within the Stirling Council area.Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
31
Financial assumptions
The following financial assumptions have been made within the Five-Year business
plan.
• The grant from central Government, which accounts for about 75% of the
Council’s funding, has increased by 3.28% and has been confirmed by the
Scottish Government, although most of that is earmarked against government
priorities. The core grant has reduced by 1.53% in cash terms. The business
plan has factored in the following grant reductions for the next five years:
2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24
Government Grant (Core) -1.53% -2% -1.5% -1.5% -1%
• The Council will make a decision on the 2019/20 level of Council Tax at its
meeting of 21 February 2019. For subsequent years it has been assumed that
a council tax increase of 3% per annum will be applied. A small increase in the
number of council tax properties is assumed of approximately 200 per annum.
• The funding being made available to the Council for 2019/20 is in line with
the settlement letters received from the Scottish Government in December
2018, and January 2019 which set out the funding for 2019/20 only. Funding
for subsequent years is based on assumptions that are derived from the UK
Government’s economic strategy, as well as academic and practitioner analysis
of the likely impact on public spending in the coming years. Spending reviews
at UK and Scottish level are likely to have a bearing on these assumptions, and
they will be adjusted as further information becomes available. The outcome of
the Brexit process may have a significant impact on UK economic performance
which may in turn have a significant effect on the funding of public services.
This cannot be accurately predicted at this time but the Council will keep a
close watch on how this develops.
• Pay awards for 2019/20 have been included at the level of 3%. This is broadly in
line with recent awards in the public sector in Scotland. Local government pay
awards are currently subject to a national bargaining and negotiating process,
and progress on those discussions will inform future pay award budgets.32
• Demographic changes in the population have been included within the model.
• Additional cost pressures and reductions for additional waste disposal
costs and landfill allowance / tax net impact are estimated based on current
legislation.
• Like all employers, Stirling Council now has a statutory duty to provide for
auto-enrolment of employees into the pension scheme and full provision has
been made for this in our financial strategy.
• The Government continues the roll out of the Welfare Reform Bill, which will
potentially impact on the Council and a provision has been made for the
estimated cost of this.
• Provisions and specific allowances are captured within the model for items
such as non-domestic rates, capital financing charges, utility bills etc.
• The Council has taken a risk-based approach to setting the 2019/20 budget
such that a risk fund will be set to mitigate against future cost pressures which
services will, in the first instance, be expected to try to meet before any call is
made on the risk fund.
• An average loans pool rate of approximately 4.2% has been used over the
period of the business plan.
Providing a future projection of the financial requirements of an organisation
that provides wide-ranging public services, at a time of economic uncertainty
within the Scottish, UK and world economies, requires a great deal of estimation.
The business plan balances the fact that some of the key factors are uncertain
at present against the need to take a responsible view of planning for what will
undoubtedly be a very tough set of economic circumstances for councils. However,
should any of the key economic assumptions change, the business plan will be
updated accordingly.Five-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
33
Funding, spend and savings
The Council’s expected funding, spending and savings, based on these
assumptions, are:
Draft Budget Position 2019/20
(before savings options) £’000
Projected Spending 223,113
Less Funding Available 222,275
Indicative Shortfall 838
A wide range of factors affect the Council’s budget, and a number of assumptions
are made to estimate what budgets will require to be set for future years. A ten-
year outlook has recently been presented to the Council, and this will continue to
be updated and further discussed by the Council. Based on current assumptions,
the estimated budget gaps for future years are likely to be in the region of
£7.5m per annum, which will represent a significant challenge for future years,
and will involve the Council having to consider very tough spending decisions.
This challenge is one facing all Scottish local authorities, and will require the
cooperation of councils and central government to address the challenge.34
Risk based approach: Risk Fund
The Council operates a policy in the General Fund Revenue Budget of maintaining
a level of reserves of at least 2% of budget and preferably 2.5% of budget. At the
end of the last full financial year 2017/18, there were reserves of 4.7% of budget
and the latest forecast for the current financial year, 2018/19, is for reserves to be
3.3% of budget.
With this in mind, the Corporate Management Team has applied a risk- based
method to the budget approach for future years. While some additional funding
has been put in place within the base budget for 2019/20 and in subsequent
years, there will still be other potential cost pressures. The Council has therefore
created a risk fund to meet these potential cost pressures as well as managing the
profile of savings decisions taken. The risk fund will be set aside from any service
under-spends or other contributions to reserves, but access to the funding will be
subject to strict governance arrangements.
...Funding
and the risk fundFive-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
35
Sensitivity of Assumptions
Our financial projections are based on a wide set of assumptions, and these
assumptions will be constantly monitored and adjusted if necessary. The main
variables within the financial strategy relate to government grant, pay pressures,
inflation, pensions and spending pressures. The financial challenge facing the
Council will be affected by movements in the financial impact of these variables,
for example, each 1% change in government grant from year to year will have
approximately a £1.6M impact on the overall strategy. Assumptions have been
made about the changes that are likely to impact on the Council’s financial
position, but the impact of further changes in the main variables are estimated to
be:
Variable Incremental Financial
Change Impact
Government grant 1% cash change £1.6M
Council Tax 1% Change £0.5M
Employee pay awards 1% increase £1.4M
Employer pension contribution 1% increase £0.5M
Non-pay inflation 1% Change £0.75M
PPP/PFI inflation 1% Change £0.15M36
How do we manage risk?
Services identify operational risks and manage those risks at their Service
Management Team meetings. The Resilience and Risk Team and Corporate Risk
Management Group provide further scrutiny of Service risks. Service risks with
a score above 15 - which places them at a ‘red’ level - are reported to the Audit
Committee. Significant Service risks can be escalated to the Strategic Risk Register.
The Strategic Risk Register is managed by the Corporate Management Team
which provides assurance through scrutiny and challenge, and ensures that the
significant risks facing the Council have been identified and effective treatment
actions implemented. It is maintained by the Resilience and Risk Team Leader
and submitted to the Corporate Management Team, prior to Audit Committee
for discussion and monitoring. The Strategic Risk Register is reported to each
Audit Committee which provides effective scrutiny and challenge as part of the
Council’s corporate governance arrangements.
In addition, an officer-led Integrity Group is established to ensure the Council
remains resilient to crime, fraud and corruption. The Integrity Group promotes the
public protection agenda working with local and regional partners.
managing risks
that impact the Business PlanFive-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
37
Appendix 1
Community Planning Partners
List of Community Planning Partners as required under the new Community
Empowerment Act
• Stirling Council
• NHS Forth Valley
• Police Scotland
• Scottish Fire and Rescue
• Scottish Enterprise
• Historic Environment Scotland
• Forth Valley College
• Scottish Natural Heritage
• Visit Scotland
• Health and Social Care Integration Joint Board
• University of Stirling
• Scottish Sports Council
• National Park Authority
• Scottish Environment Protection Agency
• Skills Development Scotland38
Appendix 2
CPP and Other Partners
Stirlingshire Voluntary Scottish Government
Enterprise Voluntary MPs, MSPs & MEPs
Social Enterprise Scotland Sector
Volunteer Development Government
Scotland
Scottish Natural Heritage
Others Historic Scotland
Audit Scotland
Agencies
Department of Work and Pensions
COSLA Job Centre Plus
Forth Valley College Stirling
Scottish Cities Alliance
Council
Integration Authority Skills Development Scotland
NHS Forth Valley TACTRAN
Police Scotland
Scottish Assessors
Public
Association
Sector Community Councils
Scottish Enterprise Partners
Neighbourhood Network
Scottish Fire & Rescue Place
Other Community Groups /
Service
Partners
SEPA Sport Scotland
Communities
Sustrans
Equalities Groups
University of Stirling
Interest Sport / Activity Groups
Other Representative Groups
Staff
Trade Unions Service
Individual Companies
Contractors Delivery
Stirling Park Ltd Stirling City
Trusts Business
Commission Stirling
Volunteers Sector
Development Agency Stirling
Chamber of Commerce
Stirling University Innovation Park
Skills Development Scotland
Stirling City Commission
OtherFive-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
39
Appendix 3
Planning and Performance Flow
The above diagram demonstrates our approach to service planning which will
ensure that every service is aware how it contributes to the Strategic Priorities and
what their responsibilities are in relation to them.40
Appendix 4
Strategic Priorities
To deliver these outcomes, the Council has set out the following priorities:
Strategic Priority A
Quality Education and Social Care
We will look after all citizens, from early years to adulthood, by providing
quality education and social care services, to allow everybody to lead their
lives to their full potential.
• Support the delivery of locally-based after-school and holiday childcare for
nursery to P7
• Support the development of appropriate regional educational collaboratives
to deliver specialist help
• Continue to invest in the school estate to improve facilities
• Ensure parents and local communities play a role in the day to day life of their
school
• Work with the Big Noise to transfer the learning to other communities in
Stirling in a financially sustainable manner
• Invest in transitional support into Higher and Further Education for school
leavers
• Introduce measures to upgrade school CCTV systems to take advantage of
technological improvements
• Work with professionals and partners to contain pressures on care budgets,
through active planning and transformational change
• Deliver the Stirling Care Village
• Ensure people live in their own homes for as long as possible, increasing the
availability of care services and protecting budgets for adaptations in homes
to aid independent living
• Work with partners to eliminate delayed discharge
• Work with partners to make the Stirling Council area dementia-friendly
• Champion the rights of young people and looked after children in our care
• Support foster and kinship carers with financial assistance and access to
relevant resources
• Work with partners to put mental health on an equal footing with physical
health in all Council programmes
• Help people manage their own health by promoting and resourcing
community-led opportunities
• Expand access to respite time and facilities for family and friend carersFive-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
41
Strategic Priority B
Poverty
We will target all forms of poverty across our communities and mitigate the
impact of austerity and welfare cuts on those hit the hardest.
• Promote school breakfast clubs
• Promote financial literacy in all areas and to all age groups
• Ensure credit unions are available to all our citizens, where appropriate
• Invest in training and support for Council officers to ensure they are best placed
to help those affected by welfare reform, PIP and the impact of Universal Credit
• Continue the programme of insulating homes and work tirelessly to eradicate
fuel poverty
• Work with Community Planning Partnership and others to tackle the
divergence of health inequalities in our communities
• Promote poverty-proofing in the school day, ensuring every child has the
support they need to learn
• Tackle digital poverty in our schools and in our communities to ensure our
citizens have the tools they need to learn in a digital world
• A fundamental review of Council fees and charges
• Resource our schools to provide free sanitary products to all girls
• Consider a rent pressure zone for the city centre
• Promote measures to ensure our school meal service is an attractive choice for
our school children and has the resources to provide healthy inexpensive food
• Be inclusive with all our citizens through dialogue when setting policy
• Develop and build on the place based approach and create a model that gives
power back to grass roots
• Support the concept and implementation of participatory budgeting
• Make available up to1% of the Stirling Council budget to facilitate innovative
solutions for delivery of services by our communities
• Revise the Community Council boundaries and the Scheme of Establishment
before the next Community Council elections in 2018
• Establish a diversity charter to promote dignity, respect and social inclusion for
every citizen across the Stirling Council area
• Ensure the Stirling Area Access Panel is consulted on all planning applications42
Appendix 4
Strategic Priorities
Strategic Priority C
Affordable Housing & Social Housing
Create more affordable housing and social housing in all our communities.
Lead by example as an organisation in setting exceptional standards
in building practice, environmental practice, employer practice, tenant
relations and homelessness prevention.
• Commit to not privatising council services
• Protect employee rights at Stirling Council and enhance our working
relationship with Trade Unions
• Deliver apprenticeship and training opportunities within Stirling Council
• Stirling Council will continue to be a Living Wage Employer and will pursue
policies and practices that promote the concept of Stirling as a Living Wage
Region
• Ensure landlords live up to their obligations for tenants and maintain their
properties
• Set up a private landlord/tenant forum to enhance property management
• Create at least 700 social homes in the next 5 years
• Invest in our Council houses to ensure they are warm, safe and secure
• Introduce innovative policies, which enable the building of affordable housing
by local residents in agreed designated areas
• Maintain limits on the number of HMOs in communities
• Invest in training and support for Council officers to ensure they are best
placed to help support our citizens avoid homelessness
• Carry out a root and branch review of rural and urban homelessness to ensure
our services are sensitive to the needs of our citizensFive-year Business Plan
2019 - 2024
43
Strategic Priority D
Inclusive Economic Growth and City Region Deal
We will deliver inclusive economic growth and promote prosperity. We will
deliver a City Region Deal and pursue policies and solutions that encourage
high-quality, high-paying jobs into all of Stirling’s communities
• Through delivery of our economic growth and regeneration strategies and by
using our City Region Deal as a significant driver, we will deliver sustainable
economic growth across the Stirling area, providing greater opportunities for all
• Through delivery of new and enhanced infrastructure, new skills and
employability programmes and a stronger business support landscape, we will
ensure Stirling realises the ambition of becoming an economic powerhouse
• Attract new business and investment, support the start up and growth of local
businesses and all our residents
• Working closely with our key partners, we will secure the future of Stirling’s
economy through continued development of high-growth sectors, such as
digital and aquaculture, whilst supporting the growth of our traditional sectors
to ensure Stirling has a sustainable economic base.
• Ensure local companies, of all sizes, have the support to compete successfully
for public sector contracts
• Promote social enterprise companies, cooperatives and other models of
ownership which support the circular economy
• Introduce a Stirling Youth Guarantee and establish a Local Skills Forum to
further align our employability, enterprise partnerships and schemes
• Develop a digital training strategy to ensure young people are learning skills
needed to support jobs in Stirling’s digital economy
• Provide opportunities for inward investment and indigenous business growth
• Ensure Stirling’s economic strategy promotes and enhances Stirling’s key sector
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