Strategic Policy Framework - Annual Review and Refresh
North Lanarkshire Council · 16 March 2023
Back to Policy and Strategy Committee — 16 March 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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North Lanarkshire Council Report Policy and Strategy Committee Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref KH/SL Date 16/03/23 Strategic Policy Framework - annual review and refresh From Katrina Hassell, Chief Officer (Business and Digital) E-mail HassellK@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07903 096 121 Executive Summary Since approval of The Plan for North Lanarkshire - and the alignment of the Strategic Policy Framework - many strategies, policies, and plans have been developed, reviewed and updated, approved, and implemented to support achievement of the council’s long-term vision. By providing a way to ensure a regular monitoring and review process, the Strategic Policy Framework has ensured services and activities remain aligned to The Plan for North Lanarkshire as well as the relevant local and national strategy, policy, and legislative contexts. As much had changed since the Strategic Policy Framework Review Programme was initially created in 2018 and last submitted to an extensive update, the report to Policy and Strategy Committee in March 2022 represented the outcome of a significant review exercise undertaken at that time. The 2023 annual review has therefore been more lite touch with the main changes being reflected in the Review Programme. Maintenance of this Programme will continue to ensure that each of the strategies, policies, and plans within the Strategic Policy Framework are up to date or on a schedule to be updated at an appropriate interval and reported to the relevant committee for Members’ due consideration and approval. This report therefore presents the Policy and Strategy Committee with the refreshed Strategic Policy Framework in Appendix 1. Within this, Appendix A provides guidance to support future development and monitoring processes, while Appendix B sets out the accompanying Review Programme. Recommendations It is recommended that the Policy and Strategy Committee: (1) Acknowledge the role of the Strategic Policy Framework in delivering The Plan for North Lanarkshire, and in ensuring each of the strategies, policies, and plans listed therein (as noted in Appendix B) are up to date or on a schedule to be updated at an appropriate interval and reported to the relevant committee, and (2) Approve the refreshed Strategic Policy Framework and accompanying Review Programme.
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1. Background 1.1 The Plan for North Lanarkshire sets the strategic direction not just for the council and partners, but for North Lanarkshire as a place. It outlines the shared ambition to make North Lanarkshire the place to Live, Learn, Work, Invest, and Visit. 1.2 The long-term vision in The Plan for North Lanarkshire provides a very clear focus and compelling narrative in terms of what the council is working towards. This vision of inclusive growth and prosperity for all aims to bring equal benefits to all North Lanarkshire’s communities and ensure a fairer distribution of wealth. 1.3 Initially approved in September 2018, the Strategic Policy Framework sits alongside the Programme of Work in the council’s strategic planning framework to ensure that strategy and policy remain connected to delivery in support of the shared ambition (as shown in the diagram on the right). 1.4 As one of the strategic frameworks supporting The Plan for North Lanarkshire, the Strategic Policy Framework sets out the high-level strategies, policies, and plans which are subject to a formal review process to ensure they remain fit for purpose and continue to align to the strategy of the council as well as the relevant local and national strategy, policy, and legislative contexts. The Framework also aims to ensure that strategies, policies, and plans are formulated, developed, implemented, monitored, and reviewed in a consistent and transparent manner across the council. 1.5 The Strategic Policy Framework has undergone various updates since initially approved, with the most recent position being reported to the Policy and Strategy Committee in March 2022. As much had changed since the Strategic Policy Framework Review Programme was initially created in 2018 and last subject to an extensive update, the 2022 process involved a significant review exercise with many strategies, policies, and plans being updated, others being amalgamated, and some replaced. A consultation exercise also informed the refreshed version of the Framework in 2022. As such, the 2023 annual review has been more lite touch. 1.6 Developments over the years within both the Strategic Policy Framework and Programme of Work meant there had been overlap. This was resolved in the March 2022 report to the Policy and Strategy Committee when the delineation was made and strategies, policies, and plans were only included in the Strategic Policy Framework moving forward. 1.7 In line with the council’s governance arrangements, the Strategic Policy Framework Review Programme is scheduled to undergo an annual review with a view to reporting an updated position to the Policy and Strategy Committee in March each year. This report herewith therefore updates on the conclusion of the 2023 review and presents the updated Strategic Policy Framework and its accompanying Review Programme for Member’s approval. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority All priorities Ambition statement All ambition statements
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2. Strategic Policy Framework 2.1 The Strategic Policy Framework Review Programme has continued throughout 2022 and 2023 to date with new (or updated) strategies, policies, and plans approved at committee in respect of the following: • North Lanarkshire Tourism Strategy - February 2022 • North Lanarkshire Social Enterprise Framework - February 2022 • Climate Plan: Action on Climate Together 2030 - February 2022 • Digital and IT Strategy - February 2022 • Tenant Sustainment Policy - August 2022 • Housing Domestic Abuse Policy - August 2022 • Corporate Asset Management Plan - September 2022 • Procurement Strategy - September 2022 • Economic Regeneration Delivery Plan (ERDP) 2023-28 - February 2023 Annual review and refresh 2.2 Although lite touch in comparison to the 2022 review, the 2023 review has included: • An update to the Review Programme with indicative timescales of when updates are expected to ensure all strategies, policies, and plans continue to be kept under review, are updated as required, and are reported to the relevant committee. • Identifying any gaps in terms of strategy or policy development in line with the five priorities set out in The Plan for North Lanarkshire. • A review of the supporting guidance to ensure strategies, policies, and plans are developed in a standardised manner, consistently use a common format, and roles and responsibilities are clear. • The further integration of impacts (similar to those on the committee report template) and consideration of trauma informed practices within the guidance for developing strategies, policies, and plans. 2.3 The refreshed Strategic Policy Framework document is attached at Appendix 1. This sets out the hierarchy of strategies, policies, and plans which underpin delivery of the long-term vision set out in The Plan for North Lanarkshire. 2.4 The Strategic Policy Framework in Appendix 1 comprises two further appendices: • Appendix A: This contains the guidance which sets out the process to be followed to ensure strategies, policies, and plans are formulated, developed, implemented, monitored, and reviewed in a consistent and transparent manner. • Appendix B: This sets out the Review Programme for each high-level strategy, policy, or plan within the Strategic Policy Framework. This includes an indicative timetable outlining when a strategy, policy, or plan will be reported to the respective committee following completion of the development or review process. Supporting governance 2.5 Governance of the Strategic Policy Framework will continue to be undertaken through the key strategic oversight roles set out below. (1) In line with the Standards Commission for Scotland (Advice Note for Councillors on distinguishing between their strategic role and any operational work, December 2021) - Elected Members will continue to “determine policy and to participate in decisions on matters placed before them” and “provide strategic leadership; to
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ensure financial stewardship is achieved through the efficient, economic and effective use of resources; and hold the Chief Executive and senior management team to account by scrutinising the implementation of policies, procedure and expenditure”. (2) In line with their remit and terms of reference to consider matters which are cross- council in nature, the Corporate Management Team will continue to ensure strategic oversight of the corporate strategies, policies, and plans developed by the council and input into the development of such prior to submission to the relevant committee for formal approval. (3) In line with their responsibility to provide an independent review of the council's governance, risk management, performance, and control frameworks and to review performance to assess whether intended policy outcomes have been achieved, the Audit and Scrutiny Panel’s challenge and scrutiny role will aim to ensure the Strategic Policy Framework and its accompanying Review Programme operate effectively. Next steps 2.6 The list of strategies, policies, and plans in Appendix B will be kept under review to ensure updates are submitted to the relevant committee in line with the Review Programme as well as the requirements of the Strategic Policy Framework and its supporting guidance. Further work will be undertaken, where required, to ensure ongoing alignment with the updated Programme of Work for 2023 onwards. 3. Measures of success 3.1 Measures of success will be evidenced through progress being made to deliver upon the ambition statements in The Plan for North Lanarkshire. Evidence that progress is having a positive impact on inclusive growth and prosperity for local people and communities will realise the shared ambition where North Lanarkshire is the place to Live, Learn, Work, Invest, and Visit. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 Appendix 1 - Strategic Policy Framework - Appendix A: Guidance - Appendix B: Review programme Katrina Hassell Chief Officer (Business and Digital) 5. Impacts 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☐ No ☒
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If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality- and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts have been discussed and agreed with Finance? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts have been discussed and agreed with People Resources? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts have been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for significant technology change, has an assessment been carried out (or is scheduled to be carried out) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact
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Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed? Work to review and refresh the Strategic Policy Framework and its accompanying Review Programme contributes to the mitigation of the risks on the Corporate Risk Register for managing strategic change and governance, leadership, and decision making. 5.10 Armed Forces Covenant Duty Does the report require to take due regard of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex- Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the provision which has been made to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure that they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services.
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Strategic Policy Framework Appendix 1
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2 Document control Title Strategic Policy Framework Owner Katrina Hassell, Chief Officer (Business and Digital) Contact HassellK@northlan.gov.uk Governance group Policy and Strategy Committee Author Susan Lawrie, Strategy and Performance Manager Contact LawrieS@northlan.gov.uk Revision history Number Originator Date review commenced Revision description / record of change 1.0 Linda Johnston September 2018 Original framework created 2.0 Linda Johnston September 2019 Annual review 3.0 Linda Johnston September 2021 Annual review and refresh and alignment to the other strategic frameworks 4.0 Linda Johnston September 2022 Annual review and refresh and alignment to the other strategic frameworks Document approvals Number Governance group Date approval granted Date approval to be requested (if document still draft) 1.0 Policy and Resources Committee September 2018 2.0 Policy and Strategy Committee September 2019 3.0 Policy and Strategy Committee March 2022 4.0 Policy and Strategy Committee March 2023 Consultation record (for most recent update) Status of document consulted upon Strategic Policy Framework Stakeholders consulted / date Operational Management Team (17/11/21 to 10/01/22); Corporate Management Team (03/02/22); Corporate Management Team (10/02/23) Strategic alignment Next review commencement date Review date September 2023 The Plan for North Lanarkshire (all 5 priorities and 25 ambition statements), Programme of Work, Strategic Policy Framework, Strategic Governance Framework, Strategic Performance Framework, Strategic Self-Evaluation Framework, Project Management Framework, Framework for Demonstrating Improved Outcomes for Communities.
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3 Table of contents Page number Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 - 5 Strategy, policy, and legislative context in local government …………………………..……... 6 - 7 - National strategies, policies, and frameworks …………………………………………………... 6 - Local government policy framework …….…………………………………………………......… 6-7 Strategies, Policies, and Plans in North Lanarkshire Council …………………………...…….. 8 - 13 - Strategic planning framework …………………………………………………………...….…….. 8 - Definitions …...………………………………………………………………………………..……. 8 - Framework hierarchy ………………………………………………………………….…………... 8-10 - Overarching approach ………………………………….…………………………………….…… 11 - Roles and responsibilities ………………………………………………………………………… 11-12 - Non-negotiable standards ………………………………………………………..………………. 12-13 - Development and review cycle …...…………………………..………………………….………. 13 - Review programme ………………………………………………………..………………….……. 13 - Governance ………………………………………………………..………………….……. 13-14 Appendix A: Guidance …………………………………………………………………..….…………. 15 - 24 Appendix B: Review programme ………………………………………………................................ 25 - 36
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4 Introduction The Plan for North Lanarkshire sets the long-term strategic direction for the council, partners, and other stakeholders and, most importantly, for each unique local community and the people who Live, Learn, Work, Invest, and Visit within North Lanarkshire. It’s a Plan with a shared ambition of inclusive growth and prosperity for all and a fairer distribution of wealth across all local communities. The long-term ambition of The Plan for North Lanarkshire coupled with the fast moving, unpredictable, and increasingly challenging and complex local government environment, means planning and change are constantly evolving and ongoing visibility into all programmes of work and their interconnections - as well as the high level strategies, policies, and plans supporting The Plan - is essential. The Programme of Work process provides a clear roadmap for work across council services and with partners, and sitting alongside this - as a key aspect of the council’s strategic planning framework - is the Strategic Policy Framework. This ensures that strategy and policy remain connected to delivery in order to collectively facilitate a co-ordinated approach to identifying the resources and working practices needed to support delivery of the long-term vision. The Strategic Policy Framework - set out within this document - is one of the inter-related corporate frameworks that are key to assessing the success of The Plan for North Lanarkshire and monitoring delivery of the Programme of Work (while ensuring each stage of delivery towards achieving the overall ambitions is appropriately planned, guided, implemented, and governed): • Strategic Policy Framework • Strategic Governance Framework • Strategic Performance Framework • Strategic Self-Evaluation Framework • Project Management Framework To ensure these frameworks remain aligned to The Plan for North Lanarkshire, all are on a regular review and refresh programme. This also ensures the council is proactive in responding to social, economic, and environmental trends and changes in legislation and governance, as well as the broad range of national policy changes and new developments. Strategies and policies created by national and local government affect everyone in the community in some way - determining what services will be provided and the level of those services, what kinds of development will occur in a community, and what a community’s future will be. A central role of local government, strategy and policy development also supports good governance and promotes operational efficiency by: • Enabling compliance with relevant legislation, other standards, and community expectations. • Providing a shared strategic vision and clear direction for all. • Providing clear guidelines to make it easy for employees, and the public, to understand the service delivery, management, and governance approaches of a local authority and ensure consistency in implementation. • Supporting quality assurance and continuous improvement, and the management of risk. The council’s approach to strategy and policy development is set out on pages 8 to 14 of this Strategic Policy Framework document. This specifies the hierarchy of strategies, policies, and plans which underpin delivery of the long-term vision set out in The Plan for North Lanarkshire. Through a structured approach, the Strategic Policy Framework aims to ensure that strategies, policies, and plans are formulated, developed, implemented, monitored, and reviewed in a consistent and transparent manner across the council. The seven steps in the development and review cycle, depicted on page 15, outline the process in this respect. Elected Members and officers are at the heart of local government policy and delivery - with Members determining policy at the start of the process, officers managing and implementing policy in the middle, and Members scrutinising delivery at the end. Key roles and responsibilities in this respect are summarised on page 11. The Strategic Policy Framework sets out the high-level strategies, policies, and plans which are subject to a formal review process to ensure they remain fit for purpose and continue to align to the long-term vision of the council. A Review Programme is outlined in Appendix B (pages 25 to 36) to support this.
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5 Use of terminology Policy, strategy, and plan are words that cover a wide spectrum of dimensions and hierarchies. They range from: • Values and visions, policy direction, strategy documents, and strategic planning approaches, to detailed operational planning. • Comprehensive wide scale planning to specific programme planning. • A long-term 10-20 year time horizon, to a 5 year plan, a 3 year rolling plan, or an annual operational plan. • National to regional to local plans. As such, the terminology used nationally and locally can vary considerably and the terms strategy, policy, and plan have often become interchangeable. This Strategic Policy Framework document does not attempt to examine or assess the correct use of the terms strategy, policy, or plan. While it sets out a succinct definition and naming convention for each term to ensure a common language and clear understanding across the council, its key purpose is to provide a structured corporate approach to ensure the high-level strategies, policies, and plans that support delivery of The Plan for North Lanarkshire are formulated, developed, implemented, monitored, and reviewed in a consistent and transparent manner.
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6 Strategy, policy, and legislative context in local government National strategies, policies, and frameworks Local government in Scotland operates within a legal framework that expresses national policy within Scotland and the priorities of the UK government. These policies cover every area of life from birth to death and all aspects of environmental, social, and economic regulation. Although policy and legislation are interrelated, each has a distinct function - a policy may have an associated piece of legislation that helps to enforce part, or all, of it. Or a policy may not be the result of legislation at all. The Scottish Government formulates and implements policy on devolved matters and introduces most bills (draft statutes) to be considered by the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Parliament is the law making body for devolved matters and is responsible for scrutinising the work and policies of the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government regularly consults on proposed areas of policy, such as a draft strategy or at the early stages of planning a Bill before it is drafted. Interested parties or individuals may respond to a consultation. All consultation responses are analysed and used in the decision-making process. The Scottish Government maintain a dedicated website (https://consult.gov.scot/) where anyone can participate in current consultations. Local government policy framework In local government, policies can take the form of: • The process by which the UK or Scottish Government translate their political vision into programmes and actions to deliver outcomes and desired changes in the real world. These policies are cascaded to local government (and/or other public sector bodies) for implementation in line with legislation (i.e. they are statutory), or for guidance purposes (i.e. they are not statutory). • A course or general plan of action on a particular subject to be adopted by the local authority. • A statement of the local authority’s position, intent, or action. The policies created by national and local government affect everyone in the community in some way, determining: • What services will be provided to the residents, the level of those services, and the manner in which those services will be provided. Some services are mandated by law, others while not mandated are prudent to provide, while others are discretionary. • What kinds of development will occur in a community. • What a community’s future will be. Legislation Policy • Sets out the law - the procedure or standard that people and organisations must follow. • Can be used to enforce the course of actions within a policy. • New laws may be developed to enforce part or all of a policy. • Tend to be fixed for much longer periods of time. • Must comply with existing law where it is required to do so, but may also lead to the proposal of new laws. • May be adopted to fulfil legislative commitments. • Tends to evolve and adapt over time as a result of review processes. • Sets out what local government plans to do towards achieving a long-term purpose or goal.
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7 Policy decisions could be the adoption of a vision for a community, a comprehensive plan, a budget, or a policy relating to a specific issue such as allowing or prohibiting a specific activity. The policy making process is not always easy and there are tough and courageous decisions to be made, sometimes on competing priorities. Often there is no right or wrong answer, which means it should come down to an objective search for the right solution at that time. It could be that policies which, for example, are set to benefit one area of service may have an adverse impact on another area of service. In cases like this tough decisions are required to identify how best to direct resources to ensure that the actions taken represent a whole system approach and the best possible solution for local people and communities.
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8 Strategies, Policies, and Plans in North Lanarkshire Council Strategic planning framework The Plan for North Lanarkshire is well established as the long-term strategy for the council, partners, and other stakeholders and, most importantly, for each unique local community and the people who Live, Learn, Work, Invest, and Visit within North Lanarkshire. It sets out the shared ambition of inclusive growth and prosperity for all and establishes the vision for a fairer distribution of wealth across all local communities. It provides a very clear focus and compelling narrative in terms of what the council is working towards in the long-term. As a key resource for delivering and sustaining the ambition, the Programme of Work provides a clear roadmap for work across council services and with partners. It allows for plans of action to be developed that inform the projects, activities, services, technologies, and resources that need to be harnessed in order to seize the most and best opportunities to deliver on the long-term strategy, while achieving value for money in the here and now. The Programme of Work process is also instrumental in bringing together the elements that support local development, enterprise activities, and community investment in a cohesive manner. Initially approved in September 2018, the Strategic Policy Framework sits alongside the Programme of Work in the council’s strategic planning framework to ensure that strategy and policy remain connected to delivery in support of the long-term vision. This ensures that the high-level inter-related strategies, policies, and plans remain aligned to The Plan for North Lanarkshire and collectively enable the resources and working practices needed in order to maximise impact and facilitate delivery of the shared ambition. Figure 1. shows how collectively the Strategic Policy Framework and Programme of Work support The Plan for North Lanarkshire and the shared ambition of inclusive growth and prosperity for all established therein. Definitions There are many definitions of strategies, policies, and plans in existence in both the public and private sector, but the Strategic Policy Framework adopts the following naming convention to ensure consistency across the council. It is recognised though that some national or statutory strategies, policies, and plans may follow a different convention. • Strategies - set out high-level medium to long-term aims that provide direction for the policies and plans required to deliver on the programmes, projects, and activities in support of The Plan for North Lanarkshire. • Policies - form the basis for day to day decisions in a regulated manner in order to support a consistent approach to implementation and delivery of the services and the long-term vision. • Plans - contain a detailed plan of action for delivery in the short to medium term in order to achieve specific aims within a specified timeframe. The local government policy framework section on page 6 specifies the three forms which policies can take in local government. Framework hierarchy The hierarchy within the Strategic Policy Framework (depicted in Figure 2. on page 10) sets out the documents that define the council’s high-level activities in line with The Plan for North Lanarkshire; this is categorised into three levels as detailed below. Figure 1: Strategic Planning Framework
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9 1. The corporate strategy that defines the overall strategic direction for the area over the long-term. 2. Organisational level strategies or plans with strategic implications, corporate level risk, or corporate level statutory or regulatory requirements which refer to: (a) council strategies or plans, or (b) partnership strategies or plans. 3. Operational strategies, policies, or plans which refer to: (c) practices across service specific activities (e.g. the environment or diet and nutrition). (d) matters in respect of specific cross council activity which are relevant to all managers and employees (e.g. supporting attendance). Applying a hierarchical approach aims to provide a clear structure for the development of high-level strategies, policies, and plans that identifies lines of authority and reporting. This also aims to differentiate between strategies or polices that facilitate delivery of the vision set out in The Plan for North Lanarkshire, are designed to ensure compliance with legal requirements, or are required to standardise internal processes. It also helps to produce clear, well-developed documents that are easy to follow, and easy to manage and update as required. The Strategic Policy Framework itself is guided and regulated by the overall statutory, regulatory, and governance requirements within which the council operates (as set out in the Strategic Governance Framework).
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10 Figure 2: Strategic Policy Framework hierarchy
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11 Overarching approach Where it has been appropriate to do so, several strategies, policies, and plans in the Strategic Policy Framework have been combined or specifically aligned. This aims to integrate related activities and review timescales and ensure that inter-related strategies, policies, and plans are aware of, and take account of, common factors in order to align resources and maximise impact. The strategies, policies, and plans that have been combined or aligned to date are listed in the table below - this approach will continue to be part of the Strategic Policy Framework where it is relevant to do so. Overarching approach Strategies, policies, and plans aligned within the overarching approach Financial Strategy • Medium-Term Financial Plan • Revenue Resources Budget Strategy • Treasury Management Strategy • Capital Strategy • Financial Regulations and Scheme of Financial Delegation Digital and IT Strategy • Acceptable Use of ICT Policy • Information Governance Policy Framework • Data Protection Policy • Information Security Policy • Records and Information Management Policy • Records Management Plan Environment Pathway • Air Quality Strategy • Biodiversity Action Plan • Contaminated Land Strategy • Core Paths Plan • Food Growing Strategy • Woodland Management Plan • Single Use Plastic Action Plan • While referenced within the Environment Pathway document to ensure appropriate alignment and integration, the following are standalone strategies, policies, or plans due to the critical role each has in enabling delivery of the place-based aspects of The Plan for North Lanarkshire and the extent of corporate requirements and responsibilities set out therein - Local Development Plan, Climate Plan (Action on Climate Together 2030), Active Travel Strategy 2021-31, and the Local Transport Strategy. Roles and responsibilities Elected Members and officers are at the heart of local government policy and delivery and how they work together is fundamental to success. Good governance underpins these working relationships, which in turn provide a firm foundation for Best Value. The role of Elected Members “is to determine policy and to participate in decisions on matters placed before them. It is not to engage in direct operational management of the council’s services”. It is to “provide strategic leadership; to ensure financial stewardship is achieved through the efficient, economic and effective use of resources; and hold the Chief Executive and senior management team to account by scrutinising the implementation of policies, procedure and expenditure”. (Standards Commission for Scotland, Advice Note for Councillors on distinguishing between their strategic role and any operational work, December 2021) The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 requires the council to maintain a list specifying those powers which are exercisable by officers, and stating the title of the officer who exercises that power. To fulfil this requirement, the council has a Scheme of Delegation to Officers to accompany the Scheme of Administration:
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12 • The Scheme of Delegation to Officers sets out the powers delegated by the Council to officers, pursuant to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The Scheme is intended to facilitate the efficient conduct of council business by clearly setting out the nature and extent of the powers delegated to officers by the Council. All decisions require to be made in line with council policy, procedure, guidance and (where appropriate) within approved budget. This is available on Mars: https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/egenda/images/att90599.pdf • The Scheme of Administration provides the details and different functions of committees and other groups of the council, and the delegation of authority to carry out the functions of the council. This is available on Mars: https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/egenda/images/att98939.pdf Non-negotiable standards To support the development of new strategies, policies, and plans within the Strategic Policy Framework - or updates to existing documents - a set of five non-negotiable standards are in place within the council. The five non-negotiable standards are designed to ensure consistency across the inter-related corporate frameworks (Policy, Governance, Performance, Self-Evaluation, and Project Management), but more importantly ensure that strategy and policy development supports delivery of the council’s long-term vision, ensures compliance with relevant legislation, and supports effective use of resources in line with Best Value requirements. The set of five non-negotiable standards are designed to ensure that development of strategies, policies and plans carried out in line with the Strategic Policy Framework and its accompanying Review Programme are: • Aligned - to The Plan for North Lanarkshire so that aims, objectives, and action plans support the achievement of the council’s long-term vision by reflecting contributions to the priorities and ambition statements. • Consistent - in their formulation, development, and implementation so there is a structured approach to making best use of public resources through clear strategies, policies, and plans that ensure resources are deployed to achieve the council’s strategic priorities, meet the needs of local communities, and deliver continuous improvement. Consistency in the process will also ensure there is a clear understanding of the purpose and role of each strategy, policy, or plan in terms of the service delivery, management, and governance approaches of the council. • Transparent - in terms of ensuring appropriate consultation and communication in the development and implementation of strategies, policies, and plans. The development process should be appropriately informed by evidence. It should be clear that the council has engaged with and involved all relevant stakeholders as well as equality groups to improve and inform the relevant policies and practices, and that socio-economic disadvantage has been taken into consideration when making strategic decisions. • In context - ensuring that the development process takes cognisance of, and is responsive to, relevant legislation and other standards to ensure full compliance in this respect. Identifying the case for a new strategy or policy should also involve ensuring cross council collaboration and a one council approach so there is no replication of other practices already in place to achieve the desired results. This collaboration should also avoid strategies or policies pulling in different directions by ensuring a positive impact of a policy on one aspect of North Lanarkshire’s population, for example, does not have a negative effect on another. Changes in the fast moving, uncertain, and complex local government environment within which the council operates also require due consideration in the development and review process. As such, this should therefore involve consideration of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant social and economic effects on the people and communities of North Lanarkshire and any need to realign any strategy, policy, or plan in light of this. Figure 3: Five non-negotiable standards
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13 • Balanced - in terms of ensuring each item within the Strategic Policy Framework is on a regular programme of review so that it remains up to date and is reported to the relevant committee. While regular monitoring and review processes are important to ensure strategies, policies, and plans remain fit for purpose and continue to align to the long-term vision of the council, this needs to be proportionate to the resources expended, outcomes expected, and the associated risks. Development and review cycle A set of guidance is in place - see Appendix A - which outlines the steps in the process to ensure strategies, policies, and plans are formulated, developed, implemented, monitored, and reviewed in a consistent and transparent manner across the council. This also outlines specific roles and responsibilities in the development and review cycle and provides links to templates to be used to produce the strategy, policy, or plan document in line with Strategic Policy Framework requirements and the council’s brand guidelines. Review programme Appendix B outlines the Review Programme for each strategy, policy, or plan within the Strategic Policy Framework. This includes an indicative timetable outlining when an updated strategy, policy, or plan will be reported to the respective committee following completion of the review and update process. It should be noted that this Review Programme only refers to substantial updates to the respective strategy, policy, or plan document which are required to re- iterate the intent halfway through the lifespan of the document for example, or because the document has reached the end of its life. It does not capture supporting action plans which are reviewed and updated annually through other means. The timescale between the date the review is scheduled to take place and approval at committee may vary depending on the extent of the review and engagement process that requires to be undertaken for a specific strategy, policy, or plan. As a rule of thumb all updated strategies, policies, and plans require to be presented to the relevant committee within three months of the conclusion of the review process. All reports scheduled to be presented to committee with a new, or updated, strategy, policy, or plan document that is listed in Appendix B should be considered by the Corporate Management Team in advance. Governance Strategic oversight Governance of the Strategic Policy Framework will continue to be undertaken through the key strategic oversight roles set out below. (1) In line with the Standards Commission for Scotland (Advice Note for Councillors on distinguishing between their strategic role and any operational work, December 2021) - Elected Members will continue to “determine policy and to participate in decisions on matters placed before them” and “provide strategic leadership; to ensure financial stewardship is achieved through the efficient, economic and effective use of resources; and hold the Chief Executive and senior management team to account by scrutinising the implementation of policies, procedure and expenditure”. (2) In line with their remit and terms of reference to consider matters which are cross-council in nature, the Corporate Management Team will continue to ensure strategic oversight of the corporate strategies, policies, and plans developed by the council and input into the development of such prior to submission to the relevant committee for formal approval. (3) In line with their responsibility to provide an independent review of the council's governance, risk management, performance, and control frameworks
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14 and to review performance to assess whether intended policy outcomes have been achieved, the Audit and Scrutiny Panel’s challenge and scrutiny role will aim to ensure the Strategic Policy Framework and its accompanying Review Programme operate effectively. Alignment with the Strategic Governance Framework The council’s Strategic Governance Framework brings the principles of good governance together with legislative requirements and management processes by which the council is directed and controlled and through which it is accountable to, engages with, and leads the local community. In practice, governance comprises the combination of structures, strategies, policies, plans, frameworks, systems, processes, rules, codes, procedures, cultures, and values that are used to direct, control, and manage a local authority’s operations and activities. This includes political, economic, social, environmental, legal, and administrative structures and processes, and other arrangements, as encapsulated in the principles defined in the Strategic Governance Framework. The list of items referred to in this paragraph are hereinafter referred to as elements and mechanisms. These elements and mechanisms define roles and responsibilities and accountabilities and establish mechanisms to enable the council to effectively pursue the long-term ambition set out in The Plan for North Lanarkshire, while ensuring this is underpinned with control and the management of risk, and: • Resources are directed in accordance with agreed policies and according to priorities, and in line with corporate project management procedures. • There is sound and inclusive decision making. • There is clear accountability for the use of those resources in achieving defined outcomes for service users and local communities. As the council’s local code of governance, the Strategic Governance Framework is key in supporting the national good governance principles set out in the Good Governance in Local Government: Framework (CIPFA, 2016). As the Strategic Policy Framework (and its accompanying Review Programme) provide a way to ensure that strategies, policies, and plans are formulated, developed, implemented, monitored, and reviewed in a consistent and transparent manner across the council, it sits alongside the Strategic Governance Framework Review Programme in outlining the council’s policy context in this respect. The Strategic Policy Framework guidance (in Appendix A) also supports more specific compliance with the principles of good governance, for example in ensuring the council has effective counter fraud and anti-corruption arrangements are in place. As such the guidance sets out the requirement for the development of strategies, policies, and plans to consider any alignment required with the Corporate Anti-Fraud Policy and the need for any subsequent actions to be implemented as a result of such considerations.
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15 Appendix A: Guidance Development and review cycle The development and review cycle refers to the different phases in the strategy or policy making process. This outlines the steps required to ensure strategies, policies, and plans are formulated, developed, implemented, monitored, and reviewed consistently and transparently. There are seven steps in the cycle within the Strategic Policy Framework; these are set out in Figure 4. below. These steps should be applied to all strategy and policy development and review work undertaken in the council in line with the Strategic Policy Framework. While these steps provide a consistent and standardised approach to strategy and policy development in line with the Strategic Policy Framework and Review Programme, specific strategies or policies may have their own legislative requirements, or there may be a need to customise particular steps in order to best meet the needs, operating environment, and desired outcomes of the strategy or policy being developed or reviewed. Each of the steps outlined in the process are set out in more detail on pages 16 to 24. Figure 4: Development and review cycle
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16 Development and review cycle 1. Identify and scope (i) Clarify roles and responsibilities Owner • In all cases, an owner for a strategy, policy, or plan should be identified - this should be a Chief Officer who is responsible for: - Ensuring that the strategy, policy, or plan is developed in line with the long-term vision set out in The Plan for North Lanarkshire as well as relevant legislation. - Identifying the case for a new strategy or policy, ensuring this new development does not replicate other available means of achieving the desired results, and ensuring compliance with the five non-negotiable standards (see pages 12 and 13). - Assigning an author / content manager and ensuring adherence to the Strategic Policy Framework guidance. - Ensuring reviews are carried out in line with the timescales set out in the Strategic Policy Framework Review Programme. - Making sure consultation takes place with all relevant stakeholders. - Ensuring that strategic oversight is carried out by the Corporate Management Team. - Seeking approval of new strategies, policies, or plans by Elected Members through the relevant council committee. Note - committee approval is also required for significant changes to existing strategies, policies, and plans. • The policy owner must ensure performance of a strategy, policy, or plan is monitored and evaluated to assess achievement and effectiveness of the desired outcomes. • The policy owner must also be aware that Elected Members and officers are at the heart of local government policy and delivery - with Members determining policy at the start of the process, officers managing and implementing policy in the middle, and Members scrutinising delivery at the end. The owner of a strategy, policy, or plan should therefore ensure ongoing engagement with Elected Members, as appropriate. Author / content manager • In all cases an author / content manager should be identified - this should be an officer in a senior officer role who is responsible for: - Managing / developing the strategy, policy, or policy document in line with the Strategic Policy Framework guidance. - Liaising with service colleagues and subject matter experts across the council regarding evidence, stakeholder feedback, and content. - Ensuring compliance with accessibility requirements for public sector bodies which came into effect in September 2018, the corporate branding guidelines (which are available on InsideNL, and the Strategic Policy Framework design process (see step 2 (iii)). This includes uploading published documents to the council’s website ( https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-council/council-strategies-and-plans ) and ensuring this is kept up to date. - Carrying out the relevant impact assessments (see step 1 (iii) below) as part of the development and review process. (ii) Identify the issue and formulate the response As noted on page 6 of the Strategic Policy Framework, policies in local government can take the form of: • The process by which the UK or Scottish Government translate their political vision into programmes and actions to deliver outcomes and desired changes in the real world. These policies are cascaded to local government (and/or other public sector bodies) for implementation in line with legislation (i.e. they are statutory), or for guidance purposes (i.e. they are not statutory). • A course or general plan of action on a particular subject to be adopted by the local authority. • A statement of the local authority’s position, intent, or action. The role of the council in identifying the issue and formulating the response depends on which of the above has informed the development of the strategy, policy, or plan. Policies cascaded to local government will generally be for implementing or for guidance. Policies developed by the council will require the formulation step to be put into practice - as the first step in sound policy-making is properly identifying a problem and designing the right response(s) to address it.
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17 (iii) Assess impacts Impact assessments are a means of predicting the potential impact of a strategy, policy, or plan on different aspects of council business or on service users, local communities, or individuals. The following impacts must be considered in the development and review process: (1) Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty • The Public Sector Equality Duty requires the council to assess the impact of applying a proposed new or revised policy or practice against the needs of the general equality duty and to publish the results of the assessment. As a general fail safe rule, if the policy or practice is about people then an equality impact assessment should be carried out. • The Fairer Scotland Duty requires the council to consider what more it can do to reduce the inequalities of outcome, caused by socio-economic disadvantage, in any strategic decision-making or policy development context, and publish a written assessment showing how it has done this. All covering reports for strategies, policies, and plans should state (a) whether there is a Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty impact, (b) if so what that impact is, and (c) if an assessment has been completed and published. Please note once completed, a summary of this assessment requires to be published on the council’s website ( https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/equalities/equality-and-fairer-scotland-duty-impact-assessments ) and included in the covering committee report, where it is relevant to do so. Note where a strategy, policy, or plan does have an impact in this respect it must also be reflected in the document itself. There is one form to complete the assessment for both a Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty impact and also supporting guidance; this information is available on MyNL: https://mynl.co.uk/knowledge-base/equality-impact-assessments/ For any queries in completing this section please e-mail: CameronAu@northlan.gov.uk. (2) Financial - Where there is a financial impact please ensure this is summarised or stated clearly if none are anticipated. In doing so please ensure that all financial impacts have been discussed and agreed with Finance. For any queries please liaise with colleagues in Finance. (3) HR policy - Where there is a HR policy impact please ensure this is summarised or stated clearly if none are anticipated. In doing so please ensure that all HR policy or procedure impacts have been discussed and agreed with People Resources. For any queries please liaise with colleagues in People Resources. (4) Legal - Where there is a legal impact please ensure this is summarised or stated clearly if none are anticipated. In doing so please ensure that all legal impacts have been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic, particularly with regard to any references to general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation and the impact this may have on the council. For any queries please liaise with colleagues in Legal and Democratic. (5) Data protection - If the strategy, policy, or plan contains or involves the processing of personal data and, if so, if the processing of this personal data is likely to result in a high risk to the data subject then a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) requires to be carried out. Further guidance, and the template to complete a DPIA, is available on InsideNL. Once the DPIA is completed, it should be e-mailed to the regulation and governance team in legal at dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk. For any queries or further advice regarding data protection impacts, please refer to the guidance on InsideNL or contact the regulation and governance team in legal (e-mail: dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk ). (6) Technology / Digital - Digital First remains the basis for all service redesign and the Digital and IT Strategy highlights how new technology, service redesign, and connectivity will be used to deliver the digital ambition in terms of Digital Communities, a Digital Economy, and a Digital Council. Any service redesign aspects within Strategic Policy Framework items must be considered within the context of Digital First and the Digital and IT Strategy.
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18 Where there is an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / WiFi, colleagues in Business and Digital should be consulted with to enable a one council approach in this respect and to ensure whole system governance. Where the impact identifies a significant requirement for technology, an assessment requires to have been carried out by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG). For any queries regarding the technology / digital impact, please refer to the checklist within the report guidance on InsideNL. For any queries or advice, please e-mail: BusinessAndDigitalPMO@northlan.gov.uk (7) Environmental / Carbon - the impact in this respect must be considered for all strategies, policies, plans, strategic frameworks, or practices. It should also be considered where a strategic decision requires to be made (e.g. involving a major procurement or commissioning exercise, a charging policy, a budget decision, or a workforce / resource plan), where a project concerns major service redesign or transformation activity, or where there is an impact on the measurement of the council’s carbon footprint (i.e. it concerns waste, transportation, buildings, housing, or fuel poverty). To do this an impact assessment must be carried out (as per the template on InsideNL) and a summary of the impact must be included in the strategy, policy, or plan document, where relevant. For any queries regarding defining the environmental / carbon impact, please refer to the checklist within the report guidance on InsideNL. For any further queries or advice please e-mail: CarbonGroup@northlan.gov.uk (8) Risk Management - Key risks surrounding a decision and how these are or will be managed or implemented should always be highlighted in the narrative of the strategy, policy, or plan. The audience should receive assurance that the author has carried out a proportionate risk assessment related to the issue and recommendations in compliance with the council's decision-making risk management guidance. In offering this assurance the author is confirming that: a. Risk assessment documentation relating to the decision has been completed and reviewed by relevant senior management. b. All significant risks relating to the strategy, policy, or plan and how these will be managed are highlighted in the document. c. Risks relating to the strategy, policy, or plan have, as appropriate, been included in Service or Project Risk Registers and will be managed and subject to monitoring and review in accordance with the council’s Risk Management Strategy. Note, there is a template which should be used to assess risks within the context of the topic of the particular strategy, policy, or plan. This will assist with the formulation of risks to be highlighted in the strategy, policy, or plan and where they will be managed. This template is available on InsideNL. For any queries, please refer to the contact details for the Risk Team and Service Risk Champion available on InsideNL. (9) Armed Forces Covenant - The Covenant Duty is a legal obligation on certain public bodies to have due regard to the principles of the Covenant and requires decisions about the development and delivery of certain services to be made with conscious consideration of the needs of the Armed Forces community. The Armed Forces Covenant Duty is based upon two key principles: • The Armed Forces community should not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. • Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most, such as the injured and the bereaved. The new legal obligation impacts organisations that are responsible for delivering principally statutory functions in healthcare, education, and housing services. The Armed Forces community (particularly those who have given the most - which includes in-Service and ex-Service personnel, their families, and widow(er)s) will be affected as beneficiaries of the Duty. When developing a strategy, policy, or plan due regard should be made to the Armed Forces Covenant Duty (i.e. does it relate to healthcare, housing, or education services for in-Service or ex-Service personnel, or their families, or widow(er)s)? If so, then the provision which has been made should be recorded to ensure there has been appropriate consideration of the particular needs of the Armed Forces community to make sure they do not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public services.
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19 (10) United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) - Work is underway to provide guidance in terms of identifying and assessing the impact of the Rights of the Child in the development of strategies, policies, or plans. This is scheduled to be implemented by the summer of 2023. Trauma informed practice Trauma informed approaches are in operation in the council (recognising that trauma can affect individuals, groups, and communities) in line with the national trauma framework. Trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as harmful or life threatening. While unique to the individual, generally the experience of trauma can cause lasting adverse effects, limiting the ability to function and achieve mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being. Trauma informed practice is an approach used at present by a range of organisations (including for health and care interventions) and it aims to increase awareness of how trauma can negatively impact on individuals and communities, and their ability to feel safe or develop trusting relationships with services and staff. It aims to improve the accessibility and quality of services by creating culturally sensitive, safe services that people trust and want to use. It seeks to prepare practitioners to work in collaboration and partnership with people and empower them to make choices about their health and wellbeing. Trauma-informed practice acknowledges the need to see beyond an individual’s presenting behaviours and to ask, What does this person need? rather than What is wrong with this person? There are 6 principles of trauma-informed practice: safety, trust, choice, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural consideration. An overview can be found in the following video ( https://vimeo.com/274703693 ), and further information is available on the following website, this includes help in developing trauma-informed policies, systems, and practices: https://transformingpsychologicaltrauma.scot/ (iv) Procurement considerations Procurement contracts can sometimes require the council’s strategies, policies, and plans to be reflected. There is no set list for such purposes as each procurement will require to consider which of the council’s strategies, policies, and plans are most applicable to that which is being procured. The Strategic Policy Framework hierarchy diagram on page 10 of this document provides a useful starting point (as does the council’s website: https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-council/council-strategies- and-plans ), but this will require to be considered within the context of the supplies, works, or services being procured. (v) Fraud and corruption risks Where applicable, the development of strategies, policies, and plans should also consider any alignment required with the Corporate Anti-Fraud Policy and the need for any subsequent actions to be implemented as a result of these considerations. This aims to ensure that the council continues to adopt a response that is appropriate for its fraud and corruption risks and is committed to maintaining its vigilance to tackle fraud. Having up to date policies supports the council being able to demonstrate the existence of effective anti-fraud arrangements. 2. Gather evidence and draft (i) Gather evidence The council requires strategies, policies, and plans that respond to the needs of local people and communities and contribute positively towards delivery of the shared ambition for the area, as set out in The Plan for North Lanarkshire. Meeting the Best Value duty of continuous improvement requires an approach to policy setting that is informed by evidence that draws on research, evaluation, and data trends. Many types of evidence can inform policy development; this can take the form of evaluations that determine the effectiveness of interventions or policies, studies that collect the views of people about the acceptability of a policy or intervention, people’s views on their needs or requirements, and descriptions of how or whether current policies are being implemented. The views of stakeholders are essential in formulating and reviewing strategies, policies, and plans. The council website contains a general set of data regarding the people of North Lanarkshire: https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-council/facts-and-figures - this includes information on population, households, employment, and deprivation and is updated as new data becomes available.
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20 The Strategic Performance Framework supporting The Plan for North Lanarkshire contains a set of high level context indicators about the place that is North Lanarkshire; this is reported to the Policy and Strategy Committee annually each March. (ii) Identify outcomes The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 puts an outcomes approach to public services on a statutory footing. Audit Scotland, in its briefing paper Planning for Outcomes ( https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/report/planning-for-outcomes ) states that intentions, measurement, and evidence supporting outcomes should be considered early in planning processes. Within this briefing note, it is recommended that “new policies, strategies or plans should set out the outcomes they are aiming to achieve and the intermediate outputs, measures and milestones. Aligning activities with outcomes involves considering what a proposed new strategy is aiming to achieve at the outset and being clear what success will look like.” (iii) Draft the document Design process A suite of templates have been developed by Corporate Communications for authors / content managers to use in the development process; the level 3 templates are available on InsideNL. The use of these templates aligns to the levels in the Strategic Policy Framework hierarchy (as depicted in Figure 2. on page 10 under reference to parts (a), (b), (c), and (d). • Organisational level strategies or plans (level 02) - for either (a) council or (b) partnership - the full version of these documents will be produced by Brand and Creative in Corporate Communications in either portrait or landscape layout using the corporate brand (e.g. the Workforce for the Future Strategy or the Climate Plan). Note that some of the partnership plans may be produced externally to the council and will not follow this standard, but should have the corporate North Lanarkshire branding and descriptor where possible. Please ensure the time to design a document is built into the development process and the full approved copy should be supplied as an unformatted word document. • Operational strategies, policies, or plans (level 03) - which refer to (c) practices across service specific activities. A general policy / plan template produced by Brand and Creative (in either portrait or landscape layout) - with the relevant live, learn, work, invest, and visit brand descriptor (e.g. LIVE HERE) - requires to be used when drafting operational strategies, policies, and plans. This template can be found on InsideNL and can be used by all staff as appropriate. Documents used in this way do then not need to be designed by Corporate Communications. • Operational strategies, policies, or plans (level 03) - which refer to (d) matters in respect of service specific cross council activity. The Basic template produced by Brand and Creative (in either portrait or landscape layout) - with full brand stack: live, learn, work, invest, visit applied but relevant brand descriptor in bold - requires to be used when drafting operational strategies, policies, and plans. This template can be found on InsideNL and can be used by all staff as appropriate. Documents used in this way do then not need to be designed by Corporate Communications. Drafting Strategies, policies, and plans require to be written in clear and concise language that is easily understood by all. A One Way of Reporting booklet has been developed by Corporate Communications - this style guide provides guidance for those who have to put something in writing on behalf of the council. This can be anything from a letter, leaflet, strategy document, or news release to a committee report. This is available on InsideNL. Some tips include: 1. Minimise the use of jargon, technical language, and acronyms. When this is unavoidable, these must be explained or stated in full and where essential a glossary of terms should be included. 2. Avoid using text that may become out of date quickly. 3. Make best use of headings, bulleted lists, and tables to break up rows and rows of text. 4. Vary sentence lengths - include long and short sentences; long sentences should be no more than 15 - 20 words. 5. Remember that strategies, policies, and plans should be written in the third person, e.g. “the council” (not in the first person, e.g. “I” or “us” or “you”).
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21 6. Don’t use double negatives - they can often be confusing to the reader. 7. Don’t repeat the same message in several different paragraphs unnecessarily. 8. Remember that only proper nouns get a capital letter. 9. Remember to do a proofread - include grammar and spell checks and make sure there is consistency in font, style, and formatting. 10. Don’t use the passive voice in writing, e.g. “it will be sold by the council”. The active voice should be used, e.g. “the council will sell it”. (iv) Complete the mandatory sections The document control section of all strategy, policy, and plan documents developed or updated in line with the Strategic Policy Framework must be completed by the author / content manager irrespective of whether the document is produced by Corporate Communications or not. This is a central record of the basic information relating to the strategy, policy, or plan and is important in the development process in terms of identifying what changes have been made and when, the extent of stakeholder consultation, and the approvals and governance processes. The author / content manager must ensure this section is completed accurately, remembering to set a review date for the next update of the document. Guidelines for each of the mandatory sections is provided below: Document control Title title of the document Owner chief officer name and title Contact owner e-mail address Governance group name of council committee responsible for approving new strategic or policies in this respect (or significant changes), in line with the Scheme of Administration and committee terms of reference therein Author author name and title Contact author e-mail address Revision history Number Originator Date review commenced Revision description / record of change 1.0 name of person who initiated the change date development work commenced (month and year, e.g. June 2021) short description of the reason for the revised version and/or a record of the change made 2.0 3.0 etc Document approvals Number Governance group Date approval granted Date approval to be requested (if document still draft) 1.0 name of council committee that approved the new or changed strategy or policy date of committee meeting that approval was granted (month and year, e.g. September 2021) when document is still in draft and has not yet been approved insert date of committee meeting that the final version is expected to be presented to for approval 2.0
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22 3.0 etc Consultation record (for most recent update) Status of document consulted upon state title of document and if the document is still in a draft format or if it is a final version Stakeholders consulted / date name(s) of stakeholders consulted and date (month and year) and method (e.g. online survey, face to face, focus group, etc) Strategic alignment Next review commencement date This section should highlight the alignment of the strategy, policy or plan to The Plan for North Lanarkshire. Please state the relevant (a) priority and (b) ambition statement(s) that are most relevant to the document. Review date date when the next review will commence (not the date it will be reported to committee) 3. Consult with relevant stakeholders (i) Identify stakeholders As well as providing evidence to assist in the policy formulation and development processes, stakeholders’ views must be sought before final committee approval with sufficient time allowed for meaningful consideration. New or refreshed strategies and policies are subject to a minimum consultation period of 21 working days. The report author / content manager should identify all interested parties and ensure appropriate engagement with, for example: - other council services - specific communities or community groups - employees - all North Lanarkshire residents - elected members - partner organisations - trade unions - other public bodies - specific service users - others, as required (ii) Tools and techniques In terms of public consultation, the council’s website has a section dedicated for this purpose ( https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/working- communities/consultations ). This section should be used - along with other methods as appropriate - when draft strategies, policies, or plans require feedback from the public as part of the development process. (iii) Consultation record As part of the consultation process, the report author / content manager should ensure the mandatory document control section is completed in this respect. 4. Get strategic oversight and approval (i) Obtain committee approval The role of Elected Members is set out on page 11 of this document (as per the Standards Commission for Scotland Advice Note). This makes it clear that the role of Members is to “determine policy”. All new (or significant changes to existing) strategies, policies, and plans within the Strategic Policy Framework must therefore be
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23 approved at the relevant committee. The business to be transacted at committees, the arrangements for committee meetings, and the functions delegated to committees is regulated in accordance with the Scheme of Administration. The Scheme of Administration therefore sets out the terms of reference for committees and, as such, should be consulted to ensure the new (or updated) strategy, policy, or plan is submitted to the relevant committee for approval. The Scheme of Administration is published on the council’s website: https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-council/how-the-council-works/standing-orders-and-scheme-of-administration (ii) Ensure strategic oversight The Standards Commission for Scotland Advice Note (see page 11) also sets out the responsibility of the Chief Executive and senior employees to help ensure that the policies of the council are implemented. Strategy, policy, plan owners (i.e. Chief Officers) are therefore responsible for ensuring a final review of the strategies, policies, and plans within the Strategic Policy Framework prior to strategic oversight by the Corporate Management Team (CMT) and committee approval thereafter. Chief Officers are also responsible for ensuring appropriate CMT oversight in line with the CMTs terms of reference to ensure strategic oversight of the corporate strategies, policies, and plans developed by the council and input into the development of such prior to submission to Committee for formal approval. (iii) C paragraphs A paragraph within a committee Minute designated with the letter 'C' denotes that the item is subject to consideration by the Council meeting. All other items have been delegated in terms of the approved Scheme of Administration and will therefore be submitted for information only. This often relates to a decision regarding approval of a new strategy or policy (or a significant change to either) that has previously been approved by a specific committee; in these instances paragraph 22 of the council’s Standing Orders for meetings apply and approval is therefore also required at the Council meeting. The process for defining ‘C’ paragraphs is undertaken by Committee Services staff. 5. Communicate and implement (i) Communication It is essential that all stakeholders are aware of the existence of council strategies, policies, and plans that are relevant to them. For these to be effective, owners must ensure appropriate communication takes place at each relevant stage in the process. Such communication should: • Take place at the stakeholder engagement process in the development of the strategy, policy, or plan. • Use the council’s consultation web page, should public feedback be required ( https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-community/working- communities/consultations ) • Involve staff who currently apply the policy and may need to make alterations to day to day operations in order to implement a new or changed policy. • Consider if there is a role for the Community Boards in any public consultation exercise to ensure local community groups can be fully engaged with, if so please involve the Community Partnership team. • Ensure engagement with service users who are affected by the change(s). • Ensure that, where necessary, education or training is provided to put the requirements of the strategy, policy, or plan into effect. • Involve the distribution of the strategy, policy, or plan following the formal approval process. When identifying all aspects of communication required for the strategy, policy, or plan following formal approval at committee, the following should also be considered: • If the strategy, policy, or plan is controversial. • If the strategy, policy, or plan requires public promotion of something. • If the strategy, policy, or plan means a change in the way the service is delivered that will impact on service users or residents, or that requires people accessing the
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24 service to behave in a different way. • If the strategy, policy, or plan means a reduction or cessation of service. • If the strategy, policy, or plan means any change for employees in other services. If any of these apply, please liaise with colleagues in Corporate Communications so that they are aware of any potential reputational risks and can design appropriate, timely communications activity. (ii) Implementation Getting policy implementation right is critically important. Failure to do so can have a financial impact and cause disruption for local residents and service users. The owner should ensure that there is a plan for implementation and communication that is developed in advance. 6. Monitor and review (i) Monitor Strategies and policies should be regularly evaluated to determine how well they are working - are they achieving their desired aim? Obtaining public or service user feedback, establishing a suite of performance measures, carrying out a self-evaluation exercise, or undertaking a cost-benefit analysis are some examples of ways to evaluate the effectiveness of a strategy, policy, or plan. For further information regarding performance measures or self-evaluation please e- mail StrategyAndPerformance@northlan.gov.uk (ii) Review It is essential that each item within the Strategic Policy Framework is kept on a Review Programme so that it remains up to date and is reported to the relevant committee. While regular monitoring and review processes are important to ensure strategies, policies, and plans remain fit for purpose and continue to align to the long-term vision of the council, this needs to be proportionate to the resources expended, outcomes expected, and the associated risks. Some review and update timescales are set by statute, or by national or partner organisations, but in principle all strategies, policies, and plans within the Strategic Policy Framework should be reviewed and updated within a minimum of five years. As part of the review process for existing documents, the respective strategy, policy, or plan document should follow the same stakeholder engagement and strategic oversight process as new documents. (iii) Approvals Significant amendments to an existing strategy, policy, or plan document must be approved at the relevant committee. • A significant amendment is a change to the purpose or scope, or to the content, or to the responsibilities for implementing a strategy, policy, or plan. • Minor amendments are changes that do not affect the general meaning, scope, purpose, or intent of the strategy, policy, or plan. 7. Publish Once formal approval has been provided by the relevant committee, all corporate level strategies or plans should be published on the council’s website: https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/your-council/council-strategies-and-plans. The author / content manager is responsible for publishing the new or updated strategy, policy, or plan document on the council’s website. They are also responsible for ensuring that documents published comply with accessibility requirements for public sector bodies, the council’s corporate branding guidelines, and that the relevant key words are used to ensure search functions can easily locate a strategy, policy, or plan.
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25 Appendix B: Review programme The following provides an indicative timetable outlining when an updated strategy, policy, or plan will be reported to the respective committee following completion of the review process. It should be noted that this review programme only refers to substantial updates to the respective strategy, policy, or plan document which are required to re-iterate the intent halfway through the lifespan of the document for example, or because the document has reached the end of its life. It does not capture supporting action plans which are reviewed and updated annually through other means. The timescale between the date the review is scheduled to take place and approval at committee may vary depending on the extent of the review and engagement process that requires to be undertaken for a specific strategy, policy, or plan. As a rule of thumb all updated strategies, policies, and plans require to be presented to the relevant committee within three months of the conclusion of the review process. Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 The Plan for North Lanarkshire The Plan for North Lanarkshire sets the long-term strategic direction for the council, partners, and other stakeholders and, most importantly, for each unique local community and the people who Live, Learn, Work, Invest, and Visit within North Lanarkshire. It’s a Plan with a shared ambition of inclusive growth and prosperity for all and a fairer distribution of wealth across all local communities. 28-02-19 The Plan for North Lanarkshire https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk /egenda/images/att90076.pdf https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk /your-council/council-strategies- and-plans/council-strategies/plan- north-lanarkshire (strategy document) Strategy has no timeframe The Programme of Work, updated annually, provides the delivery and review mechanism Chief Executive Policy and Strategy Committee Financial Strategy As the overarching framework that establishes the financial strategies and policies which ensure effective financial governance, planning, and management, this sets out the responsibility for safeguarding public funds within North Lanarkshire Council and the role of the Section 95 Officer. The financial strategies and policies covered by the Financial Strategy are the Capital Strategy, Treasury Management Strategy, Revenue Resources Budget Strategy, Medium- Term Financial Plan, and the Financial Regulations and Scheme of Financial Delegation. The financial strategies and policies covered by the Financial Strategy are set out therein along with timescales for further review. All have an annual review frequency and are covered by the Strategic Governance Framework annual Review Programme. 06-06-19 Financial Strategy https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk /egenda/images/att90922.pdf Strategy has no timeframe for review. A review was carried out in August 2022. At this time the Corporate Management Team concluded the Strategy remains relevant in its current form and no further update requires to be undertaken at this time. Chief Officer (Finance) Policy and Strategy Committee Corporate Communications Strategy The overarching Communications Strategy covers the whole organisation and aims to ensure that communication activity closely aligns with delivery of The Plan for North Lanarkshire. All major activity must support an ambition statement and also align with the core narrative which supports the Live, Learn, Work, Invest, and Visit brand strategy. The council has approved The Plan for North Lanarkshire and The Place, The Vision and these are the council’s priorities and therefore the focus for communications activity. In order to maximise communication support for the council’s priorities and ambitions, the Communications Strategy sets out the key strategic principles of council communication. So that the implementation of communication activity can be appropriately prioritised in line with the strategy and can be measured for effectiveness, an annual communications plan sets out communications activities for each year. 06-06-19 Corporate Communications Strategy https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk /egenda/images/att90957.pdf Strategy has no timeframe Action plan updated annually Chief Officer (Strategic Communication and Engagement) Policy and Strategy Committee Equality Strategy
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26 Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 The Equality Strategy sets out the council’s commitment to equality and human rights and its clear understanding of the disadvantage and inequality that exists for some people and communities. Through five working objectives for success, the strategy outlines how equality will continue to be part of the everyday work of the council thereby ensuring a mainstreamed approach. 26-08-19 Equality Strategy 2019-24 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk /egenda/images/att91522.pdf 5 year strategy Strategy document reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life 2024/25 X Chief Officer (People Resources) Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee Workforce for the Future Strategy The Workforce for the Future Strategy approved in March 2020 covers the period 2020-23. This strategy was subsequently refreshed in June 2021 and realigned in light of the pandemic, which continues to have a major impact on levels of employment and the needs of employers across North Lanarkshire. It also addresses the issue that the pandemic is expected to have adversely affected the wider employment, training, and progression prospects of young people and other residents who have been made redundant or may be at risk. 03-06-21 Workforce for the Future Strategy https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk /egenda/images/att96241.pdf 19-03-20 Workforce for the Future Strategy 2020-23 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk /egenda/images/att92786.pdf 3 year strategy Annual review of strategy document Autumn / Winter 2023 X Chief Officer (People Resources) Policy and Strategy Committee Workforce Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy The council recognises that mental ill health and stress can be associated with many of the leading causes of disease and disability in society. Promoting and protecting the mental wellbeing of the workforce is important for individuals’ physical health, social wellbeing, and productivity. Mental wellbeing in the workplace is relevant to all employees and everyone can contribute to improved mental wellbeing at work. 27-05-21 Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk /egenda/images/att96130.pdf Strategy has no timeframe Annual review and update of strategy document 2022 refresh scheduled to be reported in cycle 2 of 2023 X Chief Officer (People Resources) Finance and Resources Committee / Wellbeing and Tackling Poverty Committee Procurement Strategy Legislation requires Scottish public bodies with annual procurement spend greater than £5 million (which includes the council) to develop and publish an organisational procurement strategy and keep the strategy under regular review. 14-09-22 Procurement Strategy 2023- 24 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.uk /egenda/images/att98662.pdf 1 year strategy Annual review September 2023 X Chief Officer (Assets and Procurement) Finance and Resources Committee Digital and IT Strategy IT and digital are integral to the future success of The Plan for North Lanarkshire, and the Digital and IT Strategy 2019-24 highlights how technology will be used to transform service delivery and deliver on the vision for a Digital North Lanarkshire with Digital Communities, a Digital Economy, and a Digital Council. The strategies and policies covered by the Digital and IT Strategy are the Acceptable Use of ICT Policy, Information Governance Policy Framework, Data Protection Policy, Information Security Policy, Records and Information Management Policy, and Records Management Plan. The strategies and policies covered by the Digital and IT Strategy are set out therein along with timescales for further review. 23-02-22 Digital and IT Strategy, annual refresh https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att97664.pdf https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk /your-council/council-strategies- and-plans/council-strategies/digital- and-it-strategy 5 year strategy Strategy document fully reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life in 2023/24 Regular update of strategies and policies within the Digital and IT Strategy are covered by the Strategic Governance Framework annual review programme X Chief Officer (Business and Digital) Policy and Strategy Committee Risk Management Strategy Effective risk management arrangements form an important element of good corporate governance and are designed to ensure that the council operates systematic and logical processes for managing business risks within a comprehensive framework, ensuring that identified risks are managed consistently, effectively, efficiently, and coherently across the organisation. 19-03-20 Risk Management Strategy 2019/20-2021/22 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att93523.pdf 3 year strategy Biennial review Winter 2022/23 X Chief Officer (Audit and Risk) Policy and Strategy Committee
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27 Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 Internal Audit Strategy The Internal Audit Strategy is designed to clearly set out Internal Audit’s strategic objectives and outline briefly in clear and concise terms how these strategic objectives will be delivered. It is considered that such a statement benefits both key stakeholders and Internal Audit staff, by providing a clearer overview of what Internal Audit is trying to achieve, and how, and by establishing key principles against which the performance of Internal Audit can be better assessed. 27-06-19 Internal Audit Strategy 2019/20 - 2021/22 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att91026.pdf 3 year strategy Biennial review 2022/23 X Chief Officer (Audit and Risk) Audit and Scrutiny Panel Events Strategy The council has an extensive history of hosting and promoting successful events. Events make a contribution to the local economy through tourism and expenditure in the local area and through the supply chain. They provide recreational and volunteering opportunities for local people and, at their biggest, give North Lanarkshire a national and international profile. While the council has staged many successful events, a formal Events Strategy ensures the council, working with its partners, maximises the potential of North Lanarkshire as a destination of choice for hosting events. 06-06-19 Events Strategy https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att91094.pdf Strategy has no timeframe Chief Officer (Strategic Communication and Engagement) Policy and Strategy Committee Diet and Nutrition Policy Improving the health and wellbeing of local communities is a key aspect to achieve one of the five priorities set to realise the shared ambition through empowering people to make healthier choices. This policy demonstrates the council’s commitment to improving the diet and nutrition of its service users, residents, and staff. In 2000, the council was one of the first local authorities in Scotland to develop a policy in relation to diet and nutrition which was subsequently updated after a significant number of developments were made both nationally and locally tackling Scotland’s high levels of overweight and obesity. An update is required to reflect Natasha’s Law, Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) regulations 2020, and the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022. Other items to be considered will be the Deposit Return Scheme and Setting the Table guidelines which are currently under review. 19-03-20 Diet and Nutrition Policy 2019-24 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att93587.pdf 5 year policy Update scheduled for cycle 3 in 2023 X Chief Officer (Assets and Procurement) Policy and Strategy Committee Climate Plan, Action on Climate Together 2030 The finalised Climate Plan ACT2030 is the first of an intended series of climate-related documents that encompass the council’s own climate emergency declaration and subsequent target of net-zero emissions by 2030. The climate plan provides targets from 2021/22 to 2025/26 with a commitment to continually review and set targets beyond this to 2030. 09-02-22 Climate Plan, Action on Climate Together 2030 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att97673.pdf 5 year strategy Action plan reviewed annually X Chief Officer (Assets and Procurement) Environment and Climate Change Committee Corporate Asset Management Plan The Corporate Asset Management Plan (CAMP) provides an overview of how the council is managing its assets in alignment with the strategic direction of the organisation to both deliver and sustain an asset base that will meet current and future requirements. The CAMP is one of the tools used to manage the asset base and guide activities (i.e. maintain, rationalise, invest, dis-invest); it links into the ongoing review and development of the 5 year capital plan. 14-09-22 Corporate Asset Management Plan (CAMP) 2021-26 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att98661.pdf 5 year strategy Strategy document to be reviewed annually September 2023 X Chief Officer (Assets and Procurement) Policy and Strategy Committee Housing Asset Management Plan
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28 Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 The council’s Housing Asset Management Plan (HAMP) 2021-26 provides an overview of Homes Fit for the Future. It aligns with the Local Housing Strategy and other council strategies and provides the strategic framework for asset management activities and investment over the next five years. There are four key priorities to guide activities: • We help deliver the homes NL needs to grow. • We provide high-quality, well-maintained homes. • We tackle climate change and fuel poverty. • We improve our systems and our use of data. 17-02-21 Housing Asset Management Plan 2021-26 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att95628.pdf 5 year plan Strategy document reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life 2026 X Chief Officer (Housing Property Services) Housing Committee Community Safety Strategy The Community Safety Strategy recognises that community safety is set within a broad context of enabling communities to be resilient and safe, through effective engagement and empowerment, and that much wider social, economic and physical factors all impact on community safety. This strategy aims to ensure a holistic, integrated approach across partners to address the needs of communities in North Lanarkshire, recognising the broad spectrum of activity that contributes to community safety. The strategy also comprises the Antisocial Behaviour Strategy for North Lanarkshire as required by the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 due to the inter-connectedness of tackling antisocial behaviour with the other community safety strands and benefits of considering all of these strands together to better utilise and target resources and activity as a partnership. 01-02-21 Improving Community Safety in North Lanarkshire: A Strategy to Improve Lives 2020-25 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att95460.pdf 5 year strategy Strategy document reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life 2024/25 X Chief Officer (Strategic Communication and Engagement) Communities Committee Community Matters - a Framework for Working with Communities The Working with Communities Framework has been developed to guide engagement approaches to ensure a more streamlined approach to community participation and empowerment. This reflects not just the strategic context for the council and Community Planning Partnership but also the requirements of key national drivers for community empowerment, including the Principles for Community Empowerment published by Audit Scotland. 26-08-19 Community Matters - a Framework for Working with Communities https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att91527.pdf Strategy has no timeframe Review / update will be undertaken in 2023/24 in line with partnership Communications Strategy X Chief Officer (Strategic Communication and Engagement) Communities Committee Environment Pathway The council has a number of strategies, action plans, and policies which contribute to the development and protection of North Lanarkshire’s environment. The reconfiguration of the Environment Strategy into an Environment Pathway aligns all of these under one strategic approach to ensure these related strategies, policies, and plans are not implemented in isolation, but take account of common environmental factors locally and collectively aim to protect, enhance, and promote North Lanarkshire’s environment. This document also comprises those strategies or duties required by legislation (including the Contaminated Land Strategy, Air Quality Action Plan, Core Paths Plan, Food Growing Strategy, and Single Use Plastics Plan). 01-05-19 Environment Strategy https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att90497.pdf Document has no timeframe Review / update will be undertaken in 2022/23, with a biennial review period to be in place thereafter X Chief Officer (Community Operations) Environment and Climate Change Committee Active Travel Strategy This strategy puts in place for the first time, a cohesive and holistic framework to prioritise and accelerate active travel interventions across North Lanarkshire. These will align with the Town Visions and Town and Community Hub development to provide better active travel networks between local communities and across the local authority boundary. This will also help to deliver improved health and well-being 25-08-21 Active Travel Strategy 2021- 31 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att96653.pdf 10 year strategy Strategy document reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life Chief Officer (Place) Environment and Climate Change Committee
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29 Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 and environmental, social inclusion, and public access benefits. Local Transport Strategy Robust transport networks play a significant part in delivering the ambition to make North Lanarkshire the place to live, learn, work, invest, and visit. The Local Transport Strategy sets out how national objectives are delivered at a local level. There are four objectives within the strategy: • To stimulate business and the economy and develop North Lanarkshire as an attractive place to invest, work, and do business. • To provide equal opportunities and enhance the choice, accessibility, and availability of transport, particularly for those in deprived areas and those with limited access to the transport network. • To promote safety in the community and enhance safety when travelling on the transport network. • To protect North Lanarkshire's natural built environment and to improve the health of the local population. Local Transport Strategy https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/sites/default/files/2020- 06/Local%20Transport%20Strateg y%202010.pdf Strategy undergoing review and further development work during 2023 with a view to reporting on an updated strategy in 2024. X Chief Officer (Place) Environment and Climate Change Committee Local Development Plan The North Lanarkshire Local Development Plan is the land use planning strategy for North Lanarkshire. A strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a long term or overall aim - the long-term aim is to increase sustainable growth and regeneration, and to improve places in support of the council’s long-term vision. The Local Development Plan looks to achieve this through policies used to determine applications for planning permission. 30-06-22 North Lanarkshire Local Development Plan Update and Development Plan Scheme 2022 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att98278.pdf https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/sites/default/files/2022- 11/North%20Lanarkshire%20Local %20Development%20Plan.pdf Work will commence on a new LDP in 2022/23 with anticipated approval of Proposed LDP expected 2025/26. Adoption of new LDP thereafter expected 2026/27. X Chief Officer (Place) Full Council Indicative Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) As part of the new Planning system and following Parliamentary approval of NPF4, the Scottish Government will invite regional groupings of Planning Authorities to prepare a non-statutory Regional Spatial Strategy. RSSs can identify areas for future population growth, align with regional economic strategies, and identify key sectors and clusters for future development and investment along with networks of regionally significant centres, growth, and investment areas. There will be no requirement for council approval of this strategy; separate governance arrangements will be in place regionally. This strategy is included here for completeness as the Local Development Plan will be required to have regard to it. N/A National guidance has still to be provided - publication date has still to be confirmed. X Chief Officer (Place) N/A Approved through governance arrangements at a regional level Glasgow City Region Economic Strategy The economic strategy for Glasgow City Region - launched in December 2021 - is set to have a profound impact on wider public sector policy, decision-making, and spend over the next ten years for the local area of 1.8 million residents and 50,000 businesses. The strategy sets the approach for how the Glasgow City Region will weather current and future key challenges, some of which are expected to completely disrupt everyday ways of life - including the impact of the pandemic, the climate emergency, and unprecedented technological advances. December 2021 Glasgow City Region Economic Strategy https://glasgowcityregion.co.uk/wp- content/uploads/2021/12/GCR- EconomicStrategy-Final.pdf 10 year Strategy with Action Plan to be developed and reviewed annually Chief Officer (Place) N/A Approved through Glasgow City Region Cabinet
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30 Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 The approach is a first in that it has been developed and endorsed not only by the Region’s eight councils (Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire), but by government and wider public sector agencies including Scottish Enterprise and Skills Development Scotland - all of which will be instrumental in its delivery. There will be no requirement for council approval of this strategy; separate governance arrangements are in place through the Glasgow City Region Cabinet. This strategy is included here for completeness as it aligns to the City Deal programme. North Lanarkshire Tourism Strategy This strategy sets out the aspirations for a shared vision that by 2026 North Lanarkshire will be a sustainable, resilient tourist destination offering a range of authentic and memorable experiences which provide value for money and are accessible to all. The strategy captures current service provision and supports the recovery and growth of the tourism and leisure sector in North Lanarkshire. The Action Plan sets out how the aims of the strategy will be met. The Action Plan will be reviewed annually to ensure it continues to achieve the vision outlined in the Tourism Strategy in the short, medium, and long-term. 03-02-22 Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2022-26 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att97636.pdf 4 year strategy Action plan reviewed / updated annually 2025/26 X Chief Officer (Place) Enterprise and Fair Work Committee Economic Regeneration Delivery Plan (ERDP) The ERDP is a high-level framework which is aligned to the composite capital programme and delivers on the first priority of The Plan for North Lanarkshire to improve economic outcomes and opportunities. This will be achieved by delivering an integrated approach to investing in four key inter-related areas: • Housing supply. • Town centres. • Business and industry. • Infrastructure and coherently across the organisation. 29-08-19 Economic Regeneration Delivery Plan 2019-23 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att91554.pdf 5 year strategy Action plan reviewed / updated annually through the Programme of Work Updated ERDP for 2023-28 is scheduled to be submitted to committee in cycle 1 of 2023 X Chief Officer (Place) Enterprise and Fair Work Committee Business and Industry Strategy The ERDP recognises that improving and extending North Lanarkshire’s business and industrial offer is essential to supporting economic growth. While work is ongoing to support and enable the development of North Lanarkshire’s key business locations, and initiatives are being developed to assist with improvements to existing estates, it has been identified that there is a need to develop a more strategic approach. This will be achieved through the establishment of a cohesive Business and Industry Strategy which is closely linked to work programmes for business support and skills development. This will ensure any investment in business infrastructure can promote both business growth and local employment opportunities. The Business and Industry Strategy will provide the evidence base to help inform / prioritise future public sector investment and inform the next Local Development Plan in terms of employment land allocation, as well as inform business engagement that is part of the Workforce for the Future programme. N/A New 5 year strategy will be developed and reported to committee in cycle 3 of 2023. X Chief Officer (Place) Enterprise and Fair Work Committee North Lanarkshire Social Enterprise Framework
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31 Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 This framework sets out the shared vision for a competitive and dynamic Social Enterprise sector in North Lanarkshire which supports inclusive and green growth, delivering innovative solutions and proactive responses to local needs and maximising local public and private procurement opportunities. It captures current service provision and supports the recovery and growth of the sector through three key themes: stimulating the sector, developing stronger organisations, and realising market opportunities. The Action Plan sets out how the aims of the Framework will be met. The Action Plan will be reviewed annually to ensure it continues to achieve the vision outlined in the Framework in the short, medium, and long-term. 03-02-22 North Lanarkshire Social Enterprise Framework 2022- 26 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att97637.pdf 4 year strategy Action plan reviewed / updated annually 2025/26 X Chief Officer (Place) Enterprise and Fair Work Committee Open Space Strategy Open space strategies are a statutory requirement under the provisions of the new Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. An Open Space Strategy will require a strategic framework to be set out which comprises the council’s policies and proposals regarding the development, maintenance, and use of green infrastructure (including open spaces and green networks). The legislation requires that an open space strategy is underpinned by an audit of existing open space and play provision, an assessment of current and future requirements, and any other matter the council considers appropriate. Guidance on the requirements of the open space audit and open space strategy (linked to NPF4 and guidance for the preparation of future Local Development Plans) and Play Sufficiency Assessments was published for consultation in late 2021 and has still to be finalised. Indicative timescales are subject to change, but work is already underway, in consultation and with the assistance of Greenspace Scotland, to prepare for the audit and provide a bank of local data. This will be an invaluable resource that can be used to inform the council’s strategic direction. The audit will then inform requirements for retention, enhancement, replacement, re-purposing, or disposal of a range of places, spaces, and connections. This will allow for the combination of new and existing networks to form an integrated network of connected places and spaces across North Lanarkshire’s communities. N/A New strategy currently under development; an update on progress will be provided in cycles 1 and 4 of 2023 X X Chief Officer (Place) Policy and Strategy Committee Strategic Activity Framework Developed through the North Lanarkshire Partnership, the Physical Activity and Sport Strategic Framework puts North Lanarkshire in a great position to help everyone become more active. This framework has set some ambitious targets to help improve the health and increase the physical activity levels of all. Following the formation of Active and Creative Communities, the focus of the strategy and action plan has been redeveloped to reflect the importance of cultural activity on overall wellbeing. 24-08-20 ActiveNL North Lanarkshire’s Physical Activity Strategic Framework 2020-24 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att94260.pdf 5 year strategy Strategy document reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life Action plan reviewed / updated annually X Chief Officer (Education) Communities Committee Local Housing Strategy The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 places a statutory requirement on local authorities to produce a Local Housing Strategy (LHS) that sets out the strategy, priorities, and plans for the delivery of housing and related services. The 2001 Act states that the LHS must be supported by an assessment of housing provision including the need and demand for housing and related services and that local authorities must keep their 24-11-21 Housing Strategy 2021-26 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att97233.pdf https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/sites/default/files/2021- Five year strategy Annual review with progress on the delivery of the action plan reported to committee annually 2025/26 X Chief Officer (Housing Management) Housing Committee
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32 Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 LHS under review. Nationally there is an expectation that councils prepare and submit LHSs every five years and there is a requirement to provide a focus on housing supply, homelessness, property condition, energy efficiency, fuel poverty, and older people's and specialist provision housing. In North Lanarkshire, the Local Housing Strategy is at the heart of arrangements for housing and planning through its links with the Local Development Plan, as well as its strategic role in directing investment in housing and housing related services locally. It sets out a strategic vision for the delivery of housing and housing related services. 11/Local%20Housing%20Strategy %202021-2026.pdf Tenant Participation Strategy There is a statutory requirement under The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, Section 53 (1) which sets out the duty for social landlords to develop and publish a Tenant Participation Strategy in consultation with tenants. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 places additional duties on social landlords to involve both tenants and other customers in housing and related activities. The Tenant Participation Strategy 2020-25 (Involving Tenants - Improving Services) replaces the previous strategy and is the main source of information regarding tenant participation; it outlines opportunities to participate in the monitoring and development of the housing service. The aim of this strategy is to continue to develop and improve how the council communicates with tenants and residents and ensure opportunities are provided for participation and involvement that are accessible to all. 19-02-20 Tenant Participation Strategy 2020-25 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att93095.pdf https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/sites/default/files/2021- 02/CC_2020_00220%20Tenant%2 0Participation%20Strategy%20Acc essible%20PDF%20conversion.pdf 5 year strategy Annual review with progress on the delivery of the action plan reported to committee annually 2024/25 X Chief Officer (Housing Management) Housing Committee Rapid Rehousing Plan Transitioning to rapid rehousing is an opportunity for the council and partners to redress the balance of housing and support options relating to availability and accessibility for homeless households. The Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan sets out how the council and partners will move forward from the current position to deliver the future model. The plan provides a guide as to how to move homeless households into settled housing as quickly as possible. 14-11-18 Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2019-24 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att88989.pdf 5 year plan Annual review with progress on the delivery of the action plan reported to committee annually 2024/25 X Chief Officer (Housing Management) Housing Committee Tenant Sustainment Policy The Tenancy Sustainment Policy has been developed in response to the continued focus on tenancy sustainment, particularly at a time when many tenants and residents are facing extreme pressures and may require assistance. The intention is to provide a clear overarching framework which sets out the council’s proactive approach to tenancy sustainment and its commitment to preventing homelessness whenever possible. 31-08-22 Tenant Sustainment Policy https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att98401.pdf Policy has no timeframe Annual review September 2023 Chief Officer (Housing Management) Housing Committee Housing Domestic Abuse Policy This policy sets out the council’s approach to providing a co- ordinated response to the accommodation and support needs of women and children affected by domestic abuse and sets out the recognition that violent and abusive behaviour is predominantly carried out by men directed at women and girls because of their gender, and this stems from deep-rooted women’s inequality. However, it also recognises that domestic abuse can also affect men, transgender, and gender non- binary people and, as such, the policy applies equally to anyone affected by domestic abuse. 31-08-22 Housing Domestic Abuse Policy https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att98400.pdf Policy has no timeframe Annual review September 2023 Chief Officer (Housing Management) Housing Committee
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33 Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 Domestic abuse is a significant cause of homelessness among women and the policy sets out the assurance to prevent homelessness where possible, recognising the potential distress and trauma associated with moving into temporary accommodation or moving to an unfamiliar area away from existing support networks. It also emphasises the importance of understanding different needs and circumstances. Health and social care strategic plan In presenting this ten year strategic plan, the aim was to set in motion an approach to delivering health and social care that will lead over time to achieving the national health and wellbeing outcomes prescribed in the Public Bodies (Scotland) Act 2014 and the outcomes linked to The Children and Young People’s (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Community Justice (Scotland) Bill. 08-03-16 (the plan was signed off by the Shadow IJB on 8th March 2016) Integrating Health and Social Care in North Lanarkshire - Strategic Plan 2016-26 http://www.hscnorthlan.scot/wp- content/uploads/2016/05/nlc_strat _doc_v13.pdf 10 year plan 2026 Chief Officer (Health and Social Care) Integration Joint Board Health and Social Care Strategic Commissioning Plan The Public Bodies (Joint Working) Scotland Act 2014 requires each Integrated Joint Board to produce a Strategic Plan. Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire published its ten- year strategy Safer, Healthier, Independent Lives in 2016 and each year since then an annual Strategic Commissioning Plan has been produced to outline the key intentions to be delivered in each year. A significant programme of engagement was undertaken to support the creation of the partnership’s three-year Strategic Commissioning Plan, covering the period of 2020-23. 19-03-20 Health and Social Care Strategic Commissioning Plan 2020-23 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att93528.pdf 3 year plan Strategy document reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life 2023/26 X Chief Officer (Health and Social Care) Policy and Strategy Committee / Integration Joint Board North Lanarkshire Strategy for Adult Carers and Young Carers The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 came into effect on 1 April 2018 and introduced new statutory requirements for planning and arranging support for unpaid Adult Carers and Young Carers. One of the key provisions of the legislation is a duty on local authorities and health boards to prepare a carers strategy for their area. 05-11-19 North Lanarkshire Strategy for Adult Carers and Young Carers 2019-24 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att92598.pdf 5 year strategy Strategy document reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life 2024/25 X Chief Officer (Health and Social Care) Integration Joint Board Lanarkshire Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy The five-year strategy Lanarkshire Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for all age groups is informed by a range of work including the national Mental Health Strategy 2017-27 while reflecting the needs of people living in Lanarkshire and importantly the experience of people using local services. This aims to ensure the promotion of mental health and wellbeing underpins all aspects of support and services. The joint approach to developing the support and services required when needed will ensure Lanarkshire becomes a place that champions and promotes good mental health for all. 26-09-19 Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Lanarkshire 2019-24 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att92105.pdf 5 year strategy Strategy document reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life 2024/25 X Chief Officer (Health and Social Care) Policy and Strategy Committee Tackling Poverty Strategy North Lanarkshire’s Tackling Poverty Strategy reflects a concerted commitment across the Community Planning Partnership to drive inclusive growth and achieve prosperity for the people and communities of North Lanarkshire - to ensure that North Lanarkshire will be the place where everyone has equality of opportunity, a place where 11-06-20 Towards a Fairer North Lanarkshire - Tackling Poverty Strategy 2020-23 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att94019.pdf 3 year strategy Strategy document reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life X Chief Social Work Officer Policy and Strategy Committee
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34 Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 individuals and communities are poverty free. https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/sites/default/files/2020- 10/CC_2020_00040%20Tackling %20Poverty%20Strategy%20Acce sible%20Single%20Pages.pdf Action plan updated annually Children’s Services Plan This plan summarises the purpose and intentions of North Lanarkshire Children's Services Partnership, on behalf of the North Lanarkshire Partnership in the joint planning and improvement of children's services in North Lanarkshire. It provides an overview of partnership activity to deliver services and supports for children, young people and their families within the current legislative, wider planning, and ongoing improvement framework. It identifies priorities and outcomes that are the basis for more detailed planning expressed in supporting annual action plans. Planning and delivery to children, young people, and families is further underpinned by the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). North Lanarkshire Partnership Children’s Services Plan 2021-23 https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/sites/default/files/2021- 08/North%20Lanarkshire%20Child rens%20Services%20Plan%20202 1-2023.pdf 3 year plan Plan reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life May 2023 X Chief Social Work Officer Children’s Services Partnership Board on behalf of the North Lanarkshire Partnership (Endorsement by the North Lanarkshire Partnership Strategic Leadership Board and Education and Families Committee thereafter) Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan Under section 17 of the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016, every local Community Justice Partnership must produce a Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan. The purpose of a Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan is to provide an assessment of whether each outcome is currently being achieved and to set out any actions for improving outcomes. The legislation specifies that the plan should include: • An assessment of each national outcome - the community justice partners’ assessment of whether the outcome is being achieved in the area (and, if not, how near the outcome is to being achieved). • Priorities for action - whether the outcome requires to be a priority for action. • Intended actions - the action they intend to take (individually or jointly) to achieve or maintain achievement of the outcome. North Lanarkshire Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan 2017-20 https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/sites/default/files/2020- 09/ACCESSIBLE%20North_Lanar kshire_Community_Justice_Outco me_Improvement_Plan.pdf 3 year plan * Plan reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life - however the current plan has been extended several times now due to the pandemic and the national strategy and framework review. Further guidance is awaited from the Scottish Government / Community Justice Scotland on the impact of this on local Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plans. X * Chief Social Work Officer Community Justice Partnership Board on behalf of the North Lanarkshire Partnership (Endorsement by the North Lanarkshire Partnership Strategic Leadership Board and Education and Families Committee thereafter) Corporate Parenting Strategy The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and accompanying statutory guidance place duties on a range of public bodies with respect to looked after children and young people and care leavers. Collectively these duties are designed to ensure organisations commit resource and focus to promoting the wellbeing of looked after children and care leavers. The duties on corporate parents outlined in Section 58 of the Act include the need to: • Be alert to matters which might adversely affect the wellbeing of an eligible young person. • Assess the needs of eligible children and young people to any service or support provided. • Seek to provide eligible children and young people with opportunities to promote their wellbeing. • Keep their approach to corporate parenting under constant review, seeking out improvement wherever possible. In addition, corporate parents must collaborate with each other, publish corporate parenting plans, and report at prescribed intervals on these plans to Scottish Ministers. 21-05-19 Corporate Parenting Strategy 2019-22 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att90974.pdf https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att91013.pdf 2 year strategy Supported by an Improvement Plan which is updated annually. 2022/23 X Chief Social Work Officer Education, Children, and Families Committee
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35 Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 Education and Families improvement plan Scottish Attainment Challenge Plan The Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC) is a major national initiative designed to achieve equity in educational outcomes by closing the poverty related attainment gap for children and young people. The SAC focuses on accelerated, targeted improvement activity in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing in specific areas of Scotland. It supports and complements the broader range of initiatives and programmes to ensure that all of Scotland’s children and young people reach their full potential. The 2021-22 Plan aligned the SAC programme more closely with The Plan for North Lanarkshire ensuring that the drive, vision and increased connectedness maximises the impact of the approaches to closing the poverty related attainment gap. Moving forward, the SAC will be referred to as the SEF (Strategic Equity Fund). 22-11-22 Strategic Equity Fund Plan https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att99342.pdf 1 year plan Annual review and refresh 2023 x Chief Officer (Education) Education, Children, and Families Committee West Partnership Regional Improvement Plan The West Partnership Regional Improvement Plan sets out the key areas for collaborative action to drive improvement across the Glasgow City Region. It sets out the West Partnership’s offer to all eight local authorities and was developed in response to stakeholder engagement highlighting the activities which local authorities indicated they would benefit from. The plan is organised under three key areas, each led by two Directors of Education / Chief Education Officers - wellbeing for learning; curriculum, learning, teaching, and assessment; and leadership, empowerment, and improvement. A range of programmes and activities are in place across the three identified areas that are designed to support the work of school staff and local authority central officers. A fourth workstream, also led by two Directors of Education, is that of evaluation and reporting. 22-11-22 West Partnership Improvement Plan 2022/23 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att99464.pdf 1 year plan Annual evaluation and improvement plan 2023 x Chief Officer (Education) Education, Children, and Families Committee Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Resilience The Roadmap to Recovery plan sets out a way forward in developing the health and wellbeing of learners over the next three years recognising the current context in North Lanarkshire, particularly following the impact of the pandemic. The plan recognises the importance of developments in North Lanarkshire in relation to health and wellbeing including the Empowering Clusters model and the Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) pathway. It looks at high level outcomes that can be improved, linking into the Children’s Services Plan and The Plan for North Lanarkshire. 13-09-22 Health and Wellbeing Roadmap to Recovery https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att98679.pdf 3 year plan Annual progress review 2024/25 x Chief Officer (Education) Education, Children, and Families Committee Gaelic Language Plan Local authorities are required to produce a Gaelic Language Plan (GLP) every five years detailing how the language will be developed across all sectors in accordance with the national plan (https://www.gaidhlig.scot/en/gaelic-language-plans/the- national-gaelic-language-plan/) The council’s Gaelic Language plan for 2021-26 aligns to the national plan, with three high level aims to increase the use of Gaelic, increase the learning of Gaelic, and promote a positive image of Gaelic. These aims cover all aspects of the provisions made for increasing the cachet and visibility of Gaelic language and culture, for enhancing and expanding the educational offer to children and adults, and for engaging with stakeholders to identify their wants and needs in relation to Gaelic. 23-02-21 Developing Gaelic language provision and approval of high level aims and direction for the third edition of the plan https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att95684.pdf 5 year plan Plan reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life 2025/26 x Chief Officer (Education) Education, Children, and Families Committee
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36 Strategy, Policy, Plan Latest version approved Strategy timeframe / review frequency of document / next review date COMMITTEE MEETING DATES Chief Officer responsible Committee for Strategy / Policy / Plan approval Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2023 Cycle 2 Apr - Jun 2023 Cycle 3 Aug - Sept 2023 Cycle 4 Oct - Dec 2023 Cycle 1 Jan - Mar 2024 2024/25 2025/26 Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan The North Lanarkshire Community Learning and Development Partnership was formally created in 1999, in response to Scottish Government’s Communities: Change through Learning report. The partnership brings together local organisations with responsibility for community-based learning and capacity building. The Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations (2013) introduced a legal requirement for partners to jointly produce a Community Learning and Development plan every three years, as further detailed in the Strategic Guidance for Community Planning Partnerships: Community Learning and Development (2012) and subsequent national guidance. The North Lanarkshire Community Learning and Development Partnership’s current plan runs from 2021-24; it encompasses the three delivery plans (for adult learning, youth work, and family learning) which reflect the themes of community learning and development. 23-08-21 North Lanarkshire Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan 2021-24 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att96635.pdf 3 year plan Plan reviewed / updated when it reaches the end of its current life 2024 X Chief Social Work Officer Communities Committee Community Learning and Development Action Plan This plan outlines the priority actions and milestones for the council’s community learning and development work through the three teams - adult learning and resettlement, family learning, and youth work. It reflects the ambitions of The Plan for North Lanarkshire, the aims of the Community Learning and Development Partnership Plan 2021-24 as well as national plans and policies which affect the provision of community learning and development services. For 2022-24, the previously separate delivery plans for adult learning, family learning, and youth work are now integrated within the one plan. 24-08-20 Adult Learning Delivery Plan 2020-22 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att94266.pdf 24-08-20 North Lanarkshire Family Learning Delivery Plan 2020- 22 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att96629.pdf 24-08-20 North Lanarkshire Youth Work Interim Recovery and Renewal Plan 2020-22 https://mars.northlanarkshire.gov.u k/egenda/images/att94265.pdf New integrated plan will be presented to committee in cycle 2 of 2023 Biennial review 2024 X Chief Social Work Officer Communities Committee Lanarkshire water safety / drowning prevention strategy In January 2018, Water Safety Scotland released Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy which has a key objective to “develop water safety across Scotland’s 32 local authority areas and promote the development of water safety policies”. Within this, there are two key activities: • Encourage all local authorities to develop a water safety policy. • Support local authorities in the development of a water safety policy. In line with these key activities, partners are developing an approach to the creation of a Water Safety Policy and will report on progress to relevant council committees and the North Lanarkshire Partnership Strategic Leadership Board. Partnership discussions have commenced to consider the introduction of a policy which will cover community safety and management approaches to open waterways in the area. Partners will include Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Canals, and local communities. N/A New 1 year plan Annual review 2023 X Chief Officer (Strategic Communication and Engagement) North Lanarkshire Partnership Strategic Leadership Board