One Island - The Isle of Wight Council's Improvement Plan

Accessibility | Click to Skip Navigation | Site Map | Set as Homepage | Report Problem

One Island Introduction
Respect
Pride
Value

A-Z Council Services

Click here to read the One Island Magazine

Services for Adults on the Isle of Wight

Campaign: One Council

Locations: Island wide

Background and purpose:

The last eighteen months have seen substantial organisational change and the pressures on the Council at all levels (both elected members and the paid service) are unprecedented. The change in administration (with many newly elected members also new to local government) was followed by a period of substantial change in the Council’s senior management team (paid officials). Joe Duckworth was appointed in July 2006 as the eighth Chief Executive in nine years. There have been other changes both at Director and Head of Service levels, with the appointment of both interim and permanent senior personnel from both local government and elsewhere.

Data from the Staff Survey last year indicated that morale was generally low, with staff unsure of exactly what was required of them by the new leadership. However, many staff appreciated that there was an imperative for improved performance and that, as the largest employer on the Island (employing more than 5% of the Island’s resident workforce) and with enormous influence over everyday life, the Council ‘sets the tone’ for the Island.

At leadership level there is a realisation that all parts of the Council must work together seamlessly - ‘One Island’ can only be delivered by ‘One Council’ led by ‘One Leadership’

What will the One Council programme do?
The overall Aim of the One Council Project is to ensure the council is fit for purpose to deliver major improvements under the One Island programme.

The Isle of Wight Council is undergoing major change to improve its performance to meet the needs and aspirations of its residents and other stakeholders. The One Council project will address issues raised in the current staff survey along with reviewing and changing how we work.

The success of this project will impact upon all other projects undertaken by the Council.

Progress report:

Managing the One Island and One Council Projects - The One Island and One Council projects are managed within the Isle of Wight Change Programme, where all activities that change the way we do business are now co-ordinated.
New management processes are delivering sustainable budgets and a performance, risk and project management framework that will safeguard continuous improvement.
The Council’s performance management framework is moving from performance monitoring to performance management and with new
leadership the Council now has a platform in place to utilise performance management more effectively through monthly service boards.
We are embedding One Island objectives into the corporate planning framework. Additionally we have overhauled our risk management
processes and improved and streamlined the decision-making process.
One Island One Council Communications – we are currently working on the internal and external campaign to ensure that activity around the One Island One Council programme is communicated to Island residents and colleagues. Part of this activity includes building a separate internet and intranet site.
Residents survey - we recently completed a residents survey in May, a follow-up to the one carried out last summer. While things are improving, we do have a long way to go. To see a summary of the May survey, please click on this link May Residents Survey

Activities for next period:

One Island One Council communications – The intranet will be built by the beginning of August with the internet site following shortly after.
Ongoing reviews and introduction of more effective ways of working.