Council performance

Performance matters

Performance improvement

Documents:

• Performance Matters Issue 1
• Performance Matters Issue 2
• Performance Matters Issue 3
• Performance Matters Issue 4
• Performance Matters Issue 5
• Performance Matters Issue 6
• Performance Matters Issue 7
• Performance Matters Issue 8
• Performance Matters Issue 9
• Performance Matters Issue 10

Policy

The Policy Unit, which forms part of the Chief Executives Department, provides the Leader, the Chief Executive and Service Departments with a capacity for medium to long-term horizon-scanning, strategic policy development work and cross-cutting policy management. The unit has four key functions:

It works, with others around the Council, to develop medium to long-term thinking about how the Council and its services need to develop - taking account of a range of inputs, from innovation and best practice around the world, to central government policy developments, to broader thinking on future economic, social and political drivers

It undertakes discrete short to medium term policy development projects across a range of cross-cutting issues - current work includes, for example, developing the Local Area Agreement, drafting the new Community Strategy (the City Plan), and developing the Council's new Disability Equalities Scheme.

It provides support, and/or acts as the point of liasion with the Council, for a range of important cross-cutting partnerships and consultative including the Westminster City Partnership, the Area Forums, the Local Area Renewal Partnerships and the Learning and Employability Network. It also provides the focal point for external funding associated with these cross-cutting areas such as the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and LEGI.

It has responsibility for the day-to-day management of a number of key cross-cutting policy areas including equalities (race, faith, disabilities, gender, age, sexual orientation) and economic development.

The unit is headed up by John Dimmer and its current structure is reflected in the sections alongside. However this is likely to change over the coming months as it is aligned more fully with the functions described above, and as the forward programme for 2006/07 is agreed. If you would like to talk to John about how the Policy Unit may be able to help you, please call him on x2392.