Published on Friday 22 January 2021
Over the next three years, BCP Council is investing in transforming our services, to create:
- a more modern and responsive council, where customers are better understood and so better served, making it easier for residents and businesses to deal with us online, on a device and at a time of their choosing with information and services online wherever possible, with 24/7 access
- modern, efficient ways of working, with increased automation of services, allowing the council to focus our resources and our people on the more complex issues and challenges we face, and the needs of our most vulnerable customers. That means children at risk, adults with disabilities and older people with care needs, the homeless or those facing homelessness
- financial savings, tackling the medium-term financial pressure and establishing more affordable and financially-sustainable ways of working
- a single BCP Council Civic Centre in Bournemouth, enabling the council to reduce the size and cost of our office estate, supported by a number of community hubs across the heart of the BCP area
- a carbon-neutral position for BCP Council’s operations and activities by 2030, created by procuring all council electricity from zero-carbon renewable sources, reviewing energy project funding options, assessing the energy efficiency of council buildings, and installing energy saving and renewable energy measures in retained council buildings.
Cllr Drew Mellor, Leader of BCP Council and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Transformation, said: "Our aim is to make sure we focus on what matters most to our customers and adds most value to their lives.
"As we continue to harmonise our services and invest in transforming BCP Council, we will become more modern, flexible and responsive. This will enable us to reduce the size and cost of our workforce, which in turn will allow us to continue to invest in frontline services.
"We will invest in our digital offering to be a truly modern and leading authority, now that we are one of the largest councils in the country. Our online services will be easy to use, accessible and quick. This will allow us to focus our resources and our people on the more complex issues and challenges we face, and the needs of our most vulnerable customers who are more likely to need face to face support."
Since the creation of BCP Council in 2019, the ongoing priority was to ensure the continuation of efficient and quality services to residents and businesses, while harmonising staff, systems and processes of the previous local councils. The challenges of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, the threats and opportunities of Brexit, along with significant constraints on BCP Council’s finances, mean that our plans to modernise and transform have been accelerated.
As part of the 2021/22 budget setting and medium term financial plan, a one-off investment of up to £38 million will be made by 2023, in order to realise savings of more than £40 million a year, which will help to close the budget gap and allow us to invest in our services and regeneration.
Customers will be encouraged to access council services online and customer service hubs will be brought into the heart of communities across the BCP area. The council will become a slimmer, more flexible and agile organisation.
Find out more about the transformation of BCP Council on our website.