Annual Report 2011-2012 & Corporate Plan 2012-2016

The Council delivers a broad range of services – from waste collection to payment of benefits. The Council’s vision is for the Forest of Dean District to be a thriving community where people are proud to live. The range of things we could do to achieve this vision is enormous, we need to make choices; to focus on what matters and where the Council can be most effective. These choices are guided by the political aspirations of our elected Members, who represent the residents of the Forest of Dean, consultation with local people and consideration of national, regional and countywide priorities.  Within this context, our Corporate Priorities and Objectives for the district are detailed below.

Our Vision for the district:
We want the Forest of Dean District to be a great place to live, work and stay

The Sustainable Community Plan for the Forest of Dean; Our Forest:Our Future clearly sets out a direction for the future:

By 2020 we want the Forest of Dean district to be a place...

• Where the high quality of our environment is valued and enhanced for future generations and the causes and effects of climate change are addressed 
• Where community life is strengthened and all individuals are confident, safe, feel part of their community and are proud of it 
• Where the economy is vibrant and strong and people can access the services they need 
• With a distinctive identity locally and nationally
   

PRIORITIES FOR THE FOREST OF DEAN DISTRICT COUNCIL

In translating our vision and results of consultation into practical outcomes we have identified a number of priorities: 

• Provide value for money services 
• Promote thriving communities 
• Encourage a thriving economy 
• Protect and improve our environment

Under each priority there are objectives:

Provide value for money services

• Being clear about our direction and priorities to make best use of our resources 
• Putting our customers first to improve access to our services and improve customer satisfaction 
• Investing in our staff and councillors to meet the changing needs of our community
   

Promote thriving communities

• Enabling the provision of homes to meet local needs 
• Ensuring planning policy meets community needs and protects and enhances the character of the district
   

Encourage a thriving economy

• Working with local businesses to create and sustain good quality local jobs 
• Working with partners to attract investment to support the local economy 
• Supporting tourism by promoting the Forest of Dean as a place to visit 
   

Protect and improve our environment

• Increasing recycling, encouraging composting and reducing waste
• Helping to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change on our local communities

This year the Council's Annual Report for 2011/12 highlights our achievements over the year and provides details of our financial resources.  It also incorporates our Corporate Plan 2012 - 2016 which looks forward and sets out our plans for the current year and beyond.  Here you can download our  Annual Report 2011 - 12 and Corporate Plan 2012 - 16.