The East Kent Services Committee is scheduled to meet to discuss the PartnershipOne business plan, and other standard agenda items. The main item for discussion is the approval of the PartnershipOne business plan for 2025/26. The committee will also be appointing a chair and vice-chair, and confirming the minutes of the previous meeting.

Here's a breakdown of the topics on the agenda:

PartnershipOne Business Plan

The committee is scheduled to consider the PartnershipOne Annual Business Plan for 2025/26. PartnershipOne is a local authority trading company (LATCo) owned equally by Canterbury City Council, Dover District Council and Thanet District Council. It delivers revenues, benefits and customer services on behalf of the three councils.

The report pack includes the annual business plan, the PartnershipOne Strategic Plan 2025/28, and a background document and high level breakdown of the business plan.

The report to the committee notes that:

Under the Governance arrangements, The Councils are required to approve the annual Business Plan. The East Kent Services committee has been established to provide further focus in monitoring performance objectives and corporate health of the company.

The plan covers the revenues, benefits and customer services activities to be delivered during 2025/26. It sets out PartnershipOne's vision to be recognised as an excellent service provider, deploying innovative solutions. Approaching everything with an open and honest 'can do' approach, backed by the best people .

The strategic plan lists six enabling goals that will help achieve that vision over a three-year period:

• Establish a new identity and develop trust with stakeholders
• Deliver excellent, customer focused core services to stakeholders
• Develop staff to achieve their potential
• Be recognised for efficient and effective service delivery and be an exemplar for others
• Seek appropriate trading opportunities to drive income for stakeholders
• Add tangible social value to the communities served

The annual business plan details the activities against each of the six enabling goals and provides the success criteria against which the company will be measured.

The business plan notes that PartnershipOne needs to deliver its core services, whilst building trust and reputation amongst its partners and stakeholders. It also needs to successfully navigate the public/private boundary, ensuring that the financial and service quality benefits of this delivery model are demonstrated and understood by all.

The business plan includes the PartnershipOne Income & Expenditure Budget 2025/26, which forecasts a small surplus in year one.

Appointment of Chair and Vice-Chair

The committee is scheduled to appoint a chair and vice-chair for the municipal year 2025/26. Under the operating arrangements, the chair will be a representative of Canterbury Council and the vice-chair will be a representative of Thanet District Council.