Main roles and responsibilities of the portfolio
- To govern the delivery of the Progress with Unity missions and council plan
- To drive forward the Community Wealth Building approach including ensuring that community wealth building principles are embedded within tender and recruitment processes
- To support the delivery of our Climate Change Strategy, including promoting digital solutions to reduce carbon emissions and the development of more sustainable and low-carbon supply chains in procurement processes
- To lead on transformation plans including digital transformation, public service reform and growth, customer services
- To lead on improvement and efficiency and transforming the way the council works and serves its customers, providing joined-up, ‘connected’ services in a customer-focused environment, and adopting the ‘one team, one council’ theme
- To be responsible for human resources, and link to the Communication Portfolio in relation to its strategic lead for outward-facing services across the council in terms of commissioning i.e., organisational development, reputation management, policy support and performance management
- To ensure that the Council has high standards of accountability, monitors how well resources are used, which includes technology, property/assets, finances and people and the one council theme, together with the client functions.
Priorities for 2024/2025
Implementation of the council’s delivery of our ‘Progress with Unity’ borough missions:
As residents, businesses, public services and community organisations of this borough we have come together to deliver two key missions:
Mission 1: Create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses
“Together, we will break down the barriers that create financial, health, education and environmental inequalities in our borough.”
Mission 2: Make all our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them
“Together, in genuine partnership with our residents and businesses, who know our community best, we will help each town and neighbourhood in the borough celebrate and maintain their identity whilst understanding and helping to achieve what is needed to thrive.”
- To ensure that the council maintains a healthy budget that allows us to invest in Wigan Borough while maintaining council service delivery
- Provide a strategic oversight of the Council’s Transformation programme
- Implementation of the key priorities set out in our Digital Strategy
- Ensure the Council can attract the very best talent and support staff to grow through the implementation of new induction and on boarding programmes
- Review the risk stratification model for complex dependency and implement operationally
- Deliver a comprehensive internal audit programme and assurance so that the Council’s Corporate Governance and Risk Framework are adequate and effective
- Launch and implement Wigan’s Digital and Data strategies, champion the delivery of the pledges, ensuring we are actively promoting Digital First service delivery and online accessible services, with active promotion and support to grow the Digital skills and confidence for our staff, residents and businesses
- Harnessing digital and data to transform and maximise efficiencies for the Council’s transformation programmes.
Functions covered by the portfolio
- Transformation Strategy
- Information Governance and Research
- Business Intelligence
- Programme and Project Management
- Reputation management
- Digital and ICT Services Strategic and Operational Delivery
- Consultations including petitions
- Customer services
- Democratic Services
- Registrars
- Ordering of goods and services
- Financial services and monitoring
- Legal Services
- Human Resources
- Procurement and commissioning
- Asset and energy management.
Council Appointments
- Greater Manchester Combined Authority
- GM Pensions Fund Management Panel
- General Assembly
- Astley Green Colliery Liaison Panel
- Leigh Sports Village Ltd
- Northwest Employers Association
- Platt Bridge Community Centre
- Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation Joint Management Committee
- Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation Procurement Holdings Ltd.