Tender for a Consultancy Partner for Engagement with the People of Powys and our Stakeholders

Tender description

The requirement Powys County Council (the Council) are looking to appoint qualified and experienced consultants to plan for and engage with the People of Powys as part of our Sustainable Powys programme. The case for change Delivering valued local government services is at the heart of what we do. However nationally, growing financial and workforce pressures are having an impact on the ability of public services to meet the needs of the populations they serve, with costs rising and budgets decreasing there is a widening financial gap that needs to be addressed. With changing times and economic conditions, we need to be pro-active, innovative and forward-thinking in planning how we deliver effective public services in the future. The vision The Powys Cabinet has set out that by 2027: - Stronger- We will become a county that succeeds together, with communities and people that are well connected socially, and are personally and economically resilient. - Fairer- We will be an open, well-run, Council where peoples' voices are heard and help to shape our work and priorities, with fairer, more equal access to services and opportunities. We will work to tackle poverty and inequality to support people’s well-being. - Greener- We want to ensure a greener future for Powys, where our well-being is linked to that of the natural world, and our response to the climate and biodiversity emergencies is at the heart of everything we do. To serve the ambition of Stronger Fairer Greener and to ensure that the Council can continue to live within its resources financially in the long term, we need to transform the Council and the type and volume of services that we can offer. The expectation is that the organisation will be smaller and more efficient, using technology where appropriate to improve service delivery. We will rebalance central-local delivery, providing key central services where costs can be kept lower because they are located where most people live. Locally citizens will be able to shape and develop the services in their areas that mean the most to them and future generations. Some services the Council has traditionally provided will no longer be provided by the Council, these services may either be provided by other organisations (such as private companies, 3rd sector organisations and community groups) or they will simply no longer be available. We will also facilitate communities and individuals to help themselves wherever viable so that we are able to focus on essential service delivery. The approach To achieve this radical transformation, Powys Cabinet agreed to establish the Sustainable Powys Programme in January 2023. At the centre of the Sustainable Powys programme is the need to work together with communities and partners to recognise the challenges, explore the solutions and to make the changes needed to build a stronger, fairer and greener Council that is financially sustained for future generations. We want to work with citizens and stakeholders to understand what they really value in our services, what is important now and in the future and how we can design future services that are affordable and effective for future generations. Key principles This work is guided by the following principles: - We will focus on the big changes and what matters to you, not just modifying services - Making sure we co-design services to meet your needs now and in the future - Addressing the fundamental question of why we do what we do? - Making sure we deliver for everyone in Powys - Being open minded and seeking innovative solutions, using all the expertise available - Using evidence to inform our decisions - A continual process to meet existing and long-term needs sustainably Additional reading / guidance Our Corporate and Strategic Equality Plan sets out the council's vision for the future of Powys and includes the well-being objectives we will focus on to help make our vision a reality. The plan is effectiv