North Lanarkshire Council has set out its objectives for the coming year with the publication of its Performance Plan 2006/07.

This is the third annual plan from the council’s current Corporate Plan 2004-2008, which is the key document that the council uses to plan its aims and actions for those four years. The performance plan builds on the work done in previous years under the seven strategic themes: stimulating business and the economy; promoting social inclusion; encouraging lifelong learning; promoting health, well-being and care; improving housing and the environment; promoting community safety and development; and developing the organisation.

Among the major developments planned for the year ahead are:

• complete a new business centre at Mill Street in Airdrie, and continue investment in the regeneration of town centres;
• establish homelessness prevention teams in each main town;
• open two new primary schools, five joint campus schools and two secondary schools as part of the Education 2010 initiative;
• increase the number of high support packages of care for older people by 40, and invest £1.7 million in equipment and minor adaptations to allow people to remain living in their own homes;
• invest £10 million in making council houses more energy efficient through replacing heating, windows and doors and the refurbishment of tower blocks;
• provide home safety and security advice and equipment in 2,000 more homes; and
• carry out another residents’ survey to obtain feedback on the delivery of council services.

Council Leader Councillor Jim McCabe, said:

"The council has always set itself challenging objectives each year, and this year is no different. Since North Lanarkshire Council was established 10 years ago, we have made considerable improvements in the way we deliver local services and run the organisation. However, we want to achieve much more and we must continue to meet the demands of the ever-changing environment we are in. So the Performance Plan for 2006 to 2007 contains a number of objectives across all aspects of the council’s work and affecting everyone living, working and visiting in North Lanarkshire.

"For example, we will be investing in keeping our streets clean and free of litter, improving the condition of our roads and footpaths, building modern new schools, providing learning and employment opportunities for adults, increasing the amount and quality of care for vulnerable older people and people with a disability, and investing in council housing and communities to make them more pleasant and safe places to live.

"In the next few months we will again be conducting a major survey of local residents to ask you what you think of existing services and how we can improve them further. The results of that survey will be used to prepare our Performance Plans for the future."

A copy of the Performance Plan is available by phoning 01698 302376.