Cross-cutting principles

Three cross-cutting principles will shape and inform delivery across the plan’s six strategic pillars.

These principles are often explicitly referenced in the text and if not, then detailed delivery aligned to these principles will be set out in directorate business plans, supporting strategies and commissioning plans.

Climate action and environment

In 2019, Liverpool City Council declared that planet Earth is facing a climate change emergency and committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030. To realise this ambitious target, everything we set out to do in this Council Plan must support increased sustainability, a reduction of harmful emissions and an improved local environment.

Examples of what we will do:

  • We will deliver a clear plan to decarbonise the council’s direct and indirect emissions, and we will share our net zero approach to influence and mentor partners across the city to do likewise.
  • We will seek opportunities to grow the green economy and upskill residents to benefit, set in place mechanisms to support the decarbonisation of housing, and design and deliver sustainable heat networks across Liverpool to displace fossil fuel use.
  • We will ask our suppliers to demonstrate good environmental standards, encourage people to travel differently across the city, and we will lead the way in running sustainable major events.
  • Crucially, we’ll work with residents and businesses day-to-day to reduce waste and change behaviours.

Inclusion and equalities

Liverpool is proud of being a welcoming city that celebrates its diverse communities. We want it to be a more inclusive and equal city and will be designing these principles into everything we do. Many of the challenges facing our city affect people differently and will require tailored solutions to ensure the needs of all our residents are met. We also recognise that people may have multiple characteristics and may have different needs because of this.

Across this plan – and through the design of our services and work with partners - we will consistently seek to support those most in need of help, tackle inequalities, ensure basic needs are met and minimise the root causes poverty.

Examples of what we will do:

  • Each team in the Council will design and implement standards to ensure our work is focused on improving equality outcomes. In doing so, we will seek to develop a workforce that reflects Liverpool’s diverse communities, and which engages more effectively with residents at a neighbourhood level to design services which respond to the needs of different communities.
  • We will also pay due regard to equality when reviewing and developing new and existing strategies, policies and services.
  • Supporting our most vulnerable residents and tackling inequalities will run through everything we do.
  • In social care we will increase prevention and early intervention support for individuals with complex needs so they can live independently for as long as possible.
  • Our employment support will provide focussed support for care leavers. We will promote a regional charter to improve worker conditions and pay, and we’ll continue to facilitate a city-wide group of partners to jointly tackle the causes and effects of poverty and health inequalities.

Innovation and transformation

We will constantly review whether what we do, and how we do it, is the best way to deliver modern, efficient and high-quality services that support residents to live independently, and to thrive. In doing so, we will consider how we can make the most of innovative technologies, new ways of working and foster greater collaboration across the council and with our partners. We have already begun several programmes to this effect, which are weaved across this plan, including how we work at a neighbourhood level.

Examples of what we will do:

  • We will transform the way people access and move through adult social care services, promoting independence and better use of technology. We’ll change the way children’s social care is delivered, with a focus on families. And we’ll develop a new neighbourhood model, which will inform how our residents and communities actively help to shape the public services of tomorrow.