Corporate policy: Building Harlow's Future

The Building Harlow's Future plan is our main corporate policy framework for 2025 to 2026.

This plan outlines a comprehensive, mission-driven approach to revitalising the town, improving services, and delivering meaningful outcomes for residents.

It sets out our missions, what we will do to deliver them, and how we will ensure that the plan is a success.

This page provides a summary of our plan. To read our plan in full, download the full version of the Building Harlow's Future plan (pdf)

Our missions

Our 6 missions are to:

1. Transform our council so that council tax is kept down and our town thrives.
2. Rebuild our town so that we set the standard for what is truly great.
3. Invest in our housing so that every family lives in a safe and decent home.
4. Renew our neighbourhoods so that pride is restored in every street.
5. Secure our future so that the children of Harlow today have even better opportunities tomorrow.
6. Protect our communities so that every resident feels safe in any part of town at any time of day.

Transform our council

To transform our council, we will:

• Embed and deliver our comprehensive transformation programme.
• Continue to freeze council tax and keep our fees and charges low.
• Reimagine our approach to communication with residents.
• Introduce a new constitution and governance framework.
• Integrate our property and environment teams across the council and HTS.
• Optimise our discretionary service offering.
• Ensure all statutory services are high-performing and fit for the future.
• Become an employer of choice.
• Deliver a holistic approach to customer services.
• Champion Harlow’s interests in the local government reorganisation.
• Transform how we procure our goods and services.
• Successfully deliver the largest ever Non-Housing Capital Programme.
• Strengthen our core functions of legal, HR and finance.

Rebuild our town

To rebuild our town, we will:

• Complete the transformation of Broad Walk.
• Complete the construction of Harlow’s new Sustainable Transport Interchange and the rebuilding of Terminus Street.
• Deliver the comprehensive regeneration of Market Square.
• Build the Arts and Culture Quarter and establish Harlow as a cultural capital.
• Complete our programme of acquiring key town centre sites and buildings.
• Invest in the Harvey Centre.
• Deliver the comprehensive pipeline of town centre redevelopment schemes.
• Establish a comprehensive and clear plan to rebuild our housing estates.
• Successfully complete Phase 1 of our Council House Building Programme.

Invest in our housing

To invest in our housing, we will:

• Enact, in full, our Consumer Standards Improvement Plan.
• Complete our full internal and external stock condition survey of 100% of our homes.
• Ensure full compliance with all regulatory and legislative requirements as a social housing landlord.
• Implement our comprehensive Tenancy Audit programme.
• Embed our new Housing Allocations Policy and digital application system. 
• Introduce a new repairs policy and service standards.
• Successfully deliver the largest ever Housing Capital Programme.
• Redesign our approach to housing management.
• Implement our Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy (2025 to 2030).
• Optimise tenant and leaseholder engagement.
• Ensure our council homes are re-let without delay.

Renew our neighbourhoods

To renew our neighbourhoods, we will:

• Deliver the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund programme.
• Continue our successful Open Parking Programme.
• Transform our grounds maintenance and street cleansing services.
• Implement a new proactive tree maintenance policy.
• Launch a dedicated Street Scene Priority Taskforce.
• Undertake a comprehensive programme to transform the appearance of our roundabouts.
• Deliver a programme of improvements to neighbourhood car parks across Harlow.
• Embed a programme of proactive action to address the maintenance gaps left by Essex County Council.
• Support and encourage community-led initiatives.
• Remove unwanted, redundant structures and buildings that blight our neighbourhoods.
• Establish industry leading town centre stewardship and maintenance. 

Secure our future

To secure our future, we will:

• Maximise inward investment from the private sector.
• Accelerate the delivery of the Harlow and Gilston Garden Town with revised governance arrangements.
• Maximise the strategic Government investment Harlow needs to thrive.
• Attract high-end retail and leisure brands to Harlow.
• Enable sustainable, active and affordable travel.
• Commence the final phase of development at Harlow Innovation Park.
• Secure the £20m in funding to deliver Harlow's Plan for Neighbourhoods.
• Embed a new approach to inclusive growth.
• Deliver Harlow's allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund by focusing on impactful community-driven projects.

Protect our communities

To protect our communities, we will:

• Embed our new Public Protection directorate to deliver a fully joined-up, intelligence-led approach to enforcement.
• Strengthen our relationship with key partners.
• Revitalise the Safer Harlow Partnership.
• Deliver an expanded and upgraded CCTV network.
• Establish and implement a structured Community Payback Programme.
• Continue to reclaim areas of our town that have been blighted by antisocial behaviour.
• Update and strengthen our emergency planning and resilience processes.
• Enhance our approach to the enforcement of licensing and environmental health regulations.

Our values

Our 5 values are:

1. Community - we are committed to delivering services in a way that makes residents feel valued, connected and empowered.
2. Ambition - we strive for continual improvement, driven by innovation and creativity to achieve meaningful change.
3. Compassion - we listen to our residents and colleagues with empathy and understanding, making sure their voices are heard, and their needs are met. 
4. Excellence - we strive for the highest standards, committing to quality, continuous improvement, and exceptional performance in delivering services for Harlow
5. Unity - we are committed to building a cohesive workplace, collectively delivering on Harlow’s missions.

Ensuring success

To ensure success, we will:

• Introduce a clear, data-driven performance framework for both our financial and programme performance to improve accountability, track progress in real time, and support better decision making and customer service.
• Establish a dedicated Project Management Office to track the seamless delivery of our six missions. 
• Evolve our systems and processes to drive efficiency, accuracy, and responsiveness across all areas of the council.
• Ensure our places of work are humming with focussed activity and making the best use of our assets.
• Foster a renewed culture of collaboration, efficiency, and delivery.