About Us

Council Information and Reports

Workforce Strategy 2024-2028

The Workforce Strategy 2024–2028, approved in May 2024, sets out priorities such as talent development, leadership growth, succession planning, and employee engagement. Developed through staff and union consultation, the strategy underpins a unified “one council” culture to support service delivery and organisational resilience.

Employee Survey 2024 Headline Report

Herefordshire Council’s 2024 employee survey marked a key step in reinforcing its commitment to being an employer of choice. Aligned with the council’s “Flexible Futures” programme, the survey informed new actions to improve flexible working, onboarding, and equality training, supporting a culture of wellbeing and inclusion.

Budget Reports 2025-2026

For 2025–2026, the draft budget stands at approximately £231–232 million, including a 4.99% council tax increase and £6.9 million in proposed savings. These measures are designed to address inflation, rising service demand, and reductions in government funding.

Herefordshire Corporate Peer Challenge 2025

In June 2025, we participated in a Corporate Peer Challenge conducted by the Local Government Association. The peer team highlighted strong internal collaboration and positive relationships with partners. The final report and council action plan will be presented to cabinet by September 2025.

Budget Outturn Reports 2024- 2025

Economic Plan 2050

The Herefordshire Big Economic Plan, published in March 2023, sets out a vision for a vibrant, inclusive, and zero-carbon rural economy by 2050. Developed with partners across sectors, it focuses on six priorities: people, community, environment, enterprise, infrastructure, and investment. The plan outlines five-year actions to boost skills, wages, and sustainability, with delivery overseen by a new Economy and Place Board.

The Budget Outturn Report for 2024–2025 projects an £10.2 million overspend against the £212.8 million net revenue budget, largely due to pressures in adult social care, temporary accommodation, and SEND transport. Mitigation efforts aim to reduce the final overspend to around £2 million.

Environmental Partnerships

Herefordshire Council is an active partner in the River Severn Partnership, a broad, cross‑border collaboration spanning England and Wales that brings together county councils (including Herefordshire), national agencies, environmental organisations, academic institutions and the private sector to build climate resilience and economic growth within the Severn catchment The council plays a role in delivering shared strategies to reduce flood risk, improve water resource management, and enhance environmental assets across the catchment area. It supports natural flood management measures, ecological enhancement, and the development of smart technologies such as 5G‑driven public service and rural infrastructure projects enabled through a £3.75 million Government grant, as part of the partnership’s innovation region initiative. Through its involvement in the River Severn Partnership, Herefordshire Council contributes to pioneering policy innovations and award‑winning projects that turn rivers from liabilities into strategic assets fostering sustainable local economies and resilient communities

River Seven Partnership

Herefordshire Council is a founding member of the Marches Forward Partnership, a cross-border alliance with Shropshire, Powys, and Monmouthshire focused on rural economic growth, green innovation, and improved connectivity. It participates in quarterly strategic board meetings to guide shared priorities, including the local food economy, town centre regeneration, and education-led enterprise. The council also supports the Marches Environmental Investment Platform, which funds climate resilience projects such as the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme. Through the Marches Manifesto, developed with community input, Herefordshire helps shape proposals on nature recovery, transport, skills, and digital access for submission to the UK and Welsh governments.