Corporate Services

Strategy, Insight & Engagement 

This team identifies and provides elected Members, senior officers and practitioners with evidence-based policy advice on matters of strategic importance, developing the ideas that support new approaches in tackling the issues Essex faces.

We support the development and communication of strategy and we take a whole-system approach to public services through the council’s key partnerships.

Transformation Delivery & Business Support

Transformation Delivery is at the heart of service excellence and using methods of human centred design/design thinking to lead innovation, design and digital activities to improve the experience of everyone who we support, whether they be staff, residents or partners.

We are always keen to speak to those who are experienced in project and programme management, as we are the organisational centre of excellence for this activity.

Business Support works flexibly to deliver outstanding administration and customer service to all Essex County Council functional areas.

Our multi-skilled teams deliver services from Business Centre hubs; providing a wide variety of support to high volume processes and tasks such as data input and management, minute taking, finance tasks, managing high volume calls and requests for assistance.

We also support front line social care teams that require a more integrated approach to support.

We are proactive, forward-thinking and solution focused, we streamline processes and maximise digital opportunities. In doing so, we help increase the effectiveness of Essex County Council to deliver better outcomes for the people of Essex than it could without our support.

Business Support is committed to supporting and developing staff to achieve their aspirations.

Legal & Assurance 

The Legal and Assurance team provide expert support to all parts of the council and to external customers.  Leaders pride themselves on making this a great place for excellent professionals to work. Staff enjoy work that is challenging, varied and always interesting.

The service includes legal advice, support to councillors and the statutory decision making process, as well as a range of assurance services which help the council have the right plans and processes to  managing the risks it faces.

Assurance

Here we have four specialist areas:

• Internal Audit & Counter Fraud: This team provides risk-based and objective assurance, advice and insight regarding the management of risks within the Council. They also play a key role in the prevention, detection and investigation of fraud.
• Corporate Health & Safety: These talented professionals ensure the effective management of health, safety and wellbeing of all employees.
• Emergency Planning & Resilience: EP&R is responsible for ensuring that the Council has sufficient emergency response and business continuity arrangements to help the organisation in its response to emergencies.
• Risk & Insurance: This team provides assurance, support and challenge across the organisation on all areas of business risk management.

Democracy & Transparency

• Democracy: This team helps Members participate in the democratic process​ – providing scrutiny and supporting effective decision-making. They provide the statutory school appeals service, processing appeals, organising and clerking hearings. They’re also the single point-of-contact for all County Member and MP enquiries.
• Information Governance & Transparency: Our team here provides information governance advice including: the implementation of new legislation requirements, security incidents, privacy impact assessments, data protection complaints/queries from external and internal customers, information sharing and records management issues. They also deal with Subject Access Requests and Freedom of Information and Environmental Information requests.

Legal

• Legal Our team of lawyers and support staff supports the Council by providing advice on legal issues and the decision making process.  We also  advising and supporting service areas on legal issues to enable them to deliver their services and projects whilst managing risk.
• Deputyships – we help vulnerable adults who are unable to look after their own property and money.