State of the Area Address 2009

 Councillor Roy Oldham CBE, Executive Leader, Tameside Council

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Contents

1. Foreword
2. Finances
3. Safer Streets
4. Clean Streets
5. Attractive Streets
6. Prosperous Streets
7. Learning Streets
8. Supportive & Healthy
9. The Coming Year

1. Foreword

“ Tameside’s council tax increases over the last 10 years are the 3rd lowest in the country, and the lowest in Greater Manchester. ”

Councillor Roy Oldham 
Executive Leader of the Council

You may think that the title I have chosen for my State of the Area Address this year sounds more like the start of a race rather than a review of the borough and council activity. The reason for this is that we are in a race – a race to save energy, natural resources, money and the environment.

Generally, the state of the borough is looking good. In corporate performance terms we have successfully made the transition to the new Comprehensive Area Assessment and our partnerships are both strong and longstanding. In addition, in the last year we have seen many successes, including Tameside Works First coming of age, our Building Schools for the Future programme flourishing, levels of crime and anti-social behaviour dropping and victory once again in the Britain in Bloom competition.

This year’s Area Address has moved on from previous ones to become more connected to central government yet still very much linked with the people’s priorities. In the current economic situation we must find ways of preserving our quality services and quality townscapes, but not at the expense of the council tax payer. Recent figures obtained through Parliament by the Conservatives state that out of 355 English councils, Tameside’s council tax increases over the last 10 years are the 3rd lowest in the country, and the lowest in Greater Manchester.

I have committed the Council to the 10:10 pledge and in doing so, we will now work to cut our carbon emissions by 10% in 2010. This is a commitment that residents, schools and businesses can all join us in, and in doing so, save on two fronts - the environment and financally.

Each of our existing council priorities will also be linked or aligned to finance and the environment:

• safer streets
• clean streets
• attractive streets
• prosperous streets
• learning and recreational streets
• supportive and healthy streets

2. Finances

“ Not withstanding the national economic and financial position, the Council is robustly funded and well managed. ”

In order to plan for the future with confidence and certainty, it is vital that we are robustly funded and our financial activities and services are well managed. There are serious financial pressures coming to bear, including increases to the GMPTE levy to provide funding for road construction and Metrolink extensions, new National Carbon Trade payments, ongoing costs for job evaluation and higher utility charges. And all this is set against shrinking income from car parks, planning applications, airport dividends and capital receipts.

Notwithstanding the national economic and financial position, the Council is robustly funded and well managed but we will remain prudent and as a council, we promise to:

• maintain a strong financial position
• plan a reasonable and affordable council tax level
• generate efficiency savings in line with agreed targets
• focus expenditure on council and community priorities

Despite this, we will continue to fund 3.5% of the Greater Manchester Police precept charges, provide free car parking and almost £1m of funding over three years for local community groups through the new Community Chests. This is possible because of the record recycling rates across the borough, which will generate nearly £1 million of savings each year through reductions in waste disposal.

We will also continue to invest in schemes that will help us achieve our goal of reducing carbon emissions, but in doing so, will also save money. These activities include:

• reducing business mileage for our cars
• solar powered street bollards
• ballast controlled street lighting

3. Safer Streets

Security & Policies

“ Reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour are providing massive improvements to the quality of local people’s lives. ”

Dealing with crime and anti-social behaviour remains one of our top priorities. We are continuing to develop and build on the excellent neighbourhood policing units which are delivering very real results in our local areas through the Police and Communities Together (PACT) partnerships. Reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour are providing massive improvements to the quality of people’s lives.

Despite the challenges that the economic downturn has brought, in terms of financial hardship and unemployment, we have continued to outperform our peer grouping across Greater Manchester in all areas. In many ways our record speaks for itself:

• All crime down by 10.1% (955 fewer victims)
• Burglary down by 8.6% (183 fewer victims)
• Vehicle theft down by 19.7% (79 fewer victims)
• Robbery (property) down by 17.5% (28 fewer victims)
• Violent crime down by 1.8% (2 fewer victims)
• Serious sex offences down by 8.8% (7 fewer victims)
• Criminal damage (including arson) down by 15.7% (328 fewer victims)
• Anti-social behaviour reports to police down 20%
• Number of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts signed by young people and parents stands at 277
• Number of Anti-social Behaviour Orders obtained through court stands at 154

While we are pleased with the progress we are making, we are not complacent. A new scheme developed with help from the Hyde Group will begin later this year. It involves young people who are at risk of becoming drawn into anti-social activities, having the opportunity to build one of three Caterham kit cars. The scheme is designed to prevent young people from becoming embroiled in criminal activities and, instead, give them a positive and constructive activity that will help to develop their skills and signpost them to mainstream youth activities.

4. Clean Streets

Environmental Policies

“ Our managed collections are saving on landfill and fuel. Nearly 40% of waste is now in the recycling stream.”

By producing and maintaining clean and green streets, we will reduce our carbon footprint, use less energy and save money. We have introduced dog control orders banning dogs from fenced play areas and sports pitches, and have issued fines and prosecuted those dog owners that continue to allow their pets to foul public areas.

We plan to fit 28,000 highway lighting columns with new energy-saving ballast devices and we are continuing to introduce new, more eco-friendly vehicles into our fleet and are also using more efficient fuels.

We are involving all areas of our communities. Schools have introduced green travel plans and parents now need to consider how they and their children get to and from school. The Council has adopted the 10:10 pledge and aims to reduce its carbon emissions by 10% in 2010.

We will also continue to support and promote an insulation programme for domestic dwellings, with a target of upgrading 10,000 homes in three years at a cost of £2.3 million. We will continue our partnership with British Gas, which provides a council tax rebate to properties that are properly insulated and a vehicle carrying a heat-seeking camera will patrol the streets recording heat loss. This will be followed up with help and advice to home and business owners on how best to reduce waste and save money.

Our managed collections are saving on landfill and fuel. Nearly 40% of waste is now in the recycling stream. As a result of the managed collections, the number of bins emptied each year has risen from less than 5 million (prekerbside recycling) to more than 8.5 million this year.

5. Attractive Streets

Recreation & Culture

“ Once again we have won the North West Britain in Bloom competition and have been judged to be the best large area for the fifth year in succession. ”

Not only must our parks, streets and leisure facilities be clean and green, but the people using them must play their part in reducing the amount of litter, dog fouling and graffiti as all of these need energy to be cleaned up.

Once again we have won the North West Britain in Bloom competition and have been judged the best large area for the fifth year in succession. In addition, we also won the clean street award in recognition of the cleanliness of our streets, parks and open spaces. We have continued to improve the street scene with the introduction of more public art, and many of our parks are benefiting from improvement and refurbishment works.

• Stamford Park is to have nearly £4 million spent on refurbishment
• This summer the council has gained 11 Green Flags for park quality, four Green Pennants for public open spaces and a Green Heritage Award for Denton Park
• New sporting facilities have either been built or are being constructed. These include:
  - A new gymnastics centre of excellence at Longdendale Recreation area
  - An £8 million refurbishment of Copley, Ashton and Hyde pools
  - A £3 million sports centre in Hattersley
• Sports coaching is being provided at primary schools for 8,000 youngsters a week
• The refurbishment of Portland Basin Visitors Centre
• An Olympic Legacy action plan has been launched
• A £600,000 closed loop cycle track at Richmond Street, Ashton.

6. Prosperous Streets

Jobs & Income

“ The whole of Tameside is enjoying a surge of construction work which is engaging local people in employment. ”

Supporting the local economy through the current recession has been a key priority for the Council. We have introduced practical help and support through the Tameside Works First initiative that was launched in April. This includes a massive programme of capital works totalling £14 million, a wholesale change in our approach to procurement practice to maximise our spending power in the local area, a commitment to pay invoices from local small and medium-size businesses within 10 working days to help with cash flow, and a wide range of advice and information events organised by the Tameside Business Family.

We have also put in place summit meetings to better engage with our major local employers and business entrepreneurs in the borough. Through these sessions we can better understand the issues and challenges that they face and also look to build mutually beneficial working relationships which are already paying dividends.

• The Working Neighbourhood Fund is now up and running with a £3 million budget which will support 3,100 workless residents over 18 months
• The fund is helping with credit via Tameside Cash Box and Money Spinner
• The borough has been given £5 million through the Future Jobs Fund which will pay the wages of people from unemployment hot spots
• To date, £7.1 million has been awarded in contracts under the Tameside Works First scheme
• Large-scale contractors working in Tameside are being encouraged to buy their goods and supplies or to sub-contract within the borough
• An Apprentices Company is being established which will create and hold jobs for 500 young people
• An impressive 100 traders are now on the Buy With Confidence scheme

The whole of Tameside is enjoying a surge of construction work which is engaging local people in employment. These schemes include the Metrolink extension to Droylsden and then onward to Ashton; the Droylsden Marina development, St Petersfield, Ashton, new sports facilities, Hattersley housing redevelopment, the Building Schools for Future programmes, the retaining walls scheme and the new bypasses.

7. Learning Streets

Schools, Libraries and Children’s Centres

“ Over the last 10 years, more than £40 million has been spent on 14 new primary schools with a further estimated £25 million to come over the next four years. ”

Our schools, libraries and children’s centres underpin learning across all our communities and across all age groups. The quality of education and teaching that young people in Tameside now enjoy is evident through the continuing improvement in examination results. This year we achieved our best-ever results across all key stages.

Over the last 10 years, more than £40 million has been spent on 14 new primary schools with a further estimated £25 million to come over the next four years. We have recently seen Aldwyn and Hawthorns, Audenshaw, and Lyndhurst and Ravensfield, Dukinfield, redeveloped, and £12.5 million was spent on a new building for Alder High School, Hyde.

The £80 million programme to build new schools at Mossley Hollins, St Damian’s and the New Charter Academy and Samuel Laycock, Stalybridge, is well under way and these state-of-the-art schools should be finished and operational by 2011. We have also now begun to assess the best way to remodel Astley and Cromwell, Dukinfield, which are the final schools in this first phase of our Building Schools for the Future programme.

Planning approval has been granted for a £70 million project for Hyde Technology School, Dale Grove, Ashton, Denton Community College and the Key Stage 3 and 4 learning centres, and the £28 million Droylsden Academy is the next project on the stocks.

We have recently submitted a bid for another £110 million to the Partnership for Schools which, if successful, will allow us to complete the rebuilding or remodelling of the remaining seven Tameside secondary schools.

8. Supportive & Healthy

Health, Transport and Sport

“ Our adult social care service has achieved the highest score rating possible in every area. ”

For the second year in succession our Adult Social Care Service has achieved the highest score rating possible in every area. This is unprecedented and a glowing endorsement by the Care Quality Commission of the services we provide for older people.

Our welfare rights service continues to work on behalf of older people to ensure that they receive their full benefit entitlements. This year alone they have secured an impressive £5.8 million of additional money. We have continued to develop the service and new facilities such as the Dementia Day Service, Extra Care Housing scheme and Active Ageing Centre have been introduced.

This year also saw the opening of the Café in the Park. This groundbreaking scheme not only breathed new life into Bayley Hall in Hyde Park but more importantly gave people with learning difficulties a practical and exciting way to build their skills, knowledge and confidence and help prepare them for future employment. The scheme operates as a social enterprise providing catering facilities to the public and also supporting local producers.

We have continued to strengthen our partnership approach to tackling health improvement. We have been listening to our communities to better understand how best to target our resources. We have developed effective campaigns as a result – our stop smoking campaign led to a 200% increase in smoking cessations and we supported over 1800 people to quit.

Adult participation in sport and active recreation has increased to 18.8% and in total, there are 27,266 more children and adults active in Tameside. Our Affordable Warmth Strategy is helping to identify those at most risk of suffering fuel poverty. This scheme provides advice and practical support around keeping warm, cutting fuel bills, home repairs, fire safety or money and other benefits.

9. The Coming Year

“ We will defend the people’s services and priorities against the Government if it seeks to make ordinary people pay for the failure of the financial sector. ”

Our focus next year will be on reducing our carbon footprint and in doing so saving finances. This will involve working in partnership with various organisations, businesses and the public.

We will defend the people’s services and priorities against the Government if it seeks to make ordinary people pay for the failure of the financial sector. It is our intention to better our previous council tax promise and to aim for a substantially lower increase than in previous years.

• The people of Tameside can be reassured that the quality of the essential services that they enjoy and appreciate will not be cut or reduced.
• Council staff can also be reassured that there will be no compulsory redundancies and every effort will be made to address salary problems arising from the legally imposed pay and grading process.

Tameside Works First will be further expanded, both in terms of the value and volume of contracts undertaken and will look to increase the number of local firms actively benefiting to 200. We will introduce a pooled apprentice scheme in conjunction with local businesses and colleges through which we will aim to attract 500 young people into meaningful and skilled employment.

We continue to work with our partners to further reduce all levels of crime. Anti-social behaviour will be further reduced through extra security in public places, intensified surveillance and projects such as the Caterham kit car scheme.

The Council will honour the service people who have given their lives since 1945 by erecting a new memorial which will be ready by 2010. And we will continue to provide extra housing/council tax benefits for war widows.