Information for Applicants - The Borough of Tameside
The Borough of Tameside
- Where are we?
- Background to Tameside
- Overview of Tameside Council
- Leisure in Tameside
- Community initiatives around the borough
- Overseas Development
- Investments and development potential in Tameside
- Education in Tameside
- School Provision and Access
- Investors in People
- Reaching Tameside
Where are we?
Tameside is at the heart of the country's second largest regional centre and is an attractive place to live, mid-way between the Pennines and the city of Manchester. It combines a mix of urban and rural landscapes and the area includes historic market towns, a canal network and industrial heritage areas.
For such a small area, Tameside has surprisingly varied scenery. Large parts are open moorland with brooks cutting deep valley channels down to the main rivers - Tame, Medlock and Etherow - which flow from the Pennines into the River Mersey. Pennine scenery is apparent in areas like Mossley, Stalybridge, and the Longdendale villages of Mottram, Hollingworth and Broadbottom. Whilst Hyde, Ashton, Dukinfield, Denton and Audenshaw are lower lying, the Pennine hills still dominate views to the east.
Background to Tameside
Tameside brings together nine towns of Ashton-under-Lyne, Hyde, Audenshaw, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Denton, Stalybridge, Mossley and Longdendale.
Ashton-under-Lyne has been a market town for over 700 years, Mottram dates back to Norman times with 14th century development in Hyde and Tudor buildings in Denton and Stalybridge. It was during the Industrial Revolution, however, that small, rural settlements grew into thriving centres of commerce based mainly on cotton but also woollens, coal mining and metal trades.
Tameside has a strong manufacturing tradition, particularly in the areas of textiles and engineering, food industries and manufacturing of high technology chemical, electronic and computer products. The borough's service sector has also experienced continued growth and service industries now make up the largest employment sector in Tameside.
Tameside Council is one of the largest employers in Tameside with over 9,000 employees.
Unemployment in Tameside stood at 2.4% in January 2008, slightly lower than the Greater Manchester average and slightly above the national average. However, there are pockets of higher unemployment in the borough, which are the focus of policies and programmes.
There is a wide range of housing available, both rented and for owner-occupation in both urban areas and country towns.
There is a rich mix of different cultures, religions and ethnic groups in Tameside. Around 6.5% of the population are people from ethnic minority backgrounds other than European, including Afro-Caribbean, Bangladeshi, Chinese, East African, Asian, Indian and Pakistani. Other Tamesiders are of Irish, Italian, Polish or Ukrainian backgrounds.
The warmth and friendliness of its people is truly Tameside. One product of the Industrial Revolution was the development of strong close-knit communities with their own traditions and heritage.
Overview of Tameside Council
In the annual Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA), councils are given an overall Organisational Assessment rating by the Audit Commission. This is made up of two further scores for Use of Resources and Managing Performance.
Tameside Council is one of only two in the country to get the top score in all three categories in the latest assessment in 2009.
The authority scored a maximum four for Managing Performance and Use of Resources - which cannot be surpassed – which combined to give Tameside an overall maximum four score for its Organisational Assessment.
The Audit Commission said in their 2009 report:
“Overall Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council performs excellently. The quality of services is generally excellent, including in areas important to local people. The council is excellent at managing its money and delivering services which meet the needs of local people.”
The report also highlights achievements in the four key people's priorities; children and young people, public safety and combating crime, stimulating the economy to produce more and better jobs, the appearance of the borough.
“The Council provides high quality services for older and vulnerable people, helping them to remain independent for longer. Public spaces and parks are rightly a source of pride – with many gaining national awards. The Council has responded to the recession – offering good support to local people and businesses. Schools continue to perform well, with best ever GCSE results in 2009.
The Council works well with its local partners and success is clear. This includes reducing the number of people who become homeless and helping more people to quit smoking. Local challenges and areas of under performance are tackled quickly and effectively. This includes helping to improve youth offending services, redirecting £12 million to help businesses through the recession, and responding to the recent rises in burglary.
Longer term challenges are also addressed, such as improving residents' health. The Council is not complacent and knows that more remains to be done. For instance, to influence the high numbers of teenage girls who become pregnant.
Outcomes for most children are very good. The Council has taken firm action to keep children safe and can provide evidence of improvements.
The Care Quality Commission rates the Council's adult social care as performing excellently – continuing to be one of the best in the country. Fewer people, particularly the elderly, go into long-term care. This is because the Council provides a good range of services to promote independence.”
In Touch Information Centres across the borough provide help and information for local people and staff are trained to give specialist advice on benefits, the local area, Council Tax, welfare and job opportunities. The Council public web site and the 'Tameside Citizen' - a paper delivered free to all homes and businesses in the borough - give further information about what is available in Tameside.
Leisure in Tameside
There's lots to do in Tameside and it is within easy reach of Manchester city centre and its vibrant nightlife.
Hyde Leisure Park, offers state-of-the-art sporting facilities with a leisure pool and floodlit stadium, fitness suite and gym. There are sports centres and pools throughout the borough.
The Museum of the Manchesters, in Ashton, tells the story of the historic regiment and Tameside's Heritage Museum, Portland Basin, covers the last 200 years' history of the borough in a rebuilt canal warehouse. Two main art galleries house touring and local exhibitions, with each of the 15 libraries containing its own exhibition area. Setantii traces the history of Tameside from celtic times to the present day.
The borough is endowed with a variety of countryside - three river valleys, three country parks, a fine canals network, pastoral farmland, woodland, water and high open moorland. The council's countryside ranger service co-ordinates a wide range of activities for all.
The area is well-known for its bustling markets, variety of community events and entertainment such as Splendid Weekend and the Tameside Music Festival, and the nationally famous brass band competitions.
Community initiatives around the borough
There is considerable voluntary activity across the borough with around 800 organisations concerned with social welfare, the environment, arts and leisure. There are also a number of successful credit unions and other community based and co-operative developments operating in the borough.
Overseas Developments
Tameside has strong twinning links across the world, all maintained by the enthusiasm and hard work of voluntary committees. The 40-year link between Stalybridge and Armentieres in Northern France has won the Royal Mail National Twinning Award. German, Zimbabwean, Chinese and Irish towns also twin with those in Tameside.
Investments and development potential in Tameside
Tameside is proud of its rich heritage and continues to build for tomorrow. Many of the traditional industries have been replaced with thriving modern companies as the national commercial emphasis has changed and a multi-million pound leisure park, new shopping developments, renewal projects and a new motorway are ensuring Tameside continues to lead in the 21st century.
See some of Tameside's key development sites over the next few years are:
Education in Tameside
Tameside Services for Children and Young People is committed to securing high quality education for all pupils through a working partnership between elected members, school governors, headteachers, teachers and support staff and parents. There are well established groups for consulting on new policy developments and user groups for monitoring the quality of service provision.
School Provision and Access
The Local Authority currently has 76 primary, 18 high schools, 7 special schools, 3 Pupil Referral Units, 4 sixth form and further education establishments and 47 nursery schools.
Investors in People
Investors in People is the national Standard which promotes best business practice.
Tameside was amongst the first Councils to achieve IIP for all its workforce. IIP recognition involves an inspection by independent assessors.
Reaching Tameside
By road, rail and air, Tameside is ideally placed to connect with the North West, the rest of the country, Europe and the world. Road and rail networks provide fast and efficient links and Manchester International Airport is only 20 minutes drive away.
There is direct access to the national motorway network via the M60 and M67, which run through the borough.
Click on the map to zoom
You may find the following external web sites useful:
- Train and Bus services in Greater Manchester: www.gmpte.com
- National train timetable: www.nationalrail.co.uk
- Tameside Street maps: www.streetmap.co.uk
- Road travel directions: RAC AA