Understanding our focus & priorities
Find out inside why we are:
centred on people focused on place delivering through improvement
Why we are centred on people Create safe, strong and proud communities
What we know
• The total number of people killed or injured on Staffordshire roads is lower than the national average.
Crime & safety
• Violent crime is relatively low and has fallen as a result of a sustained effort by partners (Trent Valley Strategic Assessment Sept 2007 p 3).
• Approximately 40 people are killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions each year (average taken from 2004 - 2006). Arson All facts in this section are taken from Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service Internal Statistics
• Lichfield City centre has 18% of the incidents of violent crime, most during the weekend night-time economy period (Trent Valley Strategic Assessment Sept 2007 p 3).
• Nearly a third of violent offences in the district occur in families. Many of these are alcohol or drug related (Trent Valley Strategic Assessment Sept 2007 p 3).
• The Fire Service recognises a link between arson, anti social behaviour and community pride.
• In 40% of all reported domestic abuse crimes, the injured party is a repeat victim. • Criminal damage represents nearly 20% of all crime in our district. Of this 40% is damage to vehicles (Trent Valley Strategic Assessment Sept 2007). • Lichfield City, Burntwood and Fazeley have half of the recorded incidents for anti-social behaviour, with 40% occurring in the evening, mostly on Friday and Saturday. (Trent Valley Strategic Assessment Sept 2007 p 9). • All districts in Staffordshire have higher than the national average of young people who drink (Staffordshire Children’s’ Trust Strategic Needs Analysis 2007 p3). • Theft from vehicles accounts for 7% of the crimes recorded. This has fallen in recent years, partly as a result of action by agencies. 25% of the offences occur in Chasetown and Fazeley (Trent Valley Strategic Assessment Sept 2007). • House burglary accounted for 5% of all crimes, and 35% of burglaries took place in Fazeley, Chase Terrace and Little Aston (Trent Valley Strategic Assessment Sept 2007). • Alcohol and drug misuse are a key cause of crime. 85% of violent and public order offences are associated with alcohol related issues (Alcohol Consumption among young people - activities to promote responsible drinking – Lichfield & Tamworth Joint Health Scrutiny Committee 2006 p11). • The Government has set a national priority of reducing the harm caused by alcohol and drugs (PSA 25). • We have pockets of deprivation (23% of our residents live in the 25% most deprived wards nationally) and problems with antisocial behaviour. Crime and the fear of crime is more prevalent in deprived areas. • Between 2004/5 and 2005/6 the district saw a significant increase in the number of young offenders, particularly in Chadsmead ward (Staffordshire Children’s’ Trust Strategic Needs Analysis 2007 p7). • Crime is an important issue for the local business community, particularly those based on older industrial estates (British Business Parks Statistics).
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Road safety Unless marked, all facts in this section are taken from Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service Internal Statistics
• The Government has set a national priority of building more cohesive, empowered and active communities (PSA 21) and of making communities safer (PSA 22).
Appendix A: Understanding our focus & priorities
• In Lichfield District there were 190 incidents of arson in 2003/04, 166 in 2004/05 and 186 in 2005/06. The forecast for 2006/07 is 154, which will be an 18% reduction on 2003/04. • Areas of concern for arson are Chase Terrace, Chasetown, Highfields, Netherstowe and St Chad’s.
House fires All facts in this section are taken from Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service Internal Statistics
• Although the numbers of people being killed or injured in accidental dwelling fires is declining, the number of accidental dwelling fires in Lichfield District is forecast to increase from 59 in 2006 to 64 in 2007. • People who are killed or injured in accidental dwelling fires are normally vulnerable members of the community.
Volunteering
• Approximately 3,300 people within Lichfield District volunteer for Voluntary and Community Organisations operating in the district for a minimum of 2 hours each week which equates to 343,200 hours per year (Staffordshire LAA – SSC Mandatory Indicator 5.1.3).
What our community surveys tell us
• 82% of residents are satisfied with their local area as a place to live (Statutory Survey 2006). • 62.8% of local people feel that maintaining a low level of crime is the most important factor in making our district a good place to live and 26% of local people believe levels of crime need to be reduced further (Omnibus Survey July 2007). • Fear of crime at night remains high (Statutory Survey 2006). • Only a third (35.5% of local people feel safe outside their homes after dark, compared to 79% during the day (Statutory Survey 2006). • Local people want us to tackle anti-social behaviour, provide activities for teenagers and to encourage parents to take responsibility for their children (Statutory Survey 2006). • Local people want us to help keep drunkenness, vandalism and drug use low (Statutory Survey 2006). • Local people want us to tackle under age drinking (Alcohol Consumption Among Young People - activities to promote responsible drinking – Lichfield & Tamworth Joint Health Scrutiny Committee 2006 p11).
Improve people’s health and well being What we know • We have an ageing population. The number of over 65 year olds in our district is set to increase from 17,000 to almost 25,000 by 2026 - an increase of 47%. The number of over 75 year olds is set to increase from 7,500 to over 16,000 by 2026 - an increase of 115% (Office of National Statistics 2006). • At the younger end of the age groups we’re set to lose population (Office of National Statistics 2006).
Health in the young
• The Government has set a national target of improving the health and well-being of young people (PSA12) and of improving young people’s safety (PSA 13). • There was a higher than average rate of infant deaths in 2003-5 (Staffordshire Children’s’ Trust Strategic Needs Analysis 2007 p2). • Teenage pregnancy rates are a concern in Curborough, Chadsmead and Fazeley (Staffordshire Children’s Trust Strategic Needs Analysis 2007 p3). • The percentage of mothers who breast feed is below the national average and is remaining static (Staffordshire Children’s Trust Strategic Needs Analysis 2007 p3). • The district has one of the lowest percentage of schools with ‘Healthy Schools Status’ in the county, but many are working to tackle this (Staffordshire Children’s Trust Strategic Needs Analysis 2007 p3). • An above national average number of young people are part of the ‘treatment population’ in Staffordshire (Staffordshire Children’s Trust Strategic Needs Analysis 2007 p4). • The percentage of obese Year 6 pupils is similar to the national average. This is a major public health issue (Staffordshire Children’s’ Trust Strategic Needs Analysis 2007 p4).
Sports & leisure
• 18% of adults have a physical disability or sensory impairment (2001 Census). • There are more than 10,000 unpaid carers in the district (2001 Census). • 39% of carers report that their health has been affected as a result of caring (Office of National Statistics 2001). • 2,700 adults receive care and support from Social Services (SCH District Delivery Plan Supplementary Information p16).
Health in young and old
• The Government has a priority of promoting better health, well-being (PSA 18) and better care for all (PSA 19). • There are inequalities in health across the district linked to material disadvantage (Reducing Health Inequalities LDC / Burntwood Town Council & Burntwood Lichfield & Tamworth Primary Care Trust April 2006).
Food safety
• Both businesses and residents consider hygiene in food businesses to be a top priority for local authorities (National Enforcement Priorities for Local Authority Regulatory Services – Peter Rogers 2007 p10).
Occupational health
• Staffordshire has a higher than national average rate of occupational injury and ill health (Health & Safety Profile for Staffordshire – HSE Nov 2007).
Air quality
• Poor air quality damages health, quality of life and shortens life expectancy (National Enforcement Priorities for Local Authority Regulatory Services – Peter Rogers 2007 p10). • Roads and car usage is a major contributor to poor air quality (Local Air Quality Management – Detailed Assessment Report June 2005).
• Only 22.4% of adults take part in at least 30 minutes of moderate sports or physical activity at least 3 times per week (Sport England’s Active People Survey).
• 40% of people visit sports or leisure centres at least once a month (West Midlands Regional Lifestyle Survey: Lichfield Annex; October 2007).
• 56.4% of residents see good health services as a priority for making the area a good place to live (Statutory Survey 2006).
• Over 50% of residents visit local parks at least once a month (West Midlands Regional Lifestyle Survey: Lichfield Annex; October 2007). • 4.8% of residents volunteer for sporting purposes for at least one hour per week (Sport England’s Active People Survey). • There is an undersupply of fitness stations within the district (Sport England Active Places/ PMP). • There is an undersupply of junior and mini football pitches (LD Playing Pitch Strategy). • Our leisure centres are good at attracting female, elderly, elderly disabled and ethnic minority visitors (2007 National Benchmarking Service Survey). • The district has nearly 2000 hectares of accessible natural green space (LDC Annual Monitoring Report 2007).
Health in adults
• Women tend to die younger than the national average age (Community Health Profiles 2006 & 2007). • 1 in 5 local people over 80 years of age has a form of dementia (District Delivery Plan Supplementary Information 2007 p9). • On average 16 young people with learning or physical disabilities leave school each year (SCH District Delivery Plan Supplementary Information p4).
What our community surveys tell us
• Nearly 32% of residents have some type of long standing illness or disability (Statutory Survey 2006). • People want more spaces for young people and more outdoor sporting facilities, particularly in Burntwood (Omnibus 2007). • 23% of residents find it difficult to access local cultural and recreational facilities (Omnibus July 2007). • People want us to work with our partners to encourage people to stop smoking (LDC Website Survey 07 / Choosing Health – Making Healthier Choices Easier 2004). • People want better access to sporting opportunities in local villages (Omnibus July 2007). • People want information on the hygiene of local food businesses made freely available (LDC Website Survey 07). • People want to know that health, safety and well-being are protected whilst at work (National Enforcement Priorities for Local Authority Regulatory Services – Peter Rogers 2007 p10). • People want us to improve diet & nutrition by working with food suppliers (265419/Choosing Health Summaries – Diet & Nutrition 2004). • People want us to improve nutrition in schools (265419/ Choosing Health Summaries – Diet & Nutrition 2004).
Appendix A: Understanding our focus & priorities
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Why we are centred on people Help people realise their potential
What we know
Income, employment, wages and benefits
• It is estimated that 52.5% of people travel over 8 miles to access higher paid jobs (Statutory Survey 2006). • Average wages for people working within the district are lower than the national and regional averages (Audit Commission Area Profiles 2007). • There is a distinct inequality in average income in households across the district. In several wards average household income is over £40,000, whilst some areas (8%) have a very low income. (Profiling Staffordshire - Lichfield District). • Nearly 77% of working age people are employed (Audit Commission Area Profiles 2007). • Whilst unemployment is low, in some parts of the district, a higher than national average number of people claim income support and incapacity benefit (Audit Commission Area Profiles 2007).
• Those delivering enterprise within education are seeing resources reduced and are having to rely more on volunteer support (British Business Parks Statistics).
Community diversity
• The Government has set a national priority of addressing the disadvantage that individuals experience as a result of their gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief (PSA 15). • We have a primarily white, indigenous community (Census 2001). • We have a low number of black and minority ethnic members of the community (1.9%/1,700 people) who are dispersed across the district and mainly of Indian origin (Census 2001).
• Nearly 11% of the working age population claim key benefits (District Delivery Plan Supplementary Information 2007 p6).
• The Government has a strategic objective of ensuring that customers are paid the right benefits at the right time (DWP DSO).
• The Government has a strategic objective of encouraging more widespread enjoyment of culture and sport (DCMS DSO).
• 11.5% of children live in families that are income deprived (Audit Commission Area Profiles 2007). The Government has set a national priority of halving the number of children in poverty by 2010-11, on the way to eradicating child poverty by 2020 (PSA 9). • Nearly 12% of the population over 60 live in households that are income deprived (Audit Commission Area Profiles 2007). The Government has set a national priority of tackling poverty and promoting greater independence and well-being in later life (PSA 17). • Nearly 10% of people claiming job seekers’ allowance have been out of work for more than one year (Audit Commission Area Profiles 2007). The Government has set a national priority of increasing the proportion of socially excluded adults in settled accommodation and employment, education or training (PSA 16). • The Government has a strategic objective of enhancing access to jobs, services and social networks including for the most disadvantaged (DfT DSO). • 8 of our wards fall within the 20-40% most deprived areas nationally (District Delivery Plan Supplementary Information 2007).
Education
• The government has a national priority to improve the skills of the population on the way to ensuring a world-class skills base by 2020 (PSA 2). • Most local children receive a good education up to GCSE (Key stage 1 – 4) with local attainments at this level above the national average (State of Staffordshire 2006). • The Government has set a national priority of raising the educational achievement of all children and young people (PSA 10) and of narrowing the gap in educational achievement between children from low income and disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers (PSA 11), and of increasing the number of children and young people on the path to success (PSA 14).
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• Whilst adult literacy is above the national average, adult numeracy is below the national average. We know that this can prevent people from achieving their potential and limit their quality of life (West Midlands Regional Numeracy Strategy 2007-10).
Appendix A: Understanding our focus & priorities
Access to cultural and leisure opportunities
What our community surveys tell us
• People want us to help residents to claim the right levels of benefits (Statutory Survey 2006). • 83% of residents believe their local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together (Statutory Survey 2006). • People want help to access lifelong learning and improve their skills and earning potential. • People want access to good quality training facilities and help to re-enter the work place. • Young people who ‘fall out of the traditional education system’ want help to get back into education or work. • We need to reflect the changing cultures in our district, in both the services we deliver and the ways in which we consult with different communities. • People want us to make practical changes that improve ease of access to facilities and services for disabled and less able people.
Involve local people and partners
What we know Democracy
• Less people turn out to vote in the district than nationally, with an average of 30% visiting the polls (2007 May Local Elections Turnout Statistics). • Over 5,000 people access www.lichfielddc.gov.uk every week and there is a thirst for new ways to engage and participate online, evidenced by the number of signatures gathered on www.lichfield2london.org.uk in summer 2007 (560 signatures gathered in 2 months).
Partnerships
• The Lichfield District Strategic Partnership (LDSP) was formed in 2003 and includes representation from over 120 public, private, voluntary and community organisations. • The LDSP comprises 7 theme groups and 7 community based forums which have been working together to deliver against the Sustainable Community Strategy and Local Area Agreements for Lichfield. By working together in partnership, we are able to be more effective and efficient, achieving more with existing resources and maximising opportunities to draw down additional funding. We are also leading members of the Responsible Authorities Group which monitors the activity of the Lichfield District Safety Community Partnership. This is a statutory group and is a requirement under the Crime and Disorder Act. The Safer Community Partnership is a theme group of the LDSP which leads on the Safer and Stronger block of the LAA with over 100 partners involved in 10 Action Groups. Several Community Pride events have been held across the district to tackle anti-social behaviour by environmental improvements. Community members worked alongside representatives of the District Council, Parish Council, County Council, Police, Fire Service, Housing Associations, Victims Support and the Crime Prevention Panel as part of these initiatives. • Through the Children’s Trust Board, we are working with partners to deliver against the Every Child Matters agenda, with a particular emphasis on early intervention. This is making a difference to the lives and the life chances of the most vulnerable members of our society, and puts families back at the centre of decisions about their children's welfare. We make sure that we are in touch with the work that these partnerships need to be doing by organising conferences, such as our highly successful Community Safety and Children's conferences in 2007.
• In 2005, residents in Fazeley and Mile Oak joined together to see what they could do to improve their local area. With support from Homezone, the Town and District Councils and the residents established the ‘Fazeley and District Initiative’, which currently has 10 members. The group has also involved residents of Drayton Bassett – hence the group has been named the ‘Fazeley and District Initiative’. The Initiative, which is bringing together local residents and agencies to improve the areas through organising community events, hold regular ‘clean up’ days and work towards better community facilities. Residents have been the driving force behind the development of the initiative and large numbers of residents have been coming along to the public meetings to air their views about what is needed in their community and their aspirations for the future. The success of the Fazeley and District Initiative, from fun days to supporting the first ever Fazeley Festival, has demonstrated the positive impact that is achieved from this work. There is an active youth forum in Lichfield District and across Staffordshire (Staffordshire County Council Statistics 2007) and we are actively working to include young people in the decision making of the locality Children's Trust Board. • We work closely with the voluntary and community sector (the third sector) in Lichfield, primarily through and with Lichfield CVS, and are local champions for the Compact, with a nationally agreed code of practice governing how local authorities and the third sector work together. • We also support local groups through our grant aid scheme.
What our community surveys tell us
• Only 34% of people feel informed on how to get involved in local decision making (Statutory Survey 2006). • A third of residents feel they can influence decisions affecting their local area, but 78% of people would like to be more involved in decisions affecting their local area (Statutory Survey 2006). • 41.3% of residents feel the Council keeps them well informed (Statutory Survey 2006). • Almost half of the people in the district find out about council information through the local media, with a further quarter using information provided by the Council (Statutory Survey 2006).
• North Lichfield Initiative was established in 1996. This highly successful project has undertaken important community cohesion and engagement activity for local residents of all ages and abilities, recently (since 2005) working with local residents to help them achieve an accredited qualification for their voluntary activity. Thirteen residents have qualified to date (January 2008).
Appendix A: Understanding our focus & priorities
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Why we are focused on place Help people access a home that’s right for them and to live independently
What we know
Access to housing people can afford
Homelessness
• The Government has set a national priority of increasing long-term housing supply and affordability (PSA 20).
• Homelessness is an increasing problem, particularly amongst the young (Housing Strategy 2006-9 p39 & p41).
• The Government has a strategic objective of improving the supply, environmental performance and quality of housing that is more responsive to the needs of individuals, communities and the economy (DCLG DSO).
• There is a lack of suitable permanent and temporary accommodation, which is particularly acute for young people, aged 16, 17 &18 (Housing Strategy 2006-9).
• Over 11 times the district’s average wage is needed to mortgage an averagely priced detached house in the district (Housing Strategy p33). • The average house price is just over £245,400 compared to £165,000 in Staffordshire and £180,000 across the region (Land Registry/LDC Data 2007). • House prices are continuing to rise at a higher rate than the national average and prices are higher in the rural areas (Land Registry/LDC Data 2007). • Families with average to low incomes often struggle to afford local homes (Housing Strategy). • Despite being a top performing district in Staffordshire on the numbers of affordable homes in the last few years, there is a shortfall in the supply of affordable homes (Over a 1000 ‘affordable’ dwellings have either been built or are committed to be built – LDC Monitoring). • Demand for social rented housing is high, but less than 20% of local homes are available for rent, and only 5% of these in the private rented sector (Census 2001). • 60% of local homes are in Council Tax bands A – C, compared to 76% regionally, which means that we have fewer lower priced properties (Lichfield District Council Housing Strategy Housing Strategy p28). • We have fewer flats and terraced properties, with over 78% of the local homes being houses and bungalows (Lichfield District Council Housing Strategy Housing Strategy p28). • Affordable warmth is a significant issue for many vulnerable households in our district, with nearly 5% of local homes not centrally heated. Risks are higher for those over 70 years, and those living in private rented homes (Housing Strategy 2006-9 p 45). • 7,800 new homes are required to be developed in the district between 1996 and 2011 by national planning targets (Housing Strategy p9 relating to Staffordshire Structure Plan 1996-2011). • Emerging planning policies are likely to require approximately 400 new dwellings to be built each year within the district up to 2026 (Review of Regional Spatial Strategy for West).
• Since 2000 the number of homeless enquiries we receive and the number of people accepted as in priority need for housing has risen (Housing Strategy 2006-9 p39 & p41). • Over the last 2 years (2006-7) we’ve had to rely on bed and breakfast to provide temporary accommodation (Housing Strategy 2006-9 p39 & p41).
Independent living
• More and more people want to live independently in their homes. This is set to increase with the high growth in the 75+ year group within the district (Office of National Statistics ECOTEC November 2005). • By 2026 the number of households is set to rise by approximately 5,000 as more and more people want to live independently in their own home (Office of National Statistics ECOTEC November 2005). • By 2012 an additional 60 older people are projected to need extra care housing and an additional 140 adults with disabilities are projected to need supported housing (SCC Extra Care & Supported Housing Developments Needs 2007-2012). • The number of households on the Council’s waiting list for disabled facilities grants continues to grow despite a £285,000 programme of investment in 2006. In 2006/7 131 households were on the waiting list compared to 89 households in 2005/6 (Housing Strategy 2006-9). • 23% of our households have a special need, with over half of these being walking difficulties (Housing Strategy 2006-9 p36). • There is no housing related support for (Housing Strategy 2006-9 p42):
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people with physical or sensory disabilities
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people with substance misuse problems
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young people leaving care or parents who are teenagers
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ex-offenders who are at risk of re-offending
What our community surveys tell us
• We need to encourage the development of a wider range of more affordable homes (Omnibus Survey July 2007). • Over 50% of residents have lived in the area over 20 years, and a third of residents have lived in their present accommodation for over 20 years (Statutory Survey 2006 & Omnibus Survey July 2007). • Not being able to live independently becomes an increasingly important concern for people as they get older (MORI Poll 2006).
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Appendix A: Understanding our focus & priorities
Create vibrant and thriving towns and rural communities
What we know Our urban centres
• Approximately 97,000 people live in Lichfield District. Of this, nearly 58,000 (60%) people live in either Lichfield or Burntwood urban areas (Census 2001). • We have two distinct urban centres and existing development plans to help them achieve their potential (Lichfield District Local Plan 1998 - 2007). • Lichfield City is set to benefit from a £100m shopping and leisure complex (Lichfield District Venture Programme). • Burntwood is set to gain from a £10 million shopping centre development (Lichfield District Venture Programme).
Our villages
• Almost 40,000 (40%) of our population live in rural communities. (Lichfield District Local Plan 1998 - 2007). • Lack of access to services for people living in our rural areas is a serious issue.* • Some communities have limited access to good quality open space and play facilities, including playing pitches for younger people (LDC Open Space Assessment 2007; LDC Playing Pitch Assessment 2006). • Some small rural communities are fairly isolated in terms of public transport and access to services is poor. In many of these locations there has been significant loss of community facilities (LDC Rural Sustainability Study 2007). • Some larger rural communities have a range of facilities and services that provide a basis for sustainable living (LDC Rural Sustainability Study 2007).
Our streets and highways
What our community surveys tell us • People tell us ‘clean streets’ is a top five reason to make somewhere a good place to live (Statutory Survey 2006). • Tackling litter is a top five priority for local people (Omnibus Survey July 2007). • Local people’s satisfaction with cleanliness is increasing (74% in 2006/7 compared to 62% in 2004), but this is still below the national average with 56 authorities having higher satisfaction ratings and 8 authorities achieving satisfaction levels of over 80% (Statutory Research 2006). • 85% of residents are satisfied the council is keeping public land clear from refuse and litter. This has increased significantly from 2005 but satisfaction is still greater in rural areas than urban centres (Omnibus Survey July 2007). • 99% of children thought it important to have somewhere safe to play outside (Lichfield District Play Partnership Play Strategy 2007-2012). • 20% of children do not play outside their home without an adult (Lichfield District Play Partnership Play Strategy 2007-2012). • Children would like to see better outdoor play areas (Lichfield District Play Partnership Play Strategy 2007-2012). • 85% of parents felt strongly that every community should have an outdoor play area (Lichfield District Play Partnership Play Strategy 2007-2012). • 34% of children say that they do not have a playground which they can walk to (Lichfield District Play Partnership Play Strategy 2007-2012). • Local people rate the quality of Beacon Park at 7/10, where 1 is poor and 10 is excellent (Beacon Park Audience Development Plan and Household Survey).
• Despite having improved our street cleansing performance over the past 3 years, in 2006/7, 11% of our streets still failed to meet the standard for cleanliness. This compares to only 6% in Tamworth and 8% in East Staffordshire.
• 11% of local people surveyed don’t visit Beacon Park because they don’t feel safe (Beacon Park Audience Development Plan and Household Survey).
• We face difficulties in prosecuting drivers of vehicles for litter offences.
• People want us to continue to help residents in our villages to access vital services through initiatives such as our Community Transport scheme.*
• 384 abandoned vehicles were reported in 2006/7. All were investigated within the performance target of 24 hours and 56 were removed. This is a strong performance compared to other Staffordshire authorities (CRM Statistics 2007). • There were 602 incidences of fly tipping in 2006/2007 which is a slight increase on the previous year (CRM Statistics 2007). • Incidents of fly tipping will continue to rise as the costs of waste disposal rise (CRM Statistics 2007).
** Information sourced from the Core Strategy and associated Local Development Framework documents prepared and submitted in 2005 and examined in 2006, together with feedback/comments on the emerging Core Strategy including through evidence gathering and pre-Issues and Options consultation (2006/2007)
• Some of the worst fly tipping has been asbestos and fly tipped tyres (CRM Statistics 2007).
Appendix A: Understanding our focus & priorities
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Why we are focused on place Protect and enhance our environment for future generations
What we know
• The Government has set a national priority of securing a healthy natural environment for today and the future (PSA 28).
• The Government has set a national priority of leading the global effort to avoid dangerous climate change (PSA 27).
Protecting our urban and rural environments
• The district lies partly within the National Forest and contains an area of the Forest Of Mercia. It is home to part of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), 6 sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), green belt and many other areas of green and open space.* • Some of our formerly used land (Brownfield sites) may not be suitable for use. We are currently identifying and investigating these areas.* • The district has a rich historic heritage with 750 listed buildings, 23 Conservation Areas and 15 Scheduled Ancient Monuments.* • Lichfield Cathedral is of national importance.
Protecting our environment through sustainable waste management
• Although local people recycle over 46% of their waste the remaining 54% (20,000 tonnes) is all currently sent to landfill (Lichfield District Council Local Waste Strategy & Action Plan 2007 - 2012). • Staffordshire County Council is the disposal authority for the district. The County Council is working to provide an alternative to landfill due to be operational in 2011 by which time the district will have land-filled a further 60,000 tonnes, unless an alternative can be found (Lichfield District Council Local Waste Strategy & Action Plan 2007 - 2012). • The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Joint Waste Management Strategy has set recycling targets for districts to help the County Council achieve its Landfill Allowance Targets and Lichfield District’s contribution to this is to achieve 55% recycling by 2020 (Lichfield District Council Local Waste Strategy & Action Plan 2007 - 2012). • We provide 1,445 assisted collections to local people who are elderly or less able. We expect the number of assisted collections we provide to rise as our local population ages (LDC Waste Collection Statistics 2007). • The cost of recycling and waste collection per household per year has steadily dropped from £69.35 to £59.71 in 2006/2007. It is anticipated this will drop further by perhaps another £1.50 in 2007/2008 (Lichfield District Council Local Waste Strategy & Action Plan 2007 - 2012). • A sizeable part of our recycling costs is the mileage the service has to cover to dispose of the recyclable material (Lichfield District Council Local Waste Strategy & Action Plan 2007 - 2012). • The establishment of a transfer station is imperative if costs are to reduce further.
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Appendix A: Understanding our focus & priorities
Protecting our environment by reducing our carbon footprint
• Although fairly typical of areas with our economic and geographical profile, our domestic energy consumption (and therefore CO 2 emissions) per household are amongst the highest in the UK (Domestic CO 2 emissions for selected cities Best Foot Forward Ltd 2006).
What our community surveys tell us
• People want us to protect and enhance our environment, particularly historic buildings, parks, open spaces and countryside.* • People appreciate good design in new buildings and want us to ensure high quality design is promoted through the planning process.* • We need to ensure land is suitable for its current and future use.* • We need to involve local people in the development of the new Local Development Framework. People want us to ensure we are careful in planning and designing future developments so the district grows in a properly managed way and remains an attractive place for people to live, work and visit*. • We need to engender a sustainable approach to development, where news homes are supported by local jobs, and local infrastructure, so people can access services and opportunities near to their homes, reducing the need for daily travel.* • Research by Staffordshire County Council showed that 93% of people thought the local authority should be involved in trying to address climate change – indeed 63% felt that local authorities should ‘lead the way’ (Staffordshire 2020 Waste Strategy 2007). • 85.8% of local people are satisfied with our waste collection service overall (Statutory Survey 2006). • Satisfaction with our recycling service differs across the district and ranges from 87% in rural areas, to 94% in Lichfield City, to 77% in Burntwood (Omnibus Survey July 2007). • 89% of local people are satisfied with our Christmas recycling service (Christmas 2006 Waste Collection Survey). • The most common request we receive from customers is to extend the range of materials that people can recycle from the kerbside (Customer feedback – Operational Services). ** Information sourced from the Core Strategy and associated Local Development Framework documents prepared and submitted in 2005 and examined in 2006, together with feedback/comments on the emerging Core Strategy including through evidence gathering and pre-Issues and Options consultation (2006/2007)
Attract even more investment into our district
What we know
Our history, heritage and culture
• Beautiful countryside, a wealth of character and great road and rail links mean people want to live and visit here. • Approximately 2.65 million visitors come to visit each year (Heart of England Visitor Economy Survey 2002). • Almost 1,000 net population move into the district each year (Office for National Statistics, population estimates 2003-6). • The district is home to nationally and internationally renowned visitor attractions, including Drayton Manor and Lichfield Cathedral. • Lichfield is recognised as the Premier Heritage City in Staffordshire and provides a strong base for tourism and economic development across the region (Southern Staffordshire Visitor Economy Strategy).
Safeguarding businesses All facts in this section are taken from Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service Internal Statistics
• Since the introduction of the regulatory reform order in October 2006, there is a legal requirement for businesses to have their own fire risk assessment. • The fire service is committed to improving links with local businesses to support them in minimizing the commercial, social and economic consequences of arson. • Business arson accounts for 20% of the fire service figures for arson. • The average claim by businesses for an arson incident is £40,000.
Local jobs and enterprise
• The Government has set a national priority of improving the economic performance of all English regions and reducing the gap in economic growth rates between regions (PSA 7) and of maximising employment opportunities for all (PSA 8). • The Government has a strategic objective of ensuring all departments and agencies deliver better regulation for the private, public and third sectors (BERR DSO). • Opportunities for local employment are growing, with developments in Fradley Business Park where around 3,500 people work, and this figure is set to grow to 10,000 people when the park is full.* • It is estimated that the Friarsgate Scheme will generate 908 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs. A further 218 to 410 indirect jobs could be created and the development phase will see approximately 132 construction jobs created (Harrisons submission to CPO Stage). • Business creation and innovation is above the national average (Staffordshire LAA – Economic Development & Enterprise Block 4).
• Nearly 75% of people travel to work by car and only 5% by public transport (Audit Commission Area Profiles 2007). • Although our population is set to grow, the changes in population structure mean the workforce will remain at current levels (LDC/SCC Employment Land Review 2007). • Around 3000 businesses in the district are registered with Think Local (Think Local Statistics). • We have around 100 hectares of employment land available to be developed in the next 5 years (LDC/SCC Employment Land Review 2007). • We have developed 37 hectares of new employment land in the period 2001-2006 (LDC/SCC Employment Land Review 2007). • The Finance and Business sector will be the main job growth sector within the district over the next 10 years (LDC/SCC Employment Land Review 2007).
What our community surveys tell us
• We need to improve access to high-paid, high-quality local jobs so people don’t need to commute outside the district. Of those residents travelling to work, over half have a journey of over 8 miles (Statutory Survey 2006). • Cultural facilities are seen by local people as a top priority for improvement (Statutory Survey 2006). • 48% of local people are satisfied with our theatres, and want better and easier access to sporting, cultural and recreational opportunities (Statutory Survey 2006). • 77.5% of respondents are satisfied with the library services supported by LDC (Statutory Survey 2006). • 36% of respondents are satisfied with museums/galleries (Statutory Survey 2006). • Consultation with businesses tells us businesses want more efficient ways of dealing with councils and public bodies (Business Matters Consultations 2007). ** Information sourced from the Core Strategy, and associated Local Development Framework documents prepared and submitted in 2005 and examined in 2006, together with feedback/comments on the emerging Core Strategy including through evidence gathering and pre-Issues and Options consultation (2006/2007). Also sourced from the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy
• We have 3,500 VAT registered businesses (Audit Commission Area Profiles 2007).
Appendix A: Understanding our focus & priorities
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Delivering through improvement Provide great value services centred on customers’ needs
What we know
• We know that we are a ‘good’ council as judged by the Audit Commission in 2005 (Comprehensive Performance Assessment 2005). This means that in most aspects of the work we do, we achieve to a very high standard. It also means we can be better and aim for a level of performance as good as the excellent councils.
• We know that service has improved in the key areas that we identified. For instance we are top performing on recycling and benefits administration, and planning is now at a good performance level. Performance will continue to be monitored to maintain high standards.
• Since our inspection rating, we have been judged as improving by subsequent audits that measure our ‘Direction of Travel’. These reports pick up on areas where we know we can take performance forward.
• Our Governance arrangements have been repeatedly judged as sound, but fundamental areas where we can improve on already high standards have been identified. For instance we will look at our financial, risk and resilience management to make it better. Our performance systems have matured in recent years and we will take these forward, making better use of information.
• We can see from our Annual Inspection Letters how well we are doing and while areas for improvement are identified, the general message is that we are heading in the right direction. For example, amongst the positive messages is encouragement to ‘Improve on Value for Money’: "The scope for improving cost effectiveness needs to be kept under review and scrutiny to achieve clear improvements in value for money” (Annual Audit Letter 2005/6). • We understand that as financial pressures continue, we have to deliver on value for money. We’re assessed on this through the annual Use of Resources Assessment. Our assessment results have improved every year to levels comparable with the best, but also flags up where we can get better. For instance, we need to address the recommendations made: "The authority should regularly review the positioning of its services as high/low cost and high/low performance compared to its peers. Where services are found not to be low cost and high performance, (other than where a specific policy decision has been taken, for example, for additional investment in a specific service leading to additional costs) the authority should analyse the causes of the performance and cost of the service and develop an action plan to address them." • In meeting the financial pressures we are tracking the savings achieved so we can meet the requirement to show how the money saved is used. The figures we have reported in our Annual Efficiency Statements to central Government show that we are meeting our internal and external targets on efficiency. We will in future have to report this through the new efficiency performance indicators. • We know that performance is driven by people, and so value independent reports such as Investors in People. Here we reach the standard, but from the reports we need to plan the improvement necessary to develop our employees and exceed the challenge of the raised standard on Investors in People. • There are many other service specific inspections in place, such as Charter Mark, Quest Quality Standards (leisure centres), Department of Work & Pensions audits, to name but a few. All of these say how well we are doing, but also identify where we can improve.
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Appendix A: Understanding our focus & priorities
• We know we have demonstrated improvement that needs maintaining - 66% of the Council’s performance indicators (PIs) have improved in the last three years (2004 – 2007). • 35% of the Council’s performance indicators are in the best quartile, which is above average (33%) for district authorities. • We need to improve some of our performance indicators. To help us achieve this, in lower priority areas we will settle for adequate performance, so we can improve in high priority areas. • Improvement and efficiency is at the heart of the national and regional agenda. There is a great deal of help available to help us to improve. • We have made a significant step forward in improvement and efficiency, especially through examples of shared services with other authorities in services as diverse as personnel and payroll, building control and health & safety. This work will continue. • The national Service Transformation Agreement (STA) aims to “change public services so they more often meet the needs of people and businesses, rather than the needs of government and by doing so reduce the frustration and stress of accessing them”. This is intended to result in “services that are better for the customer, better for front line staff and better for the taxpayer”. (HM Treasury Service Transformation Agreement 2007).
What our community surveys tell us
• We need to keep in focus why we are trying to improve, so we can provide the highest level of service that our community can afford. • We can check how close we are to meeting these aspirations through our work with the community. For instance, we know that general satisfaction is on the increase. • In 2006, 59.7% of respondents were satisfied with the way the authority runs things (Statutory Survey 2006). In 2007, 68% were satisfied with the way authority runs things (Omnibus Survey July 2007). This breaks down into: rural areas 77%, Lichfield 63%, Burntwood 61% (Omnibus Survey July 2007).
For more information please visit our website: www.lichfielddc.gov.uk
Appendix A: Understanding our focus & priorities
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Lichfield District Council, Council House, Frog Lane, Lichfield, Staffordshire. WS13 6ZB
Tel: 01543 308000 www.lichfielddc.gov.uk