Exeter City Council by DCMedia

We were delighted to welcome the Tongan Rugby team to RAMM this year as part of the Rugby World Cup celebrations.

Facing the future

t gether

“this year’s highlight was exeter city council bringing the rugby world cup to our city.”

“Dear Exeter residents, I am pleased to report that this work has been progressing Ipositively. am pleased to report thaton this work, has been Through our focus economic growth and new progressing positively. Throughfunding our focus on economic homes we have secured additional allowing us to growth and new homes have secured funding in protect services, while also we achieving greater efficiencies running the allowing uscouncil.” to protect services while also achieving

Many of you will recall the task we had as a council in 2014 was “Dear resident of Exeter, of Since you will recall the to reduce our overall budgetMany by £4m. the consultation task welast hadyear, as awe council - to reduce overall budget exercise have been workingour hard as a council by £4m. Since thebetween consultation exercise last year, we to narrow the gap our reduced government funding and the demands for our services. have been working hard as a council to narrow the gap

between our reduced funding and the demands for our services.

£4m ➠ £0m

Your response to our consultation was clear, you want to retain high quality council services. We are proud to be able to protect services by maximising income and greater efficiency.

CONTINUING SPENDING PRESSURES

74% £2.9m ➠ £0.75m Cut in grant from central government by 2019/20

COUNCIL HOUSING BUDGETS

£8m

We anticipate that our grant from government will continue to reduce (to a predicted £0.75m by 2019), but we cannot allow the city to stand still. There will be new initiatives and projects that emerge as we continue to enhance the city.

Imposed cut in council house rents

Reduction over Council forced to sell the next 4 years high value homes

SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA), which funds our housing services is under pressure due to changes in government policy. However, our work has put the HRA in a stronger position to continue to minimise the impact of this on residents.

30% £17.9m ➠ £12.7m

Pete Edwards

Leader of Exeter City Council

Reduction in budget 2010-15

It is inevitable that this level of saving could not be achieved without some pain, but with prudent spending, finding new ways of doing things and stopping others, we have saved £9m since 2010.

Reduction in the amount we need to save for the next 3 years

e hi nex gh t p fro ligh age m tt s & th he my ou e k P r r con ey m ort es su e fo po lt ss lio ns ati ag Ho es on es ld .” er

future savings

Projected Business Rates

£3.5m £1.3m

The council’s deliberate decision to focus on economic growth and maximise income from New Homes Bonus (NHB) and Business Rates has reduced the amount we need to save over the next 3 years.

From New Homes Bonus (government funding for building new homes)

“O n

GROWTH PREMIUM

greater efficienciesPete in running council. “ City Council Edwards,the Leader of Exeter

PARKS & PUBLIC PLACES “Firstly, thank you to everyone who responded to this consultation exercise. The information provided by you has been the guiding light, shaping the future of the services we provide within Parks & Public Places. The number of responses provided was enormous. Below I have captured the key messages, highlighting what we have done with this data and showing how it will help us to set priorities informed by your responses. “ Cllr Keith Owen Portfolio Holder for Health and Place

...we listened

YOU SAID...

how you use our parks

“The information provided by you has been the guiding light...”

YOUR local PARK PRIORITIES FOR maintaining our parks SUBSIDISED services

STREET CLEANSING

54%

1. walking

Visit parks or play areas at least once a week

Parks and open spaces are very important to residents of Exeter. We will continue to maintain parks and open spaces to a standard that reflects this and how much you use them.

2. relaxation 3. children’S play

69%

PARK local

Said they were prepared to travel up to 1 mile to a park or play area

1. GRASS CUTTING

We will do our best to ensure that residents continue to have a park or play area not too far from their homes. We will work closely with local communities to provide the services that so many residents use each week.

3. REPLACING TREES

We will focus our resources so that grass cutting meets residents’ expectations within parks. We have no plans to radically reduce planting & pruning. We acknowledge that replacing trees is a lower priority for residents.

Services such as cemeteries, sports pitches, bowling greens and events in public parks should be cost neutral

Over the past 12 months we have worked hard to reduce the cost of providing these services. We will continue to review both costs and fee structures to ensure these services become cost neutral to council tax payers.

2. PLANTING & MAINTenance

70%

£££

Feel the city centre should take priority over other areas

Cleansing of our streets, particularly in the city centre, is very important to the residents and businesses of Exeter. We will target our resources to reflect this.

HELPING PEOPLE “Thank you to all residents and businesses that took the time and trouble to respond to the consultation. One only has to listen to the news, or engage with social media to hear about the impact of the cuts on local authority funding. Our aim is to minimise the impact of these cuts, in particular the impact of welfare reforms on working families. Below are a number of issues which have been raised by the consultation exercise and which have a direct impact on how we deliver services.” Cllr Heather Morris

Portfolio Holder for Customer Access

...we listened

YOU SAID...

24/7 access to services online

“One only has to listen to the news... to hear about the impact of the cuts on local authority funding.”

appointments

working in partnership

council tax support

the services we should provide

98% 82% Have access to the internet

60%

Have never used the council’s website to check an account for example Council Tax/Housing Benefit

Are in favour of an appointments system

R NDA

CALE

6 7 4 5 3 3 14 12 1 1 2 0 11 1 0 21 2 8 9 8 19 1 7 61 15 1

Co-location of some Devon County Council services would be useful - however, no specific services were identified as part of the consultation

54%

In favour of the council supporting individuals on low income to pay their Council Tax

that it was important to provide 63% Said debt advice that it was important to provide 61% Said money management advice that it was important to provide 74% Said an emergency hardship fund

The majority of residents and businesses in Exeter have access to the internet. We are radically improving exeter.gov.uk and are in the process of moving our services online wherever possible, so they are available 24/7. This is an interesting development and I can understand that in these busy times some residents would like the certainty of being seen at a specific time and day. We will investigate the viability of such an approach. We are now co-locating with CAB, Exeter Pound and the Ubuntu Counselling Service. We will explore working with other service providers to meet the needs of our residents. This may include further co-location including with DCC. We will continue to support residents in financial difficulties. However, our ability to support individuals is directly related to central government funding which may be reduced. We now provide a one-stop-shop to residents visiting our customer service centre, allowing them to deal with all issues in a single visit, without the stress and inconvenience of repeated visits.

cultural city “The level of support for culture in Exeter that we saw in this consultation came as no surprise to me. I believe that culture is a key ingredient of a vibrant city and of a successful local economy. Your responses show that this belief is widely held in Exeter. Below I have identified 5 key messages from the consultation.” Cllr Rosie Denham

Portfolio Holder for Economy and Culture

YOU SAID...

High levels of participation

a museum for all

the future of ramm

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES funding for organisations & venuEs

...we listened

that they regularly visited the Royal 84% Said Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM) that they had attended festivals 71% Said and other cultural events in cultural activities within 87% Participate Exeter at least once per month

We will ensure Exeter’s cultural offering continues to grow and helps raise the profile of the city as a cultural centre. We will make sure that our offering continues to provide activities for all and value for money.

no to paying for general entry or reduced opening for the RAMM 66% Said it was appropriate to charge for 56% Thought special exhibitions at the RAMM 81% In favour of creating a shop within the RAMM

We will continue free entry for the RAMM and investigate the potential to charge for some special exhibitions. Work has started to provide a high quality visitor shop within the RAMM.

Should the council consider transferring the management of the RAMM to a charity?

66%

39% Said no 61% Said yes/unsure

1. GREAT THINGS TO SEE & DO

Felt cultural 2. Attracting visitors to exeter activities were 3. opportunities for young people important

61% Wanted continued funding

We will continue to support the RAMM and protect it for future generations. Another model of management may allow the RAMM to access new funding. We will cautiously explore different ways of running the RAMM. We will support cultural opportunities and big events in the city that help to improve quality of life and health and wellbeing, ensuring everyone in Exeter is able to take part in and enjoy cultural experiences.

“...culture is a key ingredient of a vibrant city and of a successful local economy.”

1. organisations & venues

We will support local organisations and community events and target our resources to reflect this. We will 2. council & community festivals/events work with partners to find new ways of funding arts 3. local cultural projects & events & culture in the future.

safer city “Ensuring Exeter remains a safe place for residents and visitors is a priority. I believe this is the most basic thing we need to get right for a successful city. A big thanks to everyone who responded, what comes across is that residents generally feel safe in the city, but that there are real issues in the city’s car parks and at night, linked to the threat of antisocial behaviour. There is no one solution, but below we outline how we will tackle many of these issues in the future, based on your feedback. Exeter is a very safe city and we want to make it even safer.” Cllr Ollie Pearson

Portfolio Holder for Enabling Services

YOU SAID...

Safety in the city centre

WHEN DO YOU FEEL SAFE?

where do you feel unsafe?

75% Felt safe in the daytime 43% Felt safe at night

14% ➠ 40%

Only 14% felt unsafe in Exeter in general, but this rises to 40% for car parks at night

Antisocial Behaviour, drunkenness & street drinking

why do you feel unsafe?

what makes you feel safe? have you suffered harassment or discrimination?

Other issues 2x as many felt unsafe in the city centre due to ASB, drunkenness & drinking, than other issues combined

56%

Said businesses & other organisations should contribute

76% Police/PCSOs 69% CCTV 51% Uniformed security

Had experienced hate crime, harassment or discrimination

...we listened

It’s clear that the vast majority of people feel safe during the day but that we could do more to make everyone feel safer when out in the evening and during the night. This will shape our approach in everything we do. We have replaced the lighting in a number of car parks to make them a brighter and a more inviting place, improving the effectiveness of our CCTV in these areas. We are investigating how to make them even safer. We have launched a consultation on a Public Spaces Protection Order to tackle antisocial behaviour in the city centre. We have revised our licensing policy, making it more effective in dealing with issues like drunkenness. We will continue to provide CCTV in the city and investigate the contribution that businesses can make. We supported the creation of a BID (Business Improvement District) and we will work in partnership with it to invest in improved safety. While harassment and discrimination are relatively low in the city, no one should have to suffer these forms of abuse. We will continue to support Exeter Respect Festival and work with communities to monitor this issue.

“Exeter is a very safe city and we want to make it even safer.”

OUR VISION FOR THE future...

...& beyond

Investing today for Exeter tomorrow by innovating to address the challenges we face

a Growth Deal for Exeter n Secure government investment in the city with Innovation Exeter n Work with partners including Exeter University & the Met Office to pioneer innovative use of data & technology n Attract pioneering technology & industry to the city

sustainable Growth n Encourage employers to pay their staff the Living Wage n Negotiate local labour/contractor agreements as part of new planning commitments n Support low carbon initiatives such as District Heating & sustainable transport

Housing our communities n Deliver over 600 new homes in 2016 n Provide new homes with social & affordable rents n Improve the management of our housing assets to achieve greater value for money n Introduce further initiatives to improve standards in the private rented sector

invest in the city n Bring a £90m investment in restaurants, retail & leisure to the bus & coach station site n Build a new leisure centre as a major attraction for the city, getting ‘Exeter Active’ n Protect Exeter with a £3m investment in flood defences

Please view these publications on our website: o

int Exeter Taking

te plan

Corpora

2015/16

www.exeter.gov.uk/corporateplan

www.exeter.gov.uk/consultation

Support Exeter’s Communities n Involve communities in designing council services n Enable communities to agree priorities for the city and their areas in response to local development n Work with local partners to develop and deliver joint programmes to support vulnerable individuals and families

bringing excitEment to exeter n Hold great events in our parks including Exeter Respect Festival n Great exhibitions at RAMM n Continue to support other organisations to bring exciting events to Exeter

Exeter City Council • Civic Centre • Paris Street • Exeter • EX1 1JN Tel: 01392 277888 • www.exeter.gov.uk