Position Statement 2019 Annual Performance Report
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POSITION STATEMENT 2019 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT Introduction - The New Forest The New Forest is an area of southern England of ponies, cattle, pigs and donkeys in the open District Council authority area in a number of within the district. The council works closely with the which includes one of the largest remaining tracts forest by authorised local inhabitants known as medium sized towns. To the south and east of the New Forest Business Partnership and ‘Helping local of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest Commoners. These unique agricultural commoning district border there lies 40 miles of coastline. business grow’ is a priority. in the heavily populated south east of England. It practices are administered by the Verderers. The broad range of organisations and community Average earnings are low with 60% of the working covers south west Hampshire and extends into The district council was created on 1 April 1974 and groups that exist means that the council works population earning less than the UK average. south east Wiltshire and towards east Dorset. It is a was a merger of the borough of Lymington, New collaboratively with and in the community to deliver This, and the high average house price, results unique place of ancient history, fascinating wildlife Forest Rural District and part of Ringwood and solutions. in significant cross-commuting between those and stunning beauty and was established as a royal Fordingbridge Rural District. The district is one of the The New Forest is home to the third largest who work in the forest but can’t afford to live hunting preserve. most populated non-unitary authorities in England economy in Hampshire, with a total Gross Value there, and those who can afford to live within the The local government administrative area of New (179,236) and within its boundaries there are 37 Added of £4.4bn. The district contains just under district but work elsewhere. The district council is Forest District Council (290 square miles) includes active town and parish councils. Hampshire County 8,000 businesses in total, which is more than any located between the two major conurbations of the New Forest National Park (206 square miles). Council are responsible for upper tier services. other local authority in Hampshire, including the Southampton and Bournemouth. Within the district there are 145 square miles of Operating within the heart of the district council cities of Southampton and Portsmouth. 89% of The very special nature of the New Forest makes it Crown land, managed by Forestry England. area is the National Park Authority established in businesses in the district are micro in size employing an extremely attractive place to live; both for those The New Forest is a working forest that has 2005. The National Park is the planning authority fewer than 10 people. Self-employment is relatively in work and those wishing to retire (28.4% of the prospered for nearly 1000 years. Many of the for its area. In other service areas there are shared high at over 11.6% and unemployment is consistently population is over 65). Housing development is agricultural practices conceded by the Crown in responsibilities and close collaborative working lower than in the rest of the country. Leisure, tourism made more difficult by many of the environmental historical times to local people are still retained. with the district council. Approximately 70% of the and marine along with their associated supply chains constraints of the area. The most significant of these is the depasturing population of the district live in the New Forest are significant employment and economic sectors 1 New Forest District Council on securing purchasing opportunities with the Housing, and particularly affordable housing for district council and the inaugural Local Business Village at the New Forest and Hampshire County local people is a particular issue in the district. The Town district council manages its own housing stock Show. Martin National Park Whitsbury (5,054 properties) and there are in excess of 3,000 Hale The new Housing Strategy sets out a vision to Rockbourne Breamore people on the housing waiting list. Woodgreen create balanced communities with a range of Damerham Furzley housing options that are affordable and sustainable. The New Forest district local plan review provides Sandleheath Godshill Bramshaw Ashford Winsor Fordingbridge Totton Alongside objectives to accelerate market housing Brook Copythorne the opportunity to shape the district over the next Fritham Frogham Bartley delivery and increase services for those in greatest twenty years and this will be an important process Hyde Netley Marsh Eling North Gorley Woodlands Marchwood need, the strategy includes council plans to support for the council to complete. The public examination Minstead Ashurst of the Local Plan Review 2016 – 2036 is underway, Ibsley Linwood a strong high quality private rented sector, plus the Emery Down Dibden development and construction of at least 600 new with hearing sessions taking place in June/July Ellingham Lyndhurst Bank Hythe council-owned affordable homes for rent and shared- 2019. The plan provides for 10,500 new homes to Poulner ownership by 2026. be built in the district, whilst protecting the district’s Ringwood Hardley Fawley unique natural environment and minimising the Holbury Burley To improve the wellbeing of our community, we Brockenhurst Beaulieu loss of land from the Green Belt. Blackfield delivered a summer Activity Roadshow to encourage Langley East Boldre Calshot The vast majority of services are provided by Thorney Hill Exbury families to play together in their local parks. 1,661 Sway Lepe Avon Boldre residents took part in activities in five parks around in-house teams. This includes the operation of Tiptoe Norleywood five high quality health and leisure centres, a Bransgore Bashley East End the district. A further 1,260 took part in summer Sopley Walhampton New Milton Hordle park activities delivered by funded partners in the Housing Maintenance team as well as Refuse and Hinton Lymington Waterside area. Recycling, Grounds Maintenance and Street Scene. Everton Downton The council employs 780 FTE with a small number Barton on Sea The ‘leave nothing but footprints’ anti-litter drive of services provided by third parties or through Milford-on-Sea Keyhaven © Crown copyright and database rights 2017 was continued with the New Forest National Park Ordnance Survey 100026220 shared service arrangements. Authority and Forestry England this year, and the annual community litter pick (annual spring clean) This is the last updated position statement aligned has set about rebalancing its expenditure and relationships between members and officers and was supported by 1,200 volunteers taking part in 50 to the current Corporate Plan, the priorities of which income in light of the significant reduction in central that Task & Finish groups are used to engage a wide events. are: government funding. During this period services range of members in developing the council’s future £361,500 in community grants was approved this • Helping local business grow have maintained a consistent level of delivery. direction. year for 14 local not-for-profit organisations. £86,000 • More homes for local people There is recognition that despite these changes the Our performance highlights 2018/19 was also awarded to local community organisations organisation needs to ensure that it has the capacity • Service outcomes for the community New Forest District Council remains committed to for capital projects. to deliver on its priorities. • Protecting the local character of our place. delivering the priorities set out in the 2016-2020 In achieving a balanced budget for 2019/20, savings These priorities were underpinned by: In February 2019 the council invited the original Corporate Plan: Helping local business grow, More and improved income generation totalling £2.288m peer review team to make a follow up visit on the homes for local people, Service outcomes for the • Living within our means absorbed pay and price increases across the back of the 2017 Corporate Peer Challenge in order community, Protecting the local character of our Portfolios totalling some £1.009m. This contributed • Working with others to achieve more to assess progress against the recommendations place, Working with others to achieve more and towards new requirements of £1.359m and have Work will be undertaken during 2019/20 by the made. The peer review concluded an impressive Living within our means. also made an important contribution towards new administration to develop the Corporate Plan pace and extent of change since the original visit, Our Economic Development Service continues to offsetting the reductions in government resources. 2020-2024. with particular emphasis on the priority given to the work with a variety of partners to deliver a range The residual required increase in council funding In the last two years, significant change has taken Local Plan, the development of housing strategies of information and advice, and has organised and to address the net increase in costs and reduction place within the organisation and in the way in which and the investment made in ICT infrastructure. led 35 events during 2018/19. Examples include in government funding has been achieved by an the council goes about its business as the council The team also highlighted the positive working provision of dedicated 1-1 business clinics, a seminar increase in council tax. 2 9,293 UNDERSTANDING private Leisure, tourism, care, retirement and marine rented are significant employment sectors within the OF THE LOCAL 8,440 district. We work closely with the New Forest socially Business Partnership to boost the economic PLACE AND rented Helping local viability of the area. 76,839 business grow PRIORITY households SETTING SALISBURY 57,603 We grant planning permission to over 1,000 owned planning applications for new dwellings per year, and around 320 new homes are built here Average earnings (full time) for those every year, 75 of them being affordable new who work in the New Forest are homes.