Annual Performance Report 2019-2020

XX 1. Office for National Statistics Mid Year 2019 Message from the Leader 2. KCC Housing Led forecast (Nov’ 2019), Strategic Commissioning - Analytics, 3. Office for National Statistics Welcome to the final Annual Report of our Corporate 4. Office for National Statistics Plan 2015-2020, which reflects on the achievements and 5. Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings - resident analysis 2019 6. Annual Population Survey Contents milestones seen across our borough over the last year. 7. 2019 Mid Year Population Estimates, Office for National Statistics 8. Office of Rail and Road With the opening of the Curious Brewery; The Coachworks; KEY FACTS the arrival of the new tenants at Elwick Place; the Designer Outlet expansion; the opening of a modernised Danemore Page 02 Message from the Leader and Junction 10A, to name only a few of the exciting AND FIGURES changes to have happened in the last year, it is clear Ashford is a borough we all should be proud to call home. Page 02 Message from the Whilst the coronavirus is a setback to our economic and Size Chief Executive social journey and although priorities will need reassessing, it is clear from the way the community has rallied that 130,000 2.2 People Page 03 Key Facts and Figures we will come through, we will reconnect with family and Population estimate friends, we will rebuild our economy and we will be a per hectare thriving community once again. Page 04 Corporate Plan 2015-20 153,000 58,062 Population 39 49 Hectares largest estimate by 2030 Ward areas parish areas geographical area in Kent Page 06 Corporate Plan Highlights Gerry Clarkson, CBE

Page 08 Enterprising Ashford Leader, Ashford 80.6 84.2 Health Life expectancy Life expectancy Borough Council at birth – male at birth – female Page 10 Living Ashford Message from the Chief Executive Page 12 Active and I hope that you enjoy reading our Annual Report – it offers Creative Ashford just a snapshot of some of the good work which has gone on over the last year as well as some key milestones that have been reached across the Corporate Plan period. Economy £609.10 28.9% Page 14 Attractive Ashford Median Weekly Resident NVQ4+ level qualification With our entrepreneurial approach, careful planning and £ Earnings, 2019 or above placing Ashford collective working our services have remained first-rate in the bottom 20% of (higher than the Great British whilst ensuring our contribution to your Council Tax can authorities in England. Page 16 Our Underpinning average slightly lower than the remain low. The year has seen some fantastic achievements Kent average) Principles with the modernisation of Danemore, our continued commitment to reducing homelessness with schemes like our Christchurch Lodge project, and town centre and Page 18 Residents Survey cultural events such as the Illuminites and Create festival. Diversity

With the end of the period came the first weeks of the Page 20 The Future coronavirus pandemic and I want to offer my condolences 25.1% 19.4% 40.7yrs Proportion of Proportion of to all of you who have lost loved ones. Whilst we will need Mean age population 19 population aged time to reflect and assess how our services may need to and under 65 and over adapt, it is clear that our communities are strong and closer than ever. Transport

Tracey Kerly Chief Executive, 4,102,872 200,000 trips Ashford increase on the Ashford Borough Council International Station previous year 02 03 CORPORATE PLAN 2015-2020 CORPORATE PLAN 2015-2020 The council’s current Corporate Plan is now approaching its conclusion. Over the last five years we have prioritised our actions based upon the five priorities detailed below, with an aspiration to make Ashford borough an attractive place where people and businesses want to settle.

ENTERPRISING ASHFORD Promote growth and achieve greater economic prosperity for Ashford borough. We will work to secure inward investment to create a wide range of jobs carried out by a highly skilled workforce. ACTIVE AND CREATIVE ASHFORD Provide or enable a range of quality leisure and cultural activities where people can l A vibrant town centre and a supporting business centre. make healthy and affordable lifestyle choices and enjoy assets that create attractive, l A range of jobs with an emphasis on increasing skills levels. desirable and active communities. l Creating a new local plan that provides for economic growth by allocating sufficient space for new businesses and encourages a range of jobs, especially higher l Delivery of the best mix of sports, cultural, recreational experiences supporting a skilled jobs. range of health and wellbeing benefits for residents of all ages and abilities. l Well-planned and well-resourced infrastructure to maintain Ashford’s prime l Innovative ways for people to choose active lifestyles.

location status. l Grow our cultural offer to be a successful and alternative destination. l A thriving rural tourism economy and successful rural enterprise. l Maximise the value of our key green sites.

LIVING ASHFORD ATTRACTIVE ASHFORD Secure quality homes across the borough, catering for a range of ages, tenures and Achieve an environment that creates higher standards of public space design, need, in well planned and attractive new places. alongside improved standards of presentation of key green spaces. Safeguard and l Identify an adequate supply of housing to meet the range of housing needs. conserve our local heritage and areas of outstanding landscape quality to ensure the very best attractive environment with thriving and vibrant town centres. l Create a supply of town centre housing to suit emerging new markets. l Help people meet their housing needs and aspirations. l Improve and safeguard the quality and presentation of the borough, recognising its l Maintain assurance of confidence in the planning system. unique environment, countryside, local heritage and tourism offer. l Delivery of best mix of new and existing parks and green spaces, incorporating quality public art and cutting edge design. l Strengthen tourism and local heritage offer.

OUR UNDERPINNING PRINCIPLES Remain a well-resourced council, with effective governance, high quality services, good communications, safe surroundings, demonstrating good compliance and high standards. 04 05 CORPORATE PLAN HIGHLIGHTS

Dec 2015 Elwick Place plans approved Multi-million pound plans approved to provide Ashford with a town centre boutique cinema, family hotel and restaurants and cafes. Opened in December 2018.

Jun 2016 Local Plan to 2030 consultation opened The plan set out the land that needs to be provided in the borough to accommodate new homes and jobs up to 2030. Adopted in February 2019.

Jul 2016 Nov 2018 Funding support agreed for new college Snowdogs discover Ashford The Cabinet agreed recommendations including providing additional funding Inspired by the much-loved animated film The Snowman and The Snowdog, support, helping delivery of the new campus to come forward sooner. Ashford’s Snowdog trail celebrated the film’s themes of life, love, loss, friendship, Opened September 2017. companionship, strength and kindness.

Aug 2016 Apr 2018 Consultation on plans for Ashford’s new M20 10a Junction Designer Outlet expansion Plans to build a new junction on the M20 went to consultation following the £90m Designer Outlet expansion drives long term growth. Opened November 2019. acceptance of the application by the Planning Inspectorate. Opened to traffic October 2019. Apr 2018 ‘Ashford For You’ magazine launches July 2016 The 24 page, quarterly magazine is distributed to all households in the borough and Ashford Commercial Quarter covers what’s going on in the local area, profiling services, people and places. Cabinet approved planning for this significant commercial development. The re- generation will attract important inward investments and generate jobs for the area. Jul 2018 Opened July 2018. The Coachworks vision outlined The council commissioned Carl Turner Architects to create a vision to breathe new life Feb 2017 into disused industrial buildings in Dover Place, close to the international train station. Work begins at Danemore, Opened in stages during 2019. Works commenced on the construction of 34 sheltered scheme apartments for local residents and 4 bungalows for private sale. Opened April 2019. Oct 2018 Beacon unveiled Feb 2017 As part of commemorations throughout 2018 for the 100th anniversary of the signing ‘One You’, the new health shop comes to Ashford; following its success, moved to of the Armistice at the end of the First World War, a brand new Civic Beacon was larger premises in July 2019. unveiled – the first of its kind for Ashford town. 06 07 Annual Performance 2019/2020 The year has seen key developments in our town centre’s offer, with the opening of the Curious Brewery in a town centre position ENTERPRISING directly opposite the train station.

ASHFORD The junction will support the local With our emerging ideas for the former economy and improve the infrastructure Mecca Bingo site, it is hoped we will be Following the opening of the anchor restaurant and inspired landscaping. of the town. able to revitalise the town centre ensuring tenants of the Picturehouse Cinema and The Curious Brewery opened its doors our town remains an attractive and safe Whilst our town centres, like most Travelodge Hotel at our Elwick Place site in May providing a fantastic addition to place to live and visit, where people feel across the country, are going through a in December 2018, this year has seen the the town centre offer and providing an welcome and have a sense of community period of change, with every retail loss announcement and opening of a number additional employer to the town. and belonging. being unfortunate, we are committed to of new tenants including award-winning supporting our town centres: the hearts Car park usage in Ashford town centre Kentish independent food and drink The year also saw the phased opening of our communities. has performed well across the year, brand Macknade and Dansaki, an Afro- of The Coachworks developed by Turner Works. The Coachworks, a ‘meanwhile’ consistently returning a higher usage Caribbean restaurant which is set to open Occupancy rates in our Park Mall development, revived a disused industrial figure across the year compared to imminently under the Travelodge hotel shopping centre have remained high building in Dover Place which has the previous year. The introduction of offering a fine dining experience in a cosy throughout the year with an average added further vitality to our commercial social distancing measures at the end and welcoming atmosphere. of between 2-3 units out of 32 being quarter. Turner Works have developed of March has significantly reduced car vacant at any one time. We offer ongoing In October, The Ashford International an imaginative and innovative concept park usage and this will continue into support to traders in Park Mall which Model Railway Exhibition Centre set up for us, unlike anything else in Kent, using the following months. Over the coming has seen footfall in the shopping centre temporary home in unit 2 to showcase the existing fabric of the buildings they year automatic number plate recognition grow steadily since it was acquired by its plans to create a permanent visitor have created: The Yard Bar, an outdoors (ANPR) technology will be introduced to the council. Elwick Place car park to make it easier to attraction in the town and, in January, entertainment space; The Platform, a new use. Our Tenterden car parks have seen a Snap Fitness, one of the world’s fastest shared office space in the old corn store; We ran a series of events throughout comparable usage to the previous year. growing gym and fitness club franchises, and the Hot House, which provides room the year in the town centre to help boost opened in unit 8, which is located on the for food stalls and event space. footfall and this year these have included first floor of the cinema, restaurant and The ‘Great British Bark Off’, The ‘Day of Strategic property investment in the leisure development. the Dead’ Halloween Spooktacular and town continued during the year, with the ‘Illuminites’ events. Guy Hollaway Architects’ design for our acquisition of the Matalan site Elwick Place was also selected as a finalist with the aim of securing a commercial in the ‘Retail and Leisure Architect of the income; and the acquisition of the Home Year’ category at the 2019 Building Design Plus site for redevelopment by our Ashford Town Centre Tenterden Centre Architect of the Year Awards. property company, A Better Choice for Car Park Usage Car Park Usage 45000 Property Ltd. 40000 The year has seen key developments 70000 35000 We have long campaigned for the 60000 in our town centre’s offer, with the 30000 delivery of extra road transport capacity 50000 opening of the Curious Brewery in a 25000 to cater for the town’s future needs. 40000 town centre position directly opposite 30000 20000 This year has seen the opening of

the train station. A brand new, state of Jan Jan Oct Oct July July Feb Feb Dec Dec Aug Aug Nov Nov May May June June Sept Sept Junction 10a, maintaining our borough as April April

the art, multi-million pound cathedral March March of brewing with a bar, first class one the best connected in the area. 19/20 18/19 19/20 18/19 08 09 Also during the year, our work to welcome Syrian refugees was nationally recognised. Our proud record of welcoming more vulnerable families LIVING from war-torn Syria than any other district in Kent, and indeed across the South East outside of London, has been ASHFORD recognised in the annual LGC Awards 2020 nominated in the Diversity and Inclusion category. During the year, Danemore sheltered housing scheme in Tenterden re-opened, Our New Build Affordable Homes marking a major landmark in the multi- Programme 2018-2022 seeks to continue million pound modernisation plans for the modernisation of existing sheltered our sheltered housing schemes. The new housing schemes and brings forward look Danemore provides 34 homes for the delivery of new affordable housing affordable rent for older people, together within the borough, whilst continuing the with four chalet bungalows to be sold on council’s existing programme of street the open market. purchases and buying back ex-council Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal house properties where appropriate. officially opened Danemore in February. 15 new build affordable houses Following the adoption of our Local Plan Eastwell, Charing, , , were delivered by Ashford Borough 2030 in February 2019 which sets out the , Tenterden and Wye, helping Five years after we launched the Council in 2019/20 with more planned. strategic priorities for development in local communities to influence the innovative Christchurch House project that We purchased 41 on-street properties the borough, work is either ongoing or planning of the area in which they live has succeeded in benefitting homeless in 2019/20 to bolster the resilience has concluded on neighbourhood plans and work. households and saved local taxpayers of its housing stock and continued to for: , and money, this year we have unveiled work with registered providers of social plans following the same blueprint for housing, who delivered 143 affordable Christchurch Lodge. Planning Aplications Speed of Major Planning rented and shared ownership properties Hoping to open in the autumn Approved Application Decisions in 2019/20. Christchurch Lodge a former disused 95% 80% home in Beaver Road is to be During the year, over £1.05m was spent 90% 60% converted into eight homes, capable by us on disabled facilities grants across 40% of accommodating up to 25 people. An 70 properties making lives easier and, 85% 20% extensive refurbishment programme is in many cases, allowing our residents 80% 0% underway to add facilities like a communal to continue to live comfortably in Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

kitchen, dining room and laundry room. their homes. 19/20 Benchmark 19/20 18/19 Benchmark

Following the implementation of the We will always work with planning applicants to ensure a satisfactory outcome is reached when Homelessness Reduction Act we have seen planning applications are submitted; planning application approvals remained relatively consistent at an increase in homelessness approaches around the benchmark figure of 90% throughout 2019/20. to us and the number of homelessness We are, however, aware that due to fluctuating caseloads and vacancy levels in the planning preventions has risen significantly. As department our performance against the government’s target for the speed of major planning such, we have had to respond proactively applications decisions has, at times throughout the year, fallen below our expectations. and schemes such as Christchurch House The performance threshold for speed of major decisions is set at 60% over a rolling 24 month period and Lodge are a crucial element of this. ending Q2 each year. In Q2 2019/20 performance for major speed was 65.5%. However, this fell to 60% in Q4. Our focus over the coming year will be this performance measure to ensure it is improved. 10 11 ACTIVE AND CREATIVE ASHFORD

During the year we provided funding July saw the return of Create Festival, to enable the Ashford One You shop already one of the South East’s biggest to relocate to a larger unit within Park and longest established free music Mall. Since opening in February 2017, festivals. This year marked the 24th year of the One You shop has provided support the festival and was headlined by iconic to Ashford communities in tackling their Britpop band The Lightning Seeds. health and wellbeing concerns, with more than 4,000 people having visited the The Great British Bark Off provided One You shop to date. residents and visitors to the town with a fun, free family event. July also saw the launch of the Hosted by Loveashford in partnership ‘Woodchurch Wagon’, a 16-seater with Emergency Exit Arts, the Great minibus; the second vehicle in a wellbeing British Bark Off combined a dog show initiative created by Ashford Borough with a Great British Bake Off inspired Council and named ‘Community Connect’. cake competition for local businesses. Woodchurch parish councillors have Over 30 dogs were entered into the been working, in partnership with us, show, which had four categories: best to arrange the provision of the service. owner-dog relationship, most unusual The vehicle was named by children from talent, best story and best celebrity look- Woodchurch Primary School. a-like. December saw a series of events under The following weekend, the Carnival the Illuminites banner. A five minute of the Baubles filled the town. Starting digital display was projected on the at Elwick Place, a procession of giant, side of International House, celebrating illuminated baubles, decorated by Ashford’s rich heritage and history with children from six Ashford primary schools a festive twist. This event coincided made its way down Bank Street to the with the opening of the Coachworks in Lower High Street. Dover Place. August saw Ashford celebrate the 100th For two nights Ashford also became anniversary of the presentation of our a Winter Forest, made up of a trail of iconic Mark IV. We are so fortunate to illuminated trees dotted around the have this incredibly unique and rare town centre and Elwick Place. The trees artefact, monument and memorial; it’s were Ashford-themed, showcasing important to celebrate its history and the town’s rich history, famous continue to tell the story of why it’s here, landmarks, and illustrious residents for a and what it represents. striking installation. 12 13 Our 2019 Year of the Environment has seen ATTRACTIVE tree planting, waste and recycling campaigns, achievement awards, ASHFORD sculptures made of

July saw cabinet approval of a draft This performance continues into recycled materials, masterplan for Conningbrook Lakes 2019/20 as shown. Focused education the installation of water Country Park which will provide a mix of and awareness campaigns led by recreational facilities for residents and the council’s Environment and Land fountains and provision visitors alike to enjoy while protecting the Management service have helped of free compost. rich natural environment. residents to increase the amount of waste recycled and minimise contamination. We have been awarded more than £3 million from the National Lottery The success rate for refuse collections Heritage Fund and The National Lottery has remained high throughout 2019/20, Community Fund to revitalise with 99.97% of refuse collections Victoria Park. per 100,000 collections made being successful across the year. The funding means we can deliver our exciting plans to redevelop and restore one of Ashford’s oldest and most-loved green spaces, working with the local Recycling Rate community, volunteer groups and the 70% Friends of Victoria Park. 60% 50% 40% Proposals include a new children’s 30% play area, improvements to the river, 20% improved lighting across the park, and a 10% new community hub building with café, 0% April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March and new toilets. The iconic Grade II Listed Hubert Fountain and the surrounding 19/20 Benchmark piazza area will also be restored and repaired. Our 2019 Year of the Environment We have continued our strong recycling has seen tree planting, waste and performance, maintaining our position recycling campaigns, achievement as the top recycling authority in Kent in awards, sculptures made of recycled 2018/19, with a percentage of household materials, the installation of water waste sent for reuse, recycling or fountains, provision of free compost composting figure of 53.4%. as well as pumpkin and Christmas tree recycling campaigns. 14 15 OUR UNDERPINNING PRINCIPLES

At July’s meeting of Council, it was success is defined by talent, not gender announced that a key element of the or circumstance. As of the 31 March 2019 council’s new five year corporate plan our mean (average) gender pay gap in would be a stride towards carbon hourly pay stands at 13.5% with a median neutrality with an aspiration for the (mid-point) gender pay gap in hourly pay council to be 80% carbon neutral by the at 22.4%. end of that corporate plan 2025, and to be completely carbon neutral by the We continue to deliver our digital end of 2030. delivery programme which has the aims of both improving the customer As part of our aim to providing experience and realising capacity proactive, useful, relevant and accessible to ensure a sustainable council for communications, we have continued the the future. publication of our quarterly magazine ‘Ashford for You’ distributed to all With the introduction of the Web households in the borough covering Content Accessibility Guidelines which events, services, people and places. came into force in September 2019, our The magazine continues to be well website has undergone a transformation received by residents and supports our to be accessible to all members of the communications output. public. Some work includes editing the wording of the website content Transparency in all we do remains and converting documents to formats one of our key underlying principles as so that they can be accessed by all well as publishing as much information users. The council’s accessibility score as we can on our transparency pages has increased from 60% to 98% as of during the year we received 915 Freedom February 2019 as a result of this work. of Information requests responding Furthermore, the launch of our ‘Your to 97% of these within the statutory Ashford’ app has enabled access to just 20 working day time limit. under 80 different services from the convenience of a mobile app. We continue to welcome the government’s requirement for large organisations to be more transparent on gender pay, and will use this opportunity to nurture our culture of supporting women in the workplace, ensuring

16 17 To what extent do you think Ashford Borough Council understands the needs of customers? RESIDENTS

SURVEY 62%a great deal or a 37%not or fair amount not very much

In 2018, we asked residents to share their views on To what extent do you agree you can influence the life in Ashford and their opinions on the council and decisions that Ashford Borough Council makes? its service. We used these to shape our future plans and work to improve our services. In January and February 2020 we have conducted a similar survey based on the same methodology. We will use the results to develop new strategies 15%tend to or 55%tend to or to further improve the services we deliver to strongly agree strongly disagree residents and shape our new Corporate Plan and Carbon Neutral Strategy. Although the results are still being analysed we are How satisfied are you with parks in the borough? able to share some of our preliminary findings. 66% 15% Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are very or fairly very or fairly satisfied dissatisfied you with your local area as a place to live? 79% 10% How satisfied are you with bin collection? very or fairly very or fairly satisfied dissatisfied 83% 8% very or fairly very or fairly satisfied dissatisfied Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the way Ashford Borough Council runs its services? How satisfied are you with council car parks? 45% 30% 58%very or fairly 16%very or fairly very or fairly very or fairly satisfied dissatisfied satisfied dissatisfied 18 19 THE FUTURE Emerging Corporate Plan, Covid-19 and Recovery When we embarked on developing lives, strengthens our resolve to ensure our new corporate plan in the autumn we strive to deliver our vision. of 2019 it couldn’t be envisaged that we would be in the throes of a global Since the Autumn of 2019 we have pandemic in the spring of 2020. We will been working with a wide range of need to take time to reflect on the effect stakeholders to develop our long- the coronavirus pandemic has had on term aspirations for the borough. all of our lives and the provision of our This work was nearing completion services before considering our Corporate as the coronavirus epidemic became Plan for the future. widespread in the UK. Immediately, our attention and resources focused The work that had commenced on the on supporting vulnerable people, new corporate plan highlighted a strong maintaining vital community services and desire to focus our efforts on enabling all assisting local businesses. our communities to be places to be proud to live in, to strengthen their resilience In the short to medium term we will and ensure everyone has the opportunity work towards a Recovery Plan that sets to realise their own goals and aspirations. out steps that we can take to support our economy, local communities and It is important that we do not lose residents, to recuperate from the wide sight of where we want to be and how ranging impacts of the coronavirus and to we can work together to ensure we can build back better, rather than purely seek achieve our goals and aspirations for the a return to, the pre-pandemic normal. future. In setting our priorities for the next corporate plan we sought the views As we recover from the effects of the of many organisations to agree a long global pandemic, it is important to have in term vision for the borough. This vision place a strategic plan to ensure we have is supported by having a strong a clear view of what needs to be done to local economy, a flourishing natural continue to support recovery, strengthen environment and a range of cultural and resilience, and promote a prosperous and leisure offerings that appeal to everyone. more inclusive future.

At a time when we have had to take a As we emerge from the recovery look at what is important to us, caring for phase, a delivery plan will be developed each other and valuing what we have and to set out how we will achieve this long what others do to support us in our daily term aspiration. 20 21 Ashford Borough Council is committed to being open and transparent and we follow the code of recommended practice for local authorities on data transparency. As well as our performance reports we produce a number of monitoring reports which are made available on our webpages including:

- Annual Governance Statement - Statement of accounts and Budget books - Quarterly Financial monitoring report - Medium term financial monitoring report - Housing current delivery reports - Planning updates and many more.

www.ashford.gov.uk @AshfordCouncil AshfordBoroughCouncil