Oxford City Council Corporate Plan, 2016–2020 Building a World-Class City for Everyone Photo Credits
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Oxford City Council Corporate Plan, 2016–2020 Building a world-class city for everyone Photo credits Front cover Mini construction (top centre) courtesy of BMW Oxford Westgate construction (bottom left) courtesy of The Westgate Oxford Alliance Oxford City Council Corporate Plan, 2016–2020 Building a world-class city for everyone Contents Introduction 3 Our Vision 4 A Vibrant and Sustainable Economy 6 Meeting Housing Needs 8 Strong and Active Communities 10 A Clean and Green Oxford 12 An Efficient and Effective Council 14 Introduction With a population of 158,000 that grew by 12% in the the health and education sectors and the County Council, is saved £8.5 million over the last four years and will achieve 3 decade 2004–2014, Oxford is the eleventh fastest growing to make Oxford a world-class city for all our citizens. This further cumulative efficiency savings of £7 million over the English city. As a global centre for research, education and plan sets out our vision and strategy, focusing on five next four years. We aspire to maintaining all the services at health, and with a growing high-tech sector the city is the interlinked priorities which address the key needs of the their current level or better, so we will need to find new economic and cultural hub of Oxfordshire’s world-class city: ways to manage demand and make access easier and knowledge economy. The city’s heritage environment and cheaper. We will continue to increase income from asset outstanding cultural attractions attract millions of visitors b A Vibrant and Sustainable Economy management, trading and charging for services and each year. It is an ethnically and culturally diverse city with b Meeting Housing Needs seeking external funding. the third highest ethnic minority population in the south- b Strong and Active Communities The City Council will work to secure long-term investment east. And with the highest proportion of students in b A Clean and Green Oxford that supports growth and prosperity to benefit all our England and Wales, it is also a youthful and mobile city. residents. Supporting vulnerable people and safeguarding b An Efficient and Effective Council. With our success come many opportunities, but also people at risk of crime or exploitation is a priority. We aim considerable challenges that must be addressed if the city The City Council has achieved much already and is for all our residents to benefit from good local services is to achieve its full potential and make an appropriate recognised as one of the best councils in the country for recognising that some people will require more support contribution to the UK economy. A lack of land for housing excellence of our services. We are proud to have achieved than others. We will target our resources proportionately and employment, transport infrastructure that is at full numerous awards including the MJ award for the highest to reflect different needs and reduce inequality. capacity, and major skills gaps threaten to constrain the achieving council in 2014; the APSE Overall Council of the We cannot achieve our vision without our partners – city’s growth potential. Key employers such as the BMW Year in service delivery in 2015 and Investors in People councils, public agencies, business and voluntary and Group, the University of Oxford and the NHS cite high Champion status acknowledging our achievements as an community organisations. Oxford City Council is focused housing costs as a challenge to the recruitment and exemplar employer. on building strong partnerships, collaboration and retention of staff. The housing crisis is causing increasing We continue to pursue this ambition in the context of a new influencing others. We play a lead role in the Oxford hardship for many people in the city, particularly the most era for local government. The City and County Councils face Strategic Partnership (OSP) that brings together key city vulnerable and least well paid. massive reductions in central government funding whilst organisations to focus on how we can best realise our For many of our residents Oxford offers great opportunities demand for our services increases. On-going cuts in social shared ambitions for economic development, urban for work and leisure. But there are major inequalities in security systems and changes to central government policy regeneration, tackling deprivation, improving education residents’ life chances and life expectancy, and 10 of the present new challenges to the way we deliver services and and skills, reducing crime and promoting a low-carbon areas of the south and east of the city are among the 20% in particular, impact on our plans for investment in Oxford. With our neighbouring district councils, the most deprived in England. People in these areas can expect affordable housing. County Council, the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and to live on average six years less than those in the more other partners, we are currently seeking greater local Our approach in recent years of prudent long-term financial affluent areas. While 43% of Oxford residents have degree control over finances and decision making so we are better management and delivery of increasingly efficient and level qualifications or above, 22% have no or low able to target our resources where they are needed most. effective customer focused services stands us in good stead qualifications. to manage the impact of these challenges. Since 2010, we Our ambition, which has been developed with our partners have lost 47% of our grant from government and it will among local businesses, community organisations, unions, disappear altogether by April 2019. The City Council has Our Vision Oxford City Council: Building a world-class city for everyone 4 By creating successful places in which to live and work and supporting people to reach their potential we will create a strong local economy and a city in which all our residents can thrive Partnership Building strong and eective partnerships with business, communities, voluntary sector, universities and the public sector joining-up investment and services Devolution Working with neighbouring councils and our partners to ensure that Oxford has greater control over decisions on investment and services Vibrant, Meeting Strong Clean An E!cient Sustainable Housing and Active and Green and E"ective Economy Needs Communities Oxford Council Oxford will be a centre A greater supply All residents will have The city’s environmental Residents will continue of world-leading and diversity of housing the opportunity to performance will to benet from high technology and business in and around the city participate in high-quality demonstrably improve, quality services due to innovation, with growth providing aordable community, leisure and leading to an ecient strong nancial and increased homes for all with cultural activities that and renewable management and new investment in enterprise improved transport links improve health,the quality energy-rich, sustainable ways of working and and the knowledge to help local employers of life and enable them urban environment. despite reductions in economy. attract and retain to full their potential. Government funding. 5 employees. Improvements to Investment in new Our diverse communities Better public transport Customers will receive housing provision, aordable homes will will benet from and more opportunities the assistance they help key workers, those high quality, safe to walk and cycle will need at the rst point infrastructure and public neighbourhoods and transport across the city on low incomes and the mean that roads are less of contact and have most vulnerable to nd a good local services, with clogged with trac and greater access to will tackle aordability, support targeted to congestion and support home that they can the air is cleaner and services through the aord and meets their reect diering levels of health is improved internet and phone businesses to grow. need and deprivation needs. through exercise. apps. across the city. Use of new technology People renting their Young people in Oxford Residents, visitors and The Council will actively and better data will home from a private will have a positive commuters in Oxford manage its investment enable the city to grow landlord in Oxford will transition to adulthood will enjoy a high quality property portfolio to in a way that is ecient, know that their home through good education, environment with achieve higher returns environmentally will be well maintained, skills training and streets, neighbourhoods to support further sustainable and that safe and free from opportunities for work and open spaces that are investment in our benets future overcrowding. and leisure. attractive, safe, clean communities and generations. and free from litter. services. Residents in Oxford Council tenants will Inequality will be The amount of waste The Council will build will be able to acquire benet from high reduced by providing will be reduced, and on its reputation for the range of skills they quality, energy ecient low income households more waste recycled reliable and eective need to join our homes in good quality with support to through excellent services and seek to world-class workforce environments. maximise their income. recycling services, provide them to and meet employers’ saving money and external organisations needs. energy. to generate additional income. Development in and There will be fewer Our residents, especially The city will become The Council will be an around the city that rough sleepers and the vulnerable and those more resilient to the exemplar employer will enable businesses homeless people, and at risk, will be protected impacts of climate which champions and organisations to families will get from crime and change and extreme innovation and diversity, locate, start and grow appropriate anti-social behaviour. weather; for example, pays a living wage, and locally. accommodation and ooding. has high quality sta who support to get back on feel supported and their feet.