DRAFT ITEM NO: C2(a)

SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF THE LOCAL NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL STRATEGY (LNRS) AND ACTION PLANS 2006-2010 DECISION-MAKER: CABINET DATE OF DECISION: 20TH FEBRUARY 2006 REPORT VERSION No: 6

FORWARD PLAN No: CR01211 KEY DECISION? YES

STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY Not applicable

WARDS/COMMUNITIES AFFECTED: All wards, but primarily those with Priority Neighbourhoods

SUMMARY Partnership’s Local Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy 2006 – 2010, entitled ‘Closing the Gap’ and its detailed Action Plans for the 11 Priority Neighbourhoods set out how all agencies in the city will work together to reduce disadvantage. They will enable the Southampton Partnership to secure faster improvements in the Priority Neighbourhoods thus closing the gap between the quality of life in these neighbourhoods and the rest of the city.

Through this report the Southampton Partnership is formally asking for the Council’s support for the updated LNRS and its Action Plans in terms of the approach, the priorities and the actions, and specifically in terms of taking the lead in the delivery of specific Council Actions across the Priority Neighbourhoods, and contributing to the delivery of Actions led by other organisations.

The draft LNRS is attached at Appendix A. The Draft Action Plans and the summary of consultation responses for the 8 Action Plans are available in the Members’ Rooms and on request from the report author. RECOMMENDATIONS: Having paid regard to Section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000 and the City’s Community Strategy and in recognition of the contribution that the documents make to achieving the Council’s 5 priorities: (i) To endorse the draft Local Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy 2006-2010 (LNRS) including the 5 priorities as detailed in appendix 1; (ii) To endorse the draft Action Plans; (iii) For those Actions where the City Council has been identified as lead organisation in either the LNRS and/or its Action Plans:

1 a) To agree to deliver the actions that can be achieved within existing resources and those covered by delegated powers; b) To actively explore external funds (for feasibility and/or actual delivery) for those Actions that cannot be achieved within existing resources and, following the appropriate decision making route, to deliver the Actions when funds are available; (iv) To support, where appropriate, the successful delivery of Actions that are being led by other organisations; and (v) To delegate authority to the Head of Communities & Regeneration to agree the final versions of the LNRS and the Action Plans, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Regeneration. REASONS FOR REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The LNRS and its Action Plans are a key element of the approach to meeting the Community Strategy’s Key Challenge to reduce disadvantage and raise aspirations in the Priority Neighbourhoods. All SCC Directorates have a part to play in meeting this challenge. 2. The proposals in the LNRS and Action Plans will contribute to achieving all of the Council’s 5 key priorities and will thereby contribute to the economic, social and environmental well-being of the city. 3. Minor changes may arise from consultation and discussion with agencies and the Neighbourhoods Partnerships. It is proposed that the Head of Communities & Regeneration be authorised to make changes to the documents for reasons of accuracy, consistency and clarity. BACKGROUND 4. One of the Key Challenges in the Community Strategy is the need to reduce disadvantage and raise aspirations in the city’s Priority Neighbourhoods in order to close the gap of disadvantage (measured across a number of indicators) between these neighbourhoods and the rest of the city. The LNRS and its Action Plans set the framework for how this will be achieved across all agencies from 2006 to 2010. 5. The first LNRS was approved by the Southampton Partnership in 2002. It identified the most disadvantaged parts of the city (the 11 Priority Neighbourhoods) and secured agreement that the key agencies in the city would seek to improve service delivery for people in these areas thus providing the opportunities for residents to improve their own life chances. It also secured agreement for the Partnership to prepare a detailed Action Plan for each Priority Neighbourhood, working with local residents. 6. The LNRS has now been updated. It details the overall approach to tackling disadvantage across the city and contains actions to improve educational attainment and employability that apply to all Priority Neighbourhoods. The remaining 8 Action Plans have also now been prepared. These set out additional actions to address issues of local importance which have been discussed and agreed with the relevant Neighbourhoods Partnerships.

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CONSULTATION 7. The Neighbourhoods Partnerships have had a key role in developing the Action Plans. They looked at local issues and their underlying causes and they identified the priorities that would really make an impact on reducing disadvantage in their areas. To spread the discussion to a wider audience additional consultation was carried out. As a result over 600 people from across the 8 Action Plan areas have put forward their views. The following methods were used: • Consultation with local groups – commissioning of TWICS (a local organisation) to lead a discussion at group meetings. 43 groups representing different sections of the community were involved • 3 sessions for young people using the Electronic Voting System • 13 local drop in sessions in each neighbourhood advertised through an information leaflet to all households in the Priority Neighbourhoods, and letters to user groups for people with health issues • An on – line questionnaire receiving 66 responses • specific letters (with questionnaires) to key faith groups • Community Centres consultation • SCC Councillors’ survey (Nov 2004) • Publicity through City View 8. The LNRS and Action Plans have been approved by the Southampton Regeneration Executive and Southampton Partnership as drafts to seek formal support from the service providers. In addition relevant Neighbourhoods Partnerships have given the same support. This report requests Cabinet for its support. The PCT, the Police, Job Centre Plus and the Learning & Skills Council have also been asked for their support. 9. The HCR Scrutiny Panel has considered the report and made the following suggestions: • The report should make reference to the elements of the Action Plans referring to parenting skills. • Reference should be made to the importance of involving youth workers in achieving the goals of the strategy. • The location of the word on the map on page 6 of the LNRS should be adjusted to reflect its real location more accurately. • Whilst it is recognised that the Southampton Partnership is the lead body for the strategy, the documentation should identify clearly the outcomes the Council is responsible for delivering, and who is accountable for delivery. 10. The final version of the LNRS will include reference to the Parenting and Family Support Strategy, as well as the changes to the map. It is accepted that youth worker as well as other community-based workers are central to achieving the goals of this strategy and this will be reflected in the final version of the LNRS. The last point is covered in paragraphs 18 and 19 of this report. ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED 11. The Council is being asked for its support to the Southampton Partnership’s

3 document. The City Council has a key role to play in the delivery of the proposed actions and is a key member of the Southampton Partnership The alternative therefore is not to endorse the approach and the individual actions. Adopting this option would mean: • Delay, and the possibility that the LNRS and its Action Plans would not proceed • Some other mechanism will still be needed to demonstrate how well the city is doing in closing the gap of disadvantage • Possible reclaiming by the government of a proportion of the NRF funding already received (in excess of £5M) if the Southampton Partnership is seen to not have complied with the NRF requirement to prepare Action Plans. The money has already been spent and the Council is the Accountable Body. DETAIL Local Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy 2006 - 2010 12. The priorities of the revised Local Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy (2006 – 2010) are: • We will focus on “closing the gap” between the quality of life in the 11 Priority Neighbourhoods and the rest of the city. In particular we will support and ensure delivery of the o Thornhill Plus You Delivery Plan o Outer Shirley Delivery Plan o and Action Plan through a dedicated Task Force and o Specific Action Plans for the other 8 Priority Neighbourhoods • Focus on improving educational attainment and employability, thus enabling people from Priority Neighbourhoods to contribute and share in the city’s economic prosperity • Commit to using mainstream resources to achieve the necessary improvements in floor targets in the Priority Neighbourhoods • Develop effective ways to lead, manage and monitor how we are closing the gap • Develop the neighbourhood management agenda through the Neighbourhoods Partnerships, so that local people are empowered to drive sustainable improvements in their communities. 13. The Southampton Partnership has previously considered the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2004 for the city, and mapped where the concentrations of disadvantage are to be found - the 11 Priority Neighbourhoods which are: In the Central Neighbourhoods Partnership area: • Bevois and Bargate • and Polygon In the North Neighbourhoods Partnership area: • and • Flowers Roads, Hampton Park and In the East Neighbourhoods Partnership area:

4 • Thornhill • • Harefield In the West Neighbourhoods Partnership area: • Outer Shirley • • Shirley Estate In the South Neighbourhoods Partnership area: • Weston 14. It is important to note that in general, these areas are well regarded by local residents and the consultation revealed many positive characteristics in each neighbourhood. The strategy is therefore focussed on individual issues that will further improve each neighbourhood. 15. The IMD measures the extent of disadvantage in an area across seven themes (domains) and identifies the number of small areas known as Super Output Areas (SOAs) which are in the worst 10% in the country. This analysis shows that the biggest issue to address in Southampton is around “education, skills and training”. The Index of Multiple Deprivation combines all seven domains to provide an overall measure of deprivation within Southampton: • Overall the most deprived areas are in the Bevois & Bargate wards, Redbridge & Millbrook, Weston (in Woolston ward) and Thornhill (in ward) • Of the seven ‘domains’ that make up the IMD 2004, Southampton performs worst on the Education, Skills & Training domain, and second worst on the Living Environment domain. • The most Education, Skills & Training deprived areas in Southampton are in Redbridge, Millbrook, Woolston, and Thornhill (in Bitterne ward) • The most Income deprived areas in Southampton are in Bevois & Bargate wards, Redbridge & Millbrook, Weston (in Woolston ward) and Thornhill (in Bitterne ward) • One area in Bargate has 75% of children living in income deprivation • Southampton has the three worst areas in the South East for income deprivation affecting older people • The most Employment deprived areas in Southampton are in Bevois & Bargate wards, Redbridge & Millbrook, Weston (in Woolston ward) and Thornhill (in Bitterne ward) • The most Health deprived areas in Southampton are concentrated in the Bargate & Bevois wards, and Weston (in Woolston ward) • The areas with highest Barriers to Housing and Services in Southampton are located in Bevois, Bassett, Sholing, Redbridge & wards • The most Living Environment deprived areas are in the , Coxford & Redbridge, , Portswood and Freemantle wards; • The areas with the worst score on the Crime domain are Bassett &

5 Swaythling, Redbridge and Millbrook, Thornhill (in Bitterne ward) and the Bargate wards. • The number of SOAs in the bottom 10% nationally by Priority Neighbourhood and theme are:

Priority Domain Neighbourhood Ed, skills Health & Employm Income Child Crime & training disability ent poverty * Weston 2 1 1 1 2 0 Thornhill 4 0 0 2 4 1 Bevois & Bargate 0 8 2 2 3 1 Flower Roads, 2 0 0 0 1 1 Hampton Park & Mansbridge Lordshill 3 0 0 0 0 0 Outer Shirley 10 0 0 2 5 1 Townhill Park 1 0 0 0 1 0 Harefield 1 0 0 0 1 0

No. Of 25 9 3 7 19 5 Southampton’s 146 SOA In the 10% most deprived in *Child poverty is a subset of the Income domain Action Plans 16. The Priority Neighbourhoods with the greatest concentrations of disadvantage are: • Outer Shirley (which has the Single Regeneration Budget programme), • Thornhill (New Deal for Communities programme) and • Bevois & Bargate 17. As Bevois & Bargate now has no dedicated programme to tackle disadvantage the Action Plan for that area will be wide ranging, bringing together actions across several agencies to focus on local issues. It is proposed to establish a Task Force to spearhead the improvements to make a step difference in this part of the city. In the other Priority Neighbourhoods it is suggested that action is focussed on achieving a few local priorities that will make the biggest impact. Weston already has an Action Plan (approved in 2004). 18. From discussions with the Neighbourhoods Partnerships, an analysis of the statistics, and research into causes of disadvantage, the key priorities that were identified that have the potential to make a real difference to people’s lives are: Employment and income maximisation All Priority Neighbourhoods except Freemantle and Polygon. Education

6 All Priority Neighbourhoods. The individual schools have plans for raising educational attainment. Sure Start Children’s Centres are having a huge impact working with parents to get pre-school children ready for school. The Action Plans focus on what more can be done to support this including encouraging greater parental involvement in their child’s learning and additional activities for children and young people. Health All Priority Neighbourhoods except Freemantle and Polygon. Crime All Priority Neighbourhoods. Housing Freemantle and Polygon, Bevois and Bargate, Portswood and St Denys, Flower Roads, Hampton Park and Mansbridge. 19. In addition residents in the Freemantle and Polygon and Bevois and Bargate Priority Neighbourhoods also identified Promoting community spirit as being important. 20. The majority of Actions fall within the relevant priority themes shown above, however where there are additional important local concerns Actions to address these have also been included. 21. Reference to good practice and what actually works have resulted in Actions that are deliverable and are supported in principle by the organisations with responsibility to deliver them although formal support is still awaited. Delivery 22. In order to achieve success in the challenging task of reducing deprivation and inequality in the city, it is necessary for all agencies, partners and local communities to work together (e.g. the PCT, Police, Job Centre Plus, the Learning and Skills Council, schools, the further and higher education, City Council, Regeneration Bodies, community groups and voluntary sector organisations). One of the priorities of the LNRS, therefore, is to establish a revamped Southampton Regeneration Executive to provide the leadership for effective joint working. The Neighbourhood Renewal Team will support the Southampton Regeneration Executive and be responsible for the overall co- ordination of the LNRS and implementation of the Action Plans. 23. For the City Council, all SCC Portfolios are directly affected with delivery of specific actions falling to them. Cabinet Members will be responsible for ensuring that the actions identified within their Portfolios are delivered. Overall political lead for the implementation of the LNRS and Action Plans will rest with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Regeneration. The Neighbourhood Renewal Team will be responsible for the overall co-ordination of the implementation of the LNRS and the Action Plans. Progress reports will be presented to the Neighbourhoods Partnerships (for specific Action Plans) and the Southampton Partnership (for the LNRS). Floor Targets 24. One way of tackling deprivation at a national and local level is through 'floor targets'. These reflect the key priorities and targets include the difference in

7 outcomes between Priority Neighbourhoods and the rest of the population.

The Government uses floor targets because: • Floor targets help reduce the gap between the poorest areas and the rest of the country; • They show what the priorities should be at a local level; • Floor targets make sure that where public services are failing, they get better; • Sometimes, floor targets work like the minimum wage, setting the minimum standard for poor areas and disadvantaged groups. 25. The specific actions and targets in the LNRS and Action Plans reflect the targets in the Government’s list of floor targets for the main priority areas. The National Floor Targets are set out in paragraph 14 of the Local Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy. FINANCIAL/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS Capital 26. See paragraph 26. Revenue 27. This report does not commit the Council to additional financial resources since the expectation is that mainstream resources will be used and that many of the Actions can be achieved within existing budget allocations (by reshaping services and refocusing funds). The Actions will be brought forward through the normal process of business plans and/or service plans or as individual decisions when the specific financial implications will be fully explained. For those Actions that require additional funds, these could come from other service providers (e.g. the Primary Care Trust) or from bidding for external sources (e.g. various Government or EU funds). 28. It is proposed that the Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Team take the lead in working with others to make the LNRS and Action Plans a reality. Property 29. Any detailed property related proposals arising from the implementation of the LNRS and Actions Plans will be referred to the Corporate Asset Group. As details of the individual projects develop they should feature in the Asset Management Plan where appropriate and allow decision-makers to refer back to the Council’s corporate property framework. Other 30. None. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Statutory power to undertake proposals in the report: 31. Subject to express prohibitions, Section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000 empowers a local authority to do anything calculated necessary to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of its area. Various specific

8 proposals contained in the draft plan can also be delivered under the Council’s powers contained in various Acts. Where a delegated power does not exist to take a particular action, a decision will be brought forward to the appropriate decision maker at the appropriate time. Other Legal implications 32. In undertaking the proposals set out in this report, the Council has had regard to equality legislation (particularly in relation to access to consultation processes and in relation to the effects of these proposals on the community), section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998. POLICY FRAMEWORK IMPLICATIONS 33. The wide ranging scope of the LNRS and the Action Plans mean that they will contribute to achieving the aims of several of the Plans that make up the Council’s Policy Framework, particularly the Community Strategy, the Medium Term Plan, the City Performance Plan, the Community Safety Strategy, Adult Learning Plan, Housing Strategy, and the Children & Young Person’s Strategic Plan.

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SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION Appendices 1. Draft LNRS (2006 – 2010) version 7 dated 19.12.05 Documents In Members’ Rooms 1. Action Plans for • Bevois & Bargate • Portswood & St Denys • Lordshill • Flower Roads, Hampton Park & Mansbridge • Freemantle & Polygon • Townhill Park • Harefield • Shirley Estate 2. Summary of consultation responses for 8 Action Plans (areas as above) Also available by Email – contact [email protected] Background Documents Title of Background Paper(s) Relevant Paragraph of the Access to Information Procedure Rules / Schedule 12A allowing document to be Exempt/Confidential (if applicable) 1. LNRS approved March 2002 2. Baseline statistics for each Priority Neighbourhood

Background documents available for inspection at:

REPORT OF: Cabinet Member for Communities & Regeneration

AUTHOR: Name: Suki Sitaram Tel: 023 80 832060 E-mail: [email protected]

File Name: lnrs/reports/ 05-06/ lnrs cabinet 20 feb 06 v4 151205

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