ESTER RC O W D R FORWA The Sustainable Community Strategy for Worcester produced by the 2010 Contents Introduction Welcome 4 Our Partnership 5 The Worcestershire Partnership 6 Our Vision 7 Worcester Today 8 ESTER RC O Worcester W Forward D R FORWA Priority 1 Warndon and Gorse Hill 24 Priority 2 Economy and Transport 30 Priority 3 Climate Change and Transition 34 Priority 4 Urban Renaissance 37 Appendices A References and Further Information 41 B Worcester Alliance and Worcestershire Partnership structures 42 C Worcester Alliance membership 43 D SWOT Analysis for delivery of this strategy 44 E Links between this strategy and the Local Area Agreement for 45 Worcestershire F Performance Information Summary 46 Comments welcome Please contact James Sommerville on [email protected] or call 01905 722057 Introduction Welcome by Professor David Green hank you for taking the time to read ‘Worcester Forward’, the third edition of the Sustainable TCommunity Strategy for Worcester. The purpose of the strategy is to help deliver our vision of making Worcester a ‘First Rank Cathedral and University City’. It has two main sections. Firstly, we have reviewed Summit in September 2010. This shorter-term focus Worcester’s current situation, using feedback from also allows us to be more specific with our outcomes, our 2009 City Summit, information from local indicators and targets. organisations, national statistics and the results of consultation exercises. We have also cast a spotlight ‘Worcester Forward’ means positivity and progress, on some of the innovative ways that organisations and we hope that after reading this strategy you will have worked in partnership to improve the quality of agree with us that Worcester is a city that is going life for local people. places. Despite the tough times, when the Alliance has met I’ve been struck by the ‘can-do’ attitude that our Secondly, we have outlined the outcomes that the member organisations have. They have risen to the Worcester Alliance and its member organisations want challenge of reduced income and greater demand on to achieve for Worcester during 2010 – we have four their resources with flair and innovation, and for that main priorities to deliver on and we’ve devised some they deserve to be congratulated. key indicators so that we can measure our progress. We have set ourselves some tough targets for 2010 It’s been two years since we produced the last but we look forward to meeting the challenge. edition of this strategy and at that time the country was still basking in the warm glow of the longest period of economic growth in history – how times have changed! Although we remain committed to the vision and our same overall priorities we must take into account the changing local and national Professor David Green circumstances. So rather than look several years Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the ahead we have decided to focus on the next year University of Worcester only and review the strategy once again at our City Chair of the Worcester Alliance 4 Worcester Forward 2010 www.worcesteralliance.org.uk Our Partnership - the Worcester Alliance ‘Worcester Forward’ is the key strategy of the by the larger Forum, which meets every few months, Worcester Alliance, the Local Strategic Partnership to which all Alliance members are invited and (LSP) for the city. We are a partnership of local members of the public are welcome to attend. Finally, organisations covering the whole spectrum of the the Alliance holds a yearly City Summit which in 2009 public, voluntary, community and private sectors, discussed what should be included in this strategy. all of whom are committed to working together to This structure is outlined in Appendix B, and you can improve the quality of life for those people who live, find a full list of Alliance members in Appendix C. work or visit Worcester. The Alliance provides a framework for joint working and interaction between The Alliance also has a large ‘information and member organisations, and they commit to: consultation group’ that is regularly updated by e-mail on the Alliance’s work and the consultation events Helping to deliver the outcomes listed within this being held by its member organisations. You can find strategy out more about the Alliance and forthcoming meetings Promoting the Alliance’s vision and principles, and at our website www.worcesteralliance.org.uk the importance of partnership working internally amongst their staff, volunteers and service users The Alliance also works with other LSPs, in particular Acting as leaders in the community by promoting the Worcestershire Partnership, the county’s LSP, to this strategy to local people and giving them ensure the action our members take is coordinated opportunities to engage in consultation and and effective. The Worcestershire Partnership decision-making is responsible for the delivery of the Local Area Providing representatives to attend meetings and Agreement (LAA) for Worcestershire and some of the support the Alliance’s working groups actions in this strategy will help deliver this important agreement – a full list is available under Appendix The Alliance regularly reviews progress in delivering E. You can find out more about the Worcestershire this strategy through our Management Group – a Partnership and LAA at small executive group that meets once every two www.worcestershirepartnership.org.uk months. The key priorities within it are also explored Worcester Alliance City Summit 2009 www.worcesteralliance.org.uk Worcester Forward 2010 5 The Worcestershire Partnership he Worcestershire Partnership is responsible for the development of the Sustainable TCommunity Strategy (SCS) for Worcestershire and the delivery of the Local Area Agreement (LAA) for Worcestershire. This is an agreement between Worcestershire and Central Government on the key issues that must be addressed in the county. The current agreement was signed in 2008 and lasts until 2011. The key difference between the two partnerships is that the Worcester Alliance focuses on the unique There is obviously a great deal of crossover between issues our city faces in a predominantly rural county, the work of the Alliance and that of the Worcestershire and engages with the Worcestershire Partnership to Partnership, and the language used is very similar. ensure they are addressed. The Worcester Alliance Please see a summary of the key links in the table is also open to any city organisation to join, whereas below. Many of the actions in Worcester Forward will due to practical constraints the Worcestershire help deliver the LAA – throughout this Strategy you Partnership membership is fixed with a set number of will see reference to the relevant section in the SCS representatives for the public, private and voluntary for Worcestershire and target in the LAA. sectors. Worcester Today Page Worcester Alliance Header Worcestershire Partnership Priority 10 Communities that are safe and feel safe Communities that are safe and feel safe 12 Health and wellbeing Improving health and wellbeing 14 The Environment A better environment for today and tomorrow 16 Children and Young People Meeting the needs of children and young people 18 Economy and Transport Economic success that is shared by all 20 Housing and Development Stronger communities 22 Volunteering and the Community Our Priorities Page Worcester Alliance Priority Worcestershire Partnership Priority 24 Warndon and Gorse Hill All areas above for this specific geographical area 30 Economy and Transport A better environment for today and tomorrow Economic success that is shared by all 34 Climate Change and Transition A better environment for today and tomorrow Economic success that is shared by all 37 Urban Renaissance A better environment for today and tomorrow Economic success that is shared by all Stronger communities You can find out more about the Worcestershire Partnership and the LAA at www.worcestershirepartnership.org.uk 6 Worcester Forward 2010 www.worcesteralliance.org.uk Our Vision The Worcester Alliance has the ambition of making Worcester: ‘A First Rank Cathedral and University City’ his means developing the services, the infrastructure and the quality of life for local Tpeople to the level that one would expect of the country’s best historic cities. The Alliance believes that more can be achieved for Worcester through organisations working together rather than on their own. The priorities set out in pages 24-40 will be achieved in partnership – with either one organisation taking the lead and properly involving other stakeholders, or if necessary multiple organisations working together under the umbrella of the Alliance as part of a task group to share information and ensure results are being achieved. The Alliance has based its priorities on the results of consultation with local people from information provided by national agencies such as the Audit Commission and the Office for National Statistics. You can see a full list of the information used in Appendix A. This strategy will help make Worcester a place of The Alliance recognises that there are limits to what sustainable communities – where people want to can be achieved without new resources. The vision live and work, now and in the future. Sustainability for Worcester is bold but the outcomes we expect the means: Alliance to deliver in 2010 have been developed to be achievable. This way the Alliance can be properly held Allowing local communities to voice their needs and to account for their delivery. concerns Co-ordinating the actions of the public, private, The Worcester Alliance will make every effort to voluntary and community organisations that ensure that the benefits that this strategy will deliver operate locally will be available to everyone, regardless or race, gender, disability, age, sexuality and religion or belief. Focusing and shaping existing and future activity of those organisations so that they effectively meet We also want the vision and the outcomes it proposes community needs and aspirations to be informed by as large a number of residents and Contributing to the achievement of sustainable organisations in Worcester as possible.