Broxbourne Borough Council's Annual Report 2012/13

Broxbourne Borough Council Annual Report and Summary of Accounts 2012/13

1 Introduction

With the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and hosting events for the London 2012 Olympic Games, 2012/13 was a unique year in the history of the Borough. The Council organised the largest programme of summer events ever, and worked hard to ensure all the activities which took place here were successful. We refurbished urban areas and provided extra floral displays. The Jubilee saw town centres transformed with bunting, and we lit six beacons. For the Games, we worked closely with the Police and Hertfordshire County Council to smooth the way for thousands of visitors. Council staff worked as stewards when the Olympic Torch passed through Waltham Cross, and during the Olympic canoe and kayak events at the Lee Valley White Water Centre. Extra litter patrols kept the routes to the White Water Centre clean.

For Broxbourne, the celebrations were crowned by the magnificent achievement of Laura Trott from Cheshunt, who won two Olympic gold medals in cycling. To help mark this success we assisted her family in holding a street party for her friends and neighbours in August, and then in October made her an Honorary Freeman of the Borough.

The Council continues to face a challenging financial climate. In 2012/13, Government support for the Council’s spending decreased by 7.5% when compared with the adjusted 2011/12 settlement. Through a programme of efficiency savings, we were able, to keep council tax at the same level as in 2011/12, 2010/11 and 2009/10. In fact, Broxbourne Borough Council yet again sent the lowest council tax of any shire district in England, including parish precepts.

This is the sixth annual report produced by Broxbourne Borough Council, and covers the financial year April 2012 to March 2013 (2012/13). The report sets out how we used public money to deliver services to residents, businesses and visitors, and tracks progress against the year’s targets. It is available on the Council’s website at www.broxbourne.gov.uk.

I hope you will find the report an informative and interesting read.

Councillor Paul Mason, Leader of the Council

3 Contents

Facts about Broxbourne Borough 5

Corporate objectives 6

Health and wellbeing 8

Improving the local economy 14

Greener, pleasant and safer neighbourhoods 16

Decent housing for local people 20

Value for money and efficiency 23

Summary of accounts 2012/13

4 Facts about Broxbourne Borough

The Borough of Broxbourne is in south-east Hertfordshire, adjoining London to the south and Essex to the east. It has an area of around 20 square miles and a population of Hertfordshire

93,600 (Census 2011). The largest towns are Essex Cheshunt, Waltham Cross and Hoddesdon.

London Borough of Broxbourne

Those aged 60-74 make up approximately 14.2% of The 2011 Census showed that 84% of Broxbourne the Broxbourne population. Over the next 10 years, households have a car, which is above the national due to ageing population trends and longer life average, however, the area is poorly served by east expectancy, the proportion of residents aged 75 and to west public transport routes. The level of owner over is likely to increase significantly from its current occupation is above the national average. There level of 7.7%. This will pose challenges for health is a small rented sector, and the number of houses and other services. divided into bedsits has been steadily increasing over the past decade. Almost two-thirds of people of working age are in employment, half of these commuting to work Certain parts of the Borough, in Goffs Oak, in London. Local employment is mixed, with a Broxbourne and Hoddesdon, are among the least predominance of distribution, hotels and catering, deprived areas in the country. However, there are some manufacturing, including chemicals, and also areas with somewhat higher levels of deprivation, business and financial services. The Borough’s particularly in Waltham Cross, Wormley and Turnford unemployment rate fell from 7% in March 2012 to (source: Census 2011). an average of 5.9% in 2012/13 (source: Office for National Statistics).

5 Corporate objectives

The mission of Broxbourne Borough Council is to maintain or improve value for money and the satisfaction of residents with Council services.

The Council has also set itself objectives under four headings:

Health and wellbeing • Campaign for improved primary care • Improve efficiency and effectiveness of transport to health services • Secure greater public engagement with NHS governance • Improve leisure facilities • Ensure the needs of older people are met, including effective communication with them • Engage with young people to identify and meet their needs • Develop the Broxbourne sports legacy • Develop a programme against obesity • Ensure a sustainable voluntary sector • Develop localised responses to local issues

Improve the local economy • Improve skill levels and support attainment levels in the local population • Create an appropriate range of jobs of the right quality for local people • Support town centres • Achieve the Greater Brookfield development • Support the renaissance of Waltham Cross • Encourage Local Enterprise Partnerships to provide benefit to Broxbourne • Ensure legacy benefits for the local economy and environment from London 2012 • Promote inward investment

6 Promote greener, pleasant and safer neighbourhoods • Improve community safety and reassurance • Enhance parks and open spaces and encourage their use • Secure cleaner streets • Preserve local heritage and pursue good design • Enhance sustainable transport, e.g. bus, rail, walking, cycling, and campaign to improve transport to and in the Borough • Encourage renewable energy and energy conservation measures • Encourage residents to reduce waste • Increase recycling and reduce landfill

Provide decent housing for local people • Deliver affordable homes for local people • Prevent homelessness • Increase the availability of private sector properties for rental • Improve the energy efficiency of properties in all sectors • Ensure a decent quality housing stock through good design

7 Health and wellbeing

COUNCIL PERFORMANCE IN 2012/13 Access to healthcare The Council and NHS Hertfordshire appointed consultants to research how access to GP appointments could be improved locally. Following this research the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) and NHS jointly funded a telephone triage system at two surgeries in Cheshunt and Waltham Cross which are most affected. Patients could discuss their concerns over the phone with a GP almost immediately, and receive a prescription, so only those who had to be examined in person needed to attend the surgery. The results of this pilot are now being evaluated. We acted to improve GP surgery premises in Hoddesdon, by buying the Fawkon Walk centre after the previous owners went into receivership. The GP surgery at Amwell View is on schedule to relocate to Fawkon Walk in 2014. Following a visit by councillors, we also improved parking at Cheshunt Community Hospital, providing better information on charges and moving disabled bays closer to the building. Finally, the new integrated Broxbourne Community Transport scheme began operation on 1 July 2012. This integrated service, jointly funded by the Council, NHS and Hertfordshire County Council, replaces the Dial-a-Ride, Health Shuttle and Community Car schemes, and is the first of its kind in Hertfordshire. The service is for older residents, those who have disabilities and other mobility issues. Users can go to hospitals outside the of Borough, shopping facilities and other personal appointments or destinations. Users can contact the service on a single phone number. The new, combined service saves money by enabling vehicles and drivers to be used more flexibly. The Royal Voluntary Service operates the service and has so far been able to accommodate all requests for transport.

8 Action on obesity Broxbourne has the worst rate of childhood obesity of any borough in Hertfordshire. The Council issued supplementary planning guidance to restrict the development of new takeaway outlets near schools and introduced physical activity into all the activities we organise for young people. The Local Strategic Partnership provided financial assistance to help more schools take part in the Healthy Schools programme, and for three primary schools to run a pilot healthy eating project with Saracens rugby club, “Scrummy”.

The Council’s Play Rangers scheme offers active play sessions for children aged five-12 in the Borough’s parks and open spaces. They operate every night of the week in one of five locations identified by NHS colleagues as being near a school with a high rate of childhood obesity.

Physical activity initiatives for adults include the Borough’s Health Walks programme, Walks for Pleasure, Swim & Socialise at the John Warner Sports Centre and Aerobic sessions at the Friary Sheltered Accommodation in Waltham Cross. Engage with young people to identify and meet their needs Climate change was selected as the theme for the Council’s annual poster competition. Council officers delivered presentations to over 1,100 pupils on the dangers of climate change and 312 entries were submitted. The Council also hosted events for a number of youth groups, featuring presentations by Council officers on litter and recycling, and those in attendance had the opportunity to ask the Mayor questions about civic life and local democracy.

There were 21,978 attendances at youth projects delivered or commissioned by the Council during 2012/13. These included weekly youth projects at Broxbourne, Wormley, Pound Close (Hoddesdon), Cheshunt Park, Holdbrook (Waltham Cross), Goffs Sports and Arts Centre and Rosedale. Of the total attendances, 14,575 were at sports projects, thus helping young people to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

£9,000 of Sportivate funding was received from Sport England to run short courses to introduce young people aged between 14 and 25 to sport and sports clubs. Local sports clubs were commissioned to run projects in rugby, boccia, hockey, tennis, triathlon, cheerleading, basketball, handball and Zumba.

Cheshunt Park skatepark was completed in February 2013. This £120,000 project has proven very popular with young people in the West Cheshunt area. The project was designed in conjunction with local young people. 9 Develop the Broxbourne London 2012 Olympic Games sports legacy More than 300 people attended the London 2012 Improvements were made to sports and leisure Olympic Games legacy projects run by local sports facilities, including: clubs to inspire adults to participate in sports, such • Poolside grating at Grundy Park Leisure Centre as hockey, canoeing, tennis, gymnastics and ju- • Sports hall seating at Grundy Park Leisure Centre jitsu. Broxbourne’s cultural Olympiad programme • Astroturf pitch surface at Grundy Park Leisure Centre ran throughout the first six months of 2012/13 and included the SuperNova sport event for children with • Pool inflatable at The John Warner Sports Centre additional needs, the One Month and Counting sport and music festival in Waltham Cross, the Urbathalon • Gym weights at The John Warner Sports Centre extreme sports event for young people at Pound • Scrambles padding and netting at The John Warner Sports Centre Close, the Celebrating Our Community multicultural festival, Bandstand Marathon music in the parks, and • Gym floor at The John Warner Sports Centre Herts Five Gold Rings gala concert at Broxbourne Civic Hall. • Golf buggies and practice equipment at Cheshunt Park Golf Centre The Council provided grants of up to £500 to • Digital sound, lighting desk and projection screens contribute towards the cost of holding community at Broxbourne Civic Hall. events and activities to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Games. Twenty three grants, with a combined value of over £8,100, were awarded through this scheme, twelve street parties were financially supported, as well as six other Jubilee events and five Olympic Games celebrations including a local netball tournament and a children’s holiday club. The ‘Olympic and Paralympic Hopefuls Scheme’ allowed local athletes with the potential to compete in future international competitions to apply for funding to contribute towards the cost of equipment, kit and training. Nine local athletes were supported through this scheme, with a combined value of grants in excess of £9,000. Beneficiaries of the scheme have since competed in national and international competitions, with one grant recipient winning a bronze medal for Team GB in the European Youth Olympics Festival. The Council continues to support young athletes through the separate Opportunities for Excellence Scheme, which awards talented young athletes with membership at the Council’s leisure centres and a cash grant of up to £250.

10 Ensuring a sustainable voluntary Community care sector During 2012/13, the control centre dealt with In 2012/13 the Council awarded grants, with a 149,666 incoming calls, and made 24,257 combined value exceeding £397,000, to 104 local outgoing calls to check on the welfare of community organisations. Key beneficiaries included the Citizens alarm customers. Mobile wardens attended 1,600 Advice Bureau, Safer Places (formerly Broxbourne emergencies, assisting vulnerable people in difficulty and Harlow Women’s Aid) and the Isabel Hospice. and summoning emergency medical services where necessary. 124 new private alarms were installed. The Council engages volunteers to help with the ‘adopt a-street’ project which has over 200 volunteers, dog watch, Friends of Lowewood Museum (110 members), Friends of Barclay Park (125 members) and Friends of Cedars Park (126 members). Overall the Council’s volunteers and Friends membership is over 750. To put this in perspective, on 31 March 2013, the Council employed the equivalent of 505 full-time staff. A significant increase in volunteer activity took place over the last year in green spaces around the Borough. For example, in Cedars Park, Hertford Regional College and the University of Hertfordshire undertook regular activities, including new tree planting and maintenance, re-seeding wildflower beds and removal and planting of seasonal bedding displays.

Services for older people

Following input from the Scrutiny review of communication with older people, the ‘50 Plus’ programme of events run by the Council and B3Living was renamed ‘Be Active’. During the year, 505 people attended Be Active events. These included the Information Fair for Older People at Wolsey Hall, a day trip to Paradise Wildlife Park, regular chess games held at Hoddesdon Library, and ‘Keep Warm, Stay Well’ information events to help residents during the cold winter weather.

We also published a new edition of the ‘Guide to Services for Older People in Broxbourne’, a directory of services with listings from over 70 organisations and groups. Copies were printed and distributed to older residents through the post or mobile warden visits, at Council facilities, including the Borough Offices, public halls and leisure centres, and through partner organisations including B3Living, Hertfordshire County Council, Age UK, local NHS sites, and local lunch clubs and voluntary groups. 11 HEALTH AND WELLBEING: OBJECTIVES FOR 2013/14

Health In 2013/14 we intend to:

• Prepare a healthy weight strategy to reduce obesity for all age groups in Broxbourne, and begin implementing it with our partners. • Provide a GP referral scheme for patients to complete an exercise programme at The John Warner Sports Centre and then extend it to Grundy Park Leisure Centre by the end of the year. • Help partners prepare a mental health action plan for Broxbourne to improve access to services, including community sector services, and information and support for people suffering mental distress and their families • Assess the benefits of telephone triage in enabling patients to get an appointment with their GP and agree with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) what further action needs to be taken. • Improve website information on local health issues and services, for example, the changing services at Chase Farm and Barnet Hospitals. • Ensure the needs of Broxbourne residents are heard in the commissioning of health services, through Scrutiny and the Broxbourne Health Forum, by liaising with consultative bodies such as Healthwatch, and by encouraging residents to become a governor or member of local NHS organisations.

Young people

Performance indicator Performance 2012/13 Target 2013/14 Number of young people attending youth activities 21,978 20,950 organised by the Council

In 2013/14 we intend to:

• Consult on the draft Youth Strategy in autumn and Wormley, and further projects at Canada 2013. Fields, Cheshunt Park, Grundy Park, Holmesdale • Establish a youth forum or council for Broxbourne in (Waltham Cross), Pound Close, Turnford and conjunction with Youth Connexions Hertfordshire. Wormley. The format of this group will be determined by • Extend the successful BoxCleva project from local young people. The issues debated and Cheshunt to Hoddesdon. researched by this group will be passed up to • Provide 170 extra youth activities, such as a policy makers on the Broxbourne Local Strategic young people vs Police football match, during the Partnership and Broxbourne Children’s Trust summer holidays. Partnership. • Provide diversionary activities targeted at the small • Consult young people about youth provision in minority of young people at risk of committing North Hoddesdon. anti-social behaviour. • Provide a weekly programme of youth activities at • Run a new youth project at Flamstead End Broxbourne, Cheshunt Park, Goffs Sports and Art community hall in partnership with Youth Centre, Holdbrook, Pound Close (Hoddesdon) Connexions Hertfordshire. 12 Sports and leisure

Performance indicator Performance 2012/13 Target 2013/14 Number of attendances at leisure activities organised by 57,906 57,906 Community Development, including playschemes and fireworks Total attendances at Council leisure centres and facilities 1,599,786 1,562,751 Number of visits/usage of museum per 1,000 residents 197.4 216.4 Number of visits in person to museum per 1,000 residents 56.2 61.9 Number of pupils visiting museum in organised school 5,229 5,763 groups

In 2013/14 we intend to:

• Develop a sports facilities strategy to guide We will also complete the £4million refurbishment of development of sport and leisure in the Borough. Grundy Park Leisure Centre, including an extension • Involve young people more with the work of to the Fit&Well gym, new equipment including the Lowewood Museum. synergy 360 system, a new café and access system and a refurbished pool area, changing rooms and • Work with the Hertfordshire Sports Partnership reception. to implement initiatives such as Sportivate, commissioning local sports clubs to provide taster sessions for 11-25 year olds, and Doorstep Sports Voluntary sector Clubs in local neighbourhoods. The Council will continue to award grants to the • Provide more recreational facilities for young voluntary sector in 2013/14, with grants totalling over people in local neighbourhoods. £343,000 already awarded to 85 local organisations. • Complete a 10-bay driving range at Cheshunt Park Golf Centre.

13 Improving the local economy

COUNCIL PERFORMANCE IN 2012/13 Supporting town centres The Council purchased Fawkon Walk, a mixed private development of shops, a medical centre, and residential flats situated to the west of Hoddesdon High Street, following the developer going into administration. The Council is negotiating terms with the Amwell Street GP surgery to occupy the unfinished medical centre, and will then appoint a contractor to fit out the surgery. Some of the shops are now occupied of the six that were unfinished at the time of acquisition. Further shops have had new lettings agreed and are awaiting the legal formalities. In November 2012 the Council published a draft Waltham Cross Town Centre Strategy for public consultation. This included ambitions to redevelop the northern end of the high street with a new supermarket, and to enhance the high street. The plan is also seeking to attract a wide range of new shops, services and restaurants into the town centre. Greater Brookfield development The Council was deeply disappointed when the Core Strategy Examination Inspector concluded that ambitions for a major new retail and leisure development at Greater Brookfield should not be allowed. This was a major factor in the Council deciding not to adopt the Core Strategy and to prepare a new Local Plan for the Borough instead. This Plan will reconsider the future of the Brookfield area and its scope for new retail, leisure and other much needed development. Promote inward investment The Council has worked closely with other local authorities in the London-Stansted-Cambridge Consortium to help promote the M11/A10 corridor as a desirable place to invest, work and live.

14 Improving the local economy IMPROVING THE LOCAL ECONOMY: OBJECTIVES FOR 2013/14 To accelerate activity and ensure that the Council’s Nurturing employment and enterprise economic objectives are delivered, the Council has In 2013/14 we intend to: put in place a new economic development service, • Secure funding for a Broxbourne Enterprise Centre and recruited a Head of Economic Development in and commission an operator and developer May 2013. • Begin development of a network of community In 2013/14 we intend to: enterprise hubs • Carry out a comprehensive economic analysis of • Provide incubator support for new businesses the Borough through Wenta, and general business advice • Refresh the economic development strategy in through the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce consultation with partners • Improve engagement with local businesses through • Establish an Economic Development Board with the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, to representation across the local economy, to secure business representation on local economic deliver growth. development groups • Develop the Broxbourne Business Charter to Investment in infrastructure improve the Council’s ability to support and In 2013/14 we intend to: encourage local businesses. • Commission a transport study into traffic flows on Championing learning and skills the A10 and other roads and junctions, to identify where improvements are needed and where new In 2013/14 we intend to: investment should be directed • Work closely with Hertford Regional College and • Carry out a land study to identify suitable sites JobCentre Plus to develop a local platform to for employment and incorporate these into the promote apprenticeships and drive the take-up of Local Plan; and work with the Local Enterprise apprenticeships Partnership to develop a countywide approach to • Develop a Broxbourne Skills and Learning Group promoting key development sites • Continue to fund Nextsteps in Waltham Cross, • Stimulate demand for high speed broadband, to providing a local employment, training advice speed up local delivery and coverage through the and support service countywide Local Broadband Plan to be delivered • Evaluate the possibility of a University Technical by BT College locally to help focus skills and learning • Make further improvements to the built around a key sector. environment to increase the attractiveness of the Broxbourne Lee Valley Enterprise Corridor (BLVEC) Borough, including: - Street scene improvements in Hoddesdon This is centred on the A10 corridor and the town centre to complement the opening of a opportunities for development at Park Plaza, Greater new Morrisons supermarket Brookfield and Hoddesdon Business Park. BLVEC will - development of plans to improve Hoddesdon provide both a gateway and a new business address Business Park for both Hertfordshire and the London Stansted - development of a strategy to support town Cambridge Corridor. and local centres across the Borough. BLVEC will provide a hub for local business development and inward investment, with a particular focus on knowledge-driven industries. We will also explore innovative approaches to development, through the concepts of the Garden Village, Garden Suburb and Garden Science Park.

15 PROMOTING GREENER, PLEASANT AND SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS

COUNCIL PERFORMANCE IN 2012/13 Improving community safety Despite reduced Government funding, Police manpower has been retained in Broxbourne and is scheduled to increase in 2013/14. The Council continues to fund the additional provision of four Police Community Support Officers, which is matched by Hertfordshire Constabulary, so increasing the local establishment by eight officers. The Council has committed to continue this support until at least March 2015. Crime and anti-social behaviour levels decreased for a sixth consecutive year. Crime went down by 16.6% (1,064 fewer crimes) and anti-social behaviour decreased by 23.9% (a reduction of 1,207 incidents). Public perceptions about community safety issues have also significantly improved (Council’s 2011 MORI Survey) and it is hoped this trend continues in the 2013 survey.

Specific local initiatives further developed over up times, and doubling the number of patrols the last year included: near schools by the Civil Enforcement Officers. • Working with the Police and the extended • Securing over 4,700 hours of community policing family to tackle ‘problem’ people, payback by offenders, through the Probation places and premises through a range of Trust, including work to keep clean the key measures such as the deployment of mobile routes to the Olympic White Water Centre. CCTV in ‘hotspots’ for illegal dumping and Under the local neighbourhood improvements other anti-social behaviour, joint enforcement initiative there were 20 projects completed during patrols and diversionary activities for young the year costing approximately £40,000. Match people at risk of offending. funding of £6,791 was secured towards projects from residents and other agencies, including • Developing plans with all local primary B3Living and Aldwyck Housing Association. schools to address the problem of dangerous The majority of these schemes were fencing or parking outside schools at drop-off and pick- gating projects to improve the security of local

16 residents. Such schemes are proving very popular election of the new Commissioner for the whole of and subsequent surveys indicate they significantly Hertfordshire. The new commissioners replaced reduce reports of anti-social behaviour and make the former Police authorities. In parallel to the local residents feel safer. appointment of the new commissioners, Police and crime panels comprising local councillors and In November 2012, the first Police and Crime independent members were established in each Commissioners were elected, including the Police force area to undertake a scrutiny function. Commissioner for Hertfordshire, David Lloyd. The website for the Police and Crime Panel is Broxbourne Borough Council coordinated the www.hertspcp.org.uk Parking The principal aim of the parking service is to discourage indiscriminate and obstructive parking throughout the Borough, with a particular emphasis on schools, to ensure a safe environment for all. The parking service is delivered by a team of trained and qualified Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs), supported by a small team of processing officers. The CEOs are not incentivised to issue Penalty Charge Notices. In 2012/13 13,209 penalty charge notices were issued, slightly fewer than in the previous year. 2,364 of these were cancelled following the challenge and appeal process. The cancellation rate is less than the national average and is considerably lower than we have achieved in previous years, which reflects the improved quality of penalty charge notices issued and a consistent approach to challenges. The Council’s car parks are regularly maintained, and this year all of our operational car parks were awarded the ‘Park Mark’ accreditation. This is awarded to parking facilities that have met the requirements of a risk assessment conducted by the Police and have measures in place to deter criminal activity and anti-social behaviour, thereby creating a safer environment for visitors and their vehicles.

Waste collection, recycling and street adequate large capacity litter bin provision in the cleansing lay-bys. Cleansing regimes here are clearly working well.’ This year there was a 1.2% reduction in household The Council also funded waste and recycling waste. Residents put 39.7% of this waste for recycling improvements: and composting, a slight decrease compared to last year, mostly in organic waste and paper. Unfortunately, • £5,000 for replacement kerbside boxes due to contamination, 1,864 tonnes of organic waste and cardboard had to be rejected and sent to landfill, • £24,000 for litter bins and this reduced the overall recycling rate to 36%. • £20,000 for replacement green wheeled bins The A10 and the roads which give access to it are • £13,000 for improvements to neighbourhood ‘hotspots’ for litter. As well as putting up anti-littering recycling facilities notices, we set up a dedicated two-man team with a vehicle to litter-pick the lay-bys, footpaths, nearside verges and central reservation five days a week. As many as 241 bags of litter have been removed in one week from the A10 alone. Conditions have visibly improved and the Council has received compliments from residents who have noticed the difference. The new cleansing programme was also commented on by inspectors for the Clean Britain Award. The Award, which is administered by the Chartered Institute of Waste Management, commented that the A10 Corridor is ‘clean, tidy and well kept with

17 Parks, cemeteries and open spaces Cheshunt Park, Cedars Park, Cheshunt Cemetery, Barclay Park and Top Field Cozens Grove Local Nature Reserve (Wormley Top Field) were all awarded Green Flag status in 2013. The national award, handed out by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces across the country. A Green Flag flying overhead is a sign to visitors that the space boasts the highest possible standards, is well-maintained and has excellent facilities. Conservation and improvement works at historic Cedars Park began this year, funded by grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Big Lottery Fund and English Heritage, and underwritten by the Council. The project aims to enhance the park for the local community and tell the story of the park’s significant history. The conservation of the Scheduled Monument at Cedars Park will remove it from the English Heritage ‘at risk’ Register. As part of the works, a new car park was completed in early 2013. The Council began work to extend Cheshunt Cemetery, which is reaching capacity. £500,000 has been committed to the project, and the main construction began in February 2013. In addition:

• The play areas in Rosedale Way, Flamstead End, Bridleway South and Richardson Crescent were refurbished and improved. • With the help of volunteers on the Environmental Stewardship Scheme, a second nature reserve was created in Cheshunt Park, and fences were erected to enable long-horned steers to graze in the park over the summer.

18 GREENER, PLEASANT AND SAFER NEIGHBOURHOODS: OBJECTIVES FOR 2013/14

Performance indicator Performance 2012/13 Target 2013/14 Number of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts signed 9 8 Percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling and 39% 39% composting Residual waste in kilos per household 573 kg 573 kg Tonnage of household waste (kg per head of population) 390 kg 390 kg Abandoned vehicles – investigated 100% 100% Abandoned vehicles – removed 100% 100%

Community safety In 2013/14 the Police will be rationalising the neighbourhood policing areas and the Council will look to assimilate its own arrangements with the new areas. It will also be essential to work closely with the new Police and Crime Commissioner to en-sure he is kept aware of local needs/pressures. There will also be an increased emphasis on combating fly-tipping, dog fouling and street drinking.

Parks, cemeteries and open spaces The next phase of works includes resurfacing the main car park, the installation of outdoor fitness Conservation and improvement works at Cedars Park equipment and further landscaping improvements. will be completed in 2014, including construction Plans showing the Council’s proposals are on display of a new café, meeting room, and toilets. A play at the site. mound, turf play maze and boccia court and a new path network have recently been completed, and Planning permission has been granted for a new apprentices from Hertford Regional College have cemetery and crematorium at Hertford Road, helped to restore the flint arch and historic walls, a Woollensbrook. It is proposed that construction work scheduled historic monument. will start during 2013, with completion scheduled for the end of 2014. Pergola at the Diamond Jubilee Commemorative Garden The works at Cheshunt Cemetery will continue and be completed by March 2014. These will include Development of the Diamond Jubilee Commemorative site drainage, roads, paths, a new burial space, and Garden in Hoddesdon will continue. Improvements a landscape bund which will shield the new cemetery have already been carried out to the existing gardens, extension from the traffic and noise along Lieutenant including the construction of pergolas, the creation of Ellis Way and will also house mausoleum chambers. planting beds, tree and hedgerow management. A The Council also hopes to extend and refurbish new pathway has been constructed through the site Broxbourne Pavilion. A scheme has been developed to provide a continuous link through to the main car with the Broxbourne Open Space Trustees who have park. This includes a new link to Holly Walk and St submitted a bid for £50k match funding from Biffa. If Cross School which has been delivered as part of the an approved scheme is agreed, work could commence Hertfordshire County Council Safer Routes to School in 2013. Planning permission has been granted for programme. the proposal.

19 Decent housing for local people

COUNCIL PERFORMANCE IN 2012/13 There were 185 new homes built in Broxbourne in 2012/13. Affordable housing Demand for affordable housing continued to increase during the year. At the beginning of April 2013 there were 3,614 applicants on the Council’s housing register. This is an increase of 71% in the four years since 2009. The number of households accepted as homeless by the Council has also continued to increase. In 2012/13, 230 households were accepted compared to 120 in 2011/12. Additional temporary accommodation was obtained in response to the increase in homelessness. B3Living acquired a property at Rye Road, Hoddesdon which has been leased to the Council for use as two self-contained units of temporary accommodation. In addition, the Groom Road Surgery in Wormley was converted, providing another two self-contained units. The Council considered a new allocations policy for social housing. If approved, applicants would normally have had to live in Broxbourne for at least five years in order to register on the housing register. Additional priority will be given to working households and those who are making a significant community contribution, such as registered foster carers.

20 Eleven new affordable homes were completed as part of the Aldermere development by East Thames Group. These two and three bedroom houses, managed by B3Living, were let at rents of up to 80% market rents. This is the first new development with the higher affordable rents, rather than social rents of up to 60% market rent. The houses were let to local people on the Council’s housing and transfer register through the Choice Based Lettings scheme. The homes are built to high standards of energy efficiency and have photovoltaic cells on the roofs. In October 2012, the Council concluded a development agreement with B3Living. Under the agreement, up to £1.5 million of capital for affordable housing development will be allocated to schemes brought forward by B3Living and they will be granted first refusal on affordable housing schemes. The Council is, however, still committed to working with its other four housing association preferred partners. The Simple Lets scheme which arranges lettings by private sector landlords to people in housing need nominated by the Council was very successful. One hundred and twenty two properties were let through the scheme in 2012/13. Disabled facilities grants Disabled facilities grants are awarded to assist residents who have a disability to continue to live in their own homes. The most popular adaptation tends to be the installation of level access showers. Other works can include hand rails, ramps and hoists. The Council paid grants of approximately £500,000 in 2012/13, of which around 50% is funded by the Government.

21 DECENT HOUSING FOR LOCAL PEOPLE: OBJECTIVES FOR 2013/14

In 2013/14, we intend to:

• Prepare a draft Local Plan that will set out a housing target for Broxbourne and identify urban and green belt sites that can be brought forward for housing development over the next 15 years • Continue to top up Government funding to provide extra disabled facilities grants • Increase the supply of affordable homes to meet the needs of local people • Reduce levels of homelessness and reduce costs • Avoid as far as possible, placing homeless people in bed and breakfast accommodation. Only 11 affordable housing completions are anticipated in 2013/14 against a target of 100 homes a year. Thirty homes are forecast to be completed in 2014/15, and a further 54 are expected to start at some point in the next few years. The Council made a total allocation of £2 million for affordable housing in the 2013/14 capital programme. £1.44 million of this amount was allocated to a B3Living scheme at Salisbury Road, Hoddesdon, which will deliver a mixture of affordable rent and shared ownership homes. The purchase of the remaining equity in a shared ownership house at Leaforis Road, Cheshunt with a grant requirement of £22,000, was also approved in March. In 2013/14, affordable housing will be built at: Crossbrook Street, Cheshunt: 16 homes to be built by Paradigm Housing Group, comprising a mixture of flats and houses of which 11 will be shared ownership with priority being given to local residents. There will also be five affordable rent houses to be let to people nominated by the Council from the housing register. Eugena House, Trust Road, Waltham Cross: Conversion of an office block to 11 affordable homes is expected to be completed in autumn 2013. B3Living owns land at New River Close, where homes which were of a poor standard have been demolished. It has recently submitted a planning application for 14 houses on this site, including nine three bedroom houses and five two bedroom houses, all for affordable rent.

22 Value for money and efficiency

Procurement The table below shows procurement savings made since 2009. The rate of saving is measured as a percentage of expenditure on goods, works and services purchased from external suppliers. Payments to service organisations are not included. Savings of 5% were achieved in 2012/13, meeting the target set. Procurement savings are cumulative; those made in 2009/10 are still saving money for the Council. Estimated non-cashable savings are shown for information. These are reductions in internal processing costs, such as reducing the number of separate invoices requiring payment. Procurement savings 2009 - 2013 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 Cashable savings £156,441 £135,349 £415,183 £398,728 Total Council external expenditure £9,461,631 £8,861,058 £7,660,133 £8,173,679 % saving 1.7% 1.5% 5.4% 5.0% Estimated non cashable savings £3,149 £11,745 £13,513 £28,351

Joint procurement offers potential economies of scale and reductions in monitoring costs. Opportunities for joint procurement are shared between local authorities in Hertfordshire through the Hertfordshire procurement forum, Supply Hertfordshire. In 2012/13 we commissioned improvements to the area around the Clock Tower in Hoddesdon with Hertfordshire County Council. We also continued to commission parks patrols from Parkguard, working jointly with the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, and to share a contract for building safety compliance with Stevenage and North Hertfordshire Councils. We also increased the proportion of our purchasing undertaken through the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO), a not-for-profit public sector buying organisation. We commissioned the improvement works for Grundy Park Leisure Centre through a framework agreement, saving time and cost in procurement. Staff The Council employed a total of 505 full time equivalent1 (FTE) staff at the end of 2012/13, a decrease of 30 FTE on the previous year. The chart below illustrates the reduction of the Council’s workforce in the past three years. Further reductions are planned as the Council implements measures to improve efficiency and productivity. DEPARTMENT 2010/11 FTE 2011/12 FTE 2012/13 FTE Broxbourne Services 128.5 132.4 126.2 Broxbourne Leisure Management Service Organisation 125.3 112.1 108.4 Chief Executive's Department 72.1 72.1 69.4 Community Services 76.7 77.3 64.1 Environmental Services 79.3 77.0 73.8 Resources 67.1 64.1 62.6 Total 549.0 535.0 504.5

1 - FTE - obtained by comparing an employee’s average contracted hours worked to the number of hours of a full-time employee. For example, a part-time worker employed for 20 hours a week where full-time work consists of 40 hours, is counted as 0.5 FTE. 23 Headcount (the number of people employed) decreased from 738 in Three officers are shared with other 2009 to 635 by 31 March 2013 as shown below. authorities: the Head of Internal Audit is employed by Broxbourne BroBroxbournexbourne CouncilCouncil -- employeeemployee headcount 20092009 -- 20132013 and shared with Harlow District 750750 Council, the Customer Services Manager is employed by Hertsmere Borough Council and works at

700700 Broxbourne for 40% of his time and

the Health and Safety Co-ordinator is employed by Broxbourne and Number of staff Number of staff shared with Hertsmere Borough 650 650 Council on a 50:50 basis. Sharing posts reduces costs and provides opportunities for joint learning and 600 600 personal development. 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Date Date The Council undertook a pilot study

During 2012/13, Broxbourne Services, a directly managed service of homeworking, aiming to achieve organisation functioning as a contractor, returned to full Council savings through freeing up office control. This allowed the Council to streamline many of the business space and more efficient working. processes associated with the provision of refuse, recycling and grounds Initial results are encouraging and maintenance, and significant savings arose as a result. Broxbourne show people working at home are Services is now part of the Community Services department which also often more productive than those includes the Council’s in-house leisure service and other key functions based in traditional office settings. such as planning and parking control. The restructure also saw the The staff in the pilot also report an Environmental Health and Field Force teams relocated to the Chief improved work-life balance and Executive’s Department. All of these changes will enable us to be more reduced travelling time and cost. efficient, without adversely affecting customer service. More work will be carried out in The Council remains one of the Borough’s major employers, offering a 2013/14 before the Council can wide variety of employment opportunities to all sectors of the community, commit to homeworking on a both full and part time. broader scale.

Number of staff employed by gender and contract type The Council’s attendance policy 800 aims to minimise the number of

700 days lost to sickness through a

Female FT range of positive interventions 600 Female FT Female FT Female FT Female FT targeted at improving health and 500 wellbeing. At 5.3 days sickness

Female PT Female PT 400 per FTE, our sickness absence rate Female PT Female PT Female PT

Number of staff is believed to be the lowest of any 300 Hertfordshire local authority and

200 Male FT below the public and private sector Male FT Male FT Male FT Male FT averages of 8.2 days and 6.1 100 days respectively (CIPD Absence Male PT Male PT Male PT Male PT Male PT 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Management Report 2012).

Year Further workforce information is available on the Council’s website, www.broxbourne.gov.uk. 24 The Council’s training programme aims to equip staff with the skills, knowledge and behaviours necessary to provide the highest standards of customer service. Literacy and numeracy skills training is provided through the Council’s ‘functional skills’ programme. During 2012/13, eight staff gained a qualification in literacy, five in numeracy. Other training programmes are available, up to and including Master’s level qualifications. A total of £51,900 was budgeted for all types of training in 2012/13. We also continue to work in partnership with other authorities to provide joint training opportunities. This saves money as the costs are shared, but has the added benefit of providing an insight into how other local authorities work. Efficiency The Council monitors the performance of services during the year using performance indicators, and has set efficiency targets to achieve in 2013/14. In some cases where performance in 2012/13 was particularly good, we have chosen not to raise the target in 2013/14, even though it is lower than the performance in 2012/13, as the target still represents an excellent standard of performance.

Performance indicator Performance 2012/13 Target 2013/14 Percentage of telephone calls to the switchboard and 85% 85% helpline answered within 10 seconds Speed of processing new benefits claims 21 days 20 days Speed of processing changes in circumstances for benefits 7.6 days 8 days Benefits overpayments recovered as a percentage of total 40.4% 45% overpayments Percentage of council tax collected 98.2% 97.7% Percentage of business rates collected 98.3% 98.4% Average number of days to collect sundry debts 85 days 90 days Percentage of undisputed invoices paid in 10/30 days 19.8% 58.9% 25% 75% Percentage of working days lost to sickness absence 5.3 days 6 days Employee turnover 15% 18% Average return on investments (percentage above/(below) 0.85% 0.58% Local Authority one month LIBOR) 0.29% 25 Summary of Accounts 2012/13 The Council’s Statement of Accounts has been prepared in accordance with the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting and is subject to an annual audit inspection by EY. The purpose of the accounts is to give residents, businesses, tax payers and partners clear information about the Council’s finances. A full copy of the accounts can be viewed on the Council’s website at www.broxbourne.gov.uk. This summary gives a brief overview of the Council’s income and expenditure and its financial position for the year ending 31 March 2013.

The Comprehensive Income and Expenditure Statement for the year ended 31 March 2013 shows that the Council spent £14.1m on running services, and after other costs and income, the net spend for the year was £12.7m. The money the Council spends comes from local and national taxes and business rates given back to the Council by central Government.

2011/12 2012/13 £000 £000 Expenditure Central services to the public 1,435 1,270 Cultural and related services 3,878 3,852 Environmental and regulatory services 2,893 2,953 Planning services 1,065 868 Highways, roads and transport services 2,261 1,843 Housing services 2,123 1,249 Adult social care 579 579 Corporate and democratic services 1,537 1,513 Net cost of services 15,771 14,127 Financing and investment income and expenditure* (1,815) (3,795) Other accounting items (including pension fund adjustments and depreciation) (1,087) 2,350 Contributions to reserves 227 3 Total expenditure 13,096 12,685 Funding Borough of Broxbourne council tax 4,195 4,234 General Government grant 1,686 773 NNDR grant from pool 3,993 4,711 Capital grants and contributions 2,042 1,306 Other income (mainly receipts from Right to Buy sales by Broxbourne Housing 1,180 1,661 Association) Total funding 13,096 12,685 Increase / decrease in general fund balance - - General fund balance as at 31 March 2013 6,181 6,181

* Financing and investment income and expenditure includes trading operations and interest earned on the Council’s investments.

26 General Fund balance This balance represents the general funds available for the Council to respond to unexpected events and opportunities. To the balance at the beginning of the year is added the amount left over from the Comprehensive Income and Expenditure Statement, statutory amounts taken into account (such as depreciation) and money put into reserves to fund future projects. This gives the working balance for the next financial year. As at 31 March 2013, the General Fund balance stood at £6.2 million. Capital expenditure and financing Broxbourne spent money on a variety of capital activities during the year to continue to provide first class public facilities and invest in the infrastructure of the Borough.

Capital expenditure (spending on the acquisition, creation or enhancement of property, plant and equipment) and capital income (mainly receipts from the sale of such assets) are detailed in the Notes to the Financial Statements and summarised below.

Capital expenditure 2011/12 2012/13 £000 £000 Sport, leisure, recreation and youth facilities 1,041 1,400 Grants for the development of affordable housing 985 402 Private sector housing grants - disabled adaptations 451 320 Purchase of Fawkon Walk development / industrial developments 401 2,567 Industrial developments 401 27 Vehicles, plant and equipment 323 45 Community projects 255 187 Car parking, traffic calming and road safety 549 132 Information Technology 133 141 Environmental and recycling initiatives 121 43 Other minor projects 99 148 4,358 5,385

The table below shows how the Council’s capital programme was funded:

Capital Programme financing 2011/12 2012/13 £000 £000 Capital receipts 603 2,094 Government grants and other contributions 2,114 1,321 Sums set aside from revenue 1,641 1,970 4,358 5,385

27 Balance Sheet The Council’s financial worth is shown in the Balance Sheet. This is a snapshot of the financial position of the Council at the end of the financial year. It shows the value of the Council’s assets and investments, what is owed to and by the Council, how much cash is held and how these funds are represented by reserves and balances.

The net worth of Broxbourne Borough Council is £105m. This includes the Council’s reserves, which is money set aside for specific purposes. The Council’s reserves are healthy.

Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2012 2013 £000 £000 Assets such as land and buildings and stock owned by the Council 73,998 78,097 Money invested to generate interest to fund the capital programme 53,738 56,537 Cash and bank balance 941 (301) Money owed to the Council 5,823 5,900 Money owed by the Council (29,646) (35,643) Total assets less liabilities 104,854 104,590

Cash Flow Statement The Cash Flow Statement summarises how much cash the Council has received and paid out during the year. Cash includes cash in hand, the Council’s current bank account balance and amounts held on deposit which are accruing interest but are available for use without notice. Cash increased by £1.6m during 2012/13, mainly due to an increase in short term investments which are classified as cash.

Cashflow 2011/12 2012/13 £000 £000 Balance as at 1 April 7,158 13,007 Net movement in cash 5,849 1,646 Balance as at 31 March 13,007 14,653

28 Collecting local taxes As well as collecting its own council tax, Broxbourne Borough Council is responsible for collecting council tax on behalf of Hertfordshire County Council and the Hertfordshire Police. £51.4m of council tax was collected in 2012/13, which represents 98.2% of the council tax raised for collection in the year.

The council tax collected by Broxbourne Borough Council during 2012/13 was distributed as follows:

2011/12 2012/13 8% £000 £000 Hertfordshire County Council 41,455 41,834 11% Hertfordshire Police 5,477 5,527 Broxbourne Borough Council 4,196 4,234 51,128 51,595

Business rates are set by central Government. Broxbourne 81% Borough Council collects the business rates due in the Borough and pays them directly to the Government. The Government redistributes these funds to all local authorities using a formula based on population. During 2012/13 the Council collected and paid to the Government business rates of £38.1m and received £4.7m back. We collected 98.3% of the business rates raised for collection in 2012/13.

29 Borough of Broxbourne Bishops’ College Churchgate Cheshunt EN8 9XG Telephone: 01992 785577