Northampton Borough Council Corporate Plan 2018 - 2020 Ambitious Ambitious | Prosperous | Proud Prosperous Proud
For more information about the Council: www.northampton.gov.uk 0300 330 7000 Northampton Borough Council Guildhall, St. Giles Square, Northampton, NN1 1DE Foreword Northampton demographics As Leader of Northampton Borough Council, and a life-long Northamptonian, I’m passionate about the town and the services that we provide. At the heart of this new Corporate Plan is our vision: 228,687 BME 37.6 years Northampton – Ambitious, Prosperous and Proud. residents 84.5 % - White average age 3.2% - Mixed/Multiple Northamptonshire is going through unprecedented change as we move towards the new Ethnic Groups 6.5% - Asian/Asian British West Northamptonshire unitary authority which will likely come into being in April 2020, 5.1% - Black/ African/ Below the Northamptonshire however there is still much to do as a Borough Council, hence this refreshed and refocused Caribbean/ Black British 0.7% - Other Ethnic Group average of 39.5 Corporate Plan. You will see within it that we are very clear on our strategic priorities focusing on a stronger economy with some ambitious plans including the Town Centre Strategy and Masterplan and developing an £80m plus growth deal for the wider West Northants area. As a town 48,307 143,611 33,738 with a population larger than many cities across the country, we are incredibly ambitious under 16 aged 16 - 64 aged over 64 and want to do a number of things to further drive the economy.
We want the town to be prosperous and to encourage both individuals and communities to 21.4% of total 63.6% of total 15% of total grow and succeed. Creating resilient communities and enabling and supporting people to population population population help themselves is a key priority where we will build on the excellent work already done.
We also recognise that we have a role to play with our own services, and must be proud of what we deliver as a workforce and administration in contributing to the quality of life for 78.5 years 82.6 years 2,800 people living in the borough. Life expectancy at Life expectancy at People claiming We are in exciting times at the moment - the recent £350m investment in to the new birth for males birth for females out of work benefit Waterside Campus for the University of Northampton demonstrates both the ambition and prosperity of the town from our partners, and we want to ensure Northampton remains Below the Northamptonshire Below the Northamptonshire Represents 27.06% of all claimants a great place to live, work, study in and visit. We share that excitement and are pleased average of 79.4 average of 83 in Northamptonshire with our work to further develop the cultural offer with our own investment into a new museum which will open in early 2020. We also know we have to support the rapidly expanding population growth in the town and so want to accelerate housing delivery through the council’s newly established development company, working in collaboration 76% 6.4% 7.4% with Northampton Partnership Homes. employment (age 16 and over) unemployed have no I am proud to say that this Council is not slowing down because of local government (age 16 - 64) qualifications reorganisation, in fact we see this as a sprint, and I, on behalf of the whole council, feel Higher than the Higher than the passionate about the work that still needs to be done to further cement the importance of national average national average of Below the Northamptonshire of 75.2% 4.4% average of 7.7% Northampton to the county, the region and the country as a whole. Northampton - Ambitious, Prosperous and Proud. 12,103 £213,288 99.98 Net inflow of commuters Current average crimes per 1000 into Northampton house price paid people Lower than the 27,442 outflow national average of Northamptonshire force area Councillor Jonathan Nunn 39,545 overall inflow £245,076 average 74.53 per 1000 Leader of the Council
2 Northampton Demographics Ambitious | Prosperous | Proud 3 Vision, Mission and Values Our values Our Corporate Plan sets out what we will focus on in the next two years in order Our values describe the type of organisation we want to be and the principles that will guide us in achieving our vision and priorities. They set out the way we will work and interact with our to get the best for the people of Northampton Borough within the resources customers, members and each other. available. We want to deliver economic growth, improve the quality of life and : provide services that consistently meet the expectations of our residents. This is Our values are set against a backdrop of our mission, vision and values. Leadership: Creating and communicating a shared vision and influencing others through information and knowledge to realise the vision Our vision is: Northampton - Ambitious, Prosperous, Proud Integrity: Honesty with strong moral principles Ambitious: We have strong ambitions for Northampton’s economy, with a focus on the Responsibility: Being dependable and delivering promises town centre and the Enterprise Zone. Service Excellence: Understanding what our customers want and in order to deliver above Prosperous: We want to encourage strong community bonds and ensure that everyone has and beyond their expectations the opportunity to achieve their ambitions. Challenge: Facing things that are difficult to do and using effort and commitment to Proud: We and a great many residents are extremely proud of our town and we succeed want to help provide even more reasons for those feelings of belonging and ownership. What We Deliver Our mission will enable us to deliver our strategic priorities • Household recycling and waste collection • Community safety We will: ● Work with customers, communities and partners • Housing • Parks and open spaces ● Be enterprising and innovative • Licensing • Council tax collection ● Deliver a great Northampton to live, work, study, invest in and visit • Environmental health • Public car parks • Benefits • Supporting economic growth • Local planning and building regulations • Regeneration projects
4 Mission, Vision and Values Ambitious | Prosperous | Proud 5 Strategic priorities Resilient Our three strategic priorities set communities out the primary things we intend • Work with partners to reduce to focus on. They are violent crime, anti-social not exhaustive, but will behaviour and hate crime Keeping the inform our decision- • Promote and support the making, particularly town and Empowering Neighbourhood Plan model people safe local people around budgets. In • Build stronger and more resilient brief, we aim to deliver communities the following. You can find more • Empower communities to detail about how in the following develop their areas sections. Shaping place and driving growth • Support vulnerable people to achieve their full potential A stronger economy • Carry out the Housing Delivery • Have a Local Plan that helps More homes, Plan better homes Northampton grow and prosper • Raise standards in private sector • Establish a comprehensive housing Economic Growth Strategy • Tackle, prevent and reduce • Develop a Growth Deal for Ambitious homelessness Northampton • Deliver projects to enable Creating a thriving, Prosperous Northampton to prosper vibrant town Proud Exceptional services • Deliver the Town Centre Strategy to be proud of • Make the town a destination of • Provide the best quality decision- choice for all Putting the making process • Increase visitor numbers customer first • Have services that relevant industries consider high-quality • Extend visitor offer • Provide value for money • Promote the Business Incentive services Scheme A clean, green • Make the best use of our assets • Develop the Cultural Quarter and tidy town • Work with neighbouring councils • Protect, enhance and promote our to shape new local government heritage Spending your arrangements • Improve recycling rates and money wisely • Provide high-quality digital reduce the amount of waste going services which customers to landfill Improving our governance choose to use • Provide a range of communication channels meeting customer need • Work with partners to provide joined-up services
6 Strategic Priorities Ambitious | Prosperous | Proud 7 A stronger economy Creating a thriving, vibrant town A stronger economy can mean • Support a range of events and activities • Develop and run a sustainable and resilient a great many things, from throughout the year to celebrate our town museum service and its heritage encouraging inward • Secure quality development which makes investment to • Modernise the Market, making it fit for a positive contribution to local character ensuring our town purpose and sustainable and distinctiveness centre remains • Maintain the Park Mark Safer Parking • Support the wider social, cultural, economic prosperous. The key Scheme award and environmental benefits that the town’s purpose is to ensure the heritage can bring best quality of life and provision • Maintain the Purple Flag accreditation of opportunities for residents.
A clean, green and tidy town • Maintain and increase the number of parks • Support planning guidance which highlights with Green Flag accreditation air quality at the design stage
• Continue Britain in Bloom participation • To progress the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities • Work with partners to ensure strategies support improved air quality • Work with public transport and freight operators to reduce vehicle emissions • Promote awareness of the impact of vehicle emissions on health
8 A Stronger Economy - Our Commitments for 2018/19 Ambitious | Prosperous | Proud 9 Shaping place and driving growth Resilient communities • Develop, adopt and deliver the Local Plan • Secure planning freedoms that allow We want communities across delivery whilst protecting decisions on Northampton to feel supported in • Consult with stakeholders to develop an sustainable development achieving their aspirations. This means Economic Growth Strategy ensuring that everyone • Develop a Town Centre Strategy in feels they have a stake • Secure additional investment to enable partnership with key stakeholders in their neighbourhoods project delivery and mechanisms are in place to guarantee inclusion. We will also place an emphasis on supporting the most vulnerable in our societies car parks 15,819,292 who might not have the means to help 100% 14 themselves. of all subject access requests were have the Park Mark responded to within accreditation Town Centre footfall 40 working days Keeping the town and people safe • Using CCTV for crime prevention • Work with the University of Northampton • Adopt a case management approach to to deliver community safety messages to businesses tackle offenders and support victims of students 100% financially24 supported through the Purple Flag of all ‘major’, ‘minor’ cuckooing • Working effectively to uphold licencing Business Incentive Scheme and ‘other’ applications • Work with partners to identify the most objectives awarded for received in 2017/18 were vulnerable victims and ensure their • Utilise the tools and powers of the anti- providing safe determined within the 96 £908K properties receive increased security social behaviour legislation to tackle noise nightlife specified period against new jobs private sector investment a target of 85%. created in Northampton • Develop a taxi-marshalling scheme nuisance and anti-social behaviour • Establish a safer routes home initiative • Work with partners to tackle serious organised crime, focusing on initiatives to • Continue to promote the ‘Night’s Out reduce youth violence, gangs and knife Northampton’ Campaign crime
THESE ARE THE GUYS The guys always plan how they are getting home before they head out BE LIKE THE GUYS
10 A Stronger Economy - Our Commitments for 2018/19 Ambitious | Prosperous | Proud 11 Empowering local people More homes, better homes • Work with partners to deliver weeks of • Develop the Housing Delivery Plan • Actively promote good practice and landlord action focused on neighbourhood priorities accreditation • Engage with house builders and • Use community networks to highlight development agencies to accelerate • Review and reduce homelessness through issues and bring neighbourhoods together housing delivery early intervention as part of a five-year to deal with them strategy • Set up and support Community Benefit • Promote key community safety messages Society to deliver affordable rented housing • Continue to implement our multi-agency • Utilise community payback, community ‘Together We Change Lives’ strategy volunteers and voluntary organisations to • Support Northampton Partnership Homes address environmental issues to build new affordable housing beyond • Move the Nightshelter to somewhere use of the Housing Revenue Account permanent that can accept men and women • Use community events to celebrate the diversity of the town • Continue to provide a fair process for • Reduce the overall cost of temporary residents to access affordable social accommodation • We will deliver community safety messages housing to our primary schools, covering all of our • Build a portfolio of at least 100 properties Year 5 and 6 students • Ensure housing developers deliver that are available for private sector leasing appropriate amounts of affordable • Making quality information readily available properties • Investigate potential benefits of increasing to enable informed decisions to be made council stock of lower-cost temporary • Deliver a comprehensive affordable accommodation housing programme in collaboration with partners • Increase the number of council homes that are used as temporary accommodation • Make effective use of enforcement powers to ensure good standards in the private rental sector
of food Green Flag 94.4% businesses 405 HMOs awarded to have a food hygiene rating Abington Park and of 3 or more stars with a mandatory Delapré Abbey licence
nightshelter guests have stayed since 242 opening 512 HMOs 45 councillors • 157 guests have moved successfully into settled accomodation • 110 volunteers have worked shifts with an additional • Average length of stay: 25 nights licence • Average guest age: 38
12 Resilient Communities - Our Commitments for 2018/19 Ambitious | Prosperous | Proud 13 Exceptional services to Improving our governance be proud of • Doing the right things, in the right way for • Ensure compliance with legislation, We are determined to provide the people of Northampton in an open, regulations and best practice to attain services the residents honest and accountable manner accreditation in delivering good governance of Northampton can • Measure improvement in our governance be proud of. Not arrangements against our programme of only is it our aim to works guarantee the services we provide directly are the best they can be, we are also Putting the customer first committed to working with partners to ensure a seamless experience. • Provide a resolution at the first point of contact
• Respond to customer needs and legislative Spending your money wisely changes
• Develop a people/workforce strategy and • Work collaboratively with partners to implement the NBC people plan provide a holistic service offer
• Develop and deliver an employee • Deliver simpler, clearer, faster services engagement plan designed around the customer need
• Develop the corporate asset strategy. • Provide intuitive user navigation on the council’s website • Establish a unitary project team • Manage the transfer from analogue phone • Support directorate work streams to move lines to digital phone lines for our call care to a unitary council customers
£27.79m 99.12% £158 million private sector investment General Fund of invoices were paid secured in the Northampton Budget 2018/19 within 30 days Waterside Enterprise Zone in 2017/18
Customer 99.95% 94.88% Excellence of fly tipping incidents of customers satisfied with were removed within overall service provided by maintained our 2 days of notification Customer Services accreditation
14 Exceptional Services to be Proud of - Our Commitments for 2018/19 Ambitious | Prosperous | Proud 15