DONCASTER’S

Local Investment Plan

2011-14

1 Contents

Page No Foreword Exec Summary Introduction  Introduction  Evidence Base  Process  National Picture and Challenges  Sheffield City Region  Local Enterprise Partnership  Dearne Valley  Local Context  Doncaster’s Strategies Theme 1 -  Doncaster’s Economy today Creating a  The future of Doncaster’s Economy strong,  Our Economic Investment Priorities connected  The Gateway to the Sheffield City region – Airport Growth Corridor and  Urban Renewal inclusive  Work, Skills and Enterprise Plan economy  Support for Business and Individuals  Retail Offer  Sporting Heritage  South Yorkshire Digital Region  New Innovation and Low Carbon Economy Theme 2 -  Doncaster’s Communities Today Developing  The Future of Doncaster’s Communities Stronger  Our Stronger Community Investment Priorities Communities  Tackle empty properties  Invest in Neighbourhood renewal  Deliver a Neighbourhood Hit Squad programme  Co-ordinated approach to Neighbourhood Investment Planning Theme 3 -  Doncaster’s Housing Today Increasing  Renewal, Growth and Affordable Housing and  Existing Properties improving  The Future of Doncaster’s Housing housing  Our Housing Investment Priorities Theme 4 -  Children in Doncaster Today Protecting  The future for Doncaster’s Children and  Our Children and Young People Investment Priorities improving all  Safeguarding our  Children in Care children’s  Education lives  Organisational Development Theme 5 -  Doncaster’s Health Today Improving  Doncaster’s Health in the Future Health and  Our Health Investment Priorities in Health and Social Care support for  Improving Health independent  Help people to stay independent lives  Providing the right services  Our Health Investment Priorities Theme 6 -  Crime and ASB in Doncaster today Tackling  Maintaining our Success in tackling Crime and ASB Crime and  Our Crime and ASB Investment Priorities anti-social  Reduce Overall Crime behaviour  Reduce Anti Social Behaviour  Tackle Substance and Alcohol Misuse  Continue to Protect the public and reduce the likelihood of major emergencies 2 Theme 7 -  Doncaster’s Environment Today Creating a  Doncaster’s Environment in the Future Cleaner and  Our Environmental Investment Priorities better  The challenges presented by Doncaster’s climate environment  Protecting our environmental assets  Keeping streets clean  Dealing with household waste  Encouraging Pride in the Environment Delivery of  Doncaster’s Investment Priorities Local  Investment in Doncaster Investment  Investment Tables and Maps Plan  Case Studies – Neighbourhood Investment Planning Priorities  Mexborough  Edlington  Bentley  Governance  Risk  Capacity to Deliver  Summary of Doncaster’s Priorities

3 Foreword

Doncaster is a fantastic place with great potential and I am pleased to introduce the borough’s Local Investment Plan.

The Local Investment Plan is about radical reform and changing the way we do things to put the economy at the centre of everything we do. This includes working with the private sector to deliver new housing, as well as thinking up new ways to provide infrastructure like roads, power supplies and schools. Most importantly it is about working with local people to identify how the current priorities can help to attract new investment into local communities through the development of neighbourhood level plans.

I want to turn the challenges we face nationally into opportunities for improvement locally. I am committed to local accountability and empowering the people of Doncaster to have their say on the issues that matter. At all times the council will work with its partners in the public and private sector as well as charities, community groups and local residents. Less central government funding means we will be looking to the private sector to deliver new investment, as a council we must achieve even greater value for money and make better use of our assets.

The Local Investment Plan is based around the priorities set out in Doncaster’s Borough Strategy 2010-15 ‘A Plan for Doncaster’ and compliments key areas in other local plans including the Economic Strategy, the Housing Strategy, the Community Safety Strategy and the Children and Young People’s plan.

The current investment priorities themselves are not new, but the local investment plan brings them together under a single borough wide strategy. The priorities are founded on a strong basis of research from a variety of sources. They have been developed and agreed by the council and its partners, working closely with the Homes and Communities Agency.

The Local Investment Plan sets out the vision for Doncaster and the totality of the investment that is being mobilised by the Council and its Local Strategic Partners to deliver its programmes and priorities. The investment plan also sets out how unfunded priorities fit within the overall investment plan in order that new resources can be identified and attracted into the Borough.

There are 3 challenges that the Local Investment Plan must address 1) increase the supply of houses, jobs, and businesses, into places where there is a local demand, 2) improve existing housing and make our neighbourhoods more attractive and investment friendly, 3) bring prosperity to our communities and support our most vulnerable people. This means seeing and addressing the needs of communities differently, using our land and others assets in new ways, and strengthening our working relationships with partner agencies.

The Local Investment Plan will also enable us to reflect on how strong local leadership in the context of central government’s localism agenda will enable investment planning at a neighbourhood level to address additional local priorities. It will enable us to understand the role that private sector investment can play as well as how the council and its partners can use their assets to incentivise investment at a local level.

I am committed to using the Local Investment Plan to focus on outcomes for communities so that we can fashion services around people, whilst balancing financial realities with aspirations.

I was born and bred in Doncaster and believe we have what it takes to be the number one borough in the North of England. This Local Investment Plan sends a strong message that Doncaster is open for business.

Peter Davies, Mayor of Doncaster

4 Executive Summary Vision Doncaster aims to be one of the most successful areas in England by being a gateway to opportunity. A strong economy will support progressive, healthy, safe and vibrant communities. With the right investment Doncaster will be a place where residents feel valued and achieve their full potential in all areas of life.

Doncaster’s Local Investment Plan (LIP) ties together seven important themes that are crucial to the continued development of the borough.

Strong and inclusive economy Creating a strong economy in which everyone plays their part is fundamental to the development of Doncaster and central to the success of the other six themes. The council and its partners are already ahead in becoming more open and forward thinking by tapping into regional assets. They are also building effective relationships and economic connections with other towns and cities to benefit Doncaster’s economy.

The borough’s economy will be improved by becoming more varied, growing existing businesses and attracting new investors, encouraging an enterprising culture and giving local people the skills to secure good jobs. Delivering major infrastructure projects such as the White Rose Way Improvement Scheme and the Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme will further widen the Borough’s and the Sheffield City Region’s advantages.

Doncaster already has a tremendous community spirit and people have a real connection with their neighbourhoods. The borough has a number of very different communities across a mixture of urban and rural areas with huge variations in wealth, living standards and attainment.

Improvements are already underway however much more can be achieved by increasing satisfaction and pride in Doncaster as a place to live and do business, engaging residents in local democracy and taking ownership of local services.

Quality housing Doncaster has a diverse housing stock and the need for new housing remains high. Increasing and improving the range and quality of housing in Doncaster is central to improving communities.

Better quality, better places and better choice are the driving forces behind the changes needed within housing in Doncaster. The council and its partners recognise that in order to attract people to live, work and visit the borough improving the economy requires the creation of good quality new and existing housing, specifically affordable homes. This is also crucial to attracting new investment into Doncaster’s communities.

Sustainable improvement A strong leadership team exists in Doncaster and real sustainable improvement and change is beginning to take shape. The children in Doncaster deserve the best life chances possible and improvements in education and investment to increase the number of young people in education, employment or training with the relevant skills to meet the needs of the local economy will bring long term continued growth to Doncaster.

Giving children the best start in life and increasing their aspirations is crucial, however there must also be help available for them as they get older. Improving health and providing the support to encouraging independent lives is a key theme in this investment plan.

The health of Doncaster’s population has improved but life expectancy remains below the national average for both men and women. Many public health schemes are already underway to improve this, but there is still a need to do more to tackle obesity and heart and lung diseases. Ultimately this will be achieved by encouraging people to take more responsibility for their own health and lead more active lifestyles. 5 The final two themes in the LIP are well known as the leading factors in affecting how residents feel about their communities: improving crime and anti-social behaviour and creating a cleaner and greener environment.

Crime in Doncaster is already at its lowest level for 30 years with a 30% reduction in overall crime between 2007/8 and 2010/11. With that said, there are still significant pockets of unemployment around Doncaster which contribute towards problems around crime and disorder.

The Safer Doncaster Partnership has seen some tangible results and anti-social behaviour has begun to fall, with a 7% reduction reported in the first nine months of 2010/11 as compared to the same period the previous year. Despite the successes making further improvements remains a priority. A key challenge is creating confidence amongst residents that the partnership is working and closing the gap between what they perceive about their areas and the reality of the situation.

Partners have clear objects to further tackle crime, anti-social behaviour, drug and substance misuse and protect the public from major emergencies such as the devastating floods of 2007. With reduced funding, the partnership must focus on programmes with the potential to provide value for money.

A wide variety of landscapes Doncaster is not what most people perceive it to be. As the largest metropolitan borough in the UK the borough has 227 square miles of diverse local landscapes rich in wildlife. The large amounts of green and open space as well as significant woodland sites and country parks have the potential to play a significant role in supporting a healthy lifestyle. In addition, 800 listed buildings and 46 conservation areas steep the town in history.

Preserving these assets, improving the cleanliness of the streets, increasing understanding of the environmental challenges such as increasing recycling rates is a priority and goes hand in hand with encouraging local people to take pride in the environment.

Despite the advances already being made Doncaster is not without significant challenges. Many of these are replicated nationally: the downturn in the housing market, limited borrowing from lenders, environmental issues such as need to reduce energy use and flooding and an ageing population.

Some are more specific to the borough: substantial central government funding cuts for Doncaster Council, a high level of empty properties and an urgent need for more high quality housing, a dependence on the public sector for employment and a difficulty attracting professional and skilled workers.

Prosperous borough The Doncaster LIP tackles all these issues and sets out how the council and its partners can create a more prosperous borough for residents. It also guides Doncaster’s role as part of the Sheffield City Region.

Against a background of substantially reduced central government funding, the LIP provides a clear framework to achieve the ambitions set out in a range of big plans such as the Borough Strategy, and underlying plans such as the economic, housing, children’s and crime and disorder plans. The key aim is to maximise both public and private sector investment to improve local people’s lives.

6 Doncaster’s Investment Priorities Throughout the LIP, each theme outlines its key investment priorities to increase the investment potential of Doncaster’s neighbourhoods and its social, economic and environmental capital. The majority of these priorities are operational priorities, however, Doncaster’s Major Investment Priorities over the 2011-14 period are summarised below:

 The Gateway to the Sheffield City Region: Airport Growth Corridor;  Town Centre Development;  Completion of Housing Regeneration projects, including Hyde Park, Edlington, Mexborough;  Improve the quality of Existing Stock (including Decency);  Creation of more Affordable Homes; and  Reducing the number of Empty Properties.

The investment needs £29.68 million will deliver the following outcomes over the 2011-14 period through our housing priorities:

 1297 new homes, of which 682 are affordable can be delivered on housing land;  6600 council properties made decent under the decent homes programme, creating 60 apprenticeships (over the 2011-15 period)  498 empty private sector properties brought back into use;  33.81 ha of housing land redeveloped (minimum);  98 strategic property acquisitions and 132 properties for clearance (dependent on project approval);  6000 private sector properties benefitting from energy saving improvement measures;  1350 home receiving Hit Squad property inspections;  New employment and apprenticeship opportunities directly created or safeguarded in line with Doncaster Build, Registered Providers and HCA guidelines;  Land allocation to deliver a net addition of 1230 new homes each year from 2011- 2026;  Environmental improvements.

The LIP summarises total investment in Doncaster over the 2011-14 period of both private and public sector investment of over £356 million excluding the investment need of £29.68 million.

7 Introduction The Doncaster LIP sets out the priorities and principles of investment to deliver our vision of creating a prosperous borough for residents.

It draws together the ambitions set out in a range of other local plans such as the Borough Strategy, as well as other documents that underpin the Borough Strategy such as the economic and the housing strategies. It also acts to maximise both public and private investment delivering new jobs and investment for areas, which is particularly significant in the context of substantially reduced public sector funding.

Doncaster’s LIP will be important in shaping the use of existing and future investment in Doncaster’s neighbourhoods as well as guiding Doncaster’s role in shaping the economic development objectives of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership.

The LIP will outline the investment need within the context of other public and private sector investment requirements to support the delivery of the agreed priorities, where these are currently unfunded and are a key aspect of the timeline of the overall LIP.

Last but not least, the LIP will also ensure that the council is working well both internally and alongside its partners and local communities to achieve success.

Evidence Base The LIP has been developed in reference to a wide ranging statistical evidence base. This includes National Indicators, Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix and the Office of National Statistics. (A copy of the evidence base is available).

Process The LIP has been developed through discussions with the Homes and Communities Agency, cabinet members, council directors, officers and key partners. Strategic leadership is provided by the council’s directors and specifically, the Director of Regeneration and Environment. This LIP has been written by the LIP project group with the support of partners. There has been a range of meetings and workshops to ensure engagement with both internal and external partners. Much of the information has built upon the Borough Strategy, the Housing Strategy, the Economic Strategy and the Children’s Plan all have been through considerable public consultation.

The National Picture and Challenges Facing Doncaster The LIP is influenced by challenges and changes that face the nation as a whole. These include limited mortgage availability for first time buyers, lending to businesses, and low consumer confidence as well as key government proposals such as:  Local Growth: Realising Everyone’s Potential – creating the conditions for a more market driven approach to help the economy and businesses to grow;  Welfare that works - simplifying benefits and reducing dependence on them, changing Incapacity Benefit to Employment and Support Allowance and the introduction of a Universal Credit;  Localism – empowering local communities to have more say over their local area and services encompassing the Big Society ethos;  Changes to social housing including the reform of Council house financing, new products such as Affordable Rents schemes, New Homes Bonus, Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), greater flexibility to Councils in relation to lettings policies and waiting lists, length of tenancies, more mobility for tenants to move across the country;  Energy Security and Green Economy Bill – reducing the use of energy and carbon emissions.

Sheffield City Region In defining the evidence base and taking account of the national picture for the LIP, it is important to consider the borough in the context of the Sheffield City Region and the emerging Local Enterprise Partnership. 8 Sheffield City Region comprises the four local authorities within South Yorkshire as well as five districts in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. The Western aspect of the City Region in both South Yorkshire and Derbyshire is covered by the Peak District National Park Authority.

Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership The Local Enterprise Partnership is one of 24 Local Enterprise Partnerships to receive approval in the Government's White Paper Local Growth: Realising Every Place's Potential.

The Local Enterprise Partnership will provide the framework for regenerating and growing the local economy through collaboration between the private and public sectors by attracting investment, building its business and employment base, targeting specific business sectors and promoting spatial development in housing and transport.

The Local Enterprise Partnership will take a range of approaches to tackle the economic challenges facing the City Region and there are a series of interventions that are planned by the Sheffield City Region to include Doncaster’s economic challenges.

Dearne Valley Parts of the west of Doncaster are included within the Dearne Valley. The Dearne Valley was once one of the mostly heavily polluted areas in Western Europe. Whilst there has been restoration of the former colliery sites, business investment and thousands of new jobs created, the Dearne Valley has a distinctive and important role for the future.

Local Context Doncaster is the largest geographical Metropolitan Borough in the country at 227 sq miles and is home to 290,000 people. It consists of many individual towns, settlements and communities, including 3 significant towns of Doncaster urban centre, Mexborough and Thorne and contributes to both Sheffield and Leeds City Regions. Doncaster emerged as an industrial centre from late 18th century and witnessed great inward migration and expansion due to industry, mining and its important transport links.

The post war era saw clearance of sub standard housing and massive housing growth. Towards the end of 20th century, changes to the industrial base led to great decline in the area. Since the very late 1990’s, Doncaster has seen major achievement in terms of the economy and inward investment, although strategically, we need to move from renewal to growth to fulfil demand.

Doncaster’s transport infrastructure is one of its biggest advantages. The borough has excellent transport links: it is criss-crossed by three main motorways, is on the East Coast and TransPennine rail lines and boasts the fastest rail connection to London from Yorkshire. It also has an international airport at Finningley with has the longest heavy duty runway in England and easy access to the Humber ports.

There are a number of key strategic documents that inform the LIP in order to ensure that the investment priorities are robust, well justified and aligned with the existing vision for the Borough.

The Borough Strategy The Borough Strategy is the key long-term document for improving quality of life in Doncaster. It covers the whole of the borough and aims to develop communities where people want to live and work, now and in the future. The Strategy provides the ‘big plan’ of the Borough’s challenges, ambitions and how priorities will be delivered. It has been developed following community consultation by the Doncaster Together Partnership, which includes representatives from the public, private, voluntary and community sectors. It is our main over arching strategy, all other plans and polices that are developed reflect its values and principles.

9 The Doncaster Economic Strategy The Economic Strategy is designed to ensure that we continue to build on our achievements, to link our communities to the increased opportunity in the Borough and places economic engagement as a central objective of the Borough Strategy

The Doncaster Housing Strategy The 2011/14 Doncaster Housing Strategy, ‘Better Homes, Better Places’ aims to improve the supply and quality of housing across Doncaster, in order to ensure everyone has the opportunity to access a quality, affordable home within a sustainable community.

The underlying ambition of this strategy is to ensure that that our housing renewal and growth investment priorities can continue to help improve and grow the borough’s economy. The priorities seek to address issues such as poor quality homes, a lack of affordable housing, providing a quality housing offer for an increasing ageing population, and tackling problem empty properties.

The Doncaster Local Development Framework As part of the planning system in England, local authorities have to prepare a 'local development framework' (LDF). The new Doncaster LDF will provide the basis for determining planning applications and future development in the borough. The framework will include the policies, proposals and other documents about land use and spatial planning in the borough.

Doncaster’s LIP covers five geographic areas, which are highlighted below

Central Investment Area – (Balby, Central, Town Moor and Wheatley Wards) This area is the Doncaster Main Urban Area. Much of the central area is housing and retail although there are parks such as the Town Fields integrated throughout the area. There are many housing types within this area, which range from pre 1919 terraces to period properties in Regent Square and Bennetthorpe. There is a need to develop a greater sense of place in the urban centre to join up the various physical spaces that are divided by the roads that cut across and through the town centre area. This issue will be addressed through the major economic regeneration investment projects planned for the area.

Northern Investment Area – (Adwick, Askern Spa, Bentley, Great North Road, Sprotbrough wards) This area is varied with some affluent areas but also some parts demonstrating acute deprivation. However, many parts of the North of Doncaster are surrounded by rural areas and villages and this area borders Selby, Wakefield and Barnsley. It is better known for its mining heritage and many of the homes were built for the colliery workers. There is a need to establish clear neighbourhood investment plans (involving the Council working innovatively and collaboratively with partners for the wider benefit of communities) for the areas within the North of Doncaster to set out how investment can be integrated and more joined up to benefit not only the local neighbourhoods but also provide access to opportunity elsewhere in the Borough and beyond i.e. the Leeds City Region.

Eastern Investment Area – (Armthorpe, Hatfield, Dunscroft, Stainforth and Moorends, Thorne, Edenthorpe, Kirk Sandall and Barnby Dun wards) The Eastern Area has some former colliery areas that have suffered from decline; however there are also prosperous areas with high demand for housing and employment and other services. Neighbourhoods in this area are attractive and some parts of this area act as small towns and villages in their own right and border with North Lincolnshire and East Riding thereby offering investment potential and links to areas such as Hull and Humber Ports.

10 Southern Investment Area – (Bessacarr and Cantley, Finningley, Rossington, Torne Valley Wards) The Southern area has a diverse investment offer with relatively affluent areas together with areas of deprivation. Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield (RHADS) is located with the South of Doncaster and there is a high focus for continued economic regeneration in the locality - both regionally and locally as a result of the development of the Airport Economic Growth Corridor. The south of Doncaster borders with Rotherham and Bassetlaw and has a strong housing market and generally attractive neighbourhoods.

Western Investment Area – (Conisbrough and Denaby, Edlington and Warmsworth, Mexborough Wards) Parts of the west of Doncaster are included within the Dearne Valley; this former mining area was once one of the most heavily polluted areas in Western Europe. The area was previously given Housing Market Renewal status, which has involved the part clearance of the Granby Estate and full clearance of Thompson Avenue and Dixon Road areas in Edlington. The west of Doncaster borders Barnsley and Rotherham and is a major focus for cross border investment to provide continued social, economic and environmental regeneration of the area by diversifying into new business growth sectors.

The LIP is structured to include all of the themes contained within the Borough Strategy, which are:  Theme 1: Creating a strong, connected and inclusive economy  Theme 2: Developing stronger communities  Theme 3: Increasing and improving housing  Theme 4: Protecting and improving all our children’s lives  Theme 5: Improving health and support for independent lives  Theme 6: Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour  Theme 7: Creating a cleaner and better environment

The document provides a sound basis to develop credible and robust policies, help target investment and allow us to better understand our communities. 11 Theme 1 – Creating a strong, connected and inclusive economy

Doncaster’s Economy Today Doncaster faces a number of economic challenges, notably a need to invest to improve skills and qualifications in the resident population. Employment is heavily focused on Public Administration, Education and Health with high proportions in Transport and Communications and low proportions in Banking, Finance and Insurance relative to the regional average. Our evidence base highlights that Doncaster has one of the worst imbalances between the public and private sectors.

Doncaster is placed 6th of 21 local authorities in Yorkshire and Humber in terms of the size of its economy and ranks 2nd largest in the Sheffield City Region, contributing 15.9% to the region’s gross value added (GVA). Our evidence base demonstrates that Doncaster’s economy has not matched regional and national economic growth rates over the last twenty years. In 2003 Doncaster had a prosperity gap of £456million in comparison to the wider region, but by 2008 this had reduced to £410million due to higher unemployment across the rest of the region.

Doncaster’s approach to economic development has focussed on the factors that characterise successful economic places; education, skills, quality of life, entrepreneurship, support to existing businesses and innovation alongside infrastructure building and renewal. Although, recent economic performance has been limited, Doncaster does have a number of key assets which provide opportunities for future growth.

The Future of Doncaster’s Economy:  More thriving and stronger businesses;  Raised aspirations and better skills;  More jobs that reflect the spectrum of skills and abilities from basic to higher level;  More local people in work and a more productive workforce;  Increased tax base (council tax, business rates, income tax);  Less pressure on frontline services (e.g. crime, housing, health etc);  Reduced benefit dependency;  Improved graduate attraction and retention;  Reduced prosperity gap.

Our economic strategy aims to create sustainable growth and this will be achieved by:  Building a more diverse economy;  Growing existing businesses;  Encouraging an enterprising culture;  Attracting regional, national and international investment;  Equipping local residents to engage in the economy.

Our Economic Investment Priorities 1) The Gateway to the Sheffield City Region: Airport Growth Corridor The Gateway project will harness Doncaster’s great transport links, and one of the Sheffield City regions prime assets, Robin Hood Airport to encompass a number of complementary and interdependent investment priorities including:

1. Robin Hood Airport, Doncaster Sheffield (RHADS); 2. Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme (FARRRS); 3. Rossington Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (Inland Port); 4. White Rose Way (WRW).

Development of White Rose Way and FARRRS will provide a building block for future economic development; unlocking private sector investment, housing, business and job growth across the Sheffield City Region. By 2030 it is anticipated that the project will deliver over one million square metres of business space, 24,000 new private jobs, 5,000 new homes and private sector investment exceeding £1.7billion. The project has long term sustainable outcomes but will realise 12 economic impact in the short term, with the delivery of 170,000 sq metres of business floor space, an additional 6,000 private sector jobs and private investment of £200million achieved by 2014.

Woodfield Way Road The Woodfield Way Road delivers the missing highway between the Tesco Supermarket at Woodfield and the B&Q warehouse at Balby Carr. This road is necessary to unlock development at Woodfield Plantation (Carr Lodge Farm development).

The scheme at Carr Lodge is being managed by the Homes and Communities Agency, with a view to private developers ultimately delivering the proposals. The proposal is for a 1600 housing development with exemplar green infrastructure, with houses built in compliance with level 4 of the ‘Code for Sustainable Homes’. There will also be a small amount of commercial units. It is envisaged that the development would take 10 – 15 years to develop in its entirety and the scheme is dependent on the improvements to White Rose Way.

2) Urban Renewal Civic and Cultural Quarter (CCQ) Phase 1 The Civic and Cultural Quarter will re-vitalise the Waterdale area of the town centre through a landmark £300 million development. It will cover some 25 acres which includes Waterdale and the area around the Council House and land where the former Doncaster College was located. The development of the Civic and Cultural Quarter is expected to deliver 1205 additional jobs and increase GVA by £60.6m per annum.

The first phase of construction started in late 2010 and should be open early 2013. The world class facilities and attractions will include:  A state-of-the-art new performance venue;  Doncaster’s first public square and additional public realm;  New civic offices and council chamber, which will provide residents with a convenient one- stop shop for most council services. This will be the council's new headquarters;  A possible four-star boutique hotel, which brings the former Girls School on the corner of Chequer Road back to life;  Changes to the road infrastructure with College Road being opened up to Chequer Road. Waterdale Road will also become pedestrian friendly;  A revamped Southern Multi-Storey Car Park providing safe and secure parking;  The first of several residential developments bringing quality town centre living back into Doncaster.

Doncaster Waterfront The aspiration is to develop a high quality, mixed use development that includes educational, residential, commercial and leisure uses, adjacent to Doncaster Town Centre and next to the South Yorkshire Navigation Canal.

Nearly £30m of investment has been made to date, funded from the council’s own resources (including land contributions), Yorkshire Forward and European Objective 1. Works completed to date include the filling in of the former gas house and construction of a 90 berth marina; provision of utilities infrastructure including the construction of an electricity sub-station and the relocation of the sewage pumping station; and acquisition of key land and buildings and the associated site clearance and remediation works.

The Waterfront initiative remains a key priority regeneration site for Doncaster and the council is actively pursuing ways to complete the remaining land acquisitions and infrastructure works required to secure the redevelopment of the site and create jobs and a vibrant waterside extension of the town centre.

13 3) Work, Skills and Enterprise Plan A local work and skills plan (WASP) is being developed to address local needs and is informed by the evidence base. The WASP will put the employment and skills elements of the Economic Strategy into practice. Future activity is likely to include action to increase the number and range of apprenticeship places available to Doncaster residents, facilitating activity with employers and education providers to ensure supply of skills meets demand from business, work in partnership with the business community and employers to identify gaps in support and needs of employers, improving information, advice and guidance.

A new Work, Skills and Enterprise Programme (WSEP) is being developed for delivery from April 2011 giving consideration as to the most effective ways of prioritising and targeting limited resources. The focus of the programme will include support for individuals and businesses.

4) Support for Business Investors from outside of the borough will be encouraged to relocate to Doncaster by promoting the business benefits and providing a clear offer.

The ‘Invest in Doncaster’ Team will make it easy and attractive for businesses to invest and grow, supporting large employers and high growth SME’s through Key Account Managers (KAMs) and Sector Managers, providing HR Business support for SME’s, facilitation to raise awareness of complementary support; Finance, HR, Planning etc, providing a coordinated, tailored package of support presenting Doncaster as ‘investment ready’.

Promotion of Doncaster through marketing and brand promotion and collective use of private/public sector resources will present a positive image for business and employment.

5) Retail Offer The Frenchgate Centre underwent a £200 million facelift to transform it into the country’s first shopping centre with integrated public transport and retail interchange facility, opening to the public in June 2006.

Our evidence base identifies Doncaster’s retail offer as one of the borough’s key assets. Doncaster markets have been named Britain’s Best Market 2011 by the National Association of British Markets Authorities and the Frenchgate Centre, supported by Lakeside Village, are regarded as the main retail destination for the eastern side of Sheffield City Region.

The findings of the March 2010 Retail Study carried out by GVA Grimley concludes:  The number of major retailers in Doncaster is above the national average;  Doncaster has a healthy Town Centre, performing in accordance with it’s sub regional shopping centre role;  The opening of the extended Frenchgate shopping centre has significantly enhanced Doncaster’s offer;  National rankings indicate improved perceptions of Doncaster as a destination retailers want to locate;  Doncaster has a strong night time economy.

6) Sporting Heritage Doncaster Racecourse is widely regarded, both nationally and internationally, as a world class horse racing venue with a proud heritage as the home to the classic St Leger race. The racecourse underwent a transformational £34 million redevelopment and re-opened in time for the 2007 St Leger Festival.

The St Leger Festival in September 2010 was celebrated by a series of complementary events over a 10 day period, including the Doncaster Live music festival, special markets, exhibitions and beer festivals. Across the four days of racing the highest ever festival attendance was recorded, with a total of over 60,000 people attending the racecourse, around a 15% increase on 2009. Over

14 the course of the 2010 festival period it is estimated that an additional £10million was spent in the local economy.

The Keepmoat Stadium, a community stadium at Lakeside, is a multi-purpose venue, with a capacity of 15,231. The stadium cost approximately £32 million to construct and was opened in 2006 (official opening 2007). The facility is recognized as a key asset for the town and is home to Doncaster Rovers Football Club, Doncaster Rugby League Club and Doncaster Rovers Belles Ladies Football Club.

7) South Yorkshire Digital Region Digital Region Ltd will deliver a transformational programme for South Yorkshire that will provide super fast broadband using state of the art technology. It will cover the city, towns and villages of Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham.

This is a £90m investment by Yorkshire Forward and the 4 South Yorkshire Local Authorities providing “next generation” fibre connectivity to 80% of South Yorkshire’s premises. The delivery phase of this project commenced in April 2009 with the end of first phase rollout due in January 2012 – beyond this point revenue income will be used to extend the network coverage to 97% of South Yorkshire’s premises.

The DTZ Economic Impact Assessment of the Digital Region project anticipated employment benefits in Doncaster of 800 within 3 years and 1400 within 10 years of network take-up.

8) New Innovation and Low Carbon Economy

Doncaster Energy from Waste Project – (DEW) The Hatfield Power Park, DEW Project and other private sector projects are know collectively as the DN7 initiative; part of a masterplan to regenerate an area of around 500 acres around the Stainforth, Hatfield and Dunscroft area.

DEW is a major private initiative to revolutionalise the way that both municipal and commercial/industrial waste is processed. The project will divert waste from landfill sites, processing up to 400,000 tonnes per annum and creating green energy for everyday use from recycled materials, putting Doncaster on the map as one of the most environmentally friendly producers of energy from waste. The DEW project will also deliver new jobs for the construction phase and between 170-220 jobs when the plant is operational covering a wide range of management and semi-skilled roles.

Permission has already been granted for the DEW Project 'front end' Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). An application is expected in the first half of 2011 for the DEW Project 'back end' energy recovery plant, which will utilise the small fraction of non-recyclable solid recovered fuel (SRF) left over from the MRF process.

Hatfield Power Park The Hatfield Power Park aims to include the provision of opportunities for industries and technologies with operational requirements that cannot be served from a more traditional business and industry park. Hatfield Power Park is a large regeneration proposal based around Hatfield Colliery, in the North East of Doncaster. The development has planning permission for business, general industry and storage & distribution uses covering 88 acres (excluding the Colliery).

The new Hatfield Power Station could incorporate new Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies will have the potential of storing up to 10 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions, creating a significant number of jobs and creating an infrastructure that could attract energy intensive industries that are seeking to reduce their emissions. Over the duration of the development of the site there is a potential to create over 6,500 jobs within the Sheffield City Region.

15 Theme 2 – Developing stronger communities

Doncaster’s communities today Doncaster’s communities are all very different, within one ward area there can be major differences in education, skills, housing, social and economic aspirations and the local economy.

The Communities model within Doncaster divides the Borough up into 5 areas managed by a team of people that provide/coordinate a range of local services on residents' doorsteps. Local priorities are identified by data analysis and information gathered through local contact with community representatives and residents. This is used to influence and inform service needs from a customer perspective. Localism and Big Society are embedded within the work of Communities.

Large areas of the Borough are rural in character (84%) with some attractive villages and large swathes of countryside; the largest land use (67%) is agriculture. Doncaster’s mix of rural and urban areas provides a challenge in community involvement and the provision of public services. Geographic and economic needs are part of our strategic assessment for the planning and delivery of services that will enable all areas and residents to thrive.

There are 88 individual health communities that make up the Doncaster Borough, which are likely to be grouped into 5 neighbourhood areas in the future.

Each neighbourhood in Doncaster has its own needs assessment and plan, updated on an annual basis. This is used on a multi agency basis, including the voluntary and community sector, to provide and commission services. The involvement and influence of residents and communities is essential to break down barriers and gain local support including the wide ranging contribution that residents make to a healthy society.

The future of Doncaster’s Communities The Borough Strategy states that we will have made a difference to Doncaster communities if:

 Residents feel more satisfied and proud about Doncaster as a place to live or do business;  Residents engage more with local democracy and local community activity;  People across all areas of the borough feel that local services are of good quality, reflect their needs and deliver value for money;  Residents believe in real participation and have ownership in services and decision making process.

We will do this by:

 Empowering residents to make a difference: o By equipping individuals with the confidence / skills to improve their own quality of life; o Creating a community involvement strategy – to enable residents to have greater involvement in their respective areas; o Developing local organisations’ volunteer policies to create additional and more diverse placements to increase responsibility and skills in local communities; o Having good communication with all our residents.

 Making the most of our assets: o Doncaster has huge variations in wealth at neighbourhood levels with areas of relative prosperity alongside areas of acute deprivation; o There is a wide array of leisure pursuits, cultural, historic, sporting & fantastic countryside; o We have 21 Children’s centres, 5 Museum’s, 7 Leisure Centres, The Dome Leisure Centre, 28 Libraries, 24 Public Parks, 77 Allotment sites, Racecourse, Community Stadium;

16 o Conisbrough Castle, now in the care of English Heritage, attracts over 30,000 visitors per year from all over the world, the Castle boasts the finest Circular Norman Keep Tower in the UK and is one of the finest buildings of Medieval England; o Doncaster is home to Yorkshire Wildlife Park, the park opened in April 2009 and offers an interactive experience in to the world of the animals; o Brodsworth Hall, an English Heritage property, allows visitors to discover 150 years of a Victorian family, from silk and chandeliers, to the austerity of life during World War 2. o We will develop a cultural strategy for Doncaster; o We will utilise high profile events and tourist attractions across the borough to improve the ‘feel good’ factor and to provide a boost to the local economy.

 Raising the standards of living: o Working with our communities to help improve standards of living where needed.

Achieving success for Doncaster’s Communities The council and its partners plan to undertake a raft of activity to develop stronger communities and improve the borough’s neighbourhoods, making them more attractive. In so doing this will add value to the capital investment priorities identified throughout this LIP. Our approach recognises that many different factors affect a person’s quality of life and the strength of communities, this includes crime rates and access to jobs, housing, education, health services and leisure opportunities.

We need to revitalise specific local places, building on our understanding of local people and utilising opportunities as a result of changes in policy to support the ‘Localism’ agenda and ‘Big Society’. Any approach to meeting this challenge needs to build on the distinctive qualities of our residents, particularly civic pride, whilst encouraging mutual support and personal responsibility.

We will have achieved when we have involved, engaged, dynamic individuals within communities to achieve improved standards for themselves and communities. The levels of deprivation across the borough have improved. The aspirations for Doncaster as a place to live, work, educate, train and contribute to community life are raised.

Support for projects and initiatives By making the most of our assets, our partnerships, and our relationships with communities we can target our investment to improve our neighbourhoods and local environments. Examples of previous investment to date include –

Cantley Park is a large park with various facilities. £1.195m has been invested to build a new pavilion with a training room, kitchen and 8 changing rooms is under construction. A Multi Use Games Area is also under construction. The Pitch and Putt course, which is normally open only during the summer period, will be open all year. Recreational facilities include cricket pitches and children's facilities.

Other investment in communities over the 2008-11 period throughout the Borough total £3.4m, this has been invested in Multi Use Games Areas, pavilions, Household Waste Recycling centers, allotments and Rose Hill Crematorium.

The total Housing Market Renewal funding invested in environmental projects in the areas of Edlington, Conisbrough, Denaby and Mexborough totals in excess of £10m to date. Other housing investment funding that has contributed to improving parts of the North of the Borough through the development of environmental projects in areas of Woodlands, Askern and Highfields totals £7.8m to date.

17 Our Stronger community Investment priorities 1) Tackle Empty Properties Work jointly across the council and with partners to identify and tackle empty properties and complete housing renewal activity to reduce the impact on vandalism and low level crime that can lead to a decline that affects whole streets and neighbourhoods.

2) Invest in Neighbourhood Renewal Ensure that our key housing renewal investment priorities for 2011/12 are aligned to our neighbourhood investment plans.

Our Housing Renewal plans include finalising works to our Housing Market Renewal, Green Corridor and Private Sector Renewal projects in Edlington, Mexborough, Denaby, Askern and Hyde Park localities with the remaining resources that we have available for these priorities and to continue to prioritise these schemes as an investment need during 2011/14 in order that we can identify resources through working with the Local Enterprise Partnership and the City Region Housing and Regeneration Board to explore ways to complete housing regeneration schemes as neighbourhood priorities within our LIP.

3) Deliver a Neighbourhood Hit Squad Programme Deliver a co-ordinated and targeted multi-agency approach to improving neighbourhoods through the mainstreaming of our Neighbourhood Hit Squad pilot via the roll out of a 2011/14 Programme.

Based on the success of the four area’s that have benefited from the work of the hit squad, we will invest resources to deliver the Neighbourhood Hit Squad Initiative in the following 'hotspots' over the next three years to compliment other neighbourhood investment being targeted to the areas:  Town Moor North;  Bentley Rise North;  Lower Wheatley Wentworth Road;  Bentley New Village South;  Bentley Rostholme;  Bentley New Village North;  Conisbrough Castle Area.

4) Coordinated Approach to Neighbourhood Investment Planning Over the 2011-14 period, it is proposed that the Mexborough, Edlington and or Bentley areas could act as pilots that would be the focus of a Neighbourhood Investment Planning process, co- ordinated through the LIP.

The process would bring the council and key partners i.e. NHS Doncaster, Job Centre Plus, South Yorkshire Police, St Leger Homes, Voluntary and Community Sector and the local community and elected members together to identify the specific investment needs and requirements of the smaller area.

Consultation and work with the local community would identify how investment priorities targeted in the area by the council and its partners can be better co-ordinated through working together using processes such as joint commissioning, effective procurement, multi-agency development and delivery of complimentary initiatives.

18 Theme 3 – Increasing and improving housing

Doncaster’s Housing today Doncaster’s Housing offer is wide and diverse and is reflective of its industrial heritage, as many houses were built to accommodate railway and colliery workers. Today there are area’s within the borough where the housing quality and choice needs improving and others where the housing offer is attractive. One overriding concern is the need for new housing in Doncaster.

There are extensive housing investment needs within Doncaster such as building new market housing, improving existing homes and meeting the affordable housing shortfall. The affordability of housing is a significant issue in Doncaster and many first time buyers on low incomes cannot get on the property ladder despite relatively low house prices. The creation of good quality housing areas where people want to live is crucial to the attraction of new investment into Doncaster’s neighbourhoods and will aid the economic recovery in Doncaster by attracting new businesses and workers.

Renewal, Growth and Affordable Housing Previous investment in housing renewal activity in the west and north of the borough amounts to around £40m and has delivered environmental improvements to over 2900 properties and acquired 450 properties for clearance.

The private rented sector is growing in Doncaster, although it is still relatively small compared to national and regional averages. This means that housing choice in Doncaster may not be as wide as in other parts of the country, which increases the reliance on the need for more social housing. The highest levels of private rented properties are found in the central areas, which is also one of the highest areas for empty properties.

The quality of existing private sector homes is better than the national average. Where poorer quality private housing is found, it tends to be in rented houses and in properties built before 1919.

Council housing, managed by St Leger Homes, is in a worse condition than the national average, albeit with great variation throughout the Borough. The number of Council properties that remain non decent at the end of 2010/11 is around 31% of the total stock. Although the investment that the decent homes programme brings into the borough is significant.

Fuel poverty is an issue due to the old housing stock and low incomes of many residents. The proportion of pre-1919 housing is above average in the North, West and Central areas of the borough. This represents an opportunity to develop new partnerships and investment streams with utility companies by tapping into the benefits of the ‘feed in’ tariffs and energy efficiency works.

New housing development has slowed in recent years. This partly reflects the national issues of credit crunch, restrictions to mortgage availability and lack of confidence in the housing market. Our evidence base estimates a shortfall of around 900 affordable homes over the next 10 years and there are few new homes being built through the planning system by developers. This is despite a supply of available land and planning permissions in the system.

Over the last three years, around 350 new affordable homes on various brownfield surplus council owned sites have been developed as a result of investment provided by the Homes and Communities Agency and various Housing Associations. The Council has enabled this development to happen by contributing its own land and assets and this is something that will continue in order to increase the amount of additional housing investment into Doncaster’s neighbourhoods during 2011/14 so that the housing offer can be improved at the same time as increasing the contribution to the development of more sustainable and attractive neighbourhoods.

More recently the council has completed a review of its surplus HRA land and has held one to one discussions with developers, registered providers and St Leger Homes to progress a four year development programme of affordable housing schemes using the HCA’s affordable rent model. We will explore the use of New Homes Bonus to facilitate delivery of more affordable homes. 19 Existing Properties Empty properties are a priority in many areas throughout Doncaster. During 2010/11, Doncaster has allocated both revenue and capital investment to bring empty properties back into use.

Our 2011/12 and beyond investment priorities for empty homes include continuing to assist individual property owners with grants and loans as well as developing more significant high impact, quick win, proposals to offer grants to private developers and large scale landlords to incentivise them to invest in the purchase, refurbishment and bringing back into use of private empty properties.

The Neighbourhood Hit Squad was initially funded by New Deal for Communities (NDC) as a pilot initiative. Three areas within the NDC area were targeted due to a high number of housing complaints and empty properties and wider neighbourhood, crime and health issues that were prevalent in the area and undermined reactive investment in such areas. The programme was developed further in order to focus on local issues such as problem private rented sector properties, delivery of health, anti-crime and youth activity through joining up investment by co- ordinating a targeted and proactive approach to delivery by public sector agencies i.e. Council, NHS, SY Police and other key partners.

During 2011/14, we will roll out the hit squad initiative to other parts of the borough as it has proved to be a very efficient and effective way for numerous agencies to maximise their investment, improve the attractiveness of an area and limit potential disinvestment.

The Future of Doncaster’s Housing The 2011/14 Housing Strategy ‘Better Homes, Better Places’ sets out the key national and city region issues, themes and challenges that we face over the next three years. It also highlights how we can ensure that our housing investment priorities can contribute to them.

We will have made a difference and been successful if there is:

Better quality housing, which will be demonstrated by -  Fewer private sector non decent homes / homes with housing hazards  All Council homes will meet the Government’s decent homes standard  Fewer low energy homes / More high energy efficient homes  Higher levels of tenant satisfaction with management and quality of council and private rented housing  Fewer tenant complaints about housing quality and management  Higher levels of satisfaction from Private Landlords with regard to the services provided by the Council and its Partners / Increased partnerships with private landlords

Better housing choices for people, which will be demonstrated by –  More people enabled to live independently  Reduced levels of homelessness and a better range of housing services and choices for people facing homelessness or in housing need  More extra care housing and a better range of housing choices, chances and support for an ageing population / young people and families

Better places to live, which will be demonstrated by –  More new house building completions / More new affordable housing schemes  Greater contribution from Council assets to bring forward new housing  Delivery of priority housing regeneration schemes  Fewer unpopular / unsustainable areas / Increased resident satisfaction with their area  Fewer empty homes and increased numbers of empty homes brought back into use as affordable housing

20 Our Housing Investment Priorities The nature of our housing investment priorities means they are specific by type of issue and that they also apply at location/neighbourhood level, for example the specific type of issue could be empty properties and the issue can be different in each different neighbourhood.

The types of issues, for example empty properties, need to be aligned to the priorities of other key partners, who are affected directly by the issue. We will continue to work jointly with South Yorkshire Police / NHS Doncaster and other key partners to use our housing investment to help reduce re-offending rates, address anti social behaviour and tackle health inequalities where it is affected by poor quality housing.

We will also focus our efforts to improve access to education, employment and skills and training programmes to increase employability and income levels to tackle affordable housing issues, address the threat of homelessness and repossession and improve the sustainability of our neighbourhoods.

Area based private sector and energy efficiency schemes will be used to improve housing conditions, reduce fuel poverty and resolve affordable warmth issues. There should be close working between partners and the community to achieve investment planning priorities that align housing, economic regeneration and investment in neighbourhoods

The council has developed and adopted a Design Standard for older people’s housing that is used when assessing schemes such as Extra Care developments at the Planning Application stage. The model used will be adopted for the development of the Housing Design Standard for Doncaster which also acknowledges the wider requirements of the City Region.

The standard will aim to set a benchmark ensuring the key benefits of current national standards such as DQS and HQI are not diluted. The standard will balance the need to deliver cost effective housing whilst ensuring the delivery of aspirational homes. It is the council’s aim to have the standard in place by spring 2012 to ensure continuity following the withdrawal of the current national standards as a mandatory requirement.

Doncaster has extensive development opportunities for private sector house builders and currently has planning approvals in place for over 5000 dwellings on privately owned land. The council will also be bringing their own sites to the market to enable house builders of all sizes to benefit from development opportunities across the Borough. We will work with the sector through a property forum to ensure local builders are able to benefit from those opportunities.

In addition to ensuring existing sites and planning approvals are implemented we will continue to explore new delivery models with developers. We will review all current planning approvals and work with developers to identify blockages and assist with the removal of these blockages if possible to encourage development and investment from the sector. Partnerships will continue to be encouraged between developers and Registered Providers.

Our Housing Investment Priorities are -  Completion of Housing Regeneration projects, Hyde Park, Edlington, Mexborough  Improve the quality of Existing Stock (including Decency)  Creation of more Affordable Homes  Reducing the number of Empty Properties

Other housing priorities include;  Enable greater housing options and choice for people in housing need, particularly the elderly, vulnerable young people and families.  Reduce the number of poor quality, energy inefficient homes

21 Housing Investment Priorities for the Central Area – (Balby, Central, Town Moor and Wheatley Wards)

Regeneration  Completion of phase 2 of the Six Streets housing renewal project during 2011/12 and subject to funding, the completion of phase 3.

Existing Stock  Completing St Leger Homes Decent Homes work scheduled for 2011/14.  Proactive and reactive empty property intervention.  Extend the Hit Squad to the Town Moor area and Wheatley - Wentworth Road.  Delivery of Energy Efficiency Projects

Affordable Housing and Growth  Development of new affordable housing proposals on land identified through the land and asset review sites in the central area to deliver 37 affordable homes.  Development of Six Streets cleared site – to deliver 123 new homes, including 38 new affordable homes.  Delivery of the Homes and Communities Agency – Carr Lodge Site, which will deliver 1600 homes with exemplar green infrastructure over a 10-15 year development period.

Housing Investment Priorities for the North Area – (Adwick, Askern Spa, Bentley, Great North Road, Sprotbrough wards)

Regeneration  Delivery of housing regeneration and improvement priorities to enable delivery of the Green Corridor Askern Masterplan, subject to funding.

Existing Stock  Completing the St Leger Homes Decent Homes work scheduled for 2011/14.  Delivery of a community learning youth house in Bentley to enable children with learning and physical disabilities to develop the skills to live independently.  Interventions to reduce empty properties.  Extend the Hit Squad to the Bentley Rostholme, Bentley Rise North and Bentley New Village North and South.  Delivery of Energy Efficiency Projects

Affordable Homes and Growth  Completion of 65 new affordable homes on the Askern Road, Toll Bar site.  Delivery of a supported housing scheme at Cromwell House, Cusworth (9 units)  Development of new affordable housing proposals on land identified through the land and asset review sites in the north area to deliver 12 affordable homes.  Explore delivery of the Homes and Communities Agency – Bentley, Askern and Brodsworth Colliery sites, which will deliver over 800 new homes.

Housing Investment Priorities for the East Area – (Armthorpe, Hatfield, Dunscroft, Stainforth and Moorends, Thorne, Edenthorpe, Kirk Sandall and Barnby Dun wards)

Regeneration  Undertake neighbourhood based feasibility studies to identify specific housing investment priorities. Existing Stock  Completion of the St Leger Homes Decent Homes work scheduled for 2011/14  Interventions to reduce empty properties.  Delivery of Energy Efficiency Projects

22 Affordable Homes and Growth  Completion of the following affordable housing schemes; - 52 two bedroom apartments for over 55’s at the Graham House site, Kirk Sandall. - 10 Units at The Crescent, Dunscroft. - Up to 39 Units at Station Road, Stainforth.  Development of proposals to build approximately 295 new homes, including 85 new affordable homes on the Kingsway and Willow sites, which were cleared in previous years.  Development of new affordable housing proposals on land identified through the land and asset review sites in the east area, which would deliver 55 affordable homes.

Housing Investment Priorities for the South Area – (Bessacarr and Cantley, Finningley, Rossington, Torne Valley Wards)

Regeneration  Undertake a neighbourhood based feasibility study that will identify specific housing investment priorities.

Existing Stock  Completing the St Leger Homes Decent Homes work scheduled for 2011/14.  Interventions to reduce empty properties.  Progress the redevelopment of Meadow Court sheltered housing scheme.  Delivery of Energy Efficiency Projects

Affordable Homes and Growth  Development of new affordable housing proposals on land identified through the land and asset review sites in the south area, which will deliver 8 affordable homes.

Housing Investment Priorities for the West Area – (Conisbrough and Denaby, Edlington and Warmsworth, Mexborough Wards)

Regeneration  Completion of the Housing Market Renewal Mexborough and Edlington projects to enable finishing off of proposals for Windhill Estate, Mexborough, and Granby estate, Edlington, subject to funding,

Existing Stock  Completing the St Leger Homes Decent Homes work scheduled for 2011/14.  Interventions to reduce empty properties.  Extend the Hit Squad to the Conisbrough Castle area.  Deliver Energy Efficiency Projects

Affordable Homes and Growth  Completion of the following affordable housing schemes at; - Hesley Court, Denaby Main (24 units) - Hallgate Mexborough (15 units). - Kirby Street (12 units)  Develop proposals to build approximately 645 new homes, including 200 new affordable homes, on the Ferry Boat Lane site, Windhill sites (Mexborough), Granby estate and Thompson and Dixon (Edlington) sites, all sites have been cleared through HMR.  Development of new affordable housing proposals on land identified through the land and asset review sites in the west area, which would deliver 42 affordable homes.

23 Theme 4: Protecting and improving all our children’s lives

Children in Doncaster Today Doncaster is proud of its children and young people and most have a good quality of life and make a very positive contribution to the life of Doncaster. A significant minority, however, have generally poor outcomes, which limit their opportunities both in childhood and in their future adult life.

Doncaster’s Children Trust, which is representative of the key agencies1 and young people in Doncaster, is committed to ensuring all children and young people have the best outcomes and develop as confident and responsible adults.

The health of Doncaster’s 74,000 0-19 year olds is generally worse than the England average. Key challenges2 are related to infant mortality, sexual health and teenage pregnancies, obesity, emotional wellbeing and substance misuse, particularly alcohol.

Performance of 11 year olds at Key Stage 2 for English and Mathematics and 16 year olds at GCSE is in-line with the national averages. The success of Doncaster’s young people in achieving A Levels (or a similar qualification) by the age of 19 is behind national averages.

The numbers of young people in employment, education or training compare favourably with the region, although high levels of unemployment, a high proportion of low-skilled jobs, low aspirations among some young people and an expected reduction in public sector employment are key concerns.

When compared with similar areas, Doncaster has a higher than expected number of children and young people in care or with a multi-agency child protection plan. There is also a disproportionate number of referrals relating to domestic abuse.

The future for Doncaster’s Children We will have made a difference if we have improved the lives of children, young people and their families.

We recognise that the most effective way to achieve this is by services working together. We aim to have a comprehensive Children’s and Young People’s Strategy (CYPS) in place by April 2011. This Strategy will set out the key priorities agreed following an active engagement exercise with children and young people, families, communities, agencies and services. The Strategy will focus on three key questions:

 What will make the biggest difference to the quality of all children and young people’s lives?  How do we improve quality of life outcomes for children and young people with the greatest needs and poorest outcomes?  How do we stop the transfer of low outcomes from one generation of families to the next?

At the heart of the transformation is the move towards a child and family centred, integrated multi- agency service. This will have prevention and support at its heart and bring together education, health, social care and other professional disciplines.

We will focus on:

Working together:  The Children’s Trust will facilitate productive working between the public, private, voluntary and community sectors to ensure the best possible outcomes and opportunities for children and young people.

1 Including the Youth Council, Schools, the Council, Health, Police and the Voluntary and Community sector 2 As identified by the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 24 Raising education standards:  A good education is fundamental to providing good life chances for children and young people and contributing to an economically prosperous Borough.  We will develop a robust school improvement strategy that challenges and supports schools to be more inclusive and to continue to raise education standards for all.  We will ensure that young people have the knowledge and skills to contribute to Doncaster’s future and promote economic growth.

Raising aspirations:  We need to raise the aspirations of our children and young people by helping them to understand the opportunities available to them in Doncaster (whether for work, training, further and higher education or self employment) and then to access these opportunities through effective education, training and guidance.

Safeguarding children and young people:  The Children’s Trust in conjunction with the Doncaster Safeguarding Children Board3 will ensure that we safeguard children and young people from abuse and harm through speedy risk assessments and effective and timely intervention.

Improving Council services for children and young people:  It is fully recognised that the Council’s services for children and young people need improving. We are implementing a comprehensive Improvement Plan to quickly develop good and outstanding services. The Plan is focused on improving education, safeguarding, outcomes for children and care and organisational effectiveness.  Our approach is based on strong commissioning principles, informed by sound intelligence and an understanding of the needs of children and young people. This is combined with clear service specifications, a commitment to high standards, quality and value for money.

Our Children and Young People Investment Priorities 1) Safeguarding Maximising protection for children and young people against abuse and harm remains an urgent and overriding priority. This requires major improvement to front-line safeguarding services. There has been some post intervention improvement since but front-line safeguarding services remain inadequate, particularly the case at the ‘front door’ – the Referral and Assessment Service, where cases concerning the welfare and safety of children and young people are first referred for risk assessment.

We are aiming to develop a front-line safeguarding service where:  There is strong awareness amongst all agencies and communities about safeguarding and a preparedness and  Knowledge about how to refer cases of concern to children’s social care services and the police;  There are clear, well understood and applied threshold criteria that enable cases to be managed at the most appropriate level and by the most appropriate services;  Cases of concern referred to children’s social services are managed in a integrated multi- agency manner; speedily assessed; level and nature of risks identified; and appropriate and effective preventative and/or interventionist action taken to provide the maximum protection to the child(ren) concerned;  Child protection and child in need cases are robustly and timely reviewed and plans adjusted accordingly

3 A statutory multi-agency group which monitors how local services are planned and delivered in order to ensure Doncaster’s children and young people are looked after properly, kept safe and protected from harm.

25 2) Children in Care Outcomes for children in care including education attainment and for care leavers are unacceptably poor. We have a very high population of children and young people in care compared to similar authorities – between 100 to 150 more than the statistical neighbour average. We have a service where outcomes are very poor; where children remain a comparably and unacceptably long time in the care system; and where a very significant proportion of children and young people in care are in institutional (rather than family) care, mainly external to Doncaster.

We are aiming to develop a children in care service:  That is seen as a short term transition in and not a long term part of children and young people’s lives;  Where children and young people in care are provided with permanence, (through safely returning to their family home, adoption or long term fostering) as quickly as possible;  Which is based virtually entirely on family placements;  Where quality of life outcomes particularly in respect of education are high;  Where outcomes for care leavers particularly in regard to employment, education and training, and accommodation are positive.

3) Education Good education outcomes are crucial for young people to access employment opportunities. Attainment at school is also critical to provide the skills that a prosperous local economy requires. While schools and colleges are self governing and managing, the local authority (LA) has a major duty in ensuring the highest possible education standards and that school and college perform effectively. The School Improvement function of the LA, therefore, is crucial. The LA through its School Improvement Service must add value to the work of schools and colleges and make a positive evidenced difference to their results. We have a particular role in schools causing concern and working in challenging circumstances and supporting children and young people who are disadvantaged and who require additional support to positively engage with the learning process.

Education attainment overall at Key Stage 4 and post 16 is poor and below national averages. Overall pupil attendance rates remain low compared to national averages. The way in which we manage those pupils whose behaviour is poor and challenging requires a fundamental review, to modernise services and provision (both in and out of schools) and cause major improvements in children and young people’s behaviour and engagement with learning.

We are aiming to develop a local authority education improvement service: That sees raising education attainment at all ages, and particularly at Key Stage 4 and post 16, as its overriding priority;

 Which has a clearly defined role and strategy for raising education attainment,  Whose principal strategy in improving standards is to promote and ensure effective education leadership in all schools and colleges;  That has at all times an up-to-date analysis of each school and college so that it is able to be proactive in promoting continuous improvement and ensuring that no Doncaster school or college is deemed (by Ofsted) as requiring ‘Special Measures’ or a ‘Notice to Improve’;  That has very positive and professionally mature relationships with each Doncaster school and college;  Which uses the best balance of support, challenge and formal intervention depending on the circumstances of the individual school or college;  That promotes structural changes (including the establishment of Academies or Trust Schools) where this is the most appropriate means of creating the leadership necessary for sustainable school improvement,  That supports schools in maximising pupil attendance by: o Being clear about the role of schools and that of the LA, o Supporting schools in making teaching and learning relevant and attractive to children and young people;

26 o Delivering a robust strategy for effectively tackling persistent absence;  That in partnership with schools reduces poor pupil behaviour and enables all pupils to engage positively with learning by: o Supporting schools to develop effective behaviour policies and strategies and make appropriate and effective internal provision for disruptive pupils which, wherever possible avoids them being excluded; o Making appropriate and effective short stay out of school provision for pupils with the most challenging behaviour with the aim of modifying behaviour so that such pupils are re-integrated back into mainstream schools as quickly as possible.

4) Organisational Development CYPS as an organisation is not fit for purpose. This is caused by a lack of overall strategic direction; the absence of well thought out rationale for particular services; no clear benchmarks for what a good services looks like; no or unclear business processes; instability and discontinuity of management and staffing; and in many services major staffing gaps caused by the freezing of vacant posts. In addition there has been little or no service development in many areas including safeguarding, children in care, children with disabilities, school improvement, early intervention and prevention, and commissioning and performance. Future service development in regard to safeguarding, children in care and school improvement are covered under the strategic aims and action plans for safeguarding, children in care and education.

We are aiming to develop CYPS as a fit for purpose organisation with:  Clear and shared strategic direction that focuses on those priorities that will make the biggest difference to the quality of children and young people’ lives;  Clear, well understood and commonly applied business processes and systems;  Clear and modern management and staffing structures filled by substantive post holders;  Services underpinned by sound rationale, clear role and functions and high quality benchmarks;  Integrated multi agency services that provide efficient and coherent support for individual children, young people and their families for particular services;  A high quality family focused early intervention and preventative service;  Resources directed to priorities; planned over the medium to long term; controlled effectively; and achieving high value for money;  Robust performance management both in delivering organisational and service improvements, and ensuring the highest levels of performance from individual managers and staff; and  A comprehensive programme of workforce development that ensures we have staff of sufficient number and relevant skills to make and sustain service improvement.

27 THEME 5: Improving health and support for independent lives

Doncaster’s Health Today: In line with the rest of England, the health of Doncaster’s population has continued to improve, as measured by life expectancy. Despite this improvement, there remains a persistent gap between the health and well-being of those people who live in the most disadvantaged areas compared with those in the more advantaged areas.

Significant improvements have been made in reducing the number of deaths from heart disease and increasing participation in physical activity. Doncaster people were previously amongst the most inactive in the country but recent improvements mean that we are now the 12th most active area in Yorkshire and the Humber region. Some key points are set out below:

 The Doncaster population is ageing, by 2015 people aged over 65 will account for 20% of the population (approx 60,000) and this will contribute to a predicted 10% increase in the numbers of people with dementia and close to an 11% increase in people with mobility problems;  The biggest killers in Doncaster are still heart disease and cancer;  Respiratory disease and diabetes are common - Doncaster has the 10th highest rate of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in England and 12th highest for diabetes;  The number of people who are obese is higher than the national average;  Deaths from liver disease (including cirrhosis) are set to increase much faster in Doncaster than nationally;  There are higher than average numbers of people with a physical disability and sensory impairment some of which is due to the presence of the school and college for the deaf in the town;  There are significantly higher numbers of younger adults with a learning disability living in Doncaster, when compared to the national and regional levels;  Doncaster continues to have high rates of teenage pregnancies compared to the national average;  Smoking rates are above the national average;  Many people live in fuel poverty and this inability to heat their own houses contributes to ill health.

Doncaster’s Health in the Future We will have made a difference if:  The life chances of residents has improved in relation to health and access to services;  More people are active, healthy and independent for longer;  Life expectancy in all parts of the borough has improved;  More people who need health and social care are able to access a personal budget to help them to live life more independently and improve their health;  People have a wide range of local services to choose from to support their health and social care needs;  The most vulnerable people have continued to be safe; and  Teenage pregnancy rates have been reduced.

These are challenging outcomes in the context of constrained resources for the public sector. The focus of activities –is set out below.

Improving Health:  Encourage people to take personal responsibility for their own lifestyle choices. For example promoting services and support to increase health, fitness and alcohol awareness;  Commission health improvement programmes consistent with the Marmot pathways of starting well, developing well, working well and aging well;  Combine approaches to physical and mental health improvement; and

28  Ensure Health and Wellbeing is integrated into all relevant strategies, plans and service delivery.

Helping people to stay independent:  Make sure information and advice is available to help people and their carers find the right service;  Promote the independence of older people and people with long term health conditions by working together to provide a range of services. This includes intermediate, rehabilitative and continuing care, telemedicine and telecare and ‘personalisation’ of care packages;  Deliver the Learning Disability Joint Commissioning Strategy to ensure individuals with a learning disability are supported to make choices and be independent and in control of their lives; and  Continue to support carers in their caring role, commissioning services that will help them.

Providing the right services:  Develop a strategic approach to services provided by all partners to make sure people can stay independent for longer without needing social care and health services;  Increase the number of adults identified with dementia to enable the development and commissioning of appropriate services;  Ensure public sector buildings are used to enable a neighbourhood focus for services;  For more serious alcohol and drug abuse, a wide range of support and effective treatment services will continue to be available;  Hold all agencies to account for their part in the effectively safeguarding adults; and  Ensure measures to reduce teenage pregnancy are effective.

Our health investment priorities Over the last five years there has been a transformation in the provision of Health care centres in Doncaster. The change continues to be managed by a public private partnership – Doncaster Community Solutions (DCS) also known as LIFTCo. DCS manage seven facilities in Doncaster which bring together health, social care and other neighbourhood services such as pharmacies and libraries. Our investment priorities include:

 Reduce the rates of obesity and continue to increase activity levels;  Improve life expectancy rates for both men and women;  More people remain independent and healthy for longer;  Increase the numbers of people accessing individual budgets for their health treatment or social care need;  Reduce the number of people admitted to hospital in an emergency for conditions that can be managed in the community;  Increase the number of older people achieving independence following rehabilitation / intermediate care;  Reduce those needing mainstream care provision following intermediate care;  Reduce the number of alcohol and drug related admissions to hospital;  Increase the number of carers receiving an assessment of their needs and a specific carer’s service, or advice and information;  Fewer teenage pregnancies; and  A reduction in health inequalities relating to the above measures.

Specific priorities for investment during 2011-14 include:  Continue the DCS programme of development with the construction and opening of the Town Centre Hub in 2011;  Further develop Extra care and supported living schemes so people with social care needs live more independently;  Increase the use of Assistive technology. This includes Telecare and Telehealth solutions to help service users and patients remain independent and safe;

29  Review day service provision to ensure existing assets are used to deliver efficient day care services;  Continue to improve men’s health;  Continue to improve support for people with long term conditions.(the delivery of community services for people with long term conditions will be provided by Doncaster Council in partnership with RDaSH from April 2011);  Improve access to prevention activities including physical activity, alcohol education and teenage pregnancy awareness;  Increase the use of personal budgets for health and social care;  Develop intermediate care services as an alternative to hospital based treatment and rehabilitation;  Invest in Health and Social care information technology to facilitate the transformation;  Develop the local health and social care workforce so it has the right skills for the future; and  Continue to invest in programmes to increase affordable warmth.

The council and Doncaster Primary Care Trust have strong links which have ensured the best use of resources for Health and Social care. Joint appointments have helped this, which include the Director of Public Health and a number of Joint Commissioning managers. Doncaster is in the first wave of pathfinder areas for GP Commissioning and has begun preparations for the creation of a Health and Wellbeing service in the council. To support this change, partners in Doncaster have begun preparations for establishing a Health and Wellbeing Board.

30 Theme 6: Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour

Crime and ASB in Doncaster today Overall crime in Doncaster is at its lowest level for 30 years, with improvements recorded across borough. However, we need to continue to reduce crime levels and improve the confidence of our communities, particularly with respect to the issues of greatest concern. Reducing crime and disorder in our communities helps to improve the quality of life for residents and contributes to the social and economic regeneration of Doncaster.

The structural decline of Doncaster had a negative effect on Crime and Disorder rates, particularly Violent and Acquisitive Crime. Doncaster is also home to four Prisons, scattered across the borough. When these factors are taken into account, there is a difficult social landscape within which to manage the Crime and Disorder agenda.

The Safer Doncaster Partnership is the body responsible for managing the Crime and Disorder agenda across the borough. By bringing agencies with an interest in community safety together and co-ordinating efforts to reduce crime, the Partnership:  works with the community to identify the issues that matter most to residents;  information about crime and disorder is collected from partner agencies and analysed to identify key trends, hotspots and emerging issues, ensuring resource is matched to key issues;  Enables a range of tools and powers are used to tackle Crime and Disorder through information sharing between agencies and multi-agency training programmes.

Crime has reduced markedly across Doncaster, with a 30% reduction in crime reported between 2007/08 and 2010/11. Anti-Social Behaviour has also fallen, with a 7% reduction reported in the first nine months of 2010/11 compared with the same period last year. However, the following need to be noted:  Total crime figures reflect big differences in the spread of criminal activity across the borough. Hotspots tend to be deprivation linked away from the town centre, with the highest rates of crime recorded in the Balby and Hexthorpe, Wheatley and Intake and Hatfield and Stainforth neighbourhoods;  According to surveys such as the Place Survey, fewer residents in Doncaster are satisfied with the levels of Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour in their area and the Partnership’s response. However, a large amount of Partnership resource has been invested to address this ‘confidence gap’ within day-to-day working;  The Partnership has focused and invested in tackling other Crime and Disorder risks over the past two years away from traditional ‘operation’ approaches. This has included developing Multi-Agency Case Conferences in supporting the highest-risk victims of Anti- Social Behaviour and Domestic Violence and committing resources to South Yorkshire’s sub-regional Integrated Offender Management approach;  Finally, the past two years have seen more people accessing drug / alcohol treatment and leaving treatment programmes in a ‘planned way’. Implementation of both the Integrated Drug Treatment Plan and the Alcohol Strategy for Doncaster 2010-2013 has directly contributed to this improved performance.

Maintaining our Success in tackling Crime and ASB Taking into account our evidence base and the number of operational changes the Partnership needs to make as a result of budget pressures and the changing national government agenda, it is vital that future priorities provide continuity to maintain the excellent progress made in tackling Crime and Disorder over the past five years.

The Partnership must focus on programmes with the potential to provide the greatest value for money given public sector budget reductions and increasing demands to do more with less. Maintaining current Crime and Disorder levels would therefore be considered a success.

31 Our joint crime, neighbourhood and housing priorities during 2011/14, should complement other investment streams and support the delivery of our four key crime and Anti-Social Behaviour investment priorities. The priorities include the following:  Reducing re-offending through the provision of settled accommodation for Prolific and Priority Offenders;  Identifying and developing housing solutions for victims of domestic violence / people affected by drugs and alcohol misuse;  Tackling Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour associated with empty properties;  Maximising the use of enforcement tools and powers including the eviction of people linked to criminal activity from council housing;  Matching crime hotspot data with future housing regeneration projects to design out crime during the consultation and development stages of strategic housing initiatives; and  Focusing on the prevention agenda to address the causes of crime as opposed to tackling the effects of crime.

Our Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour Investment Priorities The Safer Doncaster Partnership will continue to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour through an intelligence-led approach and by focusing on the needs of individual communities. The Partnership will continue to track and manage offenders to allow enforcement and rehabilitation to take place.

It will focus on four main priorities in 2011/12:

Reduce Overall Crime, with a focus on:  Delivering on the Crime issues of most concern to local residents;  Improving early intervention, preventing children entering the Criminal Justice System and ensuring their effective safeguarding, through the development of a single Integrated Family Support Service; and  Implementing ‘Integrated Offender Management’ to limit the risk posed by our most prolific offenders. This will be linked to the programmes of other regions.

Reduce Anti-Social Behaviour, with a focus on:  Delivering on the Anti-Social Behaviour issues of most concern to local residents;  Improving early intervention and preventative programmes;  Continuing to improve uptake of the tools and powers at our disposal, particularly in relation to Anti-Social Behaviour and the enforcement of our Designated Public Place Areas;  Support the highest-risk victims of Anti-Social Behaviour via existing structures, including the multi-agency Anti-Social Behaviour Panel.

Tackle Substance and Alcohol Misuse:  Deliver Doncaster’s Drug Treatment Plan, with a focus on improving planned exits from treatment;  Deliver Doncaster’s Alcohol Strategy 2010-2013, including improving our approach to licensing and continuing to tackle street drinking and alcohol-related violence.

Continue to protect the public and reduce the likelihood of major emergencies  Continue to plan effectively for emergencies via the Gold-Silver-Bronze command structure;  Continued delivery of the counter-terrorism CONTEST strategy.

32 THEME 7: Creating a cleaner and better environment

Doncaster’s Environment Today Doncaster’s diverse landscape is rich in wildlife, from the internationally important Thorne and Hatfield Moors nature reserve to the popular Don Gorge limestone valley. Approximately two-thirds of land in the borough is used for agriculture.

The borough contains a large amount of green, open space, country parks and many woodland sites. Our environment needs to support a healthy lifestyle, through having attractive and safe communities to make walking more pleasant and providing access to sport and recreation. Access to natural environment can reduce stress and a quality environment can have a positive impact on perceptions of crime.

Doncaster’s climate is changing faster than at any time over the past 100 years, with the effects of higher temperatures, increasing rainfall, and increased instances of ‘extreme events’ such as severe winter conditions. Local communities and business need to respond to the climate change challenges.

We also need to make good use of our resources, including diverting waste from landfill and ensuring plans are in place to respond to the increased strain placed on some of our services as a result of climate change and reductions in the council’s budgets.

There is pressure for new development to support growth across the borough and it will be important to ensure that the countryside, green belt and key environmental assets are protected. Only 60% of residents are satisfied with our parks and open space and the remainder feel the quality has to improve. There are around 350 local wildlife and geological sites, forming part of a natural resource which includes ancient woodlands, grassland and heathland, wetlands, crags and caves.

Our built environment includes about 800 listed buildings and 46 conservation areas. This reflects our rich history with Roman origins, Georgian townscapes and railway heritage. St. George’s Minster and Christ Church are part of the town centre’s identity and history.

Doncaster suffered major floods during 2007. There was no single cause of the floods, it was a series of events that contributed to the wide scale flooding. Since 2007 major improvements have been made by the council, drainage companies and the Environment Agency.

The council has increased resources to the drainage network to ensure it can cope with the increased rainfall we continue to experience. This also reassures communities that nearby drains are maintained effectively. Concerns do exist regarding the sustainability of the drainage network given the additional strain placed on an ageing asset and further capital expenditure may be required in the future.

The cleanliness of Doncaster’s streets continues to remain a key issue for partners to improve people’s satisfaction with their local area. The council, and its partners, recognise the links between local environmental quality and other key factors such as associated fear of crime, recreational activity and the potential for inward investment.

The council will create an environmental enforcement team empowered to deal with all issues that affect the quality of the local environment. This will range from tackling littering and dog fouling, to cleaning up neglected properties and taking action against people that engage in fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour.

This team will bring together staff that have traditionally been located in several different service areas and develop an improved multi-agency enforcement approach to ensure residents and businesses experience a 'right first time' approach to the issues that they raise.

33 Although the amount of household waste diverted from landfill continues to increase in Doncaster (50% of waste is diverted from landfill via composting and recycling), rates of recycling in different communities vary widely and this needs to be addressed. The council is working with neighbouring authorities to develop solutions for the treatment of waste and it is hoped that this, alongside engagement and education campaigning for residents and businesses, will deliver further improvements in the amount of waste not sent to landfill.

The council and its partners cannot create and maintain, a cleaner and better environment alone. This requires a huge amount of participation from the voluntary and community sectors.

The council has dedicated a significant amount of staff to engaging with communities and community leaders to encourage greater involvement in the democratic process and the upkeep of communities. This participation will become more vital in the coming years as we head towards the ‘Big Society’ concept. An example of a successful initiative is the Flood Warden scheme created in partnership between the Environment Agency and the council.

Through award schemes such as the Doncaster in Bloom competition and the PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in Doncaster’s Environment) award, recognition is placed on members of the community that play an active role in creating a cleaner and better environment.

Where there is a clear lack of social responsibility, the council uses enforcement powers to address areas of concern. This deals with issues ranging from litter and dog fouling to fly-tipping and neglected properties.

Doncaster’s Environment in the Future The borough strategy sets out that we will have made a difference if we achieve the following:

The challenges presented by Doncaster’s climate  Organisations and residents are effectively prepared for the effects of extreme weather (e.g. flooding/extreme weather).

Protecting our environmental assets  Doncaster’s countryside, green belt, landscape and designated areas are protected and where possible improved;  Doncaster’s historic assets are preserved for current and future generations;  People have access to a choice of quality recreational opportunities, including informal and formal open space, access to the natural environment and the borough’s key cultural assets.

Keeping streets clean  Satisfaction with the cleanliness of Doncaster’s streets increases;  A high standard of cleanliness that showcases Doncaster’s key routes and tourist sites and attracts inward investment.

Dealing with household waste minimisation  Less household waste is sent to landfill, either through recycling, composting or reuse.

Encouraging Pride in the Environment  Residents take personal responsibility for the quality of their local environment;  Increased public participation in the upkeep and maintenance of green spaces and parks through formal or informal arrangements;  Improved links with the private sector to build on examples of good practice where there is some reward for those that take pride in the environment.

34 Our Environmental Investment Priorities 1) The challenges presented by Doncaster’s climate The council and partners need to ensure that residents and businesses are aware of the potential challenges that may be faced as a result of changes in our climate. Plans relating to potential situations need to be communicated to our residents and businesses effectively.

The Multi-Agency Flood Forum between key partners can ensure that there is a coordinated effort to address areas where there is increased risk of flooding via capital investment and improved joint working.

The Floods and Water Management Act places new duties, roles and responsibilities on Doncaster Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority and it is expected that the council will worki closer with the Environment Agency and other organisations, to form effective partnerships and develop a local flood risk management strategy for surface water flooding.

We must ensure that resources are planned effectively to deal with additional strain that will be placed on the council as a result of the changing climate. This includes the lengthened growing season for our highway verges, parks and tree stock that must be managed and the potential strain placed on our drainage network as a result of increased rainfall.

We aim to deliver an Environmental Strategy for the Borough with partners which includes climate change and flood mitigation priorities to respond to changing local and national agendas.

2) Protecting our environmental assets The approach to protecting the countryside is based on maintaining Green Belt to the West of the borough, replacing the existing Countryside Policy Area with Countryside Protection Policy Area, to provide robust protection to the East, and to develop Green Wedges.

It will be important that other investment priorities align with our environmental priorities to ensure environmental assets are strengthened and not compromised.

3) Keeping streets clean Our aim is to move towards an intelligence-led approach to improving environmental quality i.e. how do we keep the streets clean as opposed to how do we keep cleaning the streets.

This will involve a restructuring the street scene services so resources are allocated where and when they are most needed. It is also important that we have good intelligence on the ‘hotspot’ areas and any seasonal trends. The key sources of this intelligence are the people that matter most; our community members.

Where persistent ‘hotspots’ continue to drain resources we will use enforcement powers to design out the problem.

4) Dealing with household waste Delivering effective solutions for the collection and disposal of household waste.

5) Encouraging Pride in the Environment The creation of improved links with the voluntary sector is vital to create a culture of social responsibility in our communities.

We will strive to create partnerships that maintain and protect environmental assets across the borough. This will range from established sites such as local parks and country parks to less formal settings such as our Public Right of Way (PROW) network and Woodlands.

As financial resources are constrained in the future, it is critical that residents and businesses actively participate in reducing demand on local environmental services such as street cleansing and waste collection with the aim of reducing the cost of these services.

35 Delivery of LIP Priorities

Doncaster’s Investment Priorities Throughout the LIP, each theme has outlined its key investment priorities to increase the investment potential of Doncaster’s neighbourhoods and its social, economic and environmental capital. The majority of these priorities are operational priorities, however, Doncaster’s Major Investment Priorities over the 2011-14 period are summarised below:

 The Gateway to the Sheffield City Region: Airport Growth Corridor;  Town Centre Development;  Completion of Housing Regeneration projects, including Hyde Park, Edlington, Mexborough;  Improve the quality of Existing Stock (including Decency);  Creation of more Affordable Homes; and  Reducing the number of Empty Properties.

Investment in Doncaster The investment tables outline the known projected investment in Doncaster over the 2011-14 period. The tables identify the investment approved for the projects and any investment needed.

The council’s budget setting process for the capital programme 2011-15 was approved by Full Council on the 21st February 2011 and the investment tables below reflect the council’s approved capital programme.

Use of Housing Revenue Account Land The council has reviewed its surplus Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Sites throughout the borough during 2009-11 and various approvals have already been obtained for the future use of specific sites. The council’s commitment to use these HRA sites as a contribution to affordable housing schemes (either at nil or deferred value) has sparked significant interest from registered providers and developers. A review is now taking place of all other HRA Land and the council will start consultation on these sites with local Ward Members from summer 2011 to ensure affordable housing priorities reflect neighbourhood investment priorities.

Use of other council land As part of the council’s policy framework and budget setting process for 2012/13 onwards the council is to explore using different methods to enable and promote housing delivery (including new house building and affordable housing) on both HRA and General Fund land across the borough for specifically identified sites. The contributions from developers will help to facilitate new housing development on sites not already identified in the council’s Land Disposals Programme and the council has significant experience of packaging sites together for maximum benefit. The council will consider using this approach further where viability of some sites for development is weak. This approach will require specific site by site approval.

Affordable Rent The Coalition Government through the Homes and Communities Agency has introduced a new form of Affordable Housing with rents set at 80% of local market level. This rent mechanism comes into effect from 2011 and applies to the majority of new Affordable Housing. It will enable Registered Providers to finance development with little or no Homes and Communities Agency investment. In addition Registered Providers will be able and expected to ‘convert’ some existing ‘social’ rent stock to ‘Affordable’ rent when homes become available for re-letting. The council accepts the benefits Affordable Rent and Conversion can bring and will support all preferred Registered Providers in their aspirations to maximise development funding through this mechanism. Due to the local market conditions there will be some schemes which continue to require Homes and Communities Agency investment. However, the council is exploring all direct and indirect funding options to ensure schemes are financially viable for the Registered Providers developer.

36 New Homes Bonus The ‘New Homes Bonus’ (NHB) comes into effect from April 2011 and will provide local authorities with a bonus payment for each new house built and occupied equal to the annual council tax for each dwelling for six years. Further incentives for each ‘Affordable Home’ built and Empty Home brought back into occupation form part of the ‘bonus’ payment scheme. The £350 bonus for each Affordable Home will come into effect in 2012/13.

The Government has indicated that the national cost of the NHB will be £199million in 2011/12 and is budgeting for expected costs of £426million in 2012/13. Following discussions with the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (SIGOMA) and anticipating these costs for the remainder of the Spending Review period it is reasonable to expect national costs of £682million in 2013/14 and £967million in 2014/15.

The October 2010 Spending Review and subsequent Government consultation paper on the NHB indicated the Government had set aside a grant of £200million in 2011/12 and £250million in each of the following three years for NHB grant payments (a total of £950million over the four years), with all NHB grant payments in a year over the amount set aside funded by top slicing the total of Formula Grant available to all local authorities.

The Final Formula Grant Settlement for 2011/12 released on 31st January 2011 confirmed that £176milion (£426million less £250million) had been top sliced from the national total of Formula Grant notified for 2012/13 and consequently the individual authority Formula Grant figures notified for 2012/13.

Research undertaken by SIGOMA indicates that virtually all Metropolitan Districts can expect to fare badly from the redistribution of Formula Grant built into the NHB because they receive relatively high levels of Formula Grant due to their low Tax Base and high levels of deprivation.

The NHB was reported as a key item in the Council's Budget and Policy Framework when the 2011/12 Revenue Budget and four year Medium Term Financial Strategy was approved by council in February 2011. The report concluded that the best estimate of NHB to be received by Doncaster in 2011/12 was £402k (this has subsequently been notified at £403k) and that based on current projections over the four year period 2011/12 - 2014/15 it is expected that the loss of Formula Grant through the redistribution will be £1.5million more than the NHB grant payments received. The council also agreed the Budget and Policy Framework recommendation that budgeted and actual income from NHB grant should be treated as a corporate item held in council wide budgets in the same manner that income from the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive Scheme was dealt with in recent years.

The council is exploring a range of options to incentivise house-building, particularly on former Housing Market Renewal / Regeneration sites with Registered Providers and Developer partners to maximise the longer term income benefits for the council.

Section 106 Following discussions with developers, the council has a revised and flexible S106 mechanism in place to ensure agreements provide the maximum benefits for the council, without discouraging house-builders from starting new developments in the current difficult market. The preferred option is and will continue to be to provide S106 ‘Affordable Housing’ on site. Where such a solution is inappropriate and all other options discounted, a commuted sum payment will be negotiated and the funds invested in new Affordable Homes or bringing empty homes back into use.

Other funding opportunities The opportunities to maximise external grant to deliver investment priorities within Doncaster are varied with the landscape continually changing to reflect the UK and EU investment climate. The council is the beneficiary of the following investments and will continue to explore additional opportunities.

37 European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) South Yorkshire, given its level of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and previous European Union (EU) investment, qualifies for ERDF phasing in status, i.e. a designated budget of £200million from 2007 to 2013. ERDF is one of the main EU funding mechanisms for helping to address regional imbalances. Funding priorities include research, innovation, environmental protection and risk prevention, with infrastructure investment retaining an important role in South Yorkshire. The cross cutting themes of equality and sustainability are important in all activity financed by the programme. This is achieved through supporting measures that help move the region towards a resource efficient and low carbon economy. The South Yorkshire Programme has five key funding priorities.

European Social Fund (ESF) South Yorkshire benefits from ESF investment. Due to its phasing in status, ESF is organised under two priorities.  Priority 1: extending employment opportunities (getting unemployed or inactive people into work;  Priority 2: developing a skilled and adaptable workforce (improving skills or providing new skills). Co-financing organisations provide the match funding, with Skills Funding Agency having overall responsibility for the ESF programme. The funding for South Yorkshire equates to £117million from 2007 to 2013.

The Joint European Support For Sustainable Investment In City Areas (JESSICA) This aims to exploit financial engineering mechanisms to support investment in sustainable urban development as a component of integrated regeneration. The council is working with Deloitte and Yorkshire Forward to identify how we can participate under the Jessica framework. Jessica has the potential to bring in additional resources for public and private partnerships and other urban development projects.

Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP) The council is undertaking activity to maximise the use of CESP through the Decent Homes programme realignment. Future funding from CESP companies can be used to support the Capital Programme and unfunded investment priorities to maximise the value of the LIP and the impact of the investment priorities on neighbourhoods across the borough.

The council will work with partners from across the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership Housing and Regeneration Board to bid for Regional Growth Funding. This would be used for new housing and the completion of housing renewal priorities throughout Doncaster. The council will also explore Joint Venture Companies and Local Asset Backed Vehicles for housing delivery.

Commissioning and Procurement Sheffield City Region Housing and Regeneration Board is keen to explore more effective approaches to commissioning and procurement.

The council and its partners will contribute to the development of new ways to procure, especially where this can maximise the use of existing investment and attract new investment into the borough.

Neighbourhood Investment Planning The council and its partners will identify policy and resource improvements through innovative and collaborative working. Investment priorities will be developed and delivered that avoid conflicts between priorities. This will achieve cost savings either within or across organisation budgets. Several local examples exist where financial and non financial efficiencies can be generated via this approach to establish ‘invest to save’ or ‘payment by reward’ type initiatives, where initial costs might be met by greater savings generated at the end of the initiative.

38 Housing Investment North, South, Ward Project RSL / HCA - Contrib Other Total Resour HCA Any other Outputs East, West, Cost Develo Agree ution Public Available ce Gap Ask Non - Central per / d 2010/1 Sector Resource financial 1 or s Private fundin Contribution Sector DMBC g S106

2011/14 2014 2011/14 onwa £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's rds Housi Existing Stock ng SLH St Leger Homes - Decent Homes Borough Wide 62,482 37,300 25,182 62,482 0 SLH Other Projects (Repairs etc) Borough Wide 14,336 14,336 14,336 0 Central, Bentley, HSNG Empty Properties Borough Wide 1,000 200 Wheatley, Mexborough 200 800 HSNG Disabled Facilities Grants Borough Wide 2,768 2,768 2,768 0 HSNG Adaptations Grants Borough Wide 4,070 4,070 4,070 0 Home Appreciation Loans, Crisis Grant, HSNG Borough Wide 296 296 Relocation Grant 296 0 Town Moor, Wheatley, HSNG Hit Squad, 7 - Areas Selected 600 300 Bentley, Conisbrough 300 300 HSNG Neighbourhood Energy Action Borough Wide 270 0 270 Total 85,822 0 37,300 47,152 84,452 1,370 0 0 0 Housi Growth and Renewal ng Edlington and HSNG HMR - Granby Estate, Edlington West 1,678 307 307 1,371 0 100 Warmsworth HMR - Windhill Estate, Mexborough - clearance or HSNG West Mexborough 7,226 0 0 7,226 0 178 refurbishment Edlington and Warmsworth, HSNG Other HMR Projects - (demos & Environmental) West Mexborough, 2,568 20 20 2,548 293 Conisbrough and Denaby HSNG Green Corridor Projects - Askern Area North Askern Spa 8,265 0 0 8,265 462 Six Streets - Private Sector Housing Renewal - HSNG Central Central 827 827 827 0 24 Phase 2 Completion HSNG Six Streets - Phase 3 - Environmental Works Central Central 5,000 0 0 5,000 HSNG Feasibility Studies - for renewal projects 2011/14 Borough Wide 200 0 0 200 HSNG Gypsy and Traveller - New Pitches - TBC Borough Wide HSNG Gypsy and Traveller - New Sites - TBC Borough Wide Bentley, HCA HCA - Colliery Sites (26% affordable) North Sprotbrough, 0 0 HCA Land 820 Askern Spa HCA HCA - Carr Lodge Farm (26% affordable) Central Central 0 0 HCA Land 50 1550

Total 25,764 0 0 1,154 1,154 24,610 0 1039 2370

39 Housing Investment Continued North, South, Ward Project RSL / HCA - Contri Other Total Resou HCA Any other Outputs East, West, Cost Devel Agree bution Public Availabl rce Ask Non - Central oper / d 2010/1 Sector e Gap financial Privat fundin 1 or Resour Contribution e g DMBC ces Sector S106 2011/14 2011/1 2014 £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's 4 onwards HSNG Affordable Homes Edenthorpe, HSNG Graham House Site East Kirk S’dall and 6,680 3,500 2,800 380 6,680 0 DMBC Land Barnby Dun 52 Great North HSNG Cromwell House North 892 343 549 892 0 DMBC Land Road 9 HSNG The Crescent East Hatfield 1,374 674 420 280 1,374 0 DMBC Land 10 Stainforth and HSNG Station Road East 4,055 1,976 2,079 4,055 0 Moorends 39 HSNG Wells Road Central Wheatley 674 344 255 75 674 0 DMBC Land 5 Conisbrough HSNG Hesley Court West 2,742 686 686 1,370 2,742 0 DMBC Land and Denaby 24 Extra Care Scheme - Thompson / Dixon (86 Extra Edlington and HSNG West 12,000 11,000 1,000 12,000 0 DMBC Land Care) Warmsworth 100 76 HSNG Extra Care Scheme - TBC TBC TBC 0 0 HSNG Willow Estate - Estimated Costs East Thorne 12,765 8,865 200 9,065 3,700 DMBC Land 111 Housing Development Council / Private Sites - Stainforth and HSNG East 0 0 DMBC Land East (30% affordable) TBC Moorends 208 Edlington and Housing Development Council / Private Sites - HSNG West Warmsworth, 0 0 DMBC Land West (30% affordable) TBC Mexborough 527 HSNG Developer Panel Sites - Kirby Street West Mexborough 3,938 3,806 132 3,938 0 DMBC Land 39 HSNG Developer Panel Sites - Central - Six Streets Central Central 11,971 11,532 439 11,971 0 DMBC Land 123 Bentley, Adwick, Great HSNG Land & Asset Review (LAR) - sites, North Area North 1,380 1,140 1,140 240 DMBC Land North Road, Askern 12 Bessacarr and HSNG Land & Asset Review (LAR) - sites, South Area South 920 760 760 160 DMBC Land Cantley 8 Stainforth and Moorends, Thorne, Edenthorpe, HSNG Land & Asset Review (LAR) - sites, East Area East 6,325 5,225 5,225 1,100 DMBC Land Kirk Sandall and Barnby Dun, A’thorpe, Hatfield 55 Edlington and Warmsworth, HSNG Land & Asset Review (LAR) - sites, West Area West Mexborough, 4,830 3,990 3,990 840 DMBC Land Conisbrough and Denaby 42 Central, HSNG Land & Asset Review (LAR) - sites, Central Area Central Wheatley, 4,255 3,515 3,515 740 DMBC Land Balby 37 Total 74,801 56,670 6,940 1,106 3,305 68,021 3,080 3,700 0 1401 76 Grand 51,611 Total 186,387 56,670 44,240 1,106 153,627 3,080 29,680 0 2440 2446 40 41 Economy and Transport Investment North, Ward Project Private Other Total Resource Any Outputs South, East, Cost Sector Public Available Gap / othe West, Invest Sector Resource HCA Ask r Central ment or s Non DMBC - Invest fina ment ncial Cont ribut ion 2011/14 201 2014 £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's 1/14 onwards Economy / Major Economic Drivers Projects

DMBC - Major Projects Central / Central, FARRRS South Rossington 54,000 54,000 54,000 0 DMBC - Major Projects White Rose Way (WRW) Central Central 25,539 25,539 25,539 0 0 0 0 0 Total 79,539 0 79,539 79,539 0 Economy Urban Renewal DMBC - Major Projects Civic and Cultural Quarter (CCQ) Central Central 60,673 60,673 60,673 0 DMBC - Major Projects Civic and Cultural Quarter (CCQ) Central Central 150 150 150 0 DMBC - Major Projects Doncaster Waterfront Central Central 1,969 1,969 1,969 0 0 0 0 0 Total 62,792 0 62,792 62,792 0 Economy Other Projects / Public Sector / Private Sector 250,00 Private Sector Led Inland Port South Rossington 0 0 0 South Yorkshire Digital Region (estimate investment in Borough Other Public Sector 1,000 27,000 1,000 Doncaster) Wide 1,000 0 Private Sector Led Doncaster Energy from Waste (DEW) East Hatfield TBC 0 0 Private Sector Led Hatfield Power Park East Hatfield TBC 0 0 Borough Other Public Sector LEGI - Managed Workspace 2,450 2,450 Wide 2,450 0 0 0 277,00 Total 3,450 3,450 3,450 0 0 Transport Transport Borough 3,948 3,948 0 Integrated Transport Block Wide 3,948 Borough 3,948 3,948 0 Strategic Central Pot Wide 3,948 Borough 8,145 8,145 0 Maintenance Block Wide 8,145 Balby New Bridge - Deck Strengthening Central Balby 1,092 1,092 1,092 0 Borough 2,456 2,456 0 Bridges Block Wide 2,456 Total 19,589 0 19,589 19,589 0

Grand Total 165,370 277,000 165,370 165,370 0 0 0 0

42 43 Adults and Communities and North, South, Ward Project Cost Available Resource Any other Outputs CYPS Investment East, West, Resources Gap / Ask Contribution Central 2011/14 2011/14 2014 onwards CYPS Service Improvements CYPS Service Improvements & 8,025 Borough Wide CYPS Liabilities 8,025 0

Total 8,025 8,025 0 0 0 0 CYPS Non School CYPS MyPlace Youth Centres North, West Bentley, Conisbrough and 4,500 4,500 Denaby 0 Childrens Information System Borough Wide 400 400 0

Total 4,900 4,900 0 0 0 0 CYPS School CYPS Primary Capital Programme Borough Wide 12,575 12,575 0 CYPS Campsmount School Rebuild North Askern Spa 9,821 9,821 0 School Kitchens & Dining 453 453 CYPS Borough Wide Facilities 0 CYPS Ridgewood School – Post 16 North Great North Road 1,647 1,647

Development 0 CYPS Short Stay Schools Programme Borough Wide 989 989 0 CYPS Devolved Formula Capital Borough Wide 893 893 0

Total 26,378 26,378 0 0 0 0 Adults & Communities Adults Adults St James Court Conversion Central Central 300 300 Adults Telecare Borough Wide 1,013 1,013

Total 1,313 1,313 0 0 0 0 Adults & Communities Communities Conisbrough and Communities 156 Further Burial land Conisbrough West Denaby 156 0 Communities Balby Woodfield Phase 6/7 Central Balby 371 371 0 Communities Mallard MUGA & Play Area Central Balby 116 116 0 KOYLI Display - Doncaster Communities 185 Museum Central Central 185 0 Communities Bentley Park and Pavillion North Bentley 2,316 2,316 0 Communities Bessacarr and 1,450 Rose Hill Crematorium South Cantley 1,450 0 Communities Wike Gate Road Play Area East Thorne 95 95 0 Communities Armthorpe trail development East Armthorpe 65 65 0 Communities Glass Park - Millenium Green East Edenthorpe, Kirk Sandall and 138 Barnby Dun 138 0 0 Total 4,892 4,892 0 0 0 0 Grand Total 45,508 45,508 0 0 0 0

44 45 Project Cost Available Resource HCA Known Outputs Borough North South East West Central Summary of Total Resources Gap Ask Private Wide Investment Sector Contribution 2011/14 2014 £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's 2011/14 onwards £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's £000's Housing Existing Stock 85,822 84,452 1,370 0 0 0 23,340 8,747 6,873 9,997 12,496 24,368 Housing Growth and Renewal 25,764 1,154 24,610 0 1039 2370 200 8,265 0 0 11,472 5,827 Housing Affordable Homes 74,801 68,021 3,080 3,700 0 1401 76 2,272 920 31,199 23,510 16,900 Total Housing 186,387 153,627 3,080 29,680 0 2440 2446 23,540 19,284 7,793 41,196 47,478 47,095 Economy / Major Projects Economic Drivers 79,539 79,539 0 0 0 27,000 52,539 Economy Urban Renewal 62,792 62,792 0 0 0 62,792 Other Projects / Public Economy Sector / Private Sector 3,450 3,450 0 277,000 0 3,450 Transport Transport 19,589 19,589 0 0 0 18,497 1,092 Total Economy 165,370 165,370 0 277,000 0 0 21,947 0 27,000 0 0 116,423 CYPS Service Improvements 8,025 8,025 0 0 0 0 8,025 CYPS Non School 4,900 4,900 0 0 0 0 400 2,250 2,250 CYPS School 26,378 26,378 0 0 0 0 14,910 11,468 Total CYPS 31,278 31,278 0 0 0 0 15,310 13,718 0 0 2,250 0 Adults & Communities Adults 1,313 1,313 0 0 0 0 1,013 300 Adults & Communities Communities 4,892 4,892 0 0 0 0 2,316 1,450 298 156 672 Total Adults & Communities 6,205 6,205 0 0 0 0 1,013 2,316 1,450 298 156 972 Grand Total 389,240 356,480 3,080 29,680 277,000 2440 2446 61,810 35,318 36,243 41,494 49,884 164,490

46 47 Neighbourhood Investment Planning – Case Studies Over the 2011-14 period, it is proposed that the Mexborough, Edlington and or Bentley areas could act as pilots that would be the focus of a Neighbourhood Investment Planning process, co- ordinated through the LIP.

The process would bring the council and key partners i.e. NHS Doncaster, Job Centre Plus, South Yorkshire Police, St Leger Homes, Voluntary and Community Sector and the local community and elected members together to identify the specific investment needs and requirements of the smaller area.

Consultation and work with the local community would identify how targeted investment priorities can be better co-ordinated through processes such as joint commissioning, more effective procurement, multi-agency development and delivery of complementary initiatives that help to maximise the value of different resource streams being invested in similar areas to similar client groups.

The LIP process can help to co-ordinate this ‘place based’ approach to neighbourhood investment planning, mobilise the council and its partners to target areas that maximise investment and secure additional external resources from government agencies or encourage private sector investment into an area. This will develop local economies, the concept of economic engagement and enable policy and resource synergy in terms of area based investment planning.

Mexborough Mexborough is the most Westerly of Doncaster’s priority areas and is situated in the Dearne Valley. Mexborough has good road links to Barnsley (A6023, A633), Doncaster (via Conisbrough on the A6023) and Rotherham (A6023, A633).

The town is also served by good public transport with links to Rotherham, Sheffield, Meadowhall, Barnsley and Doncaster by train and bus. Although Mexborough has never had its own colliery, coal mining and associated industries were the main employers of the town.

Today Mexborough is a bustling town, though still suffering from the decline of the coal industry, and its associated social and economic problems. Further points include:  Higher than average levels of St Leger Homes (SLH) stock, roughly half of SLH stock in this area is non decent;  Average household incomes are low and despite lower than average house prices the average property is still unaffordable to many residents due to low incomes and lack of savings for a deposit;  High levels of empty properties and low sales turnover suggest low demand in the private sector;  Private sector stock condition is below average in the West especially in Pathfinder areas. This could, in part be due to the high levels of pre 1919 housing; and  Mexborough has one of the highest concentrations of unemployment in the borough.

In Mexborough, the council aims to improve housing conditions through improvements to the housing stock. Improving education and skills so more people can get into work and increase average wages will help ease the issues associated with low demand and raise aspirations and pride in the area.

Investment to date in the area Major Housing Market Renewal (HMR) investment has been made in Mexborough. The total invested since 2004 is £10.7million for clearance of the Windhill Estate and environmental projects.

48 Planned investment 2011-14 The planned investment in Mexborough over the 2011-14 period is £8.2million. The details of this can be found within the investment section of the local investment plan.

To move to growth in the HMR areas, the completion of the renewal programmes is a priority. Mexborough is also identified as a ‘hotspot’ priority area for bringing empty properties back into use.

Affordable housing investment will be made in new homes delivered on sites previously cleared through the HMR Programme and in private developments.

Edlington Edlington lies immediately southwest of the river Don and the village itself stands approximately one mile from the A1 motorway and four miles from Doncaster town centre.

Edlington formed part of the South Yorkshire Coalfield and the closure of Yorkshire Main, the local colliery in 1985, removed the major source of employment and income.

The area is now dependant on two local employers, Polypipe and Hepworths. Old Edlington lies to the south of Edlington on the B6376. It is a small settlement made up of a few houses with no services. Further points include:  Higher than average levels of SLH stock, roughly half of SLH stock in this area is non decent;  Average household incomes are low and despite lower than average house prices the average property is still unaffordable to many residents at four times the average income;  High levels of empty properties and low sales turnover suggest low demand in the private sector;  Private sector stock condition is below average in the West especially in Pathfinder areas. This could, in part be due to the high levels of pre 1919 housing; and  Edlington has one of the highest concentrations of people claiming benefits and unemployment in the borough.

In Edlington, the council aims to improve housing conditions through improvements to the housing stock. Improved education and skills will help more people get into work and increase average wages in the area.

Investment to date in the area Major Housing Market Renewal investment has been made in Edlington, the total invested in this area since 2004 is £9million for clearance of the Granby Estate and environmental projects on the Royal Estate.

Sir Thomas Wharton Community College and was opened in January 2009 at a cost of £23million. The college was built through the Private Financing Initiative creating a 21st century learning experience and state-of-the art ICT facilities.

The Martin Wells Centre opened in February 2009. The centre provides a modern, purpose designed home for a range of NHS and local authority services.

Planned investment 2011-14 The planned investment in Edlington over the 2011-14 period is £3million, This is for the works started under the HMR programme with the priority being to complete the clearance of the Granby Estate. Details of this can be found within the investment section of the LIP.

There is further planned investment on the former Thompson Dixon Estate for an extra care facility and new build housing (including affordable units). The total investment is about £12million and will be subject to the availability of resources.

49 Bentley Comment [JC]: ? The Bentley area of North Doncaster is largely urban Bentley and more extensive rural and semi- rural neighbourhoods including Arksey, Scawthorpe and Toll Bar and Almholme. With 8,338 households these neighbourhoods have a combined population of 19,745, which is 6.9% of the total population of the borough. This represents 39% of the North of Doncaster population. Covering a geographic area of 22.4 sqkm, Greater Bentley is by far the smaller of the three north neighbourhoods, but is significantly more densely populated at 881 people per sqkm.

Geographically Bentley forms part of the Doncaster urban area. It lies immediately to the North West of the River Don and is linked to Doncaster town centre by the New St. George’s Bridge and the North Bridge (access for buses and cycles only). Bentley has good road and rail links located within four miles of a motorway junction and having its own railway station.

Of the 88 communities within Doncaster, Bentley and Toll Bar and Almholme fall within the 20 most deprived, and Bentley Central is ranked 70 (top 1% of the most deprived Wards) out of a total of 8,620 Wards in England. Further points include:  Higher than average levels of private renting;  Longer than average SLH re-let times suggesting low demand for social properties;  Higher than average levels of empty properties suggesting low demand.  Low incomes; and  High concentrations of working age people claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA).

In Bentley, the council aims to improve housing conditions through improvements to the housing stock, particularly to private rented sector where conditions are poor. It is also a priority to bring empty properties back into use, improve neighbourhoods, reduce anti-social behaviour and increase housing supply.

Investment to date in the area Bentley benefited from major environmental improvements through the SRB 3 programme between 2000 and 2004.

Planned investment 2011-14 The planned investment in Bentley over the 2011-14 period is £5million. The details of this can be found within the investment section of the LIP.

The majority of this investment will be in Bentley Park and Pavilion where £2.75million investment from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the council will restore it to its former glory.

A new Youth Centre delivered under the ‘My Place’ project will provide Bentley with an up to date youth facility.

The Homes and Communities Agency will deliver 170 houses (of which 44 will be affordable) on the former Bentley Colliery site. This will see about £21million of private sector investment and public sector investment of around £500k. This is in addition to previous site remediation investment. Work is due to start late summer 2011.

Bentley is identified in the Housing Strategy 2011-14 as a priority area for bringing empty properties back into use and as a future Hit Squad Area.

50 Governance of the LIP

The council and its partners recognise the need for effective decision making and performance management for the implementation of the LIP. This will ensure investment priorities are delivered as planned and added value is achieved by maximising the policy and resource synergy that can be achieved by partnership working.

The council and its partners recognise that the specific programmes and projects identified within the LIP already have their own governance and decision making frameworks in place and these would clearly remain.

The purpose of a LIP performance management framework is to ensure the overall investment plan is kept on track. any policy or resource conflicts are highlighted and barriers to delivery are debated and resolved wherever possible from a multi-agency and partnership context.

The progress of the LIP would be performance managed as part of the council’s corporate performance management framework, and exceptions would be raised with the council’s Directors, Cabinet, Overview and Scrutiny panel and the Housing Improvement Board as necessary.

The following diagram illustrates this performance management relationship:

Hull & Sheffield Leeds City Humber Port City Region City Region Region

Overview and DMBC Doncaster Scrutiny Cabinet Together Partnership

Housing Improvement Board

DMBC Director’s Meeting

Directorate of Regeneration & Environment DLT

Local Investment Plan Delivery Group

Neighbourhood Neighbourhood Neighbourhood Neighbourhood Investment Plan Investment Plan Investment Plan Investment Plan

In practice, a multi-agency LIP project delivery group would oversee the co-ordination and development of neighbourhood investment plans (on a pilot basis at first). This would outline existing investment priorities and develop further emerging priorities.

51 A key aspect of this work would be to undertake investment planning at a neighbourhood level to set out the investment priorities for an area. This will create synergy and alignment of various investment priorities to maximise the value of different forms of investment and attract new resources to deliver any unfunded priorities.

The LIP project delivery group would report progress quarterly via the council’s Regeneration and Environment Directorate Corporate performance management framework process. This includes quarterly updates to the housing improvement board. Regular updates on performance would also be provided to Cabinet, Overview and Scrutiny and the Local Strategic Partnership as required.

Risk A number of risks are identified that relate to achieving the overall objectives of the LIP. Each project will be assessed for risk throughout development and delivery processes and will be detailed in each Directorate’s delivery plan.

A strategic high level summary of key risks attached to the LIP is presented below:

Risk Mitigation Public Funding Risks  Funding is not available  We will maximise opportunities to deliver  Funding is reduced Doncaster’s investment priorities  Timing of funding  The LIP is a ‘live’ document and will be reviewed  Ring Fencing of funding regularly to respond to changes  Failure to secure LIP  We will investigate the possibility of utilising Public allocation Assets to support the LIP  Joint Working across public partners to consider pooling of resources to ensure delivery of shared priorities  Maintain partnership working with the Homes and Communities Agency as an enabling body

Community Expectations  Speed of delivery  Manage community expectations through ongoing  Capacity to deliver dialogue and consultation  Ensure that the service offer of the council reflects the priorities Economic Climate, Property Market and Viability  Failure to deliver  Continue to work with HCA, Registered Provider Affordable Housing Developer Partners and other Developers to requirement implement the Affordable Housing Action Plan (monitored through Housing Improvement Board) Cost Risks  Unforeseen Costs  Contingencies will be built into budgets

Capacity to deliver There is a broad recognition that the council must develop investment priorities that represent the needs and demands of our Customers, offer value for money and are developed and delivered with our local strategic partners.

However, customer focussed priorities that are both value for money and delivered in partnership will not achieve anything if the council and its partners do not have the capacity to deliver.

In order to improve our capacity to deliver, a LIP project delivery group will be developed comprising various council department representatives, key partners and other stakeholders.

52 Clarity of strategic direction will be provided by clear Terms of Reference and an outcome based workplan that identifies priorities to be implemented, emerging priorities that need to be developed further, current baselines and measures of success.

An e-portal system will be developed and used for effective and efficient communication across the council and its partners.

Business and project management systems and procedures will be developed to enable the development of neighbourhood investment plans. This will be on a pilot basis at first for a number of key areas. This will enable the development of area based plans to outline how the more developed priorities will be delivered and how the emerging priorities can contribute as they are developed further.

Added value will be achieved by the development of neighbourhood investment plans that set out local need and demand in the context of existing investment priorities that can be enhanced as new investment is identified and attracted to an area.

The use of innovation should improve capacity to deliver. Neighbourhood investment planning will use the concept of innovation and creative thinking to generate new ways to develop and deliver the investment priorities identified within an area, particularly in relation to maximising the value of different investment resources into an area by numerous organisations.

As a result of the public and private sectors working in partnership with the community and third sector organisations, ‘doing things differently in Doncaster’ can mean innovative investment priorities and complementary initiatives that cost less to deliver .

Summary of Doncaster’s Investment Priorities Economic Investment Priorities  The Gateway to the Sheffield City Region: Airport Growth Corridor  Urban Renewal - Civic and Cultural Quarter and Doncaster Waterfront  Work, Skills and Enterprise Plan  Support for Business  Retail Offer  Sporting Heritage  South Yorkshire Digital Region  New Innovation and Low Carbon Economy

Community Investment Priorities  Tackle Empty Properties  Invest in Neighbourhood Renewal  Deliver a Neighbourhood Hit Squad Programme  Coordinated Approach to Neighbourhood Investment Planning

Housing Investment Priorities  Completion of Housing Regeneration projects, including Hyde Park, Edlington, Mexborough  Improve the quality of Existing Stock (including Decency)  Creation of more Affordable Homes  Reducing the number of Empty Properties  Enable greater housing options and choice for people in housing need, particularly the elderly, vulnerable young people and families.  Reduce the number of poor quality, energy inefficient homes

53 Children and young people Investment Priorities  Enable healthier children and young people, who have access to good advice and services to make appropriate lifestyle choices.  Reduce the number of children and young people with poor quality of life outcomes  Fully engage children and young people to influence the design and quality of services  Enable access to high quality early years support for children and families  Raise educational standards for all  Children and young people have the opportunity to engage in positive activities  Increase the number of young people in education, employment or training  Increase the number of people qualified with the relevant skills to meet the needs of the local economy

Health Investment Priorities  Reduce the rates of obesity and continue to increase activity levels  Improve life expectancy rates for both men and women  More people remain independent and healthy for longer  Increase the numbers of people accessing individual budgets for their health treatment or social care need  Reduce the number of people admitted to hospital in an emergency for conditions that can be managed in the community  Increase the number of older people achieving independence following rehabilitation / intermediate care  Reduce those needing mainstream care provision following intermediate care  Reduce the number of alcohol and drug related admissions to hospital  Increase the number of carers receiving an assessment of their needs and a specific carer’s service, or advice and information  Fewer teenage pregnancies  A sustained reduction in health inequalities in relation to the above measures

Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour Investment Priorities  Continued delivery of Anti-Social Behaviour panel and multi-agency Anti-Social Behaviour team  Continued work in relation to integrated offender management  Improving access to and the quality of drug treatment

Environment Investment Priorities  Protecting our environmental assets  The challenges presented by Doncaster’s climate  Keeping streets clean  Dealing with household waste and waste minimisation  Encouraging Pride in the Environment

54