Review of the Year 2017-18

Review of the Year 2017-18

REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2017-18 The Annual Report of Cotswold District Council COTSWOLD DISTRICT COUNCIL Welcome to Cotswold District Council’s Review of the Year for 2017-18 We have had yet another good year in 2017/18, addressing a wide range of top tasks and also achieving planned savings of over £200,000. Our success stems in part from our partnership (within the Publica Group) - with three other councils - West Oxfordshire, Forest of Dean and Cheltenham. Through working within this partnership, we managed to freeze our portion of the Council Tax bill for 2017/18 at a time when the vast majority of authorities increased costs. Previously we froze our share in 2016/17, reduced it by 5% in 2015/16, reduced it by 3% in 2014/15 and by 5% in 2013/14 . The freeze for 2017/18 meant that the actual amount being charged was lower than the figure ten years ago. In other words, the typical payment for a resident in a Band D property would have seen a real terms cut of 25% over the last six years. We have also frozen charges for car parking and garden waste collections. We can also report further progress on several flood alleviation projects in the Cotswold district. Additionally, we delivered 247 affordable homes during 2017/18, comfortably ahead of our goal of delivering a minimum of 150 homes. Thanks to the efforts of our residents we continue to achieve the highest levels of recycling in Gloucestershire (almost 60%% of all household waste is recycled, reused or composted). We know that government funding will continue to decrease, and we are always looking to find even more savings through efficiencies and innovation. Our staff have have done extremely well in the circumstances, and have maintained services to residents,. All of these savings have been made with no noticeable impact on the standard of our ‘frontline’ services. This annual report provides readers with an overview how the taxpayer continues to get excellent value for money in Cotswold District. If you would like to find out more about us and our achievements, please see www.cotswold.gov.uk. Councillor Mark Annett Leader 1 Our aim and priorities We aim to be recognised as the most efficient Council in the country. • Our priorities are to: Provide high quality services at the lowest possible cost to Council Taxpayers • Protect and enhance the local environment whilst supporting economic growth • Champion issues which are important to local people and that will enable them to benefit from good health and well being Our top tasks Our performance against our Top Tasks in 2017/19 To help meet our priorities, we identify and then work towards meeting a number of top task. During 2017/18 we addressed 11 top tasks, three of which were rolled forward from the previous year. We achieved six tasks and partially achieved another, One task was behind target and the remaining three were progressing as expected. More details are as follows: Submit the Local Plan to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government for examination by early summer 2017. Achieved Complete further flood alleviation works, including at Moreton-in-Marsh, by the end of July 2017. Achieved Deliver a minimum of 150 affordable homes in 2017/8. Achieved Lead the implementation of anti-fraud arrangements with partner councils and deliver savings as planned by the end of March 2018. Achieved Roll out the community defibrillator project across the District and support communities in improving health through enabling physically active lifestyles during 2017/18. Achieved Review emergency housing accommodation and consider options for direct provision by the end of March 2018. Achieved Improve buildings and asset utilisation to deliver revenue savings by working with key partners to the public and voluntary sector by the end of March 2018. Partially achieved Implement the 2020 Vision to deliver savings of £1.84 million per year by 2020. On target 2 Work with Fastershire and BDUK to improve the roll out of high speed broadband to all parts of the District, including hard to reach areas, by the end of this Strategy. On target Work to address Cirencester’s car parking needs by pursuing a range of solutions, including the provision of a decked car park at the Waterloo site by the end of March 2019. On target Work to progress the Brewery Court developer-led scheme for a cinema and retail scheme during 2017/18. Behind target More details about our top tasks Submit the Local Plan to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government for examination by early summer 2017. Achieved The Local Plan Submission Draft Regulation (including Focused Changes and Minor Modifications) was submitted to the Secretary of State on 7 July 2017, along with the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Draft Charging Schedule. The Planning Inspector, William Fieldhouse, was appointed to examine the Submission Draft Local Plan and the CIL Draft Charging Schedule during October-December 2017. The inspector identified a number of modifications which were required to make the Local Plan sound. Following a six week public consultation on the Main Modifications, which concluded on 4 April 2018, officers summarised the representations and sent them to the Inspector for review. (The Inspector’s final report was published in the summer of 2018 and confirmed that the Plan was sound.) 3 Complete further flood alleviation works, including at Moreton-in-Marsh, by the end of July 2017. Achieved A series of new culverts and ditches was created as part of the continued flood alleviation works for Moreton-in-Marsh. The work began in early December 2016 and was completed by the end of June 2017. Final accounts still need to be settled with landowners regarding claims. Deliver a minimum of 150 affordable homes in 2017/8. Achieved We delivered a total of 247 affordable housing units during 2017/18, exceeding our target by nearly 100. Delivery is likely to continue to exceed the target in 2018/19 but this is expected to reduce throughout the remaining life of the Local Plan 2011-31 as the remaining sites are built out. In the fourth quarter of 2017/18, we delivered 46 units which included affordable rented and low cost home ownership properties for families and single households in Fairford, Mickleton, Moreton-in-Marsh and Tetbury. Work began at sites in Cirencester and Willersey, and the first affordable homes at the Bassett Road site in Northleach were completed. Lead the implementation of anti-fraud arrangements with partner councils and deliver savings as planned by the end of March 2018. Achieved Since October 2017, the Counter Fraud Unit has been delivering work to all Gloucestershire councils and West Oxfordshire District Council. In addition, the unit provides counter fraud support to a number of third party organisations including Cheltenham Borough Homes, Gloucester City Homes, Ubico Ltd, Places for People, Bromford Housing and Publica Group. Income generation and savings are reported to the Corporate Management and Audit Committees at partner sites following the completion of work streams and delivery of additional days via third party contracts. 4 Roll out the community defibrillator project across the District and support communities in improving health through enabling physically active lifestyles during 2017/18. Achieved We are working with the South West Ambulance Foundation Trust (SWAFT) to extend the availability of defibrillators (CPADs) across the District, with particular attention being given to the more rural communities. The Cabinet approved the sum of £2,000 for each councillor to use in their wards towards the cost of purchasing and installing defibrillators. Overall, a total of 37 applications have been processed since the introduction of the scheme resulting in £19,500 of investment to date by the Council. The scheme will continue in 2018 /19. We are also promoting physical activity as a key prevention tool with statutory and voluntary sectors. We are working closely with our leisure contractor, SLM, and Active Gloucestershire to create accessible physical activity opportunities locally to reach vulnerable groups and those facing health inequalities. Review emergency housing accommodation and consider options for direct provision by the end of March 2018. Achieved The Housing Support service has completed a review of emergency accommodation, and is considering a number of longer-term solutions, including: • Increasing the capacity of Spring House which currently provides 18 units of supported accommodation. Our four Client Support Officers are working with the Neighbourhood Officer at Bromford to prepare residents for a tenancy and independent living or to refer them to other agencies. Four occupants have been rehoused and the units they vacated can now be used as emergency accommodation. • Utilising private rented accommodation – a shared Property Manager has been appointed and he will be responsible for increasing the availability of private rented stock in the District by identifying potential properties and building relationships with private landlords, encouraging them to provide longer term accommodation. • Working with Bromford to identify four units to be used as emergency/temporary accommodation in the north of the District – not continuing due to insufficient demand. 5 Improve buildings and asset utilisation to deliver revenue savings by working with key partners to the public and voluntary sector by the end of March 2018. Partially achieved Over the last two years we have been letting out vacant areas of the south wing at our Trinity Road headquarters, particularly to organisations which might provide additional benefits to our customers or the community. The first floor of the south wing, including the area that was used by the 2020 programme team will be fully let by the end of May/June 2018. Some of the organisations include Jobcentre Plus, Cotswold Counselling, Gloucestershire Carers and Rural Planning Practice.

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