Part 1 ITEM No 7 ___________________________________________________________________ REPORT OF THE CITY MAYOR TO COUNCIL ON 17th SEPTEMBER 2014 ___________________________________________________________________ TITLE: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: CITY MAYOR’S MID-TERM REPORT ___________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that Council endorse the progress in taking forward the City Plan’s priorities for the City. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Plan sets out the priorities for the City of Salford over the next three years and the commitments of the City Council over the same period. The plan was developed in partnership with local people, partners and stakeholders following extensive consultation. This mid-term report sets out progress in delivering the specific commitments contained within the City Plan. BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS: City Plan 2013-2016 ___________________________________________________________________ KEY DECISION: NO ___________________________________________________________________ DETAILS: 1. Background 1.1 I published the first three year City Plan in October 2013. The Plan set out a clear strategic framework for the City and for the City Council over that period. 1.2 The priorities within the City Plan were identified following extensive consultation with Salford’s residents through the Connecting Salford consultation which I launched in late 2012. 1.3 The Plan identified four strategic priorities: Connecting people to economic opportunities Protecting the most vulnerable Reforming public services Communities working together 1.4 Almost twelve months on from publication of the City Plan, this report provides an update on our success in delivering against the ambitions and commitments made. 2. State of the City 2.1 Salford is a dynamic city. Understanding how the city is changing is key to enable us to continue to provide high quality services that are relevant to local people, and that will support continued growth and opportunities for our residents. This year we have brought together key pieces of information to help us understand the changing demographics of our city. This information will support our future planning and service delivery decisions. Population growth Since 2001, the city’s population has increased after 80 years of decline. In 2011, there were 234,000 residents living in Salford, 17,800 (8%) more than in 2001. By mid-2014, that number was forecast to increase to 242,000, and by 2021 it is forecast to reach 262,000, a further increase of 8%. During this time the age profile of the city’s population has also changed with substantial increases in the number of pre-school age children, young adults and older working age people. The number of people aged over 65 in the city declined, in contrast to the national trend. Economic growth The city’s Gross Value Added (the measure of the value of goods and service produced in the city) is estimated to be £5bn in 2013 and to have increased by £62.7m (14.3%) a year since 2003. This compares favourably with the rest of Greater Manchester, which has seen a 6.3% increase in GVA over the same period. The number of jobs in Salford increased by 3,000 or 2.4% between 2006 and 2011, again outstripping performance in Greater Manchester (0.8%), and in the rest of the UK (1.7%). The number of jobs in Salford is forecast to continue to increase – by 1,600 per year, or 19%, from now to 2025. Importantly this is translating into jobs for Salford residents. The number of local people in employment is forecast to increase by 12% (or 800 per year) over the same period, from now to 2025. The city’s growth provides us with further opportunities to improve our neighbourhoods and vice versa. The provision of a range of good quality homes, of different sizes and tenures across the city will provide residents and those employed in the city with the choice and conditions they need and want in order to live here. House prices in the city are recovering from their 2007 levels. The average house price in the city in 2013 was £131,419. We are committed to meeting the housing needs of the people of Salford. 3. Growing City – connecting people to opportunities 3.1 Our ongoing commitment to regeneration continues to result in new businesses in Salford and in growing employment opportunities for our local residents. The first phase of MediaCity at Salford Quays is now almost complete. There are now more than 150 businesses in Media City, creating over 5,000 employment opportunities. We will continue to see further development of MediaCity, illustrated by the recent announcement by the BBC that a further 120 future media roles and 102 technology roles will move to Salford Quays from 2015. Also at Salford Quays, planning permission has been granted for redevelopment of Exchange Quays, turning the once dilapidated office block into modern office accommodation. Development of the Salford Central Corridor continues. Over 800 expressions of interest have been received for the purchase of new apartments and town houses at Vimto Gardens; we have received £750,000 grant funding from Transport for Greater Manchester which will help to create a viable development area in the Bexley Heath conservation area; and work has also commenced on development of the former Magistrates Court in the same area. Our investment, with partners in Port Salford and Salford’s AJ Bell Stadium has unlocked the potential of the Western Gateway Infrastructure Scheme. This will promote better connectivity between the M60, the A57, and capitalise on Salford’s proximity with the Manchester Ship Canal, rail and road networks. Taken together, Port Salford, the AJ Bell Stadium, and surrounding land provide an important strategic site for the generation of major employment opportunities and the provision of world class sporting and community facilities. The Stadium itself provides almost 2,000sqm of meeting and hospitality space; a 700 capacity facility capable of coping with events as diverse as major corporate uses, examinations and private and community meetings, hosting 215 different events in its second year of operation; 12 syndicate rooms which can be used as hospitality boxes on match days, overlooking the main pitch; a commercial gym, and is home to the Salford Red Devils Rugby League Super League Club and Sale Sharks Rugby Union Aviva Premiership club, and is able to host just under 11,380 spectators. The Stadium also hosts a foundation charity related to the Salford Red Devils Super League Club. Over the course of the year about 2,000 schoolchildren are involved in pre-match events at the Stadium, plus thousands more are involved through community events, soccer leagues and charity events held at the venue. Transformation of the New Bailey site has continued. The Premier Inn is due for completion this month, and initial meetings have already been held to ensure we secure local training and employment opportunities. Work is underway to improve the Irwell Street junction off Trinity Way, giving direct access to the main New Bailey site. Planning consent has recently been given for the first commercial development within New Bailey – an eight storey, office scheme, with ground floor retail and new public realm. Work started this year on the regeneration of the Greengate area, and will eventually deliver a major mixed-use development and natural extension of Manchester City Centre, providing commercial floor space, new residential accommodation, hotels, restaurants, bars and retail spaces. Work commenced on Building 101 in July this year, and will provide new commercial floor space and car parking. Salford City Council was successful in securing £3.6 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the transformation of the Bridgewater Canal corridor – and will be used to develop new towpaths, information panels, rejuvenated parks, events and celebrations. Both Worsley Delph and Barton Aqueduct will be reopened and accessible to the public for the first time in years. The city’s neighbourhood centres have also undergone considerable investment – 180 new homes have been provided in New Broughton Village in eastern Salford; funding has been secured for the Pendleton Together project, with work starting in 2014 to provide 1,600 new homes, and to improve 1,250 existing council properties. These and other local initiatives are improving our neighbourhoods and providing high quality spaces for local residents. The Lowry continues to develop as a world class venue. Between September 2103 and August this year, visitor numbers rose by 12.8%, bringing 892,000 visitors to Salford. A recent report by New Economy on the economic and cultural benefit of The Lowry, confirmed that for the original capital investment of £116million in The Lowry has leveraged an additional £1.4bn of public and private investment in Salford Quays. For every £1 of public revenue funding The Lowry’s return on investment is £16.27, higher than national benchmarks for other public sector organisations; and that The Lowry contributes £29m per annum in gross value added to the national economy, corresponding to a total expected contribution of £239m over the coming decade. 100 Salford residents are employed at The Lowry, and over 11,600 volunteer hours have been completed by Salford residents. The Lowry has run a number of significant arts, theatre, and learning and engagement events over the course of the year all of which have attracted visitors into Salford. In November 2013 I launched The Salford Standard – the City Mayor’s Charter for Employment Standards, which sets out the benchmark for working conditions both in the council and for other employers across the City. Employers can voluntarily sign up to the Charter either as a Charter Supporter committed to or be working towards the pledges in the Charter, or applying for the Charter Mark (in whole or in part) thereby demonstrating robust delivery against the pledges. To date, 56 employers have signed up to be Charter Supporters, one employer has received the Charter Mark, Manchester and Cheshire Construction Ltd and another four applications for accreditation are currently being considered.