Manifesto 2008-2009 (6 Monthly Report)

FOREWORD BY THE CONSERVATIVE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL

In the 2008/09 Manifesto, my commitment to the people of Bury was that we would keep our Manifesto, improving frontline services and controlling the direction of Bury Council. Most of the Manifesto pledges have been achieved and this six month progress report indicates that our achievement has been tremendous.

Bury Council, under Conservative control, has progressed from a 2* star status in 2007 to a 3* in 2008 and now achieving the overwhelming success of a 4* status. This has been achieved to a great extent by our devoted staff, officers and directors, all working together with a single aim of improving the services of the Council for the people of Bury.

Our aim has always been to serve the people and to make Bury one of the most desirable places to live in the North West of England and I think this has been achieved. There is always further work to be done but this Manifesto indicates the direction of the Council under the Conservatives and I have been proud to lead such a worthy team.

COUNCILLOR BOB BIBBY.

FINANCIAL

It is our intention to maintain Council Tax rises below inflation, this is a continuation of our previous manifesto promise which has been implemented with success

We are sympathetic to the plight of pensioners and will continue to offer a discount on Council Tax to all addresses where at least one resident is 65.

We are monitoring and will continue to monitor all departments of the Council ensuring that departments do not overspend their budgets.

We will undertake a full review of all our buying-in processes which will increase efficiency and save cash.

We will continue to provide excellent funding to the Police, as a result of the recent inflation busting settlement we are already seeing an increase in the number of Bobbies on the beat.

Update

It is our intention to maintain Council Tax rises below inflation, this is a continuation of our previous manifesto promise which has been implemented with success when we set a 3.4% rise in 2008/09. The terrible state of the economy has hit us hard since then and we have seen income from our investments fall by £2.2million, we have been faced with rises in energy costs of £1.1m and we have had to make provision in our budget of £200,000 to cover other costs resulting from the recession. These matters alone would have put over 5% on to the Council Tax even before inflation and increases in demand for services.

We are sympathetic to the plight of pensioners and will continue to offer a discount on Council Tax to all addresses where at least one resident is 65. This year the reduction will be just under 5%. As well as this we have also allowed all residents to spread the cost of paying for the Council Tax across 12 months rather than the 10 months that was previously allowed. In addition we have vastly improved the Council Tax benefit system so that claims are dealt with faster and more efficiently.

We are monitoring and will continue to monitor all departments of the Council ensuring that departments do not overspend their budgets.

We will undertake a full review of all our buying-in processes which will increase efficiency and save cash and we expect this to save at least £1million a year.

We will continue to provide excellent funding to the Police, and as a result of the recent inflation busting settlement we are already seeing an increase in the number of Bobbies on the beat. Since taking control of the Council we have invested £3million into services for people with physical and learning disabilities and we are also putting a further £250,000 into child protection.

Despite the very difficult times, and even with a lower than average grant from the Government, we provide excellent services at extremely low cost and our auditors say we are performing well in the way that we manage your money.

ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT

Parking

On taking overall control of the Council, the Conservatives will introduce free 15 minute parking at all pay and display parking zones. This will enable the residents in bury to access services such as Banks, chemists etc., without incurring a charge.

Refuse Collection

Conservatives will continue to resist any attempt by National Government to impose an additional charge for household waste collection above and beyond that already included in Council Tax.

Although it is reported in the National Press that Labour Ministers are allegedly bribing Local Councils into ending weekly bin collections, Bury’s Conservative Council vows to continue weekly bin collections and resist any Labour Government’s pressure to change it and will not impose any additional charges for household waste collection above and beyond that already included in Council Tax.

Following on from our successful roll out of an additional 28,000 blue bins in 2007,. Bury Conservatives will now concentrate on supplying brown bins for garden waste into areas where there are gardens and where they are requested by Bury residents.

The collection of waste paper and cardboard is a contentious issue and your Conservative Council is looking at waste bins to replace the green bags which in many areas are causing a litter problem. Following on from our successful roll-out of an additional 28,000 blue bins in 2007, your Conservative Council will now concentrate on the supply of brown bins for garden waste.

Under-age Drinking

Under-age drinking has created an anti-social behaviour culture across the Borough and to overcome this problem, we have allocated additional funds to our Trading Standards Officers to investigate and eliminate the supply chain.

Litter

Bury Conservatives are determined to continue their War on Litter by working in partnership with the Police and giving powers to PCSO’s (Police Community Support Officers) to take appropriate enforcement on anyone found littering the Borough. It is also our intention to educate children in schools and will make this a top priority.

Toilets

Bury Conservatives inherited an appalling public toilet situation across the Borough. It is our intention to address this and discussions are now underway with the private sector as to whether an agreement can be agreed for the use of their facilities. The toilets in the Interchange are a disgrace and action will be taken to force the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive to upgrade this facility.

Environment

It is the Conservatives’ intentions to improve the environment for its residents in Bury. Our streets will be cleaner; our parks greener and with regeneration taking place in the Town Centre, Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich, a welcoming and vibrant place to visit.

 

Update

Parking

The fifteen minute free car parking has now been implemented and has proved very popular. We are constantly reminded of its popularity whilst going about our work in the community as Councillors.

Refuse Collection

We have continued to resist any attempt by National Government to impose additional charge for household waste collection above and beyond that already included in the Council Tax.

We have also continued to collect residual waste bins on a weekly basis.

We have successfully rolled out an additional 28,000 blue bins for recycling and are ready to roll out an additional 5,000 brown bins for gardening waste into areas which hitherto there were none.

We are currently about to carry out a pilot scheme under which a further bin will be supplied to collect paper and cardboard which we feel will greatly enhance our paper and cardboard collection and at the same time be beneficial to residents in that they will not blow away etc. Alongside these additional bins we are exploring other types of weighted bags for properties which cannot accommodate a further bin.

Litter

The war on litter continues and a Litter Sub Group which will be reporting back to the Executive very soon has been working under the remit of our Economy Environment and Transport Scrutiny Commission. We are working in partnership with the Police and PCSO’S to take appropriate enforcement with anyone found littering the Borough.

We also intend to explore using those on Community Service via the Probation Service to work in areas of heavy litter.

Toilets

Although we inherited an appalling toilet provision across the Borough. Significant investment has been made in the current budget to vastly improve this situation in Radciffe and in Bury Town Centre which enjoys huge visitor status. .

Housing in Bury MBC

 We will Reduce the numbers of Empty Properties and Increase Housing Supply in Bury. We will do it by incentivising and encouraging landlords to re-enter the housing market.Pimhole - Bury Conservatives are committed to ensuring that the new Pimhole Housing Regeneration Scheme is successfully implemented. The previous administration did not allocate funds for the completion of this scheme. We have included in the Capital Programme, the necessary resources to complete Pimhole and make it a great place to live.More Affordable Housing. Bury Conservatives have approved measures to utilise funds from capital receipts to make new housing developments in Bury have significant levels of Affordable Housing. We have also been successful in getting funding to extend Affordable Housing to many of the Borough’s Housing Associations.Improving Quality and Choice in Social Housing. The new 100% Choice Based Lettings Scheme will allow people a greater say in the housing that they wish to live in.Clamping Down on Anti-Social Behaviour on Housing Estates. Bury Conservatives will ensure the new Tenancy agreement is fully enforced in order to deal effectively with residents who engage in Anti-Social Behaviour.Improving Housing Conditions for People . Bury Conservatives will ensure that people living in households of multiple occupancy are able to live within decent living standards of accommodation. Reducing Waiting Times for Disabled Home Adaptations. Despite many weeks of delaying tactics by the Labour Party, we will implement a new Home Improvement Agency that will drastically reduce waiting times for disabled people who require adaptations in their homes.

 

Update

 Reducing the numbers of Empty Properties and Increase Housing Supply in Bury. Whilst we have been incentivising and encouraging landlords to re-enter the housing market under The Landlord Accreditation Scheme, we have recently implemented an all encompassing Empty Property Strategy that continue the reductions of empties in our Borough.

•Pimhole

Bury Conservatives continue to be committed to ensuring that the new Pimhole Regeneration Scheme is successfully implemented despite the worsening economic climate created by this Labour Government.

•More Affordable Housing

Bury Conservatives have approved measures to utilise funds from capital receipts to make new housing developments in Bury have significant levels of Affordable Housing. We also putting together a “Mortgage Rescue” plan to help people who may be struggling with their mortgages.

•Improving Quality and Choice in Social Housing.

Since our last 6 monthly report, The new 100% Choice Based Lettings Scheme has now been successfully implemented and is giving more choice over where they want to live than they ever had before.

 

•Improving Housing Conditions for People .

Bury Conservatives in partnership with Six Town Housing recently celebrated the 500th House in the borough to have major works carried out. We are also exceeding our targets to make all social housing meet Decent Homes Standards by 2010.

•Reducing Waiting Times for Disabled Home Adaptations.

The new Home Improvement Agency is now up and running and is starting to make significant reductions in the waiting times for works to be carried out.

Regeneration and Economic Development in Bury

 Thousands of Quality New Jobs to be Created !!! Bury Conservatives will oversee an exciting transformation of Bury’s Housing, Economy, Job Market and Retail Services. Work on the Rock Triangle Retail Development, Townside Fields, Chamberhall and Pimhole is already underway. Bury Conservatives intend to proceed with the Sun Quarter Development in Radcliffe which will transform Radcliffe Town Centre. We also intend to look at opportunities to regenerate Prestwich and Whitefield Town Centres and to protect the unique identities of Ramsbottom and Tottington.Giving the People of Bury the Opportunity to Learn and Upskill. Bury Conservatives will protect our Libraries and encourage schools to stay open for family learning. Our WORKSTEP programme has already helped many disadvantaged people in Bury increase their skills which has in turn reduced levels of wordlessness’ in Bury.Delivering More English Speaking Courses - Making Savings on Translation Services. Bury Conservatives believe that newly settled ethnic/minority communities should be encouraged to learn basic English, which should allow them to become economically independent.

Update

•Full Steam Ahead !!

Again, despite the adverse economic climate created by this Labour Government, building work on the new retail developments at the Rock Triangle, Chamberhall, and Townside Fields is continuing on plan. The final plans for the regeneration of Prestwich will shortly be published and we have started work in partnership with planning consultants URBED to set out a vision for the redevelopment of Radcliffe. As we have said in previous manifesto updates, we will continue to protect the unique identities of Tottington and Ramsbottom.

•Reducing Worklessness in Bury

We have held a series of Job Fairs recently that have helped many long-term unemployed find jobs. In particular, we helped to train 29 local unemployed residents secure employment at new Morrison’s store in Whitefield. We are also about to engage with Thornfield (Developer of The Rock Triangle) to create a “One Stop Recruitment Service” once the development on The Rock has been finalised

•Delivering More English Speaking Courses - Making Savings on Translation Services.

Bury Conservatives have continued throught 2008/09 to provide more resources for English Speaking Language courses by tapping into “Preventing Extremism” Funding. Councillor Gartside, Executive Member for Leaning, Skills and Employment recently attended a Question and Answers session with learners on Citizenship and said “ It was really encouraging to how these courses have helped to build confidence and understanding of The democratic process in our country but ultimately these learners will now have much brighter prospects ahead of them “

CRIME AND COMMUNITY SAFETY

CCTV

To ensure more CCTV cameras are installed especially where hot spots are identified and to set up a joint CCTV control room – consultation on which has already begun

Anti-Social Behaviour

To build and work on the joint partnership working with other agencies as outlined in the Council’s new Anti Social Behaviour policy

Making Bury Safer

To publish more information on the Bury Safe website relating to crime and safety issues in Bury

To continue to work closely with the Chief Superintendent of Bury and Township Inspectors to increase police presence on the streets of Bury

To increase awareness to the public about personal safety issues and increase target hardening

Domestic Violence

To develop a comprehensive Domestic Violence policy and to have closer working with all agencies involved in domestic violence and to build on the work already started in schools

Bury Conservatives are committed to making Bury one of the safest places to live in the north-west.

Update

CCTV

To set up a fit for purpose single control room, to cover all the Town Centre and Borough. To increase the number of CCTV cameras especially in hotspot areas and employ the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition ( ANPR ). This is currently being looked at.

Anti-Social Behaviour

To build and work on the joint partnership working with other agencies as outlined in the Council’s new Anti Social Behaviour policy. We have launched the Bury Mediation Service along with our partners Contour Homes and Irwell Valley Housing Association, which is an unique service to Bury. This will help to mediate between neighbours who have fallen out, who live in private and Housing Association properties, to give independent help and avoid any Anti Social Behaviour problems as a result of the falling out.

Making Bury Safer

To publish more information on the Bury Safe website relating to crime and safety issues in Bury

To continue to work closely with the Chief Superintendent of Bury and Township Inspectors to increase police presence on the streets of Bury, which has now been done. To make Bury Town Centre a safer place for people to socialise at night, in our clubs and bars.

To increase awareness to the public about personal safety issues and increase target hardening

Domestic Violence

We have developed a comprehensive Domestic Violence policy and have a closer working relationship with all the agencies involved in domestic violence and to build on the work already started in schools

Bury Conservatives are committed to making Bury an even safer place to live in the north-west.

Alcohol

We have developed an Alcohol Strategy for 2008-11, as the binge drinking culture, has an effect on Serious Violent Crime in our night time economy. The strategy does include Prevention and Treatment and hopefully will make a difference to peoples drinking habits in Bury.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Update

The Conservative Group consider that it is the right of every child and young person in the Borough to have access to first class services and facilities that will develop them to their full potential. To this end we will:

Continue to support all the Borough’s schools.

 Excellent education achievement has been maintained with Bury being 4th in the country for the percentage of pupils achieving 5+ A*-G grades including English and Maths.A Strategy for Change for Secondary Schools that includes £190m investment of Building Schools for the Future (BSF) has been agreed.A Primary Capital Programme has been agreed with the initial project to rebuild the special school, Millwood.

Review the ‘Future of Learning in Bury’ at both Senior and Primary levels.

 The reviews of future learning for both Secondary and Primary Schools have been completedWe are now best placed to provide personalised education for children & young people

Provide the best secondary educational facilities in Radcliffe.

 The purchase of the land to build a new school in Radcliffe has been completed

Provide the necessary support to pupils who have special educational needs.

 We continue to give priority to the educational needs of our children and young people who have special needsThe Secondary Strategy for Change and the Primary Capital Programme, including the rebuild of Millwood, highlight the need to provide suitable and exciting environments within all our schools for children with special needs.

Sign up to the Every Disabled Child Matters Charter and continue to develop Children’s Centres and Early Years community services.

 We have committed to and signed, in partnership with Bury PCT, the Every Disabled Child Matters Charter.We now have 11 children Centres offering a range of services delivered inn our communities by a range of agencies.We now have 52 schools delivering extended services in their communities

ADULT CARE SERVICES DIRECTION OF TRAVEL IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS

Care for the Elderly

The Conservatives intend to re-shape the whole of the services for the elderly to enable them to have a bigger choice, wider facilities and a care package to suit individual needs.

We started that process last year with the redesign and modernisation of home care and disability services. We will continue with this reform approach in the service areas of residential care for older people, fieldwork services and learning disability services.

The personalisation agenda for all care services will underpin this reform and modernisation programme, giving adults and older adults greater choice and control over the support they need and the resources available to them, not just in social care, but across other mainstream services as well, such as Housing, Transport, Health, Employment, Education and Training.

We will produce forward looking commissioning strategies across all client groups to ensure a clear direction of reform and modernisation for adults is implemented, based on current and future levels of community needs and resource availability.

Maintaining people at home within their own community, with the appropriate level of support from providers of quality services is the key aim for the next twelve months. For example:

Increased opportunities of community facilities for people who are learning and / or physically disabled:

To increase supported housing opportunities for people who are disabled

Increase take up of Direct Payments and ILF

Improving Out of Hours Services

Produce an accommodation strategy for Older People

Produce a commissioning strategy for Adults

To increase the infrastructure within Adults to ensure compliance with the findings of the Older People’s inspection, to regain

  our 2-star status

Update

The reshaping of the whole of the services for adults and older vulnerable adults is ongoing and when finalised will enable them to have a bigger choice, wider facilities and a care package to suit individual needs.

We started that process last year, with the redesign and modernisation of Home Care and Disability Services. We will continue with this reform approach in the service areas of Residential Care for Older People, Fieldwork Services and Learning Disability Services.

The personalisation agenda for all care services will underpin this reform and modernisation programme, giving adults and older adults greater choice and control over the support they need.

We are producing forward looking commissioning strategies across a range of client groups to ensure the delivery of better services for adults.

Maintaining people at home within their own community is being achieved, with the appropriate level of support from providers of quality services being the key aim for the next twelve months, for example:

Developing joint care pathways with NHS Bury for adults with long term conditions

Increasing supported housing opportunities for vulnerable adults and those at risk of social isolation

Continuing to develop self directed support in line with LAA targets

Reviewing and implementing a new assessment and care management structure to ensure seamless access to services

Building on our performance and maintaining a positive direction of travel within the new inspection framework

Building on and improving transitions from Children’s to Adults and from dependence to inter-dependence, to increase choice and

  control

To continually promote partnership working in line with the principles of Team Bury

Ensuring that the Department commissions and delivers quality services within the resources available

Developing the skills of the social care workforce to meet the changing needs of vulnerable adults

Ensuring communications are effectively designed and structured to improve information to and from the public and partners.

Ensure services are commissioned and delivered across health and social care in line with the dignity and respect agenda

 

Voluntary Sector (Third Sector)

Last year, the Conservatives set up Bury Third Sector Development Agency (B3SDA) and are delighted with the progress so far. The Council’s future role in providing services will be the commissioning of those services through the Third Sector. We are delighted with the success so far achieved in reaching the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups and encouragement to continue developing the Third Sector is high on our agenda.

Update

The Third Sector Development Agency goes from strength to strength and is making a huge difference with local charity and community groups. The Sector is represented on the Local Strategic Partnership, Funding Panel and Community Relations meetings. The Sector is now fully operational and is receiving excellent reports from the community.

Communications

In our Manifesto last year, we were committed to providing a better service of communication between town hall departments and the public. We are pleased to report that during the last twelve months, the Customer Contact Centre has increased its efficiency and is now providing a more robust and professional service. More departments’ calls are now being directed through the Customer Contact Centre which gives a quicker response to customers’ needs. This service is still developing and our aim this coming year is to achieve the final stages of its implementation.

Update

The Customer Service Contact Centre is continuing to develop and is working towards a fully integrated call centre. Complaints have been significantly reduced and customer satisfaction has increased. The Call Centre personnel receive regular training and are working towards the Charter Mark.