Hertfordshire County Council

2006-2009 Corporate Plan

2006/09 Corporate plan – front section 36pp

COVER

(Design integrated with 2006 council tax leaflet - example below)

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Target Audience (as discussed 20/12/05 Cabinet Panel)

36pp Only: Customers / end users – All HCC staff, residents of Hertfordshire, customers. Overview of corporate plan, benefit led and customer focused – “what’s in it for me?” Signposting to hertsdirect.org.

36pp + 84pp Appendices: Stakeholders(those with the ability to influence the outcomes or influence opinions), Audit Commission,HCC strategic management team (and selected staff), Members, Hertfordshire MPs, District, Borough and Parish councils, partner agencies, Chamber of Commerce, local businesses and trade press. Full version of plan with appendices for further information, annual service plans and statutory information.

NB: Version management - SMB, Cabinet Panel, comments incorporated. Plus, David Beatty, Caroline Tapster, Martin Saunders, Geoff Brown comments from 11/4 meeting.

Page 110/31/2018

Hertfordshire County Council

2006-2009 Corporate Plan

Inside front cover: contents page

X…………………Foreword – Leader of the Council and Chief Executive

X…………………Living in Hertfordshire

X………..………. Achievements

X…………………Our challenges

XX……………….Our people, our services

XX……………….Our customers

XX……………….Working with Districts and Boroughs

XX……………….Summary, standard text/translations, links to further information

NB: The inclusion of page numbers, maps and photography will come at design/layout stage.

Corporate Services, version 1.3Page 110/31/2018

Hertfordshire County Council

2006-2009 Corporate Plan

Foreword

David Beatty, Leader of the Council

Welcome. I hope this corporate planwill provide you with an overview of the breadth of services we provide and the people responsible for delivering them, our challenges over the next three years,our achievements and what our customers think.

There have been many changes in local government over past few years. More than ever, we recognise the importance of listening to local people and acting on what they tell us. Working with public and private sector partners wherever necessary is now standard practice however, we still recognise the need totake the lead when we need to speak on behalf of the community.

In December 2005 the Audit Commission, who monitor how well we’re doing, awarded us their top four star rating for overall performance and we are among the best performing local authorities in the country.It also judged us to be ‘improving well’. In their evaluation, the Commission commended us for:

  • Improving key priority services, such as those that support children and improve education qualifications
  • Achieving government beacon awards for our work to support carers and

management of assets

  • Working with the police to reduce fear of crime by funding police community

support officers

  • Improving services that help older and disabled people keep their independence

and stay in their own homes

  • Successfully recruiting key social care staff
  • Achieving good value for money, particularly in waste management and through

more efficient management processes

  • Improving arrangements for planning services
  • Working in partnership with other agencies to improve services

It is important for us to ensure we are meeting government expectations, however making Hertfordshire a better place to live and work, whilst providing the best services possible is our main ambition.

Understanding our customers is critical to our success, every year wecommission a MORI survey to capturea representative sample of your views on the services we provide and how we’re tackling key challenges in the county. In 2005 residents told us that life in Hertfordshire was good and we were doing a good job but, more importantly what we needed to improve.

Listening to our residents and regular assessments of our performance are the factors that keep Hertfordshire amongst the top local authorities. Life is good in Hertfordshire, compared to many other parts of the country and we aim to make it better by continuing to take the views of Hertfordshire people into account as we set our priorities for the future.

Caroline Tapster - Chief Executive

Message to follow: Planning today for the needs of tomorrow

  • Budgets / Efficiency savings / Shared services / LAA
  • TWWW
  • £62M spend on highwaysimprovements in 2006/07
  • Libraries – additional investment
  • Olympics – Hertfordshire 2012 Ready for winners

Corporate Services, version 1.3Page 110/31/2018

Hertfordshire County Council

2006-2009 Corporate Plan

Living in Hertfordshire (1/3pp)

Hertfordshire stretches from Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire in the north, to the outskirts of London in the south. It borders Buckinghamshire in the west and Essex in the east and is currently one of six counties in the Eastern Region.

There are ten districts and boroughs, and the largest town is Watford, other urban areas include Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, St. Albans, Hitchin, Hertford, Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City. The Chiltern Hills to the west and the northwest of the county are designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The LeeValleyPark extends 26 miles from East London into Hertfordshire, and the county has an abundance of parks, open farms and zoos, and good sporting facilities. There are 43 sites of Special Scientific Interest, one national and 15 local nature reserves in the county.

The county also offers plenty of leisure pursuits, with well-known stately homes such as Hatfield House and Knebworth to Verulamium in St Albans, the third largest Roman site in the country.

There are several major transport and communication routes running through the county and a considerable number of car journeys cross the it every day. Five main railway lines provide good access to London and the rest of the country, as well as Stansted and Luton airport close to the county boundaries providing national and international flights.

Hertfordshire is, on the whole, a prosperous county with one of the strongest economies in the UK. The economy is built on several sectors, including Financial and Business Services, Distribution, Bio-Technology and Pharmaceuticals, Electronics, Film, TV and Media and Information Technology. There is a higher proportion of employment in high tech services than most EU regions. Knowledge-based industries and services dominate the Hertfordshire. In the north of Hertfordshire there is a greater emphasis on farming and market gardening.

Major companies in Hertfordshire include British Aerospace Dynamics and British Aerospace Systems, Bull Information Systems, Mace, Northgate Information Solutions, Camelot Group Plc, T-mobile, Kodak Ltd., Aeroflex International (formerly IFR UK Ltd.), Tesco, Glaxo SmithKline and Johnson Matthey.

High standards of living and low levels of unemployment coupled with a rich mix of rural and urban environments, add to the attraction of life in the county. In 2005 the mean annual earnings of Hertfordshire resident employees were £31,877 – the highest in the east of England. Our residents are well-educated, computer-literate, and relatively well-paid. However, high house prices keep away lower paid workers and make it difficult for young workers to get on the property ladder. This has

Living in Hertfordshire - continued (2/3pp)

created slower growth in the engineering, manufacturing and agricultural industries as a result.

With the exception of prices for flats and maisonettes, house prices in Hertfordshire are considerably higher than the national average. The average house price in Hertfordshire recorded in the period July to September 2005 was £262,970, compared to a UK average of £194,589 for the same period.(Quality of Life report 2005)

Average levels of multiple deprivation across Hertfordshire are low, reflecting the county’s position as a major economic driver of the East of England region. The county is the least deprived of all counties in the region, and the 12th least deprived of the 149 counties and Unitary Authorities across England. However these statistics hide some areas of significant deprivation and the council is working hard to ensure that all residents have the same access to services.

The standard of education in Hertfordshire also draws people here. The county council is responsible for around 550 schools. Educational achievement continues to improve each year. In 2005, 61.2% of pupils achieved five A* - C grades in GCSE, compared to the national figure of 54%.

The University of Hertfordshire has invested £200 million over the last ten years developing world class facilities. The £15m HertfordshireSportsVillage has some of the best university-based sporting and fitness facilities in the country on the de Havilland campus, in Hatfield.

The new Bedfordshire and HertfordshirePostgraduateMedicalSchool was launched in June 2005 to enhance medical provision in the region.

At least one in seven of the county’s population is aged 65 and over and that total is going to rise because people live longer. In 2010 there will be 12% more people aged 75+ than there were in 2000, needing an increasing amount of support.

The mixture of urban and rural environment creates a significant challenge when supporting the development of sustainable and affordable housing. Balancing the need for housing that supports growth in small rural communities, meets the renewal and regeneration needs of urban areas, whilst protecting the environment and green belt land, is also creating increasing challenges.

We are also aware that more houses need more and better roads, good public transport, health and other essential services, shops and schools. This also brings extra pressure on resources, such as the water supply and utilities.

Living in Hertfordshire - continued (3/3pp)

The disposal of waste is also a perennial problem for Hertfordshire. The latest calculations show that we could run out space soon after 2008. Around 67% of household waste produced in the county in 2004/5, approximately 2 million tonnes, was disposed of in landfill sites but these sites are slowly running out of space and fewer are being created.

However 26.7% of household waste produced was recycled, almost 141,000 tonnes, demonstrating the commitment of Hertfordshire's local councils to residents and increasing the county’s average recycling level to more than 30% by 2005/6.

Crime rates in Hertfordshire are relatively low in comparison with the rest of the UK. But low level crime like vandalism and graffiti leave people feeling unsafe. Appointing more Police Community Support Officers, many funded by the council, has combated this problem to an extent and successful recruitment campaigns in Hertfordshire have resulted in the highest number of police officers ever.

As this brief summary demonstrates, Hertfordshire is a county of contrasts. A great place to live, fighting hard to retain its character and protect its resources, for future generations to enjoy.

Achievements

The council has faced many challenges over the past few years and there are still areas that need improving however, there have been key achievements we can be proud of in 2005/06.

  • 92% of Adult Care Service users are having their equipment delivered within seven working days of assessment
  • The overall performance of primary and secondary schools in Hertfordshire remains high, with many performing in advance of national expectations. Only local authority to have improved at each of the Key Stages for each of the last three years
  • Reduced the number of people killed or seriously injured on Hertfordshire’s roads from an average of 1084 per year to 691 in just four years. Also reduced the amount of children killed or seriously injured by almost half. This is the best reduction achieved by any authority in the whole Eastern region
  • Delivered 524 highway improvement and maintenance schemes valued at £23 million
  • The Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) initiative has developed significantly over the last 12 months. 148 officers will be in post by March 2006. It is anticipated that an additional 211 staff will be appointed by the end of 2007/08. The county council contributes just under £2m per annum to the funding of PCSOs – equivalent to about 66 posts. This far exceeds the funding of the majority of councils and demonstrates the importance we place in tackling crime and fear of crime
  • Our 40% reduction in deliberate fires between 2003/4 and 2004/5 has so far been maintained and improved upon in 2005/6 with a further reduction in excess of 3%. This success has been achieved through various activities and initiatives
  • There are now more than 440 public access PCs in Hertfordshire libraries, offering access to the Internet, Microsoft Office and other applications. Access is free for library members, and sessions can be booked in advance
  • Representation at regional event (title tbc) to present argument against ODPM proposal for significant development in Hertfordshire. (John Wood to confirm)

Aspirations

Areas that still require additional focus:

  • Although Hertfordshire provides a high quality environment in which most children, young people and their families thrive and do well, this is not the case for all. Improvements in are underway to address lower performing schools, the attainment of boys in relation to girls, the children of some black and minority ethnic groups, as well as improving both post-16 achievement and attainment
  • Despite an increase in the number of Adult Care Service clients receiving a review of their services, this is an area that needs further improvement
  • We need to encourage more people in Hertfordshire to wear seatbelts. We know from checks that many do not and this is a major factor in road accident fatalities
  • In line with national trends, fewer people are using buses and a programme of events is now in place to tackle this issue
  • Hertfordshire has one of the lowest crime rates in the country but fear of crime is still an issue, further reassurance to residents will be offered through communication and crime prevention initiatives

Our challenges over the next three years

Our ambition ‘to make Hertfordshire an even better place to live and work’ is at the heart of our corporate planning process and the challenges reflect key issues affecting our ability to achieve this ambition. As an organisation we are focused on continually reviewing and improving our processes. Not all of the work we do is included in these challenges, for more information and a full list of the services we provide refer to page XX in the appendices or visit

These challenges are the issues our residents are most concerned about and therefore what we will be judged against. They are also the issues that increasingly, we will work alongside partners to deliver and ensure we continue improve services.

Our challenges:

  • Helping people feel safe and secure
  • Maximising opportunities for all children and young people
  • Supporting the independence of the growing number of older people
  • Tackling the causes and impact of congestion
  • Dealing with worn out roads and pavements
  • Reducing the impact of new development on the environment
  • Maximising efficiency savings to help keep council tax at an acceptable level

The way we work – how are we going to overcome these challenges?

The corporate planning process

We are committed to delivering excellence – in the services we provide and also how we deliver those services.

A new corporate planning process was first undertaken in 2005/06. A key element is the use of evidence, including relative performance and cost information to develop service profiles. A grid called a strategic compass is used to measure relative performance against relative cost. This is a way of assessing how well the key outcomes for the organisation are being met. You can find more details of our corporate planning process in appendix X (to be confirmed).

Keep the people of Hertfordshire at the centre of everything we do

The differences that make people who they are must be respected, discrimination, harassment or bullying should not be tolerated and equality of opportunity should be made a reality. Everyone in the community has the right to benefit from the services provided and the job opportunities offered - irrespective of gender, age, background, disability, race, sexual orientation, political and religious beliefs or trade union activities.

We aim to reflect those beliefs in everything we do. Everyone we work with and employ, should feel respected and confident that we will recognise their individuality, needs to know that we will deal with them honestly and openly. To do this, we:

  • Work in partnership with other agencies, the voluntary sector and communities to ensure that all services are provided fairly
  • Develop effective consultation mechanisms so that the needs of all sectors of the community are taken into account when services are planned, developed and delivered
  • Ensure departments implement and monitor an action plan for ensuring that services are equally accessible to all people and appropriate to their differing needs
  • Introduced an organisation wide customer care standard to ensure we deliver a consistent customer experience. Subject to SMB approval, April 06

Recognise the importance of highly trained and motivated staff

Our staff recruitment procedures are based on fair selection methods to ensure opportunities are equally accessible to staff with disabilities. We encourage all employees to undertake training to achieve a high standard of performance and develop their careers. Leadership development is an integral part of our people strategy.

Maximise the use of technology and eradicate unnecessary bureaucracy

Improving the quality of support services by maximising the use of

technology, reducing duplication and exploiting economies of scale.

Work with public and private sector partners to benefit Hertfordshire

Our customer service centre was one of the first in the country to be outsourced to a third party and develop a shared service centre approach, to improve customer service and produce significant budget efficiencies.

The Local Area Agreement (LAA) is a new national programme designed to improve local services via strengthened partnership working. The LAA will provide greater flexibility for key agencies in Hertfordshire (such as Local Authorities, Health, the Voluntary Sector and the Police) to pool their budgets and join up services in number of key areas. Success in our challenges is dependant on the strength of the LAA and a group of public sector, Local Strategic Partnerships, business and voluntary sector organizations called Hertsforward.