corporate business plan 2011-15 - areas of focus appendix 2...corporate business plan 2011-15 -...

Corporate Business Plan 2011-15 - Areas of Focus Appendix Two - Quarterly Update

1 - Keeping Gravesham Safe (GBC) This Year to Date

Progress to Date (2013/Q2)

The Licensing Team have been working closely with partners in Kent Police, Transport Police, British Telecom and KCC Trading Standards in preparation for the new licensing regime under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. With these partners we participated in National Metal Theft Awareness Day on 23 July 2013 and carried out visits to scrap yards and dealers in the borough to raise awareness of the new regime and to check compliance, which was found to be generally good. This important work will contribute to tackling the problem of metal theft as it will make it much harder for thieves to dispose of stolen metal. Dealers, including itinerant dealers, will no longer be allowed to buy metal with cash, they will also have to record personal ID details of all sellers. The new regime comes in as from 1 October 2013 and will require all applicants to complete an enhanced application process to demonstrate that they are a suitable person. Gravesham, as a licensing authority, will have to the power to refuse and revoke licences. This function has been delegated to the Licensing Committee. Fees have been set on a full cost recovery basis. All known traders in the borough have been contacted to ensure that they are in a position to make timely applications and to take advantage of the transitional arrangements that the legislation allows for existing traders.

The Gravesham statement of licensing policy under the Licensing Act 2003 is currently undergoing review. A consultation draft was taken to Licensing Committee on 17 September 2013 and is now out to public consultation to seek the views of stakeholders. The policy in is a new format which gives added clarity to the reasons for our various policy requirements expected of licensees. It also incorporates the various and fairly wide ranging changes made to the Licensing Act by the Live Music

Appendix Two

Act 2012 and by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. The public consultation runs for a 12 week period from 23 September 2013 until 14 December 2013. The responses to the consultation will be reported back to Licensing Committee in the New Year and a final version of the policy will then be taken to Council for approval by April 2014.

The Licensing team and the Gr@nd have been working closely with partners in order to introduce a Kent Community Alcohol Partnership (KCAP) area in the borough. The Community Alcohol Partnership model aims to tackle public underage drinking and associated anti-social behaviour through cooperation between alcohol retailers and local stakeholders such as police,trading standards, health networks and schools. .The CAP addresses both the demand and supply side of underage drinking through enforcement, education and public perception. Our first KCAP area (the 8th in Kent) was launched in Perry Street on 19 September 2013 during National Alcohol Harm Reduction Week. As well as the partners listed above, the Gravesham Youth Council are also involved in the Perry Street project. The project will be run and evaluated over a six month period with view to rolling it out elsewhere in the borough if successful.

The Gravesham Safety Advisory Group (SAG) , where with partners, we are able to scrutinise plans for events to be held in the borough so as to ensure public safety, is now well established. Those holding events have to submit detailed event management plans in advance, and where necessary they are asked to attend a SAG meeting for further questionning. Debrief meetings are also held where appropriate so that learning points may be taken forward to the next similar event. This approach has proved useful in respect of planning for Vaisakhi, Kabbadi, Party on the Prom, Northfleet Carnival, Gatka, Firework Event and numerous other smaller events. The Chair of the Gravesham SAG attends a newly established Kent and Medway SAG group, the aim of which is to share good practice and to ensure consistency of approach across the county


3 - Working towards a healthy Gravesham (GBC) This Year to Date


Sport and Recreation Activities ran over the school Summer holidays for both young people and Adults. Specific activities were advertised in the local newspapers and websites, as well as on posters that were displayed across the borough. A total of 16,000 - 24 page summer fun guides were printed and distributed to every primary and secondary school across the borough as well as other community based outlets. The guide was split between activities solely organised by the Leisure Team as well as partnership activities, with just over 6,000 people taking part.

A total of 1,395 attended the council’s free Park Life events held at Camer Park, Woodlands Park and Gravesend Promenade in August. These events supported by the national Community Games Programme aim to encourage families to use their local parks and to promote the legacy of the London 2012 Games. Camer Park was registered as a Have a Field Day event, part of the national Fields in Trust campaign, whose goal is to ensure that everyone has access to free, local outdoor space for sport, play and recreation. Physical activity entertainment was provided by Micky the Magician, climbing wall, bouncy castles, Charlton Athletic Community Trust and True Kaizen Dance group. The events also enabled the Don’t Sit Get Fit Coordinator to recruit families to the Healthy Weight Programme and to the Change4Life Healthy Passport Scheme.

Other activities and sports courses that were organised with partnership organisations totalled 4,828 including; Skyride cycling events, dance Summer school, outdoor Zumba, tai-chi, Summer sports camp at the Gravesham Sports Trust artificial pitch, Charlton Athletic Community Trust football sessions, tennis, cricket, hockey and gymnastic courses, to name a few.

In September a Mayor’s Charity Mixed Netball Tournament (64 participants) was organised at the Mayfield Grammar courts which attracted a number of local participants including two teams who have taken part in the recent Back to Netball scheme held in the borough. This scheme was originally set up to encourage women who had not played before or in the most part had not played since leaving education.

Corporate Business Plan - Information Only Indicators

Appendix Two - Quarterly Update

IO 5 - Swimming Usage (GBC) This Year to Date (Last Value)

Description Owner - Director (Communities)

Swimming usage at the leisure centres within the borough

Period Table Actual Previous Year

2012/Q2 84,435 82,754 2012/Q3 57,898 61,271 2012/Q4 77,583 71,739 2013/Q1 79,436 74,130 2013/Q2 88,903 84,435

Commentary (2013/Q2) Swimming ''uses' has increased at both sites when compared to the same period last year, with a significant rise noted at Cygnet. Apart from the junior swim-deal mentioned below there has been no major marketing undertaken or alterations to the programmes and tariffs.

Family swims are made up of 2 adults and 2 children or 2 adults and 3 children. For the purpose of this report family swims have been totalled as one unit. The group type “other” depicts usage for swimmers that fall outside of casual swimming – group swimming i.e. Scouts, low income, school swimming, swimming lessons, additional activity i.e. health suite and swim and pre-paid books.



Family Swims 13,119 28% Adults 6,469 14% 50+ 321 1% 60+ 1,174 3% Junior 8,279 18% U3 5,595 12% Disability 899 2% Other 10,592 22% Total 46,448

Swimming at Cascades has improved with a marginal increase of 347 bathers for 2013 against the same period of last year. It is pleasing to see that disability usage has increased along with the “other” group type which is explained above.

Total Percentage 1,068 3%

Cygnet 2013 Group Type Family Swims Adults 8,452 20% 50+ 764 2% 60+ 2,560 6% Junior 4,230 10% U3 1,101 3% Disability 309 1% Other 23,971 55% Total 42,455

Swimming at Cygnet has improved by an impressive 4,121 bathers compared to the same period of 2012.

During the summer of 2013 a swim/meal deal promotion was offered which has shown an impact on the junior swimming attendance. In addition to the increase in junior swimming, like Cascades the increase in the “other” group type is attributed to the successful running of G&N Swimming Club, swimming lessons and the school swim programme. Footnote: GCLL is not able to capture the specific demographic ('group type') data for those who use the leisure centres but who are not members. Such persons are therefore not included in the 'group type' breakdowns given above.

Cascades 2013 Group Type Total Percentage



IO 6 - Gym Usage (GBC) This Year to Date (Last Value)


Gym usage at the leisure centres within the borough.


2012/Q2 48,226 44,166 2012/Q3 41,348 39,485 2012/Q4 52,736 51,483 2013/Q1 51,460 52,006 2013/Q2 45,056 48,226

Commentary (2013/Q2)

There has been a slight drop in usage of the gym at both centres comparing 2013 with 2012.

While it was predicted that the opening of NRG (in New Road) would have an impact on GCLL it is not possible to say that there is a direct correlation between the opening of the NRG facility and the drop in numbers which needs to be set against the current national issue of household incomes needing to be tightened.

Overall, taking the last four quarters the comparison year-on-year shows a reduction in numbers of 600 uses for the last 12 month period.

NRG operates a one-size-fits-all direct debit membership: this is £14.99 a month which gives unlimited use of the gym and some option for classes. The basic "Outline" membership at GCLL, which gives


Appendix Two - Quarterly Update access to the whole centre including the pools, is £37.95. However, users can access the leisure centres on a 'pay and play ' basis. For example an individual gym session costs between £4.50 - £7.50 depending on category.

GCLL has a unique service provision which a budget gym cannot compete against so particular focus is being used in selling what the centres offer in addition to gym based activity i.e. swimming, main hall courts, health suite and free parking etc. Some memberships were being cancelled but they are experiencing some returning users to the site.

Centre 2012 2013 Decrease 2012-2013 Cascades 25,544 24,425 1,119 Cygnet 22,682 20,631 2,051 Total 48,226 45,056 3,170

With concessionary groups using the gym being:

Group Type Cascades 2012 Cascades 2013 Cygnet 2012 Cygnet 2013 Disability 185 132 18 15 50+ 293 296 1,438 1,205 Low Income 896 936 87 101 Junior 2,195 1,776 1,563 1,659 Total 3,569 3,140 3,106 2,980

Footnote: GCLL is not able to capture the specific demographic ('group type') data for those who use the leisure centres but who are not members. Such persons are therefore not included in the 'group type' breakdowns given above.



IO 19 - Active Gravesham Participants (GBC) This Year to Date (Last Value)


The number of people involved in the Active Gravesham, summer holiday programme and Go Gravesham activities.


2012/Q2 9,873 -- 2012/Q3 52 -- 2012/Q4 246 -- 2013/Q1 333 583 2013/Q2 6,223 9,873

Commentary (2013/Q2) Despite a reduction in activities delivered directly by the council this year due to the loss of the Sports Development Officer post, attendance figures for the summer activities have still been quite high. Reducing the Park Life days but having more activities available at each site has also been a success, but these do go hand in hand in having favourable weather.

A total of 16,000 (24 page) summer fun guides were printed and distributed to every primary and secondary school across the borough as well as other community based outlets. The guide was split between activities solely organised by the Leisure Team as well as partnership activities, with just over 6,000 people taking part. Figures for the same quarter in 2012 were 10,426 (Olympic/Paralympic activity year) and in 2011 were 9,859 .



A total of 1,395 attended the council’s free Park Life events held at Camer Park, Woodlands Park and Gravesend Promenade in August. These events supported by the national Community Games Programme aim to encourage families to use their local parks and to promote the legacy of the London 2012 Games. Camer Park was registered as a Have a Field Day event, part of the national Fields in Trust campaign, whose goal is to ensure that everyone has access to free, local outdoor space for sport, play and recreation. Physical activity entertainment was provided by Micky the Magician, climbing wall, bouncy castles, Charlton Athletic Community Trust and True Kaizen Dance group. The events also enabled the Don’t Sit Get Fit Coordinator to recruit families to the Healthy Weight Programme and to the Change4Life Healthy Passport Scheme.

Other activities and sports courses that were organised with partnership organisations totalled 4828 participants including Skyride cycling events, dance Summer school, outdoor Zumba, tai-chi, Summer sports camp at the Gravesham Sports Trust artificial pitch, Charlton Athletic Community Trust football sessions, tennis, cricket, hockey and gymnastic courses, to name just a few.

In September a Mayor’s Charity Mixed Netball Tournament (64 participants) was organised at the Mayfield Grammar courts which attracted a number of local participants including two teams who have taken part in the recent Back to Netball scheme held in the borough. This scheme was originally set up to encourage women who had not played before or in the most part had not played since possibly leaving school.


4 - Engaging and empowering communities within the borough (GBC) This Year to Date

Progress to Date (2013/Q2) The Community Safety Unit (CSU) has continued to coordinate project work aimed at encouraging local people to take an active role in improving their local neighbourhoods. This has included:

Work with local primary schools and the Junior Warden Scheme - the CSU's Safer Place Officer and a KCC Warden have delivered sessions to a number of schools raising awareness about environmental crime and pupils have designed street signs carrying messages to encourage the responsible disposal of litter and the importance of respecting the local area in and around their school. The project is an extension of My Place Matters and has also been delivered in schools in the Northfleet North Big Local area with the assistance on local residents. The next stage (in the autumn) will be to replicate this work in schools in and around the town centre under the banner of My Town Matters. The CSU have also supported a project that will establish a Junior Warden Scheme (believed to be the first in the County) in conjunction with local schools to continue to educate on evironmental issues and raise awareness of the consequences of ASB.

Joint work with local Street Champions has continued and some of the Champions have also assisted Community Payback Teams in clearing communal areas of waste/rubbish and graffiti in their neighbourhood. Street Champions from the Waterton Avenue/Raphael Road area are also now planning to work with the Community Organisers (Action to Regenerate Trust) in order that they can share good practice and support each other in encouraging more local people work together in improving their local areas.

Corporate Business Plan - Measures of Accountability


CBP 9 - GBC Consultation (GBC) This Year to Date (Last Value)


To ensure that the number of people involved in GBC consultation groups increases in line with the borough’s population (a minimum 1% proportion of the population continually involved).

Year-end target for 2013-14 - 1,100 people

Period Table Actual Target Previous Year

2012/Q2 1,265 1,150 1,257 2012/Q3 978 1,150 1,301 2012/Q4 938 1,150 1,264 2013/Q1 1,047 1,100 1,248 2013/Q2 2,453 1,100 1,265

Commentary (2013/Q2) This has been a busy quarter with a number of events taking place and good community involvement.

Neighbourhood Forums: Rural Forum - The Proposed Third Thames Crossing - 450 residents attended. Gravesham East Forum - Access to Schools and School Transport - 26 residents attended.

Gravesham 50+ Forum: Social Saturday - 50 attendees (guest speaker from RNLA) Summer Forum - 127 attendees Full of Life Event (funded by GBC) - 200 attendees

Corporate Business Plan - Measures of Accountability


Housing Services Consultation - 46 survey results Area Housing Services Forum - 1 meeting - 8 attendees Tenant Conference - 201 attendees Sheltered Housing Forum - 1 meeting - 14 attendees Borough Executive Forum - 1 meeting - 7 attendees Leaseholder Forum - 1 meeting - 13 attendees Living and Learning - 12 classes - 50 attendees Residents' Association attendees - 6 meetings - 83 attendees Youth Council - 4 meetings - 37 attendees

Residents Panel: Number of residents declared as members of the Residents Panel - 566 residents

GBC Waste Collection Scheme Consultation: Total number of responses received - 575 responses

Community Event - funded, supported and attended by GBC Officer: Cascades Fun Day - 5000 attendees (not included in numbers)


5 - Embracing and celebrating the diverse cultures within the borough (GBC) This Year to Date

Progress to Date (2013/Q2) The summer proved very busy in terms of events:

The main focus of the council's activity was Party on the Prom which, in spite of the rather uninspiring weather, drew considerable crowds. The new format also proved popular with and earlier start and a finish in daylight.

This quarter also saw the last in a series of community-based events were sponsired by the council these took place at Higham (400 attending), Cycloparc (600 attending on a highly inclement day) during Q1 and Cascades during Q2 (where more than 5000 people attended throughout the day).

However, the graphs do clearly demonstrate the difference the Olympic-based activity which took place during the same quarter last year had on those figures.



IO 7a - KECC Events (GBC) This Year to Date (Last Value)

Description Owner: Director (Communities)

Level of involvement at events delivered in partnership with the Kent Equality Cohesion Council - total number of events


2012/Q2 3 -- 2012/Q3 5 -- 2012/Q4 0 -- 2013/Q1 3 3 2013/Q2 2 3

Commentary (2013/Q2) KECC was involved in the organising of two events this quarter: The Party on the Prom and a BME community Focus Group.

The KECC was also involved in the organisation of the Gatka competition at the Guru Nanak.



IO 7b - KECC Events (people) (GBC) This Year to Date (Last Value)


Level of involvement at events delivered in partnership with the Kent Equality Cohesion Council - total number of people benefiting from the events


2012/Q2 19,000 -- 2012/Q3 375 -- 2012/Q4 0 -- 2013/Q1 5,000 4,500 2013/Q2 5,000 19,000

Commentary (2013/Q2) More than 10,000 people attended the Party on the Prom event held on Saturday 20 July. Tribute acts including Only One Direction, Cold Player, Bon Jovi Uk, and Counterfeit Quo played sets during the day, as well as the successful Asian music artist Punjabi by Nature. As part of the days activities the Summer Regatta took place on the River Thames and the Summer Queen Festival was also hosted in the Fort Gardens.



IO 7c - KECC Events (organisations) (GBC) This Year to Date (Last Value)


Level of involvement at events delivered in partnership with the Kent Equality Cohesion Council - total number of organisations worked with.


2012/Q2 12 -- 2012/Q3 4 -- 2012/Q4 0 -- 2013/Q1 12 30 2013/Q2 14 12

Commentary (2013/Q2) During Q2 the KECC worked with 14 different groups.



IO 8 - Event Income (GBC) This Year to Date (Last Value)


Level of income brought in from outside sources to support the events held with the Kent Equality Cohesion Council.


2012/Q2 £23,000.00 -- 2012/Q3 £500.00 -- 2012/Q4 £0.00 -- 2013/Q1 £13,500.00 £7,500.00 2013/Q2 £2,250.00 £23,000.00

Commentary (2013/Q2) KECC generated £2000 towards Party on the Prom.

It also contributed £250 towards the Gatka Championship.

It needs to be borne in mind when considering and comparing KCC events and event income for 2012 to that in 2013; that in 2012 additional grant funding opportunities were available due to the Olympics.



IO 9 - Heritage Events (GBC) This Year to Date (Last Value)


The number of visitors attending organised events held at each heritage site in the borough


2012/Q2 2,609 -- 2012/Q3 278 -- 2012/Q4 75 -- 2013/Q1 2,283 2,220 2013/Q2 2,990 2,609

Commentary (2013/Q2) Attendance at the Milton Chantry, New Tavern Fort and Cold War Bunker during the Summer period has been positive. This has been due mainly to favourable weather conditions during the last three months which has meant that the relevant parks and open spaces have been well used and so the sites have attracted good levels of passing trade.

The attractions have also benefitted from special events, including the Chantry being part of the national Heritage Open Days promotion on 13-14 September and through Thames Defence Heritage organising a 1940’s themed event in the Fort Gardens on 28 September.

For information, the Cold War Bunker at Woodlands Park has recently received Grade II listing status by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. This generated positive media interest at both a local and national level. Currently seeking funding for the putting in place of a brown tourism signed labelled ‘Cold War Bunker’ to be sited on Wrotham Road.


12. Engaging and empowering young people in the delivery of services (GBC) This Year to Date


This quarter the Youth Council has been re-engaged to ensure that young people are once again represented on the Cabinet Committees.

In addition, the Youth Council have supported a number of events over the summer period:

Summer Fun Day at Cascades - Four members attended the fun day at Cascades on 3 August 2013 to promote the Youth Council. They distributed 100 leaflets advertising the Youth Council and spoke to teenagers about what the youth council does.

The GRAND and British Heart Foundation Pirate Walk and treasure hunt - Four GYC members helped marshal the Pirate treasure hunt on 21 September to raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

Gravesham Borough Council- Committee Meeting Attendances - In September, five youth council members attended the Planning & Environment, Business and Community Services and Community Services Committees. The young people all said that they found the meetings interesting and looked forward to attending and contributing to the meetings in the future

Civic Cadets - From discussions at a previous meeting, it was highlighted that many young people didn’t feel safe within their town and from this some of the Youth Council decided to set up a young person’s cadet organisation, interested in community safety and creating safe spaces in the town centre. This is an entirely youth led organisation and will give young people the opportunity to get involved in community safety while having a platform from which they can make new friends, learn new skills and become ambassadors to their borough.

The group were awarded £3500 in Youth Opportunities Funding (via KCC Integrated Youth Service), which they plan to spend on: • the enrolment of 25 cadets• the establishment of 27 Safe Haven in Gravesend• The publication of a digital educational community safety resource to be used freely by local groups.• A community safety conference.• First aid training for it’s members

The Safe Havens would be part of a campaign called Safe spots, safe streets which is being developed in collaboration with G-Safe and the Police. The campaign would see safe havens created within local shops or key community places (such as the GRAND and the Civic Centre) such spots will provide refuge for members of the public until help in the form of police or security arrive to assist. The project will aim to provide young people with 15 publicised safe spots in the town centre and 12 spots in the outer town areas. The best sites to approach are currently being decided upon.

During the summer the Youth Council also applied for funding from the Youth Opportunities Fund, a KCC Integrated Youth Service budget which only young people can engage with. As a result £3500 was awarded to the Youth Council as detailed above and an an additional £1500 was awarded for the SAFE programme with £600 awarded to the youth group at the Methodist Church and £800 towards additional work for Kings Farm. In all £7000 of young people sponsored projects were approved for Gravesham.


In addition, the Youth Council have worked to identify the activities they will be involved in during quarter three. These include:

Rock Enrol - this is part of the government's strategy to increase levels of registration and engagement in the democratic process. It is aimed at young people in the sixth form and encourages young people aged 16-18 to think about the democratic process and what it means to vote and to ultimately put themselves on the electoral register.

Gravesham Youth Elections March 11th 2014 - Schools have been contacted to inform them that Gravesham Youth Council Elections will take place in March 2014

Neumunster twin town visit - A delegation from Neumunster town council are visiting Gravesham during October. They are visiting the Youth Council on October 25th and the Youth Council will be planning how to best inform them about how our youth council works and what they do.

Civic Cadets Digital Workshop – the Cadets would like to teach young people what they can do to stay safe while out. The wish to launch a multimedia website and use social media that would have guides to youth safety available for anyone to use.

SAFE Conference - A Conference explaining the purpose of the SAFE programme is planned for October: the SAFE programme (Funded through KCC Public Health) seeks to support young people as peer mentors who will provide other young people with support through difficult phases of their lives



IO 15 - Youth Council (GBC) This Year to Date (Last Value)


Number of people involved in the Gravesham Youth Council.


2012/Q2 46 44 2012/Q3 19 104 2012/Q4 56 77 2013/Q1 36 55 2013/Q2 36 46

Commentary (2013/Q2) Attendance remained steady over the summer with 10 - 12 young people attending the sessions in July, August and September. We always expect lower numbers in the summer holidays.

The current number of young people "registered" for the Youth Council is 25 and they come from Gravesend Grammar, Mayfield, Northfleet School for Girls, Northfleet Technology College and St John's RC; however attendances are often bulked out by visiting young people who are not necessarily "members".


18 - Providing value for money & efficient services (GBC) This Year to Date


Benchmarking As reported to the Finance & Audit Committee in October 2013 as part of the half-yearly review of the Annual Governance Statement Action Plan, the council has continued to develop and utilise the electronic benchmarking system. The latest financial data from the Revenue Outturn returns to Government is due to be uploaded to the benchmarking system in November 2013 and following the council’s internal review of its financial coding structure, will assist in more definitive benchmarking with other authorities.

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