Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Thursday, 11 March 2010

Efficiency, Improvement & Transformation Reviews

As part of the Council's contribution to meet the demands of the current economic climate it had committed itself to a review of key services in order to achieve both operational efficiency savings and to bring about transformational improvements to service delivery. Cabinet was therefore invited to consider the outcome of reviews undertaken by officers and members reporting to the Council's Scrutiny Committees on the following service areas:-

• Review of Child Placements - Is the Borough meeting the assessed needs of looked after children?; i.e is the available provision (either provided by the Council directly or purchased externally) sufficient?; is the Council getting value for money?; and is there potential for commissioning the services in a more cost effective way?
  
• Review of Regulatory Services - What are the future options for the future service delivery in relation to Development Services, Building Control, Environmental Health, Trading Standards, Licensing and the mandatory licensing of Houses of Multiple Occupation?
  
• Review of Commercial Trading Services - How the following services could be commercially focused so as to maintain and increase where possible their market share and profitability:- heating, ventilation & electrical works; civic catering; fleet management; vehicle maintenance; highway schemes and improvements; commercial trade waste collections.
  
• Review of Advice & Information Services - To ensure that those who need advice and information both now and in the future, have access to suitable services and available resources are targeted so that these services are delivered in a way that is of value to customers and best meets their needs and expectations.
  
• Review of Adult Operational Services - To identify options for future strategy, policy, and/or service provision that would deliver efficiency savings while sustaining or improving quality outcomes for clients and their carers within the Adult Operational Services of Children, Education & Social Care.

Cabinet welcomed the extensive work undertaken as part of each review and endorsed the proposed service improvements that would contribute towards the Council's aim of delivering efficiency savings. Full copies of the findings and proposals contained within each review can be found at http://www.stockton.gov.uk/yourcouncil/scrutinfo/selectcomm/  

Tees Heritage Park

Cabinet was invited to note and give its support for the development of a Tees Heritage Park which benefited from strong local community support with the concept now also firmly embedded within the Borough's Local Development Framework Core Strategy and draft Green Infrastructure Strategy.

Through the Stockton River Corridors Project and the River Users Group, and in liaison with the Friends of Tees Heritage Park, Phase 1 project proposals for the Heritage Park had been developed within an area including both Preston Farm and Bowesfield Nature Reserves (see map at http://www.egenda.stockton.gov.uk/aksstockton/images/att11469.pdf

It was hoped in the longer term it may be possible to extend the boundary to include other sections of the river corridor, for example downstream towards the Tees Barrage and upstream towards Aislaby. These proposals included a series of projects to improve public access, create attractive 'gateway features' and 'rest areas', and interpret the landscape and heritage of the park. These projects would be delivered largely on Council-owned sites which comprised a 'core area' within the wider park boundary. These include existing green spaces such as Preston Park, Black Bobbies Field, The Holmes, Bassleton Wood, Bassleton Beck / Thornaby Woods and land adjacent to Queen Elizabeth Way.

With the support of Stockton Borough Council and Groundwork North East, the Friends of Tees Heritage Park had submitted a funding application to the BIG Lottery Community Spaces Programme, seeking a 'Flagship Grant' of £450,000 to fund delivery of these projects. The outcome of this funding application would be known in April 2010. If successful, the grant would be paid to Groundwork North East, who in turn would be responsible for delivering the projects between June 2010 and October 2011, with a high level of local community involvement.

For further details regarding the Tees Heritage Park project, contact Graham Clingan, Countryside and Development Manager, tel. 01642 526870; e-mail: Graham.Clingan@stockton.gov.uk.