22nd January 2008

Below is the consultation paper in bold type and, as requested, we have added our initial comments in each section below to help facilitate further discussion at Scrutiny on this document.

Sarah Lunnon, Martin Whiteside and Philip Booth

Community Strategy overview

Full details of the consultation on the Sustainable Community Strategy with background papers are available on the Stroud District Council website (i). The Community Strategy is the main mechanism by which the LSP’s Vision will be achieved. It details the concerns of local people, the business community and visitors and sets out what the LSP together with other partners, partnerships, agencies and communities are trying to achieve in response. The document identifies a wide range of issues, which are of concern to local people, and it is from these that the Vision has been developed. The main challenges are categorised under the following headings:

*    Improving Housing Opportunities.
*    Creating Wealth.
*    Access to Services and Rural Transport.
*    Health and Well-Being.
*    Crime and Community Safety.
*    The Cultural and Natural Environment.

Each of the above are discussed further in the body of this document.

Q1. Do you agree with these challenges? Would you like to add any more?

The challenges are not well defined. A key challenge should be on wellbeing or happiness and should not be amalgamated with health. Happiness/Well-being could replace ‘creating Wealth’, as it has been shown that creating wealth above a certain level in itself does not increase well being or happiness (see graph below).

We should also include sustainability, both in terms of our own resilient wellbeing, and also our impact on other species and other parts of the World  – global warming of course - resilience to it and reducing our emissions.

Resilience to ‘Peak Oil’ should also be included.

Safety is important, but should not be limited to community safety nor linked to crime. A major cause of death and injury is road accidents: more than being murdered or mugged which is suggested by the existing list.

Sustainable Development Commission, 2007 said: ‘Policy makers in the UK are, in effect, confronted with a double dilemma. Increased economic growth is generating more and more negative externalities that threaten to overwhelm the life-support systems on which we depend. Equally, increased economic growth isn’t necessarily making people any happier.’



Monitoring Progress

The Stroud District LSP will continue to meet on a regular basis to discuss and report on any new issues or areas of concern, monitor the progress of projects, modifying where necessary and to develop further ideas to help realise its vision. The contents of the Community Strategy and action plans for each challenge will be reviewed annually.

The LSP will also monitor its progress by using the following ‘basket’ of Quality of Life indicators, which provide an overview of life in the district:
*    Proportion of people of working age in employment.
*    Percentage increase or decrease in the number of local jobs.
*    Proportion of population living in worst 30% of wards nationally.
*    Death rates by cause: cancer, circulatory disease, suicide and accidents.
*    Rate of conceptions amongst girls aged under 18 years.
*    Affordable housing ratio.
*    Number of unfit homes per 1,000 dwellings.
*    Crimes committed: Burglary, Violent Crime and Vehicle Crime.
*    Percentage of household waste that is recycled and composted.

Q2.  Do you agree with these quality of life indicators? Would you like to add any more?

We should monitor the total amount thrown away, not just the percentage recycled.
We should also monitor:
- wellbeing and perhaps monitor depression and drug addiction rates.
- CO2 and Stroud’s global footprint is essential eg aim for lowest CO2 emissions comparable to our local authority category and consider number of homes with CO2 emissions less than national average.
- Fuel Poverty
- Proportion of households who find it difficult to access essential local services
- Rates of depression and other mental illness
- Distance travelled to work?
- Job satisfaction not just proportion working?


Principles of Action

In undertaking practical steps to deliver its vision the LSP will seek to ensure that the following principles underpin policy development and decision making:

Equality and Community Cohesion
*    Challenge discrimination in all its forms,
*    Address the promotion of equality of opportunity across all groups, and
*    Work to eliminate racism and promote good race relations between all racial groups.

Q3.  Do you have any other suggestions for community cohesion?

Why does racism have a special mention? Other issues like disability, sexual orientation and age are important. The importance of this issue should not be underestimated as recession puts additional pressures on communities. It is critical that we develop strong communities.

Supporting local economic activity and building resilience are key to community cohesion - eg extend Neighbourhood Watch to Neighbourhood Care to support vulnerable in the community

Continuous service improvement

*    Challenge what we do now so it can be done better in the future,
*    Find out how other people do things well so that we can learn from them,
*    Listen to what our community tells us it wants and needs so our services meet those expectations, and
*    Work in partnership so that we can be more efficient and effective.

Q4.  Do you have any other ideas to help improve services?

There is still too much centralisation. SDC should pay more heed1  to community views, especially in planning/development control.


Sustainability

*    Reduce any negative impact on the environment we live in,
*    Develop long term solutions that will also provide short term benefits, and
*    Ensure a better quality of life, both now and for generations to come.

Q5.  Sustainability is fundamental to the new strategy. What would you like to add here?

"Develop long term solutions that will also provide short term benefits" -  This sentence is not clear. Are you saying the priority should be this?

The priorities in more detail

Priority 1 - Improving housing opportunities

Although Stroud District Council has the statutory responsibility for Housing, the LSP recognised the need to improve the housing opportunities available and formed the LSP Housing Syndicate. The members of the LSP Housing Syndicate represent the private, public and voluntary sectors and have a wide spectrum of housing knowledge. The LSP Housing Syndicate and partners have already financially supported a joint initiative with the SDC Affordable Housing Group to commission a study into Key Worker Housing. Another example of improving housing opportunities is the Empty Homes initiative. There are currently in the region of 1,000 empty properties in the Stroud district. Through monies generated by the increase in the Council Tax on Second Homes, the LSP has been able to financially support a project led by SDC to increase the number of empty homes brought back into use.


What are the Challenges?

House prices have increased significantly in recent years and research has shown that last year average households in Stroud required a mortgage of more than 4 times their income to become home owners, and that first time buyers need an income of around £30,000.

The average income is lower than this, and so 70% of working households are unable to purchase a home without assistance. There is an increasing short fall of all types of affordable housing and a growing number of dwellings that are falling into disrepair. Local people are concerned about where their children will live and about how to provide housing, which local people can afford. Another important factor is physical accessibility and suitability of housing for vulnerable and older people.

Q6.  Would you like to add any more housing challenges?

Need to discuss here social housing and homelessness. While it is a very poor situation where working families cannot buy homes, the situation is clearly much worse for the homeless: too many are sofa-surfing or staying on friends floors. Our priority must surely be to house the homeless first.

The other key challenge is to tackle the large number of energy in-efficient houses.

What are the objectives?

*    Make sure that everyone has access to a home that suits their needs.
*    Increase the availability and provision of affordable housing in rural and urban areas.
*    Take steps to ensure that more homes are accessible.
*    Maintain and improve existing homes, including improvements to energy efficiency.

Q7.  Would you like to add any more objectives?

Increase social housing/reduce homeless
Increase energy efficiency of homes
Increase renewable micro-generation

How will we know if we are succeeding?

*    Increased number of affordable properties.
*    Increase in the number of houses made fit to live in.
*    Decrease in the number of homes left vacant.

Q8.  Can you think of any other performance measures we should use?

- Increase in average energy efficiency of houses
- Numbers of homeless
- Homes self sufficient in water and energy


Priority 2 - Creating wealth

Gloucestershire is a relatively wealthy county and Stroud District has a share in this prosperity with low unemployment levels, but there are pockets of deprivation and relative poverty. Recent research suggests that the District has become a popular destination for setting up new micro businesses as Stroud district has witnessed an extremely rapid growth in micro and small businesses where the lifestyle is the draw. However, the area suffers from lower rates of pay and relatively high house prices.

What are the Challenges?

Aging Population - Stroud District has seen an increase in the percentage of people who are aged 30 to 59 and a significant decline in the amount of people aged 20 to 29 (12.9 to 9.2%) The recent population decline is in line with the national trend and also in part by the booming housing market forcing young people to look elsewhere for more affordable homes.

Skills Base - With the problem of the aging population more skills are being lost through retirement. Also information from the Basic Skills Agency suggests that 20.8% of the District population have numeracy skills problems (classified low, lower and very low). This means that job prospects and quality of life are adversely affected.

Tourism - Increased numbers of visitors to the District is regarded as essential for the growth and survival of many local businesses. The restoration of the Cotswold canals is seen to have huge benefits for the area in terms of tourism, job creation and other in direct initiatives as biodiversity projects, landscape improvement, private investment, leisure, and social benefits. However, it is felt that the profile of district as a whole is currently not fulfilling its tourist potential and is very much the ‘Undiscovered Cotswolds’. See website  www.visitthecotswolds.org.uk

Regeneration - Local consultations have recognised the need for imaginative solutions to address the potential demise of the District’s market towns and villages into dormitory areas. Whilst the private sector can make a significant contribution, a climate of visible change and optimism needs to be maintained to encourage confidence and private investment.

Q9.  Would you like to add any more economic or demographic challenges?

Need to re-think this section in relation to recent Government document ‘Greening Growth’. Need to question why tourism is singled out for specific mention and subsidy by local government. There are many other sectors of the economy that may be more beneficial and yet are not supported in a similar way. Tourism can bring some benefits, but can also lead to rising house prices (2nd homes), congestion and low paid seasonal jobs.

There is no evidence yet to support the statement that the ‘Cotwold Canals is seen to have huge benefits for the area in terms of … job creation..’ Most of the Brimscombe Port options suggested by SDC result in a net loss of jobs (according to their own figures). BW has cited a benefit of regeneration to be raising property values along the corridor – there is a danger that this may make houses even less affordable and push out existing jobs as employment space rents rise. Therefore a more holistic analysis of the canal project is called for.

Stroud is extremely well placed to respond to the challenges of climate change. We have a highly talented and self-motivated workforce who have already initiated projects such as Stroud Community Agriculture, which is a model of food production that is inspiring imitators across the country. We also have a tradition of textile manufacturing whose heritage is kept alive by the Stroudwater Textile Trust, and residual skills that can be built on to relocalise supply of clothing, together with a thriving community of textile artists. We have national leaders in the fields of renewable energy and sustainable construction. We need to see how best to pull all this together to benefit our communities. The Regeneration Department is well placed to focus energies on this.

What are the objectives?
·        To increase the proportion of working age people in employment.
·        To promote the opportunities for raising skills and improve educational attainment.
·        To support initiatives and projects that will improve the vitality of towns and parishes in Stroud District.
·        To improve access to learning particularly for those who are disadvantaged.
·        To provide support for an improved marketing of the district.

Q10.  Would you like to add any more objectives?

- Need to question whether we need to support more marketing of the District (presumably in relation to tourism).
- Use our comparative advantage and create a 'green brand' for Stroud's local economy to put us in a strong position as this sector of the economy looks set to grow rapidly.
- Increase self-reliance of local citizens
Priority 3 -  Access to services and rural transport

Ensuring that services and facilities are accessible to all people is a challenge for all service providers The LSP Rural Transport Syndicate Group was formed to focus primarily on meeting transport needs in the Stroud district, particularly its more rural areas and amongst the most disadvantaged groups in terms of access to services. The LSP has financially supported a number of projects through monies generated by the increase in the Council Tax on Second Homes. These projects include:
·        A late night bus service.
·        Development of the Jump Start scheme.

Other partnership initiatives are coming forward including additional capacity for community transport within the Stroud District, and a Taxi bus scheme connecting Painswick and the northern parishes.

What are the challenges?

Research has shown that within the Stroud District seven wards are within the top 20% of the county, which in relation to low income and access to services are deemed to be the most deprived. The majority of the district does not benefit from frequent bus services. It is also seen as being unreliable and expensive, as well as difficult to use for some groups. Furthermore evening bus services are limited to some main routes with no late night service. Rail travel has similar limitations. Thus there is high reliance on the private car. However, 16% of households do not own a car and the lack of adequate public transport especially in rural areas means more limited opportunities to access services, jobs, shops, education and recreation facilities and can contribute towards social exclusion. This impacts particularly on older and young people especially those wanting independent access to services such as health, education, employment and leisure.

Gloucestershire County Council has the responsibility for transport but this challenge is more than just about transport. It is about transport and access to services and the quality of life that this can bring. There are a number of factors that can have an impact on the convenience of the services and facilities that are on offer – factors including where you live, your work patterns or your individual requirements – such as a disability, your age, family commitments or if English is not your first language. Even in the towns where there is, superficially, good access to services, people may still be isolated. For example parents at home without a car may well find it very difficult to do the supermarket ‘weekly shop’ in bulk.

Q11.  Would you like to add any more challenges under access and transport?

- Rising fuel prices: in the light of Peak Oil we can expect significant rises in petrol prices in coming years.
- Should mention the cost of public transport (especially trains).
- Also safer and better walking and cycling routes.
- Introduction of 20 mph to all residential areas and towns: research shows 20 mph are a critical success factor in promoting walking, cycling and public transport as alternatives to the private car.
- Support major investment in public transport


How will we know if we are succeeding?

·        An increase in the ways that people can access information, services and facilities.
·        Increased usage of bus and community transport.
·        There is a better transport system, offering a variety of transport choices, to improve the quality of life in a number of ways.

Q12.  Can you think of any other performance measures we should use?

- Increased walking and cycling; this is critical in measuring success (also ties in to other indicators like health)
- Decreased car usage.

Priority 4 - Health and wellbeing

When the LSP was first formed in 2002, the Health and Well Being Partnership (H&WBP) was already established with partners from a range of organisations. LSP did not want to duplicate the work already being undertaken and decided that the health issues raised by consultation would be channelled through the Health and Well Being Partnership. The adopted vision for the HWBP is to: “Harmonise service planning and development and make best use of resources, informed by the views of service users, carers and the community to promote their wellbeing” The HWBP view of health, therefore, fits with the Government’s current agenda to tackle health inequalities and to improve the health of the local community.

What are the challenges?

There are many elements that influence people’s health and well being. These include lifestyle factors such as diet, access to social and community facilities, income, working and living conditions, housing, access to health care, leisure and cultural activities and the local environment. People need to be encouraged to take responsibility for their own health and well being. However informing people about health risks can enable them to make lifestyle decisions.

Despite the generally good health of the local population there are some important issues of concern. There are key areas of improvement where greater effort is required to ensure that opportunities for good health are enjoyed by everyone, especially by who are disadvantaged by rural isolation, by low income or other individual needs. The H&WBP is working together to improve the health and well being of the people of Stroud District. A three year action plan has been drawn up and agreed by the partners and has seven themes:
·        Older people.
·        Healthy Lifestyle.
·        Fuel Poverty.
·        Access to Service.
·        Children and Young People.
·        Smoke free Environments.
·        Access to quality food and Healthy Eating.

The themes may be addressed both individually and cross-cutting across each other.

Q13.  Would you like to add any more challenges under health and wellbeing?

- Drug addiction and dependency.
- Mental health.

How will we know if we are succeeding?
·        A reduction in the amount of deaths caused by cancer, heart disease.
·        A decrease in the number of people who suffer from fuel poverty.
·        A reduction in the number of conceptions amongst women aged under 18 years.
·        A decrease in the number of people who suffer from obesity.

Q14.  Can you think of any other performance measures we should use?

Reduction in numbers suffering from mental heath problems and depression.

Priority 5 -  Crime & Community Safety

When the LSP formed in 2002, crime and disorder was one of a range of issues identified as a concern of local people. The Stroud Crime and Disorder Partnership was an established partnership, and as LSP did not want to duplicate the work already being undertaken, decided that crime and community safety issues raised by consultation would be channelled through the Stroud Crime and Disorder Partnership.

What are the Challenges?

The Stroud Crime and Disorder  Partnership is working to reduce crime and disorder and the fear of crime. Fear of crime has a significant effect on people’s quality of life. There is a gap between actual crime and the public’s perception of certain types of crime. Whilst the Stroud District is and remains a very safe and low crime area the Partnership continues to work towards  maintaining and improving the safety of the community.

Q15.  Would you like to add any more challenges under crime and community safety?

Traffic accidents and fear of traffic leading to reduction of walking and cycling (e.g. to school).

What are the objectives?

From consultation with our communities, a series of local priorities have been established, which are essential to continue the improvement of the quality of life for both those living in and visiting the Stroud District.

The seven key objectives are to:
*    Tackle issues of disorder, including disturbances in the street, graffiti, other types of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour. This includes the anti-social use of motor vehicles.
*    Acquisitive crime, especially car crime and burglary.
*    Violent crime, which includes domestic violence and street violence.
*    Young people both as victims and perpetrators of crime, as well as the opportunities for crime prevention initiatives aimed at young people.
*    Drug and alcohol issues, as causes of criminal behaviour.
*    Racial incidents and crimes.
*    Correlate the results as a means of focus for future actions, to achieve desired outcomes.

Q16.  Would you like to add any more objectives?

- Reduction in traffic accidents particularly involving pedestrians and cyclists
- Reduction of fear of traffic which stops walking/cycling and playing and talking in the streets.
- Reduction in traffic noise and pollution.
- More shared space.
- CSA is again an example of a project achieving health through exercise outside and eating local healthy food

How is the LSP co-ordinating this?

Through the Stroud Crime and Disorder Partnership, the LSP will support projects and initiatives to achieve the overall objectives as detailed in the action plan and as listed above. The LSP has been able to financially support the Stroud Crime and Disorder Partnership through proposals made about monies generated by the increase in the Council Tax on Second Homes. The initiatives included additional funding for street lighting and promotion of community safety activity through a leaflet sent to all homes in the district.

How will we know if we are succeeding?
*    By creating safe and cohesive communities by reducing crime and the fear of crime.
*    By promoting and implementing enhanced security measures for vulnerable people.
*    By increasing public awareness of community safety activity.

Priority 6 - The Cultural and Natural Environment

The natural and built landscapes are very important to the District’s identity and to local people’s sense of belonging. The east of the District forms part of the Cotswold area of Outstanding Natural beauty and 2,800 hectares of land are designated as either Sites of Special Scientific Interest or National Nature Reserves. Stroud District has experienced first hand the full extent of the dramatic agricultural changes seen nationally and this will continue to impact on the quantity and quality of natural and semi-natural habitats in the District. The Stroud Valley’s built environment reflects its strong industrial heritage founded in textiles and includes Britain’s first Industrial Heritage Conservation Area, designated in 1987.

Stroud District also has an unusual diversity of cultural activity and interests. With a vibrant festival & event culture, a series of acclaimed performance & exhibition venues, a thriving creative sector in relation to arts and crafts, a steady rising number of visitors from home and abroad and interest in the wealth of industrial/social heritage There is no doubt that this makes a huge contribution to the district’s economy.

What are the challenges?

It is acknowledged that our heritage both natural and built is under threat from numerous individually small but cumulatively significant changes, which are gradually eroding the local distinctiveness of some areas of the District. There are undoubtedly many reasons for adverse changes in our heritage. There are global and national problems, products of a ‘consumer society’, climate change, farming methods, the increased pressures for housing and leisure activities and the growing problem of waste and pollution; others are more local such as the decline in traditional skills and the cost of local building materials.

It is important to recognise that protecting and enhancing our unique natural and built environment is central to maintaining the quality of life enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. Promoting lifestyles and forms of development, which minimise environmental damage, and encourage cultural activity will help to ensure that Stroud District continues to prosper for generations to come.

Q17.  Would you like to add any more challenges under cultural and natural environment?

- Traffic reducing environmental quality for households (often the poor) who live along main roads, and also disrupting our commons and lanes.
- Rising oil prices will have many consequences like the need to grow more local food without oil based fertilisers and pesticides
- Climate change needs a much bigger place: it is possibly the greatest threat to our civilisation

What are the objectives?

*    To support projects and initiatives that help to conserve and enhance the natural and built heritage.
*    To support projects and initiatives that help maintain and enhance the diversity of wildlife in both urban and rural areas.
*    To support initiatives that increase access to and opportunities for cultural activity.
*    To encourage and support waste reduction, reuse, composting and recycling.

Q18.  Would you like to add any more objectives?

- Cut CO2
- To reduce traffic
- To support local food production like CSA initiatives
- Develop policies to sustain local businesses rather than becoming a 'clone town'

How will we know if we are succeeding?

The LSP will recognise the success of partners, partnerships, voluntary groups and community organisations that help to achieve the objectives that consultation has shaped.

Any further comments?

   



Notes:

(i) Background in brief: What is a Sustainable Community Strategy?

Sustainable community strategies have a vital role to play in helping to deliver genuinely sustainable communities. All councils and Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) have a community strategy in place. The challenge now is to turn these into sustainable community strategies by developing a stronger focus on integrating social, economic and environmental issues and by tackling the longer-term and global impacts of communities.

The LSP has the responsibility to put together the Sustainable Community Strategy for the district. Stroud District LSP already has a 20-year Community Strategy in place. It was put together following consultation with LSP partners in 2004. Stroud District Council also has a 20-year Environment Strategy in place. It was launched earlier this year following full consultation with residents, community groups and businesses. Now we need to put the two together to form a Sustainable Community Strategy. Essentially this involves underpinning the Community Strategy with environmental considerations.

If you’d like to give your input,

Email: consultation@stroud.gov.uk <mailto:consultation@stroud.gov.uk>
Or Post your suggestions and contact details to:
Community Strategy
Stroud District Council
Ebley Mill
Stroud
Gloucestershire GL5 4UB

We need your comments by 29 February 2008. After this date we’ll be putting together a new Sustainable Community Strategy and supporting action plans to help us achieve our vision of a sustainable community and ensure that the Stroud District continues to be a great place to live, work and visit for many years to come.