Annual Report fromthe Elected MayorOctober 2015It gives me great pleasure tointroduce my annual report.As the Elected Mayor my commitment isto be a Listening Council that puts ourresidents and communities first, whilstdelivering value for money services thatmeet local needs.

Through the ‘Our North Tyneside Plan’ wehave made significant progress in delivering a number of projects that havemade a real difference to our residents.However, I know from continuing to listen to residents, that there is more to do.

Listening to ResidentsThis year I have planned 7 ‘Listens Events’ throughout the borough involving theCabinet, Ward Councillors and myself. One of the things that I wanted to dothis year was to hold fewer events but have more resources and informationincluded into them to encourage more people to attend. This is in addition toa range of other engagement activities organised to hear from our residentsfirst hand about the things that are important to them.

The feedback from our engagement activity has been overwhelmingly positiveand has provided an opportunity to discuss issues of real importance to ourresidents, for example anti-social behaviour, flood prevention, transportimprovements and the regeneration plans for the borough.

The Year AheadMy aim for the year ahead is to continue to listen to what our residents aretelling us and focus on enabling all residents to have a successful, healthy, andsafe future, no matter where they live in North Tyneside.

To do this we need to tackle the differences across the borough in people’shealth, skills, qualifications and employment.

The Council and its partners will look to refresh the ‘Our North Tyneside Plan’by building upon the work that we have already started through the Creating aBrighter Future Programme. This will help us to continue to deliver ourpriorities by targeting resources and enabling people to participate in asuccessful borough and allowing them to benefit from a better quality of lifeand range of opportunities.

Our PeopleWe want to ensure that by the time a child isaged 4 they are registered on a school roll andwhen they enter reception class they are readyto learn. Children with additional needs ordisabilities will be supported to reach their bestpossible outcomes through a person centredapproach.

I am pleased to say that our children continue towork hard here in North Tyneside.

Students across our borough achieved the bestever A-Level results for North Tyneside thissummer.

Our GCSE students also did extremely well withthe number of children achieving five or moreA*-C grades, including English and Maths, goingup by five percentage points from last year to61%. This clearly reflects the fact that over 80%of our schools are judged as outstanding or goodby Ofsted.

These results really are a tribute to the hardwork and commitment of our young people,their parents and their teachers.

Over the past year the Council has completedan extensive consultation on the future of itsschools. This began in September 2014 and wascarried out in two phases. It sought views frommore than 93,000 households, as well as fromschools and employers.

Feedback revealed that the majority of those whoshared their views were in favour of plans toremodel the borough’s education system, to makesure that it is in the right shape to tackle thechallenges and opportunities it faces over thecoming years.

I am pleased to be able to report that the SchoolsReview has allowed £30million of additionalinvestment. This is excellent news for education inNorth Tyneside. The £30million is to be spent on amassive school rebuilding plan. This means that JohnSpence High School, Marden High School,Whitehouse Primary School, LongbentonCommunity College, Backworth Primary andCullercoats Primary will all be rebuilt or transformedinto fantastic 21st century buildings that are fit forthe modern day curriculum.

Longbenton Community College will open to pupilsin Autumn 2016 with the other schools followingduring 2016/17.

This is extremely positive news and something thatour dedicated and hardworking students, theirteachers and communities really deserve.

We will also continue to ensure that all children whoneed help to progress well through the Key Stagesat school are provided with additional support. ThisIncludes expanding the successful model used toimprove educational outcomes for Looked afterChildren to support other vulnerable learners.

Our People

A new "single front door" for a referral assessmentand planning for children, young people and families inthe borough who have any additional needs has beenestablished. A new supporting families programmecentered around Family Partners ensures that earlyhelp is given to all families with additional needs.

I am delighted that we have been given increasedfunding due to our success in working with thetroubled families programme. This will allow theCouncil to work with even more families in need of support.

Ofsted have recognised the key role that primaryschools can play in delivering nursery provision andearly education and support. Therefore our newmodel, which links childcare to local schools, is in linewith Ofsted's latest recommendations and is a greatway of supporting our children and preparing themfor their learning journeys.

There has also been some fantastic work carried outin relation to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Schemewhich continues to do well in North Tyneside andincrease enrolments, completions and new groups. The aim is for 2015 to be equally successful. Almost all of the borough’s High Schools and Special Schools are involved as well as a number of Voluntary and Community Groups.

The Junior Civic Award, aimed at children aged 6and over, launched in January of this year and hasalso been a great success with children from StBernadette’s Primary School, Family Partners andthe Children’s Council all completing their Awards.

I want to ensure that our young people and adultshave the skills to help them move forward to findemployment. Also give our young people the bestpossible start in their career.

An apprenticeship is one option available to youngpeople after they leave school. This provides realon the job training with the opportunity to learnwhilst gaining a nationally recognised qualification.

I was delighted to take on the first directlyemployed apprentice in the Council. Throughrelevant support and training this has lead to theemployee not only gaining an NVQ Level 3 inBusiness Administration, Level 2 Mathematics butalso a full-time position within the Council.

The Get Up and Go Apprenticeship Event thisyear attracted 700 residents with young peoplebringing friends and family along with them. This isthe highest turn out we have had for this eventsince it began and clearly demonstrates thesuccess of the programme.

I will continue to ensure that our residents are caredfor, safeguarded and healthy. To achieve this we haveintegrated front door and gateway services for bothAdult and Children’s Services and closer alignmentwith public health.

We will also be taking action to support peopleadversely affected by the welfare reform changes.Working with partners to identify the mostvulnerable and protecting them from becomingvictims of crime. Strengthening joined up workingbetween health and social care services to aidrecovery and provide ongoing support to reduce theneed for acute services.

Working with providers to increase the range ofsocial care services that offer real choice and arefairly priced and affordable for those who wish to usea personal budget. A new model of service deliveryfor independent supported living has beenimplemented to ensure quality of care for those witha learning disability.

Creating a dementia friendly borough is one of myown personal ambitions. I will ensure that all frontline staff are dementia friends. I have also embarkedon a programme of training during our ListensEvents, something which residents told me wasextremely worthwhile.

We will continue to build community resilienceto respond to flooding by expanding ournetwork of community flood wardens.

We will continue to support our residents tolive healthier and longer lives by continuingwith the development of our sports, culturaland customer facilities to promote betterhealth, well being and to reduce socialexclusion.

We have introduced Community HealthChampions, local people who are trained topromote health issues in their communities.Also new Health Improvement Services tosupport people to become more physicallyactive and provide better access to healthyfood in order to prevent ill health.

Our People

A new Drug and Alcohol Service willhelp to prevent hazardous drinking, druguse and support recovery. We havepromoted a targeted Stop SmokingService that is more accessible togroups including pregnant women.

Because of this work I am delighted tosay that North Tyneside now has thelowest smoking in pregnancy rates inthe region.

In order to keep our residents safe Ihave ensured that our sheltered housinghave an officer on duty between 9-4week days.

We will continue to deliver aprogramme of road safety educationand support for active travel, includingcycling training, improving accessibility inthe borough and support accessibility bywalking and cycling.

During September, I launched acampaign to clamp down oninconsiderate parking around schools. I hope to be able to reclaim streets forchildren and young people to walk andcycle in safety.

The Council will be stepping upenforcement with its camera car, fitted with Automatic Number Platerecognition technology, to detectoffences outside schools and publishingthe numbers of penalties issuedadjacent to schools.

We will also be appealing to localbusinesses and community facilities closeto schools, with car parks that will allowfor use during school dropping off andpick up times.

Our People

Our PlacesLocal Plan

Consultation on the Local Plan Consultation Draft2015 closed on the 27th March 2015. The Local Planis an important document for the future of NorthTyneside as it will enable us to plan ahead to protectthe unique character and attractiveness of ourborough as well as provide the land that is required toprovide the jobs and homes to meet our residents’needs.

The publication of the Local Plan and formal pre-submission engagement will take place byNovember 2015 allowing for a submission to theSecretary of State in May 2016.

During September-October 2016 there will be anExamination in Public allowing for the overall adoption of the agreed plan by March 2017.

We have listened to many views and responses abouta range of growth options and potential sites. Thisinformation will be used to provide us with robust,independent evidence about the jobs and homes weneed to be a thriving borough for new businesses andinvestment.

In demonstration of the future needs of the borough Iam pleased to be able to report that the NorthTyneside Living project, which will see a total of 922new and refurbished homes delivered for olderresidents, is now in its second year. We are currentlyon site at 13 of the schemes and work continues toprogress with 101 new homes and the refurbishmentof a further 218 homes due to be delivered this year.

Work on the site of the former WallsendPolice Station and Alexandra Streettemporary accommodation unit continues.This scheme will see the existing buildingsdemolished and the construction of 41 newaffordable homes. Work is due to be completein April 2016.

Work on the former Somervyl Courtsheltered unit in Longbenton continues. Thisscheme will see 7 x 2 bedroom homes and 2bespoke respite units built on the site. Work isdue to be complete in December 2015.

Work continues on the former site of BudeCourt, in Battlehill, that will see 9 newaffordable homes being built. Work is due tobe complete in November 2015.

Work is progressing at Chirton Grange(Blandford Road) in North Shields. This areawill see 32 new affordable homes built byGalliford Try. Work is due for completion thismonth.

The residents’ experience throughout thedelivery programme continues to beimperative to both the Council and ourContractor. Feedback from tenants to datehas been extremely positive both in respect ofthe way the building works are managed andin their satisfaction with their completedhomes.

Our Places

Affordable Housing

The Council remains committed to the ambitioustarget agreed by Cabinet in October 2013 to see thedelivery of 3,000 new affordable homes by 2024.

In 2015/16 we anticipate the delivery of 281 of thesenew affordable homes on a combination ofdevelopments undertaken by the Housing RevenueAccount, volume builders and Registered Providers.This includes 104 new council homes in addition tothe new homes being delivered under the NorthTyneside Living project.

Work is also progressing to deliver new affordablehomes through the Council’s Trading Company withthe establishment of a subsidiary company.

Environment

I want to see increased pride and satisfaction in theborough. The colourful wildflower displays that arecurrently brightening up areas across North Tynesideis thanks to a successful biodiversity project. Poppies,marigolds, cornflowers, birdsfoot trefoil and manyother varieties of plants have flourished after theCouncil created wildflower meadows earlier in theyear.

The response from the public to this scheme hasbeen extremely positive. In fact, the Council havebeen receiving letters, phone calls and social mediaposts every week praising the project.

Regeneration

I am pleased to report that a further £8millionhas been secured for the regeneration of theformer Swans site in Wallsend, through theNorth East Local Enterprise Partnership andthe government’s Growth Deal for the NorthEast region announced last year.

The extra cash will be used to fill in a redundantwet berth and create more space for investors.Over £100million is being spent onredeveloping the 13-hectare site. This excitingproject will bring an iconic site back intoproductive use and will also provide a massiveboost to the wider regeneration of the town.

The Swans quay edge repairs have now beencompleted and a dredging contractor has beenappointed who will begin work when theMarine Licence is received. The Council hasbeen informed by the North East LocalEnterprise Partnership that a bid for a further£8million funding for the infilling of the wetberth on the west side of the Swans site hasbeen approved, which will extend the Swansheavy load out quay westwards and significantlyincrease the developable land available onSwans for new manufacturing development.Design work for the crane foundations is at anadvanced stage to enable installation of thecrane to proceed when the quay repairs anddredging activities are completed.

Our Places

Parks

I want to see attractive parks and beaches. TheWallsend Parks scheme forms a key part of theCouncil's regeneration of Wallsend towncentre. Our dedicated teams have returnedWallsend Parks to their former glory whiletransforming and updating the visitorexperience for everyone to enjoy.

More recently, in July of this year, we saw thereopening of Northumberland Park after a£2.2million National Lottery investment, withfinishing touches and special features.

Northumberland Park really is looking fantasticthanks to the help of our residents who offeredideas on how to improve the park.

Work continues to progress with the newsupermarket and drive through in Wallsend.

Whitley Bay Seafront

Regeneration Master Plan

I am sure that we would all want to see Whitley Bayas a unique destination that draws visitors and keepsthem coming back. A place that residents can havepride in and a location where businesses thrive.

To achieve this, I have plans involving more than £36million of new investment at the coast.

The Whitley Bay Seafront Master Plan sets out theCouncil’s ambitious plans to reinvigorate the areabetween St Mary’s Lighthouse and Cullercoats Bay.The proposals are a mix of Council and privatesector developments and involve more than £36million of new investment at the coast.

These include plans for a £1million visitor centredevelopment at St Mary’s Headland, proposals toimprove the Watts Slope area of Whitley Bay, plansfor the future of the Spanish City Dome, significantpromenade improvements, attractive landscaping andmore.

The Whitley Bay Seafront Master Plan has been ondisplay at Whitley Bay Customer First Centrethroughout the summer providing an excellentopportunity for people to offer their views about ourplans and comment on the proposals for theseafront.

It has been a fantastic summer of activity here inNorth Tyneside with lots of brilliant events takingplace across the borough designed not only for ourresidents but to attract people into the area. TheMouth of the Tyne Festival was a fantastic successwhile the Spanish City Plaza and Dome had lots ofamazing things to do. I am pleased to say that ourfabulous parks, beaches and open spaces werepacked.

A land train along a section of our coastline was alsotrialed thanks to the generosity of 3 local businesses.Following receipt of such wonderful feedback fromresidents I will be looking at ways in which we canmake this a more permanent summer feature.

Our Economy

Amongst the record number of inward investmentsuccesses over the last couple of years, NorthTyneside’s major business parks, Cobalt andQuorum in particular, have experiencedunparalleled growth, creating 1,800 new jobs andreinforcing the continued demand for out of townoffice space.

Cobalt Business Park is now the largest officedevelopment in the UK with over 2 million sq ft ofspace. It has experienced a recent surge of newbusinesses moving onto the site. Six majoroccupiers, including G4S, Accenture and IBM, havealso taken second buildings or additional floors.

This is really fantastic news for the borough andour residents.

In addition to this work I am delighted to be ableto report that over the past two years, theBusiness Factory has assisted 834 businesses tostart-up and provided comprehensive enterprisesupport to 1,846 residents.

The Business Factory continues to provide free,comprehensive enterprise support for pre-startand new businesses based in North Tyneside.

Over the last two years the Business andEnterprise Team have brokered in over £4millionof grant funding for local businesses.

Fuda Hobart Rose is an example of one localbusiness that will create 100 new jobs over thenext three years after being awarded £285,000from the ‘Let’s Grow Fund’ with the support ofNorth Tyneside Council.

By working closely with the North East LocalEnterprise Partnership, it is hoped that aDevolution Deal for the North East, North EastInternational would allow the Council to lead onkey decision making that will not only boost oureconomy but help improve the lives of peopleliving, working and visiting the area. Helping tocreate jobs, build on innovation and identify theNorth East for its strong manufacturing ability.

I am pleased to be able to report that

Cobalt is now 83% occupied and is

home to almost 13,000 employees

Quorum is 60% occupied and is home

to over 5,000 employees

In total, 3,176 jobs have been created

in North Tyneside over the last two

years

Our Economy

Budget

I don’t think that we can talk about our plans for theyear ahead without addressing the level of cuts requiredby the Council over the next three years.

The cuts required by the government are even greaterthan we previously feared. This figure is now estimatedat between £53million and £56million. This is in additionto the £43million lost to the Council since 2012/13. The Council’s longer term finances will also be affectedby other government measures, such as rent reductionsthat will remove over £400million from the HousingRevenue Account over the next 30 years. Despite thiswe will look to deliver on our promise to build morehomes.

While we will continue to manage the resourcesavailable to the Council as effectively as possible, it isunavoidable that these national decisions will lead toreductions.

Since the government’s four-year Spending Review of2010, and as a result of the one-year Spending Reviewfor 2015/16, the Council has had to make a significantlevel of efficiencies every year.

Welfare-related changes will not only impact on thestate benefit itself, but will also impact on the CouncilTax Support Scheme and other policies, includingdiscretionary housing payments.

Many residents will lose entitlement to benefits. Using 2014-2015 trends of claimants the Councilestimates over 3,000 will be impacted by changes inemployment allowance, tax credits, housing benefit, and universal credit.

As a Council I believe that we arefinancially well managed and have a plannedapproach to enable us to ‘Create a BrighterFuture’ for our residents and the borough.We have delivered significant changes toprotect services. This has included reducedmanagement costs, greater partnershipworking to pool resources and achieveefficiencies, and attracting external funding.However, with our growing and increasingolder population, these announcementsmean that we have some really toughchoices and some really difficult decisionsto make in the forthcoming budget settingprocess.

Having said that, I am confident that despitethe many difficult decisions we are going tohave to make we will continue to workhard on the issues that matter most to ourresidents.

Thank You

North Tyneside CouncilThe Elected Mayor’s OfficeQuadrant EastThe Silverlink NorthCobalt Business ParkNorth TynesideNE27 0BY Tel: 0191 643 5514