Council and Democracy >> Consultation

Past Consultation and Responses

Corporate Plan 2007/08 to 2009/10 and Annual Budget

Please note: This consultation is now closed.

The Council is currently developing its Plans and Budgets for the next 3 years in the form of a Corporate Plan.  This will set out our work plans for the next 3 years but will set out a more detailed budget with targets for 2007/08 so you can continue to judge how well we perform.

Last month we sent out a survey to around 1600 local residents who were selected at random to become members of a Citizens' panel.  We've asked the panel to help us identify 'core' activities that they think we should focus on over the next 3 years.

The Government expects local authorities to make efficiency savings every year and we've a good record of doing so, but having identified savings over a number of years we are now facing some tough decisions on the budget.  We need your help to ensure we make the right choices.

We want to continue to lead and support the regeneration of Hastings and St Leonards, to deliver the good quality, cost-effective core services that you expect us to provide.  We need to achieve this without placing ourselves in a vulnerable position financially and without placing additional financial burden on tax-payers.

However, the only way we can do this is through making savings.  This means that in future we may not be able to deliver the wide a range of services we currently provide, but will target resources at delivering excellent core services that residents expect and need.

Your views are essential to ensure we're delivering what you want from your local council.  In helping us make budget choices for 2007 - 2010 please bear in mind the following:

• That for every £1 of Council Tax paid - only 15p goes to the Borough Council
• Every additional 1% of Council Tax levied by the Borough Council yields around £60,000
• Government will continue to expect local government to make 2.5% efficiency gains per annum
• The Council has been using its reserves (savings) in recent years to support its revenue budget.  These reserves are reducing and can therefore only be used to a lesser extent in this way
• Uncertainty exists around continuation of several external funding streams
• That we face a number of significant financial pressures and face future funding shortfalls

Consulting the Community

We've used the information from the Citizens' Panel to inform to work out a draft Corporate Plan and Budget.

In the new year we will be consulting widely to hear what residents think about this draft Corporate Plan and Budget.  The feedback we receive will enable us to move closer to delivering the type and quality of service that people in Hastings and St Leonards need and expect.

Anyone wishing to add their views should e-mail consultation@hastings.gov.uk

For more more information please see the agenda and reports for the Cabinet (Budget) meeting of 22 January 2007 on our Meetings, Agendas, Reports and Minutes pages.

Consultation Responses

Responses to the consultation will be included in the Budget Papers for the Cabinet (Budget) meeting of 21 February 2007 and published on our Meetings, Agendas, Reports and Minutes pages.

Q1: We have identified the following principles that will underpin our budget for 2007/08 and help us set our plans for the next 3 years.  Please let us know the extent to which you agree or disagree that these principles should guide our future activities, by using a scale of 1 to 5 where:

1. strongly agree
2. agree
3. neither agree nor disagree
4. disagree
5. strongly disagree

Percentages given show % agreement (Strongly Agree + Agree)

Our principles are to:

1. Continue our primary focus on the regeneration of Hastings and St Leonards
   88.6%
2. Prioritise activities that contribute to improving the town's 5 Es
   89.9%
3. Provide good quality, customer focussed cost effective services
   88.3%
4. Focus on affordability and recognise that our financial position means we have to make every penny count
   85.8%
5. Ensure our expenditure is in line with income and we focus on or 'core' activities and work with others to bring in external funds for anything extra
   85.6%
6. Recognise that we may not be able to deliver as wide a range of services in future
   45.6%
7. Increase joint-working with local authority partners and others to share resources, improve the quality, resilience and cost efficiency of our services
   80.8%
8. Deliver services in the most efficient, effective and equitable way either in-house or by others in the private or voluntary sector
   79.3%
9. Make savings by not funding activities which can be funded from elsewhere
   78.5%
10. Keep Hastings Borough Council's Council Tax increase as low as possible whilst providing the services the town needs
    89.7%
11. Recognise that the Council cannot be a funder of last resort when funding from other sources is reduced or ends
    66.6%

Services in your local area are provided by a number of bodies.  In Hastings, some of these services such as Children's services, Adult Social Services, Transport and Libraries are provided by East Sussex County Council.  The services outlined in this consultation document (listed at Q2) are provided by Hastings Borough Council, in partnership with other agencies where stated.

In addition to the services listed at Q2, we also carry out the following functions to help manage the smooth-running of our organisation:

• Provide means to communicate
• Personnel and organisational development
• Policy development and Performance Management
• Legal Services
• Financial Services
• Internal Audit

In order to target our resources at delivering good quality core services we need to make choices about which activities we should continue to support and which areas we should invest more or less in.

Q2: From the list of activities that we currently undertake, please indicate
a) Which of these activities you think are core activities that residents need and expect the Council to spend money on?
b) Which of these activities, if any, do you think we should no loner provide?
c) Which of the activities, if any, do you think most need improving?

Currently we...

1) Are key partners in creating new and better employment, training and other opportunities for local people:

Core Activity: 67.9%
Should not provide: 13.5%
Most need improving: 27.7%

2) Support the growth of and investment in local business through the local enterprise growth initiative and other economic programmes

Core Activity: 64.1%
Should not provide: 15.8%
Most need improving: 21.7%

3) Use the planning process to deliver housing, employment and environmental benefits

Core Activity: 68%
Should not provide: 6.6%
Most need improving: 25.6%

4) Guide physical developments and protect the built environment through the Local Development Framework

Core Activity: 57%
Should not provide: 15.3%
Most need improving: 21%

5) Use planning to enforce the seafront and town centre improvements and building regulations to ensure new developments are safe

Core Activity: 71%
Should not provide: 7.3%
Most need improving: 28.3%

6) Provide guidelines on conservation and design to ensure that new developments respect our heritage and promote innovative design

Core Activity: 64.2%
Should not provide: 17.2%
Most need improving: 24.6%

7) Teach vocational skills to young people who've left school with few or no qualifications

Core Activity: 45.7%
Should not provide: 31.7%
Most need improving 33%

8) Offer advice to reduce and prevent homelessness

Core Activity: 51.6%
Should not provide: 25.3
Most need improving: 28.3%

9) Work with housing providers to match housing supply to local needs

Core Activity: 64.1%
Should not provide: 12.9%
Most need improving 27.3%

10) Offer financial assistance to householders/tenants whose homes are in need of minor repairs or adaptations eg. the disabled facilities grant enables people to make adaptations which allows them to remain in their own home

Core Activity: 60.7%
Should not provide: 21.1%
Most need improving 27.2%

11) Address disadvantage in deprived areas through Neighbourhood Renewal

Core Activity: 53.2%
Should not provide: 17.4%
Most need improving: 30.6%

12) Work in partnership with others such as the Police, Health and Education to address issues affecting the town

Core Activity: 77.4%
Should not provide: 3.9%
Most need improving 29.6%

13) Support community groups such as young people, older people, disabled people, black and minority ethnic groups

Core Activity: 54.7%
Should not provide: 26.6%
Most need improving: 23.3%

14) Provide financial assistance to the voluntary and community sector to support community based activities which benefit the residents of the town

Core Activity: 58.3%
Should not provide: 26.1%
Most need improving 21%

15) Deal with licensing applications such as licenses to allow the sale or supply of alcohol, entertainments and hackney carriage/private hire vehicles

Core Activity: 58.5%
Should not provide: 28.2%
Most need improving 13.9%

16) Work with the police and other partners to tackle anti-social behaviour and reduce crime

Core Activity: 72.4%
Should not provide: 3.3%
Most need improving: 46.3%

17) Prepare contingency plans to deal with crisis or disasters such as flooding, fire, terrorism

Core Activity: 70.1%
Should not provide: 14%
Most need improving: 21.9%

18) Protect public health by ensuring that food outlets comply with food safety and health and safety laws, monitor air quality and deal with noise pollution

Core Activity: 73.5%
Should not provide: 8.4%
Most need improving: 20.6%

19) Manage the Highways (on behalf of the County Council) by maintaining our roads, pavements and road signs

Core Activity: 64.6%
Should not provide: 9.3%
Most need improving 35.9%

20) Collect rubbish and provide opportunities for recycling

Core Activity: 79.2%
Should not provide: 1.1%
Most need improving: 37.1%

21) Keep the streets clean

Core Activity: 75.3%
Should not provide: 1.7%
Most need improving 34.4%

22) Provide a warden service

Core Activity: 58.9%
Should not provide: 21.8%
Most need improving: 21.5%

23) Maintain public conveniences

Core Activity: 70.4%
Should not provide: 6.6%
Most need improving 28.9%

24) Manage Hastings Museum & Art Gallery and the Old Town Museum

Core Activity: 57.8%
Should not provide: 27.6%
Most need improving: 12.5%

25) Ensure our parks and open spaces are kept clean, attractive and safe for the public to enjoy

Core Activity: 82.5%
Should not provide: 2.5%
Most need improving: 20.7%

26) Offer an arboriculture service, providing advice on trees and protecting our woodland

Core Activity: 46.8%
Should not provide: 38.6%
Most need improving: 14.7%

27) Manage the contract for our leisure centres: Summerfields, Falaise and Hillcrest

Core Activity: 48.2%
Should not provide: 39.1%
Most need improving: 12.4%

28) Provide opportunities for people of all ages to take part in sport through our Active Hastings Programme

Core Activity: 52.2%
Should not provide: 30.6%
Most need improving: 20.2%

29) Hold play events and maintain play facilities for children and young people

Core Activity: 57.3%
Should not provide: 22.9%
Most need improving: 22.6%

30) Support the Arts by supporting projects such as Coastal Currents and maintaining St Mary in the Castle as an Arts venue

Core Activity: 46.7%
Should not provide: 38.8%
Most need improving: 16.6%

31) Provide entertainment through the White Rock Theatre

Core Activity: 42.7%
Should not provide: 46.2%
Most need improving: 16.9%

32) Manage Hastings cemetery and crematorium

Core Activity: 76.6%
Should not provide: 11.0%
Most need improving: 10.2%

33) Collect Council Tax

Core Activity: 73.1%
Should not provide: 12%
Most need improving: 10.6%

34) Distribute Housing and Council Tax Benefits and tackle fraud

Core Activity: 71.8%
Should not provide: 4.7%
Most need improving: 27.6%

35) Provide a range of services through the Hastings Information Centre

Core Activity: 71.9%
Should not provide: 10.9%
Most need improving: 14.1%

36) Oversee elections and voting

Core Activity: 66.9%
Should not provide: 21.9%
Most need improving: 8.4%

37) Manage the Council's portfolio of land and property used for employment

Core Activity: 69%
Should not provide: 12.3%
Most need improving: 13.2%

38) Market Hastings as a tourist destination

Core Activity: 71.8%
Should not provide: 7.8%
Most need improving: 32.9%

Further details/ breakdowns available on request from Policy and Performance.  Please contact Shabana Bayjou by emailing sbayjou@hastings.gov.uk or telephone 01424 451463.

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