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MAIDSTONE LOCALITY BOARD
28 March 2012
Medway Room, County Hall
Maidstone Locality Board Priorities
1. Introduction
1.1 At its meeting on 20th January, the Maidstone Locality Board received a presentation on its proposed priorities. The presentation outlined existing priority setting process and delivery methods and provided an overview of current Maidstone performance against priorities. The meeting noted the following existing partner priorities:
Health and Wellbeing
Obesity
Teenage conception
Mental health
Local Children’s Trust Board
Safeguarding Children
Emotional and Mental Health
A healthy start in life
Adolescent engagement
Economic Development & Regeneration
Tackling worklessness
Skills and Training
Employment/Enterprise
Safer Maidstone Partnership
Anti Social Behaviour
Domestic abuse
Road safety (killed and seriously injured)
Substance misuse
Environmental Quality (‘virtual’ group)
Waste reduction
Climate change and carbon reduction
Adaptation
1.2 After considering the local issues, the meeting resolved to convene a Task & Finish Group consisting of Martin Adams, Stephen Beerling, Gary Cook, John Wilson, Marion Ring, Mike Fitzgerald and John Taylor to develop the work programme and timeline.
1.3 The Priorities Task & Finish Focus Group met on 2 March and following consideration of the evidence, the following four priorities were agreed to be recommended to the full Locality Board:
1. Community Budgets
This important area of work was agreed as the Maidstone Localities Board’s key work stream at its 20 January meeting.
2. Tackling Worklessness
This meets both MBC and KCC corporate priorities to grow the local economy and ensure that residents have the skills and abilities to remain in the workforce. This priority has two themes:
(a) Youth employment
(b) Adult employment
3. Tackling Poverty
This priority is clearly interlinked with Priorities 1 and 2, and to MBC corporate outcome (Residents are not disadvantaged because of where they live or who they are, vulnerable people are assisted and the level of deprivation is reduced), but also enables a more detailed focus on tackling poverty as it affects particular groups. The priority has three themes:
(a) Families with children under 5yrs
(b) Older persons
(c) Disabled persons
4. Local Environmental Improvements
This links to MBC corporate outcome (Is a clean and attractive environment for people who live in and visit the borough), and is vital to change residents perceptions of deprived areas of the Borough. This priority will necessitate close working with housing associations operating in the area.
The Task and Finish Group also agreed the following as part of Maidstone Locality Board’s role to engage all business sectors:
Communication and engagement with the business sector
The Maidstone Locality Board must ensure that businesses and local employers are engaged with locally agreed key priorities, and that it enables economic development by addressing barriers to growth. The Maidstone Locality Board will lobby at the highest political level on behalf of those living and working in the Borough.
(MBC and KCC corporate priorities and outcomes are set out at Annex A for information.)
2. Recommendations
The Maidstone Locality Board are asked to:
1. Consider the four priorities proposed by the Priorities Task and Finish Group.
2. Agree for the Group to meet one more time to refine objectives and actions and to develop a suitable performance dashboard.
3. Conclusion
Adoption of priorities will ensure that the key corporate aims of both Councils can be driven through the Locality Board for the benefit of all Maidstone residents.
Annex A
Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Council strategic priorities:
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Maidstone Borough Council |
Kent County Council |
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1. For Maidstone to have a growing economy
Has a growing economy with rising employment, catering for a range of skill sets to meet the demands of the local economy.
Has a transport network that supports the local economy
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Ambition 1 - to grow the economy
For Kent to be ‘open for business’ with a growing and successful economy and jobs for all. |
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2. For Maidstone to be a decent place to live
Has decent, affordable housing in the right places across a range of tenures.
Is a clean and attractive environment for people who live in and visit the borough
Residents are not disadvantaged because of where they live or who they are, vulnerable people are assisted and the level of deprivation is reduced.
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Ambition 2 - to tackle disadvantage
For Kent to be a county of opportunity, where aspiration rather than dependency is supported and quality of life is high for everyone |
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3. Corporate and Customer Excellence
Cost effective, efficient services are delivered across the borough.
Services are customer focused and residents are satisfied with them.
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Ambition 3 - to put citizens in control
For power and influence to be in the hands of local people so they are able to take responsibility for themselves, their families and their communities |