Appendix A

Progress against outcomes in the Strategic Plan 2019-45:

Between 2019-24 we will place particular importance on:

Embracing Growth and Enabling Infrastructure

 

Actions completed to date

Engaging with our communities on the Local Plan Review

·         A full public consultation on the Local Plan Review took place over a 10-week period between 19th July 2019 and 30th September 2019.

The Council will take a proactive role in creating and consider investing in new places

·         The Planning service has created Planning Guidelines documents for five town centre opportunity sites. These were approved by the Strategic Planning & Infrastructure Committee and were published in early 2020. The documents have stimulated lots of interest and dialogue with the existing landowners as well as potential investors and developers. The work has also helped stimulate market activity, where by the Len House site was sold to Classicus Estates who have since submitted a Planning application for the site that is consistent with our vision for it. The application is due to be determined in July 2020.

·         The Planning service has published a Garden Communities prospectus as part of the “call for sites” exercise, early in the Local Plan Review process. This stimulated in the submission of a number of well considered private sector led proposals spanning all four quadrants of the borough, some of which may feature in the Council’s preferred spatial strategy that will become subject to public consultation in the Autumn of 2020.

·         The Council, acting as master-developer is also promoting its own council-led garden community proposal, Heathlands, which is also gaining traction in the Local Plan Review process, and has attracted Homes England as a partner.

 

Expanding the Council’s role in the delivery of affordable and market rent housing

·         A draft Affordable and Local Needs Housing Supplementary Planning Document has been produced and has been subject to full public consultation. The document notes that the Council is considering playing a role in delivering affordable housing in the form of social rent on S106 sites. The document also seeks to facilitate delivery of affordable homes in Maidstone Borough.

Working with partners to get infrastructure planned, funded and delivered

·         In addition to taking forward the delivery of projects associated with the adopted Local Plan, the Strategic Planning Team has updated the Infrastructure Delivery Plan and Community Infrastructure Levy Regulation 123 list. In respect of the Local Plan Review, there has been consistent and on-going engagement with infrastructure providers as key milestones have been reached in the production process.

Intervening where necessary in the market, to deliver key employment sites

·         The Council has acquired land at Kent Medical Campus, one of the largest employment allocations in the current Local Plan, and is developing a new Innovation Centre on it that will provide start up accommodation for businesses in the life sciences sector, coupled with wrap around business support. The project is part funded by ERDF monies, and the contractor, Rydon, is on site, with the project due to complete in the summer of 2021. This investment decision has been strengthened by the Council working in partnership with Kent County Council and the Department for Transport oi co fund the early provision of road nearby infrastructure improvements.

 

 

Safe, Clean and Green

Actions completed to date

Taking action against those who do not respect our public spaces, streets, green spaces and parks

·         Since the launch of the new waste crime team in 2018 there have been 727 FPNs for littering, 20 FPNs for fly tipping, 30 for Duty of Care offences and 4 for dog fouling,

·         32 vehicle seizures linked to duty of care or fly tipping offences

·         The team have succeeded in 3 prosecutions for fly tipping

·         The number of unauthorised encampments reduced during the year compared to the previous year as a result of a change of approach in the use of community protection notices (6 encampments were dealt with)

·         2 FPNs issued in relation to the Town Centre PSPO

·         25 Community Protection Formal Warnings and 6 Community Protection Notices

Improving community safety by working with our partners to make people less vulnerable to crime

·         Between August 2019 and March 20 there were 41 Rural Surgeries held at 4 locations - Staplehurst, Marden, Coxheath and Headcorn.

·         No. of cases assisted through MARAC/Sanctuary/DA One Stop Shop - 195 cases heard at DA MARACs/ 37 Sanctuary referrals / 262 One Stop Shop attendances (Oct 2018 - Sep 2019)

Raising resident satisfaction with the cleanliness of the Borough

·         Review undertaken into the future provision of the service, including a resident survey to understand customer needs and priorities

·         Investment in four new sweepers and street washer

·         Delivery of 3 Blitz Days in the Town Centre funded by the Business Improvement District

·         New mobile technology and online reporting processes in place to enable full management of responsive street cleansing services

Implementing the “Go Green Go Wild” project to embrace and encourage biodiversity and protect and enhance our green spaces

·         7 wildflower meadows planted across the Borough

·         Tree planting schemes taking place in Allington

·         20,000 bulbs planted along A20

·         £20k community fund implemented to deliver 10 grants to local groups to support their work on Go Green Go Wild initiatives

Improving air quality

·         Replacing strimmers and other grounds equipment with battery operated versions

·         Purchased 2 electric vehicles for Street Cleansing

·         A20 improvement project has planted 20k bulbs, grasses and trees

·         Tree planting schemes across several open spaces within the Borough

 

A Thriving Place

Milestones completed to date

Development and commencement of delivering the new gallery at the museum

 

·         National Lottery Heritage Fund bid submitted in November 2019.

·         Bid unsuccessful February 2020

·         Meeting arranged with NLHF to discuss further progress on March 17 2020

·         Project Partnership Board met monthly between Sept 2019 and March 2020

·         Project Partnership Board leading review of options to offer proposal of future actions to Economic Regeneration and Leisure Committee.

Enabling events which assist people in increasing their pride in communities and our environment

·         Proms in the Park

·         Community Mela

·         Brenchley Garden Bandstand concerts

·         Mote Park events including Ramblin Man

·         Series of small PR events in support of Elmer

Reviewing and delivering leisure and cultural services that meet future needs e.g. sports facilities

·         Launched the Making Maidstone More Active project

·         Appointed the leisure project officer

·         Assembled the Making Maidstone More Active project board

·         Launched the Making Maidstone More Active residents’ survey which reached more than 2,000 people and achieved more than 1,250 full responses

·         Used the survey results to design the Making Maidstone More Active residents’ forums

·         Booked residents on to forums, the first of which is held in late March 2020

·         Actively working with The FA on future artificial football provision in Maidstone

·         Actively working with the LTA on increasing access to tennis courts in Maidstone

·         Undertaking a feasibility study on providing a larger theatre in Maidstone

Building the innovation centre at Kent Medical Campus, promoting inward investment in the Borough

·         ERDF funding agreement signed 23.12.2019

·         Rydon site possession 06.01.2020

·         Completed MHCLG Project Implementation Meeting 30.01.2020

·         Business Support Contract signed 31.01.2020

·         Turf turning ceremony 04.03.2020

·         Contractors, Rydons started on site 23.03.2020

Working with partners to redevelop the Maidstone East site and modernise the bus station in the County Town

·         Bid for Small Sites Fund submitted and successfully through stage 1.

·          Savills masterplan unviable and new more viable residential scheme on Maidstone East produced.

·         Commercial terms with Solum and KCC under review as KCC have announced their requirement to build circa 100,000 sq.ft. on the Maidstone East Site.

·         Bus Station scope of works redefined September 2019. Designs for public consultation to be approved by ERL 31st March 2019.

Developing and delivering plans for the five opportunity sites in the town centre and the Staplehurst regeneration project

·         Sites promoted at internal lead and external events; MIPIM Kent Construction Expo, Business Forum, MEBP

·         Planning Guidance adopted by Committee Oct 2019

·         Business Forum held on the 27th January 2020

·         All Landowners contacted to understand intentions and scope/appetite for MBC intervention

·         Staplehurst:

·         Identified and engaging with current owners to understand current and future plans – including proposition to change from commercial to residential.

·         Lobbied Sainsbury’s to build their planning permission and successful.

·         Undertaking research with property services to justify remaining need for commercial space and challenge existing developer research suggesting no commercial demand

Working with parishes and community groups on neighbourhood plans

·         Between April 2019 and March 2020 only the Loose Neighbourhood Plan was made (adopted) in September 2019

·         At the end of 2019/20 a total of 3 neighbourhood plans were made

·         At the end of 2019/20 a further 13 are in progress (at various stages)

·         The following have reached significant milestones in the last year

o   Marden Neighbourhood Plan = subject to referendum in February 2020 which was successful. A report will be taken to SPI in June 2020 and then Council in July to make the plan. This plan is very near to the end

o   Lenham Neighbourhood Plan = the final stage of public consultation on the plan took place between February and March 2020. The current position of the plan is it that it is at examination.

 

Homes and Communities

 

Milestones completed to date

Reducing Rough Sleeping in a sustainable way

·         Reconfigured outreach service to provide support to clients helped from the street.

·         Number of rough sleepers fell over the year and last official count in January 2020 was zero.

·         Discussions with MHCLG to obtain funding for a West Kent support service focused on mental health resulted in successful bid (due to start June 2020).

Reducing the use of temporary accommodation for homeless families

·         The number of families in temporary accommodation reduced from 107 in March 2019 to 95 in March 2020.

·         The number of MBC owned temporary accommodation rose during the year to 97 units, reducing the need for nightly paid accommodation.

·         The number of successful prevention (472) and relief (615) outcomes increased over the financial year compared to the previous year.

Improving housing through use of our statutory powers to promote good health and wellbeing

·         618 households were assisted through the helping you home scheme (from hospital).

·         The number of disabled facilities grants approved was 103 equating to £907,390.00 of grant being committed.

Increasing our interventions with Houses of Multiple Occupation

·         The number of licences approved was 58 making the total licensed premises to 122, demonstrating compliance with housing standards.

Supporting the health service to improve access to primary care including local care hubs

·         Contributing through engagement with health colleagues at various levels, both operational and strategic.