A Community Strategy for Bath & North East Somerset

2004 and Beyond

INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY: OUR AMBITIONS FOR BATH & NORTH EAST SOMERSET 22

OUR CORE AMBITIONS 44

OUR IMPROVEMENT AMBITIONS 1616

HOW WE WILL MONITOR AND REVIEW OUR STRATEGY 3333

INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY: OUR AMBITIONS FOR BATH & NORTH EAST SOMERSET

This is a strategy for Bath & North East Somerset and its communities. It is about maintaining and enhancing the things, such as clean streets, safe neighbourhoods and a green environment, that make our communities "liveable". Its vision is a Bath & North East Somerset that is Better for Everyone- for those who live in, work in and visit our area. It aims to achieve this vision through setting out clear ambitions, providing a framework for linking them together and monitoring their achievement.

The strategy contains 5 core ambitions. These set out how we plan to work together. These core ambitions will be built into all our work and the 6 improvement ambitions contained in the strategy. These ambitions are set out below.

CORE AMBITIONS

The community strategy has been developed by partners working through the Bath & North East Somerset Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), following wide-ranging community consultation. It is divided into sections, one for each ambition, and with a final section containing ways of checking whether they are being achieved and for taking action if they are not. For each ambition, there is a description of

· Why this ambition is important for Bath and North East Somerset

· The things we are focussing on to meet the ambition

· Early actions identified to unlock improvement

· Links to other plans and to partners.

As well as those partners specifically referred to under each ambition, to meet all ambitions we will work closely with:

Under each improvement ambition, there are improvement indicators that will be used to measure progress in meeting the ambition. These indicators will also be used to measure the contribution being made to the "core ambitions", so that we can see how improvement in one area links to another. For each indicator, we set out the current situation. This will be used to measure improvement over time, set ambitious and realistic targets, and make comparisons with others.

This is the first time that local partners, working through the Bath and North East Somerset Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), have agreed a framework for the long-term economic, social and environmental well-being of the area as a whole. Feedback from the extensive consultation carried out on the draft strategy has been used to improve the focus on local priorities. The aim has been to make this a useful document that promotes and encourages partnership working, provides a framework for judging future plans and policies and allows local communities to see what they can expect from their local public services over the next 10 years.

OUR CORE AMBITIONS

BE Distinctive

...nurturing a "sense of place"

Why this ambition is important for us

The community strategy is an opportunity to focus on what makes Bath and North East Somerset a distinctive place. It addresses key local issues which may not necessarily be reflected in national or regional agendas. For example, there is a strong desire to ensure that future developments reflect the highest quality of design, reflecting our distinctive local built and natural heritage. Our consultation on the strategy has also identified quite specific local requirements with regard to housing, transport, learning and health services.

The community strategy also allows us to reflect the diversity of our communities. Whilst around half of our 170,000 residents live in the City of Bath, the fastest-growing areas are towns such as Keynsham, Norton-Radstock and Peasedown St John. Yet over 90% of the area is classified as rural and almost a third lies within Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). Towns and villages range in size and type and lie within landscapes of varied and distinctive character. Norton-Radstock has a Town Centres Action Plan and is working on a public realm strategy called Places & Spaces. Other areas, including Peasedown St John, Paulton and High Littleton have Design Statements in place. Many parts of Bath and North East Somerset are in the category described by the Countryside Agency as "rural-urban fringe", areas which have been identified as containing significant potential for investment and improvement. Our area is also fortunate in the range and quality of its public parks and open spaces. The Botanical Gardens in Bath's Royal Victoria Park gained the accolade of "UK's best park" in the 2003 Britain in Bloom awards. A Parks and Open Spaces Strategy is currently being developed which will incorporate a wide range of planned improvements many of which will meet ambitions in the community strategy.

This diversity is reflected in the wide range of partnership working that exists within the area. Keynsham, for example, has a well-developed Town Plan process, with a vision of "a thriving, sustainable and safe market town". Norton-Radstock has a Regeneration Company, linked to its recent Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) scheme. In 2001-2, two social inclusion projects piloted community planning in Queen's Road, Keynsham and Snow Hill, Bath. A "rural renaissance" proposal is also under development. The proposal focusses on learning and skills, tourism, local food and access to services. Each of these initiatives reflects the local civic pride and sense of identity felt in our local communities.

Some areas within Bath and North East Somerset look to Bristol, Wiltshire or Somerset for transport, leisure and educational links, as well as for employment. However, it is to Bath that a substantial part of the population still looks for access to a wide range of facilities. The City of Bath was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. Bath & North East Somerset Council has worked in partnership with English Heritage to produce a World Heritage Site Management Plan for Bath to ensure that this world-renowned heritage asset is protected for future generations. Its vision is for Bath to be a centre of excellence for urban heritage management and conservation, founded on partnership working. Bath will also be accessible, a "thriving, living city". Bath has a well-developed Bath Communities Partnership linked to SRB as well as its own local initiatives such as the "Oldfield Focus " project.

A key local priority is affordable housing. House prices in the area are high, even when compared to the national average, and many first-time buyers are effectively locked out of the housing market. This means more and longer commuting, often from areas with poor availability of public transport. Taken together with local skills shortages, this makes it difficult for local health services and other public services to recruit key workers and deliver service improvements. This is why we have focussed so clearly in our improvement ambitions on areas such as housing, transport and skills. It will be important to ensure that these ambitions are linked - for example, that new housing has access to good public transport- and are set in the context of the Local Plan, Structure Plan and emerging regional frameworks such as the Regional Housing Strategy. As we move towards the introduction of Local Development Frameworks and Regional Spatial Strategies we will ensure that these links are strengthened.

Government is increasingly looking to Regional Assemblies to provide an integrated approach to strategic policy at the regional level and to bring together the wide range of strategies and issues in the region. However, the Regional Assembly has found no current agreement on the key issues facing the South West. It will therefore shortly be consulting on the trends and challenges facing the region. The Local Strategic Partnership will ensure our area's needs are taken into account through this process.

To achieve this ambition, we will focus on:

· encouraging major development projects to deliver community benefits linked to the community strategy's ambitions, including a "good neighbour" approach during construction and high standards of design

· encouraging investment that maintains environmental and heritage assets

· enhancing access to the services and facilities available to local communities

· continuing to support Town and Parish Plans and other local community planning and partnership initiatives

· examining the potential impact on the local economy of developments in competing tourist and retail centres

· shaping the regional agenda- through the Regional Development Agency, Government Office for the South West and the Regional Assembly

· insisting on the highest possible standards of design in our public realm

· promoting the diversity of the area, encouraging community cohesion and ensuring all voices are heard

· working with older people to reflect their priorities in our ambitions

· promoting Bath and North East Somerset's culture in its widest sense, including the arts, archaeology, design, sport, parks, play, recreation and cultural diversity

· promoting the benefits of sport in meeting all the strategy's ambitions

· improving the "liveability" of our communities by "doing the small things well"

· supporting the particular needs of carers across a wide range of services

· working with the Children and Young Peoples Strategic Partnership to ensure the 5 national priorities identified in "Every Child Matters" are reflected locally in the work of Key Partnerships

Every Child Matters - The five outcomes which matter most to children

being healthy: enjoying good physical and mental health and living a healthy lifestyle

staying safe: being protected from harm and neglect

enjoying and achieving: getting the most out of life and developing the skills for adulthood

making a positive contribution: being involved with the community and society and not engaging in anti-social or offending behaviour

economic well-being: not being prevented by economic disadvantage from achieving their full potential in life.

Early Actions

The LSP and its partner organisations will

1. Hold a conference for Bath and North East Somerset's communities to promote partnership working and community planning

2. Examine Town and Parish Plans to see where LSP members can contribute to delivery

3. Review the arrangements for Key Partnerships so that they are able to deliver the community strategy's ambitions

4. Establish an effective Key Partnership for Transport

5. Establish a Key Partnership for Culture, reflecting the Cultural Strategy and bringing together a wide range of issues and services - including heritage, libraries, community, arts, environment, sports, leisure, arts and urban design.

6. Work with the Countryside Agency and others to examine how public bodies can best "local proof" their policies.

7. Identify issues where specific benefits to our communities can be achieved by making a clear case for change, for example at regional level

8. Act on best practice to join-up with the emerging Local Development Frameworks

9. Develop our successful Citizenship in Action project to link the LSP more closely with young people

10. Support the development of the Parks and Open Spaces Strategy

11. Work to ensure the needs of Bath and North East Somerset are incorporated into the proposed Integrated Regional Strategy

To achieve this ambition we will work with partners, including:

To achieve this ambition we will make links to other plans, including:

BE Inclusive

...celebrating diversity and promoting equality

Why this ambition is important for us

Bath and North East Somerset's relative prosperity masks inequality and social exclusion. The Local Strategic Partnership has from the start made a commitment to building equalities and diversity into its activities and to always be guided by the principles of equal opportunity. LSP members' role descriptions include a commitment to promoting the diversity of the communities of Bath and North East Somerset. The LSP views positively the duty on public bodies under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 to promote race equality. It recognises that oppression, disadvantage and discrimination exist in society, and that people and communities often face simultaneous oppression, which can manifest itself in a number of ways, including harassment. The LSP also wishes to work with partners on compliance with the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act and has prepared an equality impact assessment of the community strategy.

To achieve this ambition, we will focus on:

· designing diversity into local institutions, designing out discrimination and ensuring equality in services across all equalities issues

· viewing race equality as part of our partners' "core business", using the Race Relations (Amendment) Act as a positive management tool, including monitoring and publishing results

· recognising duties arising from the Sex Discrimination Act, the Human Rights Act and the Disability Discrimination Act

· working with disabled people and their representatives to ensure accessibility is built into local services, including improving the accessibility of all forms of transport

· promoting the rights, independence, choices and inclusion of people with learning disabilities across all the theme areas of the community strategy, guided by the approach set out in 'Valuing People: A strategy for learning disability services for the 21st century".

· focussing on inclusion and equalities across the work of all Key Partnerships, paying particular attention to addressing the needs of our children and young people

Early Actions

The LSP and its partner organisations will

1. Review and improve the accessibility of their services to disabled people

2. Review and improve the accessibility of information and services in community languages, including translation and interpretation services

3. Examine identified barriers to accessing services and seek to remove them

4. Promote and share best practice in equality and diversity

5. Use the Race Equality Standard positively to secure improvement

To achieve this ambition we will work with partners, including:

To achieve this ambition we will make links to other plans, including:

To achieve this ambition, we will build on existing good practice in partnership working, such as:

The PRIDE (Partnership for Racial Identity of Diverse Ethnicities) Steering Group has recently played a significant role in a research project exploring the needs of Black and Other Minority Ethnic people in the Norton-Radstock area. The aims of the research were to identify local experiences and to consult with local agencies about the priority given to race equality in service delivery. The PRIDE steering group is made up of representatives from the Norton Radstock Regeneration Partnership, Bath & North East Somerset Racial Equality Council, Avon and Somerset Police and Bath & North East Somerset Council

BE Creative

...sharing, innovating and working together

Why this ambition is important for us

This ambition is about partners working together to improve local services and plan for the future, and about valuing innovation and creativity. Working together is sometimes difficult, as not all agencies in Bath and North East Somerset have coterminous boundaries. In addition, there are sometimes organisational barriers to effective joint working. Additionally, much effort goes into meeting central government requirements and priorities.

However, the public increasingly expect service providers to work in partnership and to develop creative solutions to local issues and problems. They also expect high standards of customer service and value for money from local services. An example of such a customer-focussed facility is the Council's Infoplus in Midsomer Norton. The facility is the first in a network designed to widen customer access to a range of council and community services.

The only way in which the ambitions set out in this strategy can be achieved is by thinking creatively and finding new ways of working together. Improvements can also be gained when we tap the innovation and creativity of our local communities. An example of such creative thinking is an innovative new project being developed in partnership with North East Somerset Arts. This works with victims of crime and young offenders to use arts to explore the impact of crime on people and communities.

To achieve this ambition, we will focus on:

· empowering and supporting communities to own and tackle issues in their neighbourhoods

· seeking opportunities to work together to bid for external funding

· examining ways of joining up services to the public, for example through on-line services and one-stop shops

· encouraging partnership that improves services for children and young people

· supporting joint working at local level, for example through the Somer Community Action in Neighbourhoods (SCAN) projects

· valuing staff and volunteers in all our organisations, listening and acting on their views to improve services

· providing customer-focussed services, delivered more closely to the communities we serve

Early Actions

The LSP and its partner organisations will

1. Develop a Liveability Scorecard which sets out the costs and service standards of our local public services

2. Work together to improve the information we provide to the public about local services

3. Find ways to improve recruitment and retention of staff

4. Support the implementation of Bath and North East Somerset's Public Service Agreement (PSA), encouraging key partnerships to assist with improvements. PSA indicators are identified in this strategy under each improvement ambition.

5. Work with the current review of CVS services to ensure there is a clear voluntary and community sector voice on the LSP

6. Support Somer Community Housing Trust's proposed "SCAN" projects in Peasedown St John and Radstock

To achieve this we will work with partners, including:

To achieve this we will make links to other plans, including:

To achieve this ambition, we will build on existing good practice in partnership working, such as:

First Steps Nursery has become a Centre for Excellence through partnership working and responding to community needs. Based in the heart of the Twerton, First Steps has made a huge difference to the standard of life in the area. Originating as a day care nursery, staff soon responded to local issues, including provision of family support and information about benefits, as well as enrolling people on adult education courses. The Nursery will also become one of the first Sure Start Children Centres when the service occupies the new building.

Be Safe

..building communities where people feel safe and secure

Why this ambition is important for us

Community Safety has been identified by our Citizens' Panel as the number one priority for improvement in local neighbourhoods. Bath & North East Somerset Council established a Community Safety Partnership in 1997, ahead of many other areas and following the recommendation of a local "Issue Commission". The Community Safety Partnership has six priority areas for action. These are:

The Community Safety Partnership works closely with the Drug Action Team (DAT), a local multi agency partnership working to implement the national anti - drug strategy. A project is currently underway to recommission drug and alcohol treatment in Bath and North East Somerset. The aim is to increase the number of people receiving timely and effective treatment for drug and alcohol misuse.

The Partnership Against Racial Harassment and the Partnership Against Domestic Violence come under the umbrella of the Community Safety Partnership. This ensures that their work forms part of the wider strategy to combat crime and disorder in the district and that they receive support and links to wider organisations. Community Safety Action Groups (CSAGs) are now being developed around the area. They provide an opportunity to identify local problems and solutions. Community Safety Walkabouts are being undertaken in several neighbourhoods to identify improvements needed to reduce crime and fear of crime.

The Community Safety Partnership will take a lead in developing and promoting multi agency initiatives to reduce crime, disorder and the fear of crime. However, to succeed, it will also need the other Key Partnerships which link to Local Strategic Partnership to promote safety issues in their work.

To achieve this ambition, we will focus on:

Early Actions

The LSP and its partner organisations will

1. Encourage partnerships to work together to promote the "liveability" agenda, including tackling litter, graffiti and anti-social behaviour

2. Help the warden and "extended police family" schemes currently operating in the area to maximise community presence and improve public confidence.

3. Support the work of the co-ordinated support service for children and their families who are at risk of involvement in crime or anti social behaviour

4. Ensure key community safety actions are built into the plans of other Key Partnerships

To achieve this ambition we will work with partners, including:

To achieve this ambition we will make links to other plans, including:

To achieve this ambition, we will build on existing good practice in partnership working, such as:

The Elder Aware project is a successful package of crime prevention advice for older people, delivered to a range of groups in the rural parts of the area. Proposals are now being developed to extend Elder Aware to cover the whole area.

BE Sustainable

...encouraging stewardship of our environment and taking the long view

Why this ambition is important for us

Councils have a duty under the Local Government Act 2000 to promote sustainability in their local area. The LSP have drawn on the partnership working already established in Bath and North East Somerset and have a commitment to build the principles of sustainability into its actions. The Change 21 Partnership established a vision which reflected 7 key sustainability issues. These were:

The Local Plan has adopted sustainable development as an overarching policy. For example, development will be expected to be accessible by a range of transport modes and in locations which reduce the need to travel. They should also conserve natural resources, especially non-renewable resources such as greenfield land, geology, wildlife, soil, fossil fuels, minerals, water and energy.

Bath and North East Somerset has well-developed partnership working in the field of sustainability and biodiversity. For example, the "Wild Things" biodiversity partnership has undertaken a consultation audit of priority species. Wessex Water has produced its own Biodiversity Action Plan. Bath and North East Somerset was also at the forefront of the development of local food, with its Farmers' Market established as long ago as 1997. The London Road food co-op is a good example of a consumer co-operative promoting the social economy.

The LSP has identified climate change as a particular long-run risk for Bath and North East Somerset and for the South West, given the region's exposure to flooding. It is therefore important for current and future generations that local usage of fossil fuels reflects international agreements with regard to climate change.

To achieve this ambition, we will focus on:

· considering the long term implications of decisions and promoting sound environmental stewardship

· recognising that sustainable development requires trade-offs- for instance, an overriding need for a development in a particular location may be critical to ensure future opportunities for future generations.

· ensuring robust systems are in place to measure the environmental impact of key services and activities

· nurturing the emerging centre of excellence within Bath and North East Somerset on sustainability and environmental issues

· promoting accessible local services and local food production

Early Actions

The LSP and its partner organisations will

1. Review their sustainability practices and systems, and in particular their approach to local food.

2. Work to ensure a better understanding of the role of the Local Plan in promoting sustainable development

To achieve this we will work with partners, including:

To achieve this we will make links to other plans, including:

To achieve this ambition, we will build on existing good practice in partnership working, such as:

The St Stephen's Millennium Green at Twerton in Bath is held in trust as a permanent resource for the local community. Millennium Greens are new areas of public open space close to people's homes that can be enjoyed permanently by the local community. In April this year the project received a cash boost designed to improve the water supply to allotments and provide better composting facilities.

OUR IMPROVEMENT AMBITIONS

BE there on time

...improving our local transport

Why this ambition is important for us

Local transport has been identified as a key concern from the beginning of the community strategy process. Transport consistently comes in the top three priorities of local people. The area's transport problems clearly harm our local environment, through congestion and its impact on accessibility and air quality. However, traffic issues also have the potential to harm our economy.

Some of these issues are "structural" and can only be addressed at regional and national levels. Bath sits at the junction of the A4 Great West Road , the A36 to the South Coast and the A46 northwards. Major highways are carrying excessive volumes. This results in drivers overloading local roads, in villages and residential areas, as they seek to find a way through. The reliability of bus services also suffers as a result of these difficulties. This and the high cost of bus travel in the area are significant barriers to securing improved usage of public transport.

The Council is exercising its community leadership role to promote a long-term transport vision for the area. This has been the subject of extensive local consultation. The Initiative for Bath & North East Somerset, which is a member of the LSP, has produced a detailed response to the Council's vision, supporting a long-term approach to investment and identifying key improvements such as increasing the pedestrian area in Bath City Centre. The Council is also working in partnership with transport operators through its Quality Bus Partnership and holds regular bus surgeries.

To achieve this ambition, we will focus on:

· supporting Bath & North East Somerset Council's approach to developing a transport vision in order to attract significant additional investment

· concentrating on improving travel for all users, improving the quality and accessibility of public transport, car parking, cycling and pedestrian facilities.

· working with local communities to develop solutions to traffic and transport issues appropriate to their needs

· promoting green travel solutions with schools, employers and other organisations

· working to integrate transport solutions into development opportunities

· maintaining the existing highway, cycling and pedestrian network

· ensuring the total impacts of proposed transport measures are taken into account during decision-making

To help measure success in meeting our ambition, we will use the following improvement indicators:

Early Actions

The LSP and its partner organisations will

1. Work to establish an effective Transport Partnership in Bath and North East Somerset

2. Encourage all LSP members to have in place Green Travel Plans

To achieve this ambition we will work with partners, including:

To achieve this ambition we will make links to other plans, including:

To achieve this ambition, we will build on existing good practice in partnership working, such as:

Working together has led to an increase in Green Travel Plans in the area. A Green Travel Plan can achieve 15-30% reductions in single occupancy commuting trips, leading to reduced congestion and reduced costs for business travel. Wessex Water and the University of Bath have both received Avon Area Travel Plan Awards in recognition of progress in implementing a Plan. The university award this year recognises progress in car park management, bus services, cycle facilities communication with staff, students and neighbours

BE at home

...improving our local housing

Why this ambition is important for us

Affordable housing is cited as second only to crime as a key concern of local residents. The 2000 Housing Survey clearly identified the problems, which are likely to have worsened as house prices have risen. A new Housing Market Study has been commissioned in partnership with neighbouring authorities. Many potential employees are discouraged from moving to Bath and North East Somerset because of their perceptions of the high cost of housing. This has the potential to have a significant impact on the local labour market, leading to recruitment difficulties and skill shortages across all sectors. Public services such as health services are particularly hard hit by the impact of high house prices compared to wage levels.

The South West Housing Body (SWHB) has recognised the increasing gap between house prices and incomes and has emphasised the consequent risk to balanced communities over the longer-term. These pressures are increasingly being felt across the area. It is common for young people to be forced to leave villages because of rising house prices and lack of affordable homes.

Following the transfer of Bath & North East Somerset Council's housing stock to Somer Community Housing trust in 1999, a six-year programme to deliver 600 new units of affordable housing was established. This programme is due to come to an end in March 2005. Bath & North East Somerset Council is developing an Affordable Housing Strategy to look beyond this programme and to ensure all potential sources of affordable housing are explored, including the use of the Local Plan and Supplementary Planning Guidance.

To achieve this ambition, we will focus on:

· examining the issues underlying housing affordability in Bath and North East Somerset

· ensuring that local needs for affordable housing are properly understood at national and regional level

· seeking opportunities to deliver new affordable housing with and through partners in the public, not-for-profit and private sector

· making the case at regional level for funding for housing in rural areas, villages and market towns. Bath & North East Somerset Council is developing a Rural Housing Strategy in partnership with North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Councils.

· using the Local Plan and strategic development sites to secure affordable housing

· ensuring that "intermediate housing" needs are properly understood and addressed, including housing for key workers in essential, universally accessible public and private sector services,

· working with Higher/Further education providers to manage student housing need

· making best use of existing resources including empty or under utilised housing and other property, paying particular attention to potential land assembly opportunities through LSP members

· applying high standards of design and environmental quality to housing developments, including designing out crime through the Secure by Design standards

· promoting and enforcing good standards in private sector housing

· supporting older people in their own homes and promoting independent living

· promoting and maintaining diverse communities through mixed tenure

· encouraging and supporting residents and communities to become more actively involved in making their communities liveable places

To help measure success in meeting our ambition, we will use the following improvement indicators:

Early Actions

The LSP and its partner organisations will:

1. Encourage public service employers to develop innovative approaches to meeting the current and future housing needs of their staff

2. Work to reduce anti social behaviour which prevents people peacefully enjoying their homes and communities

To achieve this we will work with to partners, including:

To achieve this we will make links to other plans, including:

To achieve this ambition, we will build on existing good practice in partnership working, such as:

Two bids are being developed for the South West Key Worker Challenge Fund. The first bid, developed in partnership with Somer Housing Group and Bath & North East Somerset Primary Care Trust, is for funding for a new build scheme in Bath which will provide key worker housing for rent and for shared ownership. The second bid, developed in partnership with Bristol and South Gloucestershire, is for funding for a low-cost home ownership scheme for key workers.

BE inspired

...improving our local learning and skills

Why this ambition is important for us

Bath & North East Somerset performs well on examination results indicators, especially at GCSE level. It is important to continue to drive up standards across the board and also focus on those young people who for whatever reason leave school with few or no qualifications.

Whilst the proportion of young people in post 16 education in Bath and North East Somerset is above the national average, the percentage in trade based training is low. Employers report a wide range of skills shortages, with people management, basic information technology (IT), technical skills and office, skills being the most commonly cited shortages

The LSP therefore endorses the Learning and Skills Council's approach to NVQ levels 2 and 3 and on basic skills. The LSP also wishes to ensure that all citizens can play a full role in social, economic and cultural life by developing and utilising their skills. This means developing community education, and meeting changing local requirements for training and education needs - for example, the growing number of older people in our community.

To achieve this ambition, we will focus on:

To help measure success in meeting our ambition, we will use the following improvement indicators:

Early Actions

The LSP and its partner organisations will

1. Work with the University of the Third Age and others to find ways of sharing skill and knowledge across the generations

2. Provide assistance to schools and other partners who wish to expand education in citizenship and education for living

3. Work with specialist voluntary and statutory organisations to increase the range of activities which provide pathways out of crime and substance misuse

To achieve this ambition we will work with partners, including:

To achieve this ambition we will make links to other plans, including:

To achieve this ambition, we will build on existing good practice in partnership working, such as:

The Co-ordinated Community Learning Development project is co-financed by the Learning and Skills Council and the European Social Fund. It engages with people returning to learning to identify the training and activities they want. In Batheaston, for example, opportunities developed by the scheme include computer skills for people living in sheltered accommodation.

BE better off

...improving our local economy

Why this ambition is important for us

Bath and North East Somerset's economy is strong, with unemployment low by national comparisons. However, we need to prepare our economy for the future. Towards 2013, the 10-year Economic Development Strategy, developed following extensive consultation, has a vision to achieve a "thriving, sustainable economy". The strategy contains clear action plans to meet 4 key "building blocks" that will achieve this vision. These are

Our local centres face increasing competition from other retail developments. So it is important that we work to promote our centres and encourage people to feel safe and secure in them- for example, through our street warden schemes and our CCTV system, the first in the country to be awarded the Charter Mark award for public service excellence. The prosperity of the area is not being shared equally amongst our communities, with one ward in the top 20% of areas facing social deprivation. Equally, many communities that have historically faced discrimination in the labour market, such as Black and Other Minority Ethnic communities and disabled people, remain disadvantaged.

To achieve this ambition, we will focus on:

· bringing together employers and learning providers so that the need for skills can be identified and addressed

· responding to competition from other retail and tourist destinations, and thinking ahead to take advantage of emerging trends

· recognising the contribution of older people to the economy

· managing the impact of growth activities such as the evening economy

· tackling discrimination, disadvantage and inequality in the labour market

· working with local communities, the Bath Communities Partnership and the South West Regional Development Agency to improve quality employment opportunities in South West Bath

· making the most of the strong brands of Bath and Somerset

· promoting employment opportunities for vulnerable members of the community

· working with businesses to promote crime prevention and reduce the impact of commercial crime on the local economy

To help measure success in meeting our ambition, we will use the following improvement indicators:

Early Actions

The LSP and its partner organisations will

1. Support the implementation of a "Bar Charter" for Bath and examine ways of extending successful initiatives to manage the evening economy throughout Bath and North East Somerset

2. Work with a wide range of partners to maximise take-up of benefits and tax and pension credits in Bath and North East Somerset

To achieve this we will work with partners, including:

To achieve this we will make links to other plans, including:

To achieve this ambition, we will build on existing good practice in partnership working, such as:

The front line project- funded by a local trust- provides specialist benefits advice at three doctor's surgeries in Bath. In the first 6 months of 2003, clients were helped to claim £50,00 in benefits and grants - a 1000% return on investment. It is estimated that 90% of money received in benefits and credits is invested back into the local economy.

BE green

...improving our local environment

Why this ambition is important for us

We have already set out in BE Distinctive how important enhancing and maintaining the fabric of our natural and built environment and heritage is to Bath & North East Somerset. Our BE green ambition covers a wide scope, encompassing the public realm and including streetscape issues, litter and grafitti, waste management and the "liveability" agenda.

In general, Bath and North East Somerset enjoys a high-quality environment. We are a national leader in the field of partnership working for waste recycling. However, BE green was the theme that generated the largest number of comments in the consultation on our community strategy. These covered a wide range of concerns, including gulley emptying, drainage and the condition of pavements and footpaths. Partners must come together to offer a "joined up" approach to improving local neighbourhoods to meet these local concerns.

To achieve this ambition, we will focus on:

· delivering stewardship, including protection and enhancement, of Bath and North East Somerset's built and natural environmental heritage

· enabling people to live accessibly and sustainably within the urban and heritage fabric of our area

· celebrating what makes our local area distinctive

· continuing to lead the way in environmental innovation, including use of new technology

· ensuring new developments contribute to a high quality public realm

· working closely with the Community Safety Partnership, using local community safety walkabouts to identify street scene improvements

· supporting implementation of the biodiversity action plan through the Wild Things partnership

· working with communities for cleaner and greener streets and environments

· "doing the small things well", such as street cleaning, tackling street clutter, emptying gulleys, unblocking drains and clearing graffiti

· ensuring that environmental improvements promote crime reduction

· maintaining our infrastructure assets, including "hidden" assets such as drains and sewers

To help measure success in meeting our ambition, we will use the following improvement indicators:

Early Actions

The LSP and its partner organisations will

To achieve this we will work with partners, including:

To achieve this we will make links to other plans, including:

To achieve this ambition, we will build on existing good practice in partnership working, such as:

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) provide a civilian, uniformed service and have a limited range of powers. PCSOs are currently being recruited and will be operating in the area from the autumn of 2003. A Community Warden scheme is also operating in Bath City Centre and in central Keynsham. The wardens provide a visible presence on the streets in support of the Police and other patrol functions. They have been liasing with businesses and residents groups in the areas which they cover to enable them to respond to local concerns. Priorities for the scheme include tackling graffiti and vandalism in order to reduce fear of crime in the city and town centre. There are also Parish Wardens operating in the Chew Valley area.

BE assured

...improving our local health and social care

Why this ambition is important for us

People in Bath and North East Somerset strongly value their local health services. Many local people have contributed their views to the "Living within our Means" consultation recently carried out by the PCT. However, local health services are under pressure. Difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff, especially nurses, have led to high agency costs. These costs, combined with historic deficits, have led to difficulties in recent years in meeting local expectations for health care.

There are also significant inequalities in health across Bath and North East Somerset's communities. The Health Improvement Programme sets out a clear approach to addressing these issues and to meeting local needs. The will require an emphasis on preventative work, continuing reductions in waiting times and improvements to the quality and responsiveness of health services.

To achieve this ambition, we will focus on:

· supporting the Council's approach to developing "centres of excellence" for older people

· supporting the recruitment and retention of skilled health professionals through joint working on improvements to transport, housing and skills

· breaking the cycle of health inequality by investment in prevention and by "joining up" with transport, leisure and other services

· investing in the health and well-being of young people- for example, through promoting sport and other activities

· working to reconfigure and improve mental health services, including low threshold services

· building on current co-operative arrangements in training and other shared facilities

To help measure success in meeting our ambition, we will use the following improvement indicators:

Early Actions

The LSP and its partner organisations will provide help and support to the PCT and other local health providers in their drive to improve local services

To achieve this we will work with partners, including:

To achieve this we will make links to other plans, including:

To achieve this ambition, we will build on existing good practice in partnership working, such as:

Bath & North East Somerset Council is progressing the reprovision of its Elderly People's homes into three centres of excellence in each of the main urban areas of Bath and North East Somerset. These will provide a range of living opportunities with varying degrees of support available according to individual need. Through close working with the Primary Care Trust, a range of health and social care facilities will be made available on or from these sites

HOW WE WILL MONITOR AND REVIEW OUR STRATEGY

Local communities want real progress on the issues that matter to their communities. It is right, therefore, that we set out exactly how the community strategy will contribute to improvement.

All LSP partners act within legal, regulatory and financial frameworks. These sometimes constrain what can be achieved. In this document, LSP partners have set out a clear approach to partnership working, including ways of measuring improvement. In many cases, solutions will only be achieved on a sub-regional basis or even a national basis. Where obstacles are identified to delivering improvement, the LSP will consider their impact and if appropriate will seek to persuade others, for example central government, to provide the additional freedoms needed.

Each LSP partner will have its own ways of taking into account the community strategy's ambitions when formulating its future plans. Bath & North East Somerset Council's Corporate Plan is a 4-year rolling management plan that sets out priorities for improvement. The Plan has been shaped by a number of factors, including reflecting the Council's contribution to the Community Strategy.

Bath and North East Somerset is fortunate in having a wide range of partnership working. Delivering improvement ambitions will be the responsibility of relevant Key Partnerships. The lead LSP partner will report on the progress they are making in securing improvement against the indicators set out in each ambition. Each Key Partnership will be expected to devise its own way of implementing and monitoring the actions required for improvement, within the framework set out in this strategy. The LSP will provide support where needed. Early Actions set out in the strategy will be assigned to LSP lead members and will be monitored directly by the LSP itself. The LSP will "benchmark" its activities against other similar LSPs and learn from good practice elsewhere.

This community strategy has an expected life-cycle of 10 years. Each year, the LSP will produce an Annual Report setting out progress made in achieving the strategy and note any significant emerging trends and initiatives. The report will also seek to "proof" the actions of the LSP against a range of impacts, including on children and young people, older people and rural issues. The level of review undertaken will be appropriate to the level of change since the original document. The strategy will be reviewed in the light of the development of the shared priorities between the Local Government Association and central government, the evolution of Local Public Service Agreements and emerging local and regional issues. Councils will in future have discretion to incorporate a number of plans into Community Strategies and the LSP will be responsive to such changes, seeking to gain maximum benefits from such joint working to Bath and North East Somerset.