Executive Report to Full Council 29 November 2016 Strategic Leadership - Mayor Mike Starkie Copeland Growth Strategy The work on Copeland s Growth Plan for the key towns is progressing with outline drafts almost ready for consultation with the local Town Councils and Regeneration Partnerships. The work on the Growth Plans is being combined with spatial masterplans for each town in line with our Local Development Framework and Site Allocations process and the Baseline Report is almost complete. The work will link into NuGen s Moorside Project to ensure that growth is planned in to support delivery of the Project, particularly the Associated Development Sites, to build sustainable growth and long term benefits for Copeland s communities. Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) With Cumbria LEP endorsement, Copeland has submitted an application to the Homes and Communities Agency for Capacity Funding to help the Council deal with the unprecedented levels of growth predicted through the impact of nuclear new build; the continued decommissioning at Sellafield and West Cumbria Mining. The Council was not successful in its recent bid for Garden Village status, which was anticipated, as the application was made very early in the process of defining the impact and legacy of NuGen s Associated Development sites and requirements for temporary worker accommodation. It is expected that we will follow this up when HCA announces Round 2 of the Garden Village programme. The Government has recently confirmed Growth Deal 3 and the settlement that Cumbria will receive, although it was significantly lower than its submission, priority projects have still received support. This includes the bid for Whitehaven Town Centre North, as BEC and partners have received confirmation that 4.5M will be directed to support office development in the town. Derelict and Dilapidated Buildings Progress continues on priority properties. Further discussions have taken place with the owners of Mark House, Whitehaven with a view towards understanding plans for demolition in lines with the existing planning permission. The Egremont schemes are also progressing with one priority building having permission in place, with plans to start work and the second in pre-planning discussions with a view to submitting an application in the spring. 1
Economic Growth Deputy Mayor Councillor Lena Hogg Copeland Work & Skills Partnership Progress continues across the Work and Skills Programme. The Partnership has successfully delivered two Sector Based Work Academies, which provides those on Universal Credit and Job Seekers Allowance with additional skills, qualifications and work experience towards enabling them to apply for identified vacancies. The schemes were supported by MacDonalds in Whitehaven and Panopile in Millom and allowed 33 people to gain valuable experience skills through the scheme, and 14 candidates went on to secure employment with those companies as a result. The Partnership has also submitted an application to DCLG s Communities Fund to run a bespoke engagement for progression to work readiness programme of support. This will include support to young people and individuals with special needs or a range of social issues as they prepare for the world of work. It will also provide IT and financial inclusion support, as well as coordinated work placement opportunities. The application is for 70k. Regeneration Partnerships The six Community Regeneration Partnerships continue to meet and advance local priorities where resources are available. They all were involved in a series of locally based discussions on the potential health impacts of the Moorside Project, as part of NuGen s engagement on this theme and their input is shaping the emerging Health Action Plan. Whitehaven Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) Works have completed on the public realm improvements at the end of James Street, including the installation of benches, artworks and trees. The interpretation boards are currently being finalised prior to installation. Recent skills training has included a coving masterclass in January, with a coving/sets masterclass currently being planned. The project team are also working on a Conservation Area Design guide to help building owners preserve their buildings and maintain value in the heart of our historic town centres. Preventing Homelessness The team continue to deliver active support to local residents and families at risk of homelessness and those presenting as homeless. The move to full service Universal Credit has increased the demand and challenges on this service particularly relating to individuals needing to use our temporary accommodation offer whilst receiving monthly benefit payments which include housing costs. We have had three cases over recent months which have moved on without paying their rent leaving the Council out of pocket. We are working with DWP to address this issue. Our prevention resources continue to be successfully used 2
to ensure people are able to obtain rentals through our rent guarantee scheme and keep families in their homes. Empty Homes Initiative When we started the empty homes initiative in June 2016 we had 33,412 properties on Council Tax list, 842 properties in receipt of a discount (empty less than 2 years), 292 properties with premium added (empty over 2 years), 779 properties empty more than 6 months and 86 Properties uninhabitable Since June activity has been focused on the Website links to enable interactive reporting of empty homes, along with questionnaires. This has resulted in 17 successful interventions from a target for the year of 6. This involves active joint working between the empty homes officer and our environmental health team. New Funding to support community led housing Copeland Council is one of 148 English Councils who have received a grant to support community led housing developments in areas where the impact of second homes is particularly acute. Our allocation for this current year is 193,768. Guidance has been released explaining the fund and how the grant funding may be used. We are joining with the two other Cumbrian Districts to receive funds to look at opportunities and issues with a range of potential partners including ACT, Lake District National Park and community land trust advocates. We will be developing a strategy to progress use of the Fund in Copeland. Private Sector Housing In Housing Renewals, work continues to grow apace. Cases referred by Adult Social Care and Children s Services become ever more challenging reflecting the increasingly complex needs of customers. The team is small and work closely with contractors, occupational health services, social housing providers and other external agencies to try and ensure that hold ups within the system are minimised as much as possible. Outcomes remain positive in adapting homes to suit the needs of the customers and in some circumstances to enable them to be discharged from hospital more speedily. Our housing teams work closely together to ensure properties of new private tenancies to prevent homelessness are checked for any hazards in them prior to Housing Options lending rent deposits on these homes. We continue to give out advice to Landlords and Tenants, inspect unfit homes and ensure Landlords are carrying out their legal duties especially in respect of gas safe checks and smoke alarm provision. Cumbria Fire Service have given us some battery operated smoke alarms to be distributed to at risk properties through our daily work. 3
Nuclear and Corporate Services Councillor David Moore Support Services Review Consultation on the Support Services Review concluded on 7 November, 2016. The consultation period was extended, at the request of the trades unions. The final report was then reviewed by Overview and Scrutiny Committee (16 November 2016), Personnel Panel (17 November 2016) and approved by the Executive (22 November 2016). 18 volunteers were accepted for voluntary redundancy and left the Authority during December 2016. The interview process was conducted throughout December with 80% being confirmed into new or revised roles before the commencement of the Christmas Holidays. The remaining employees will have their interviews in January 2017. Working Differently Accommodation Strategy The leases for the Copeland Centre were agreed with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Sellafield Limited at the end of December 2016. We are working with the landlord (Equitex) and their agent to ensure all documentation is authorised to allow the building works to commence. This includes approval from the landlord s funder which is due by the end of January 2017. The Council cannot enter into any works agreement until all other legal aspects are in place to allow Copeland Borough Council to sign the final agreements. To accelerate progress on this project, we have commissioned some short term project management support to assist in getting this project over the line. The Portfolio Holder, Councillor Moore, will provide a verbal update at the Council meeting with expected timelines for Copeland staff to move to the Ground Floor and Sellafield staff to move in to the Copeland Centre. Nuclear New Build The Moorside Project As reported to the Council meeting in November Nugeneration Ltd are continuing to review the key messages emanating from the Stage 2 DCO consultation that took place during last summer. This work is being carried out in tandem with a process of optioneering which is reviewing the key components of the project proposals. NuGeneration Ltd have previously said that it is their intention to ensure that they have the optimised submission for DCO and as a result will take the time necessary to achieve this. The outcome of both processes is that the final scheme design is likely to change and the environmental assessment of impacts will therefore need to be reviewed. Depending on the scale of any potential changes to the 4
project design further engagement with stakeholders and/or public consultation is likely to be required. As a consequence, this will almost certainly lead to re-programming the way forward especially in relation to the date for the submission of the DCO application and we await further information on this. In the meantime, officers continue to work with County Council colleagues on a range of work-streams relating to the assessment of impacts and potential mitigations for the project including around Health Impact Assessment, Associated Development sites and environmental matters North West Coast Connections Project Stage 2 consultation for the North West Coast Connections Project, which was launched by National Grid in October, ran until 6 th January. The proposed National Grid 400kV development will provide a connection for the new nuclear power station at Moorside to the national network. Following a process of Member engagement and a programme of activities to seek the views of local parishes and communities on the proposals, the Council s consultation response was duly considered and approved by the Council s Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects Panel prior to submission. A copy of the Council s response is available on the Council s website. Key messages in the Council s response relate to limitations of the information made available through the consultation, time limitations placed on the consultation period, environmental impacts both generally across the Borough and at specific locations, socio-economic implications and opportunities brought about by the project and the perceived in-balance between local impact and national benefit. National Grid have reported that they have received over 8000 responses and are currently reviewing the content with a view to developing their final design for the scheme and associated supporting documents for a potential submission date of spring/summer 2017, the exact date still to be confirmed. Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) Draft Business Plan 2017 To 2020 Based on the third edition of the NDA s Strategy, published in April 2016, the draft business plan for 2017 to 2020 sets out the objectives and expected progress for all 17 of the NDA s nuclear sites over the next 3 years. In addition, it includes planned expenditure profiles for the Authority as a whole and across each of the sites. Comments on the draft business plan are to be submitted by the closing date of 3 rd February and the final plan will be published by the NDA towards the end of March. 5
Customers and Communities Councillor Dave Banks Health and Wellbeing The Copeland Health and Wellbeing Forum have agreed to commission two activities using public health resources managed by Cumbria County Council and allocated to Copeland Locality. The first is a project focusing on alcohol and increased drinking trends in males and females in midlife and beyond. This builds on survey work and early activity by Age UK linked to a research project in Cumbria in 2015/16. The second focus is on a package of support to individuals and families of all ages impacted by hoarding behaviour. This is in response to a growing trend in this behaviour in households in Copeland and looking to offer assistance to reduce the mental, social and health impacts on these households. Scoping is underway to prepare a further commission linked to child health and wellbeing ensuring a focus on a range of issues and interventions. The Health Impact Assessment for Moorside has begun activity by the Nugen commissioned assessor. A range of consultation events took place before Christmas in all six localities of Copeland along with focused sessions with community leaders and key stakeholder groups. Further work and engagement will take place in the first half of 2017 with an assessment of impact and opportunities and required mitigations drafted into a health action plan later in the year. Development of Waste Services The implementation of an electronic waste management system for waste services is progressing well and improved information for crews, management and customer services will be available in the next two months. The system, which has been procured from Webaspx, a company who already work with many local councils across the UK is used to manage rounds and routes information electronically. The system enables live data and feedback on specific issues from collection vehicles to be seen by both customer services and waste management improving the way the Council deals with calls from customers. The system also includes a complex modelling and route optimisation module which will be vital in developing the new recycling service and adapting the refuse service to cope with new property developments. The new In-cab units are planned to go live in mid February coinciding with the commissioning of new refuse collection vehicles. Update Parks and Open Spaces Team Staffing difficulties in the Bereavement Services team. Other members of staff have supported the staffing gaps since the beginning of November 2016. Bereavement Services Manager from Ayrshire supporting the Open Spaces Manager with the proposals for the transformation of the service. David Strong, Parks Supervisor transferred to Environmental Health Team on 16 th January 2017. 6
The focus is on team building and staff development within the Parks and Open Spaces team to ensure business continuity in different areas. The team are dealing with a large number of complaints about street lighting. Currently there are no further funds to alleviate the most serious repair work this financial year. Beacon Update Exhibitions and Retail Bare Bones was the final blockbuster event for 2017 and this ran until early November. Other national temporary exhibitions were Wildlife Photographer of the Year (Natural History Museum) and Mummers, Maypoles and Milkmaids (Horniman Museum, London). The Wildlife Photographer exhibition proved especially popular. The museum had 5,090 visitors in Q3 which compares well to 3,605 visitors for the same period in 2015. The Museum took five times more income in admissions over the period, compared to in 2015. The Museum Shop has had a more challenging period turnover has been only slighter higher than the same period in 2015. Increasing spend per visitor is receiving a renewed focus improving on the relevancy of our product, the service given and the shops promotion and environment. This has brought progress over the Christmas period. Focus has been placed on the shop s overall profitability, as opposed to simply sales. Protecting the bottom line more stringently has put it in a stronger financial position moving into 2017. The Museum and our Shop was present at the relaunch of the Whitehaven Market. A small display of 7 graphic panels on the history of the Market was researched and produced by the Trainee Graduate Curator, Nicola Lawson, with the assistance of Matthew Bland, a year 11 student at St Benedict s School and a former volunteer and now seasonal Visitor Host. Visitor Initiatives The visitor annual pass has 495 members, of which 39 have newly signed up in the last few months. The Copeland Pass offering free entry for Copeland residents was strongly promoted in mid- November and now has 584 members. 471 of these members have signed up since this promotion with December bringing a majority of these. We will track more rigorously repeat visits with the Copeland pass to increase our understanding of our local resident market. We continue to have a strong programme of exhibitions and events moving into 2017: Wycinanki: Polish Paper cuts- a colourful exhibition of folk art. (18.1.17 to 27.3.17) again a national exhibition in Copeland (Horniman Museum, London) (A group visit from around 60 members of the Polish Community in Carlisle is booked on for one Saturday. There will be demonstrations of Polish dancing and hands-on craft activities for families.) 7
Feel the Force- an interactive collection of physics experiments (27.1.17 to 5.3.17) (Science Projects a national exhibition) The Norse Hoard our new Norse artefacts with accompanying events for February half term and being a part of the permanent collection. (This has been designed by the Beacon and linked with the Manx National Heritage Museum, Isle of Man) Looking into Wonderland- a collection of illustrations from the Alice Books (12.3.17 to 2.4.17) (private collection) Mechanicals- Automata moving devices (25.3.17 to 30.4.17 Easter Blockbuster- higher pricing structure and not included in Copeland Pass) (Science Projects a national exhibition) All temporary exhibitions are now, wherever possible, accompanied by an associated activities and events programme. Beacon Development The new Light and Dark Gallery on the 4th floor is operating fully and has is now showing the sixth temporary exhibition since it was opened in June 2016. A new stair to the Pop Gallery on the 4 th floor has been installed and the exhibition reinstated in full. Work continues on the new Conference and Learning Centre. It is anticipated that it will be completed by end of April 2017. We are finalising a pricing and marketing strategy for the Centre with some bookings already in place for May 2017. Marketing will include a corporatestyle brochure as well as digital marketing via social media and the Beacon and Council websites. Informal discussions are underway with a University to assist us in developing a digital/visual imaging facility on the top floor of the new Conference and Learning Centre. The support of the Coastal Community Fund and Copeland Community Fund for these key developments is sincerely acknowledged. Learning The Learning Officer, Alan Gillon, continues to offer an extensive range of School visits and Harbour Trails as well as advising the Events Team on Activities for children and families within the Museum. The Quantum Leap Club, which meets one Saturday per month continues to be popular with demand currently outstripping supply for places. Membership currently stands at 17 due to limitations of space until the new facility is available. Thereafter it is the intention to expand the Quantum Leap offer with a second /complementary group. The Learning Officer is supported by Visitor Host colleagues in delivering Quantum Leap. 8
During autumn 2016 half-term, a series of activities was delivered in the Science Lab by NNL. Grateful thanks to Simon Walker of NNL and his colleagues for working with us. Discussions are underway on future collaborations We are developing a new permanent display for the Changing Times Gallery which will include the recently acquired Norse Hoard from Beckermet. The Hoard was acquired through the Treasure Scheme with financial support from the V&A Purchase Fund, The Hedley Trust and the Friends of the Museum. The Hoard was discovered by two local metal detectorists who have also generously delivered a talk to the Friends and two practical handling/detecting sessions with the Quantum Leap Club. Replica Norse clothing, tools, weapons and artefacts have been commissioned from a local maker which will be used in Learning and Outreach activities and handling sessions within the Museum. Until the acquisition of this Hoard, there was almost no material with which to display or interpret the considerable Norse history of Copeland with the exception of the Gosforth Cross and hogback stones in the church at Gosforth. Loans To complement the display of the Norse Hoard, a loan of Norse material from Manx National Heritage has been agreed and will be installed in early February on the 3 rd floor Gallery. The Isle of Man and Whitehaven have a long history of trading links, including during the Norse period. The loan will run until December 2018 and is displayed in one of our permanent galleries. Since summer last year, a joint project has been running with the National Maritime Museum (NMM) in Greenwich. NMM obtained Lottery funding to undertake the Endeavour Project to redisplay a number of its galleries. The Beacon Museum is one of 5 partner museums working with NMM on different themes to road test audience reaction to these themes and help inform the interpretive strategy for NMM s new galleries. The other four museum locations are Greenwich Libraries, Lewisham Shopping Centre and Chatham Historic Dockyard. The theme the Beacon Museum is working on is Pirates. The focus of the project will be an internationally known bust of a Barbary Pirate which will be on loan from the NMM. This loan from a National Museum is possible as the Beacon now has an Indemnity standard gallery through its Dark Gallery development. Staffing The role of Business Development Manager was filled in October 2016. Alan Irwin has a background in PR and Marketing as well Operations Manager in a major High Street retail chain. Two part-time Visitor Host posts have been converted from flexible hours to permanent contract (22 hours each). A second part-time cleaner was appointed in November. All these appointments are as per the Beacon Business Plan and the development 9
of the Museum offer and additional 4 th floor gallery and forthcoming Conference and Learning Centre. The team of Visitor Hosts, including our young team of seasonal/student colleagues, excelled themselves in creating and facilitating half term and Christmas Activities including a Christmas Fair. Their creativity, imagination and enthusiasm is the key element in the success and delivery of these activities from painting their faces and wearing costume to sharing their own individual skills and talents for the benefit of our visitors. 10