Achievements during 2023/24
To achieve the develop a new leisure contract, we are:
- Undertaking a procurement exercise. New operator to be appointed in December 2024 with the start of new contract 2025.
To achieve the Council’s aim to upgrade Skateboards Parks, we have:
- Upgraded Hullbridge and Rayleigh Leisure
To achieve the Council’s aim to address a Climate Emergency, we have:
- Set a target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, and produced a fully costed Net Zero Carbon 2030 Feasibility Study that demonstrates a 97% reduction in carbon emissions is achievable
To achieve the Council’s aim to develop a flood working group, we have:
- Set up a Flood Working Group, which meets approximately 6 times a year.
To achieve the Council’s aim to create cycle paths: develop a route through Cherry Orchard to link Rayleigh and Rochford and develop a LCWIP (Local Cycling Walking Infrastructure Plan), we have:
- Begun working with Essex CC, who are analysing responses to consultation with a view to producing a report late summer, this will feed into the Local Plan process.
To achieve the Council’s aim to implement a Committee System, we have:
- Implemented the system from May 2024 (annual Council) and provided three training sessions led by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny both pre- and post-election to ensure that all members have had the new system explained to them. Senior officers are also providing guidance to new committee chairmen on how certain matters are to be managed before, during, and after committee meetings. In the autumn, a report will be presented to committee asking for members to agree to an annual programme of member development - this programme will be informed in part by members' needs for support in operating in a committee system.
- A review of the council's scheme of allowances, which was most recently updated in May 2024, will be undertaken in 2025 to review if the allowance rates are properly set based on the changes of members' roles. The work for this is planned for the new year.
To achieve the Council’s aim to deliver a balance budget, we have:
- Delivered a balanced budget, as planned.
To achieve the Council’s aim to improve financial control to reflect Member budget decisions, we have:
- Undertaken a Finance Review and Financial Regulations update, which will be completed in the first half of 2024-25.
To achieve the Council’s aim to arrange for regular removal of documents from exempt as determined by the Act, we have:
- Reviewed our retention and archiving as part of the move from South Street to Launchpad offices and the retention and opening of previously exempt documents will be reviewed once these new arrangements are in place.
To achieve the Council’s aim to progress the Local Plan, we have:
- Finalised and published a number of supporting evidence documents including:
- Economic Development Needs Assessment
- Retail and Leisure Needs Assessment Update
- Employment Land Study
- Commercial Property Market Review
- Town Centre Health Checks
To achieve the Council’s aim to engage business to develop a Business Improvement District, we have:
- Commissioned a feasibility report to explore creation of a Business Improvement District for Rayleigh, Rochford and Hockley
To achieve the Council’s aim to develop a Tourism Strategy, we have:
- Developed a tender specification for the Tourism Strategy.
To achieve the Council’s aim to promote campaigns to enhance community cohesion such as Violence against Women/Race/Hate Crime, we have:
- Community Safety has obtained funding from the Police Fire Crime Commissioners Office for two projects addressing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
- The first initiative is Theatre Inspiring Change, which collaborates with schools and local community groups. This project involves conducting educational workshops and performances designed to raise awareness and foster discussion about VAWG.
- The second project is the Women’s Safety Charter, and they will organise focus groups to gather insights and experiences related to VAWG within the Rochford area. The findings from this work will be utilised to create an educational promotional video for the District. Additionally, the insights gained will inform the development of specialised training sessions across licensed premises to enhance the safety and support for women in these environments.
To achieve the Council’s aim to improve Community Safety defibs/bleed kits/CCTV, we have:
- Funding has been granted to implement bleed kits in licensed premises and police vehicles.
To achieve the Council’s aim to develop Long Term Temporary Housing Plan to enable residents to remain in the District, we have:
- Begun to review our Allocations Policy. Review of Housing and Homelessness explores possible options around Temporary Accommodation.
To achieve the Council’s aim to hold Cost of Living Events, we have:
- Allocated £7k to support Cost of Living events in the district.
Any other achievements in 2023/24
- £150k distributed through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund
- Second annual Rochford District Business Awards held
- Rayleigh Jobs Fair held
- Worked with other South Essex Councils (SEC) to support the South Essex Business Expo held at The Brentwood Centre