Annual report dec 10th web

Stirling Council Annual Report2013/14

stirling.gov.uk phone 0845 277 7000 or 01786 404040 text 07717 990 001

Working for You, Working with You


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Preface

A landmark year

2014 has been particularly memorable for Stirling, and much of the work that made it such a landmark year was done in 2013.

The year-long Stirling 2014 programme of events and activities started with a bang at Stirling’s Hogmanay with Deacon Blue and Dougie MacLean, watched by millions of BBC viewers. This marked the start of an ambitious programme of more than 300 different events across the whole Stirling area.

One of the many highlights was the staging of the Armed Forces Day National Event in June 2014, part of Stirling’s Big Weekend, with Bannockburn Live and Pipefest.

Around 35,000 visitors attended the AFDNE event, which resulted in over £1.5M of expenditure in the Stirling economy and over £800,000 for the wider Scottish economy.

The day celebrated the role of the Armed Forces, and gave the public the opportunity to express their appreciation for their work at home and abroad. A total of 99% of visitors questioned said having an event such as Armed Forces Day was good for the Stirling area, and many said they would return should Stirling stage it again.

Stirling’s Provost Mike Robbins, who hosted the event, said:

“The Armed Forces Day National Event was a spectacular success, enjoyed by all

those who attended and participated, and was undoubtedly one of the highlights

of our well-received, year-long Stirling 2014 programme. In this the 100th year

anniversary of WW1 it has never been more important to show our appreciation

and gratitude to our Armed Forces for everything that they have done and

continue to do for us.”

The wider programme of events across Stirling was developed to provide a varied, high-quality offering throughout the Second Year of Homecoming, and to encourage a sense of ownership and pride among our communities.

Stirling has had a unique opportunity to play a central role during 2014, with potential to re-position the area as both an aspirational visitor destination and a vibrant business location.


Stirling Council is committed to working in partnership with our communities to deliver the best possible services.

During the period 2013/14 we faced a £7.3m budget shortfall, and are having to make £29m savings over five years. In response, the Council is adapting to become more flexible and responsive to the distinct needs and priorities of our city, towns and villages, and to work more closely with our partners and communities to improve our service delivery, offering value for money and achieving better local outcomes.

This report outlines the progress made by the Council during 2013/14, guided by our 18 key priorities, which were agreed in 2012. These priorities help inform and guide decision-making at full Council and Committee meetings.

Some of the highlights and achievements over the last year include:

• Becoming the first local authority to introduce 600 hours per year of free childcare and early learning

• Continuing our commitment to those on lower incomes by paying the Living Wage four months ahead of schedule

• The introduction of Priority Based Budgeting (PBB). This dynamic business planning process allows us to work with our local communities to outline costs and savings over a five-year rolling period

• Recycling and composting 53.4% of household waste in the area, exceeding the Scottish Government target of 50%

This report is structured by Council committee and illustrated with case studies and profiles of some of the people who deliver our services. A performance supplement to this report gives details of performance in 2013/14 on key performance indicators.

We welcome your comments on any aspect of the report. Your feedback is valued and will help shape our priorities and our services in the years ahead. Details of how to have your say are on the back cover. We look forward to hearing from you.

Introduction

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A message from the Chief Executive

STEWART CARRUTH

At Stirling Council we are responding to an increasingly challenging economic environment by seeking innovative and effective ways of delivering high-quality services in partnership with our residents and communities.

As a Council we are always asking ourselves, “How can we do this better?” We strive to be an authority that responds to the needs and priorities of our diverse communities and empowers them to play

a greater role in service delivery.

In this last year, through our Priority Based Budgeting process, we have consulted with our local communities to identify priorities, shape services and approve plans to deliver savings of £10.7M.

Within the Council itself, we are improving the structure and culture of the organisation, introducing new ways of working to become more responsive and efficient, and more able to focus on the outcomes we can achieve for Stirling.

There is much to be proud of in this report, but we are not complacent. Continuing financial strictures and changing demographics mean demand for our services will increase as budgets continue to tighten. We must challenge ourselves further to become a more adaptive and efficient organisation; better connected to our communities, partners and stakeholders; and better able to deliver even more for Stirling in the years ahead.

Stewart Carruth

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A message from the Council Leader

JOHANNA BOYD

Stirling Council has made significant advances across the board in delivering our 18 key priorities over the past 12 months, and we have put in place strong foundations for further far-reaching changes for future years.

We were the first council to introduce 600 hours per year of free childcare and early learning, starting with our ‘looked-after’ two-year-olds and moving on to our three and four-year-olds. We are

committed to ensuring our children have the best possible start in life and free childcare is one way we’re delivering on that. Our schools include some of the best performing in Scotland with results consistently above the national average.

Stirling Council also led the way in introducing the Living Wage. We are living in incredibly challenging times and this organisation strives to think both innovatively and creatively about how we can help those on lower incomes.

The introduction of the Living Wage – more than four months ahead of schedule – demonstrates our commitment to this.

Recent changes to the Discretionary Housing Payment scheme have allowed us to fully mitigate the impact of Welfare Reform. We have also been able to offer emergency financial assistance via the Scottish Welfare Fund, which provides community care grants to help people live independently and crisis grants to help people in emergency situations. We’ve also invested in affordable housing; undertaken more early intervention to support vulnerable families; created stronger links with businesses; and provided increased access to high-speed broadband.

We are working to position Stirling as a vibrant economic centre in partnership with national agencies and the private sector, and with job creation as our top priority.

More recently, I’m extremely proud of the positive exposure gained for Stirling through high-profile events, like the Freedom of the City award for Olympic and Wimbledon champion Andy Murray and the Armed Forces Day National Event.

I want this fantastic work to continue and for us to make even greater strides together to ensure the best possible outcomes for all Stirling residents, and in particular those who need our help most.

Johanna Boyd

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Finance and Economy

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Key priorities

• Examining and delivering on more opportunities for improved models of service delivery

• Deliver and improve upon access to and speed of internet access across the Stirling area

• Streamline business support under the leadership of the business community

• Pursue a diverse high wage economy that delivers local jobs for people across Stirling and a procurement policy that supports this

• Our financial strategy will reflect the current economic challenges by making savings whilst ensuring the delivery of quality services

Examining and delivering on more opportunities for improved models of service delivery

As a Council, we are seeking innovative and effective ways of delivering high quality services to our communities.

What we are doing:

The Council agreed its first budget and five-year business plan under the Priority Based Budgeting (PBB) process in February 2014, following extensive consultation and discussion within our communities. The budget outlined revenue spending of around £200M per year and capital investment of over £50M per year over the next five years, and savings of £10.7M of the required £29M during the same period. Full details of the process can be found on p25. The Council is currently consulting with communities on developing savings options for PBB Year Two.

Meanwhile, our Shared Education Service won a silver award in the Service Innovation and Improvement category at the 2014 COSLA Excellence Awards in March 2014.

Education Committee Convenor Alistair Berrill said: “Our shared Education Service with Clackmannanshire is a pioneering approach to service delivery that has encouraged collaborative working and has brought about improved exam results and efficiencies. Elected members from both councils, and all political parties, have worked together in a spirit of cooperation, and it is pleasing that this has been recognised nationally.”


Deliver and improve upon access to and speed of internet access across the Stirling area

The Council aims to increase the number of properties in the Stirling area with access to the high-speed broadband services that are so crucial to economic development and the social well-being of the area.

What we are doing:

The Council’s Broadband Strategy, which was developed in consultation with local communities and businesses, and approved by the Finance and Economy Committee in March 2013, sets out key interventions to improve broadband access across rural and urban Stirling area.

As part of the national Step Change broadband infrastructure programme, the Scottish Government is funding next generation broadband connectivity to 75% of premises across Scotland, through a delivery contract with British Telecom. This contract states that the Stirling Council area will receive 93.4% superfast broadband coverage to premises (an increase of 18.4% on the Scottish Government’s base requirement of 75%) as a direct result of £0.6M of additional funding provided by the Council. The Council formally agreed to provide this funding in September 2013.

Finance and Economy Committee Convenor Councillor Neil Benny said: “Better broadband access and faster speeds deliver real economic and social benefits. It will also be an essential part of the future provision of services to local communities. The Broadband Advisory Group, which was formed in June 2013, plays a key role, giving expert advice to the Council on implementing our broadband strategy. It is our hope that by 2017, the majority of urban and rural business premises in the Stirling area will have access to fast broadband.”

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Pursue a diverse high wage economy that delivers local jobs for people across Stirling and a procurement policy that supports this

Our desire is to work in partnership with the local business community, to take forward shared economic ambitions, underpinned by strategic infrastructure priorities and investment opportunities, to deliver high impact projects to support sustainable growth and diversification of Stirling’s economy.

What we are doing:

Stirling’s Economic Strategy has been refreshed in consultation with the local business community and partner agencies. We are taking forward the key objectives of the strategy, including creating confidence in Stirling’s economy, marketing the area’s unique advantages, advancing investment opportunities and accommodating growth through investment in infrastructure.

A City Strategic Infrastructure Plan for Stirling has also been developed. This outlines plans to promote investment through prioritised economic projects including improved broadband connectivity, key road and transport links, city centre enhancements, and provision of modern business accommodation. To support the infrastructure planning, the Council are developing a City of Stirling Development Framework, which will include master plans, business cases for investment and implementation plans; with the full engagement of public and private sector stakeholders.

To oversee this work, the City Commission for Stirling will bring together national agencies, utilities and the private sector to steer the delivery of the key infrastructure projects and Development Framework.

A programme of actions and initiatives to bolster Stirling city centre’s place at the heart of local life was agreed by the Council’s Finance & Economy Committee in June 2013. The Stirling City Centre Strategy and Action Plan outlined the vision for the city centre over a five-year period and revealed plans to improve economic, environmental and social well-being in the core of the city.

In support of local businesses, the Council has spent £51.5M, or 47% of our procurement budget, with local employers, exceeding our target of 30%.

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Streamline business support under the leadership of the business community

Our aim is to encourage a vibrant local economy and to win jobs and investment by empowering the business community itself to take the lead on growth and development.

What we are doing:

In February 2014, the Council supported the establishment of the Stirling branch of the Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce, providing a forum for local businesses along with a range of support services. At the same time, the Council also supported the formation of Destination Stirling, the tourism marketing partnership, which promotes Stirling while supporting improvements to the tourism offer.

The Council is also supporting the development of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in Stirling city centre and Dunblane. The BID is a business-led initiative that sees organisations work together and invest collectively to shape and improve the local business environment.

Discover Dunblane Chair Tom Casey said:

“The support from elected members and council officers has been fantastic. A key

factor in receiving this investment is the shared vision of the potential that exists

for Dunblane to contribute to the execution of the Council’s strategy for economic

and community improvements. This is not just a High Street initiative, but involves

all business types and locations within the Dunblane area.”

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Our financial strategy will reflect the current economic challenges by making savings whilst ensuring the delivery of quality services

Our aim is to respond positively to reduced Scottish Government funding and increased demand for services by finding new ways of doing more with less.

What we are doing:

Through the Council’s PBB process, which involved extensive consultation with local communities, service priorities were agreed and £10.7M of savings were identified. Key service options that were agreed as part of the process included:

• A number of options to redesign service provision within Social Services

• A review of grant support to external and third sector bodies

• An improvement in street lighting energy efficiency through capital investment

• A revised option for re-negotiating the service for supporting primary school swimming rather than withdrawing the service

Finance and Economy Convenor Neil Benny said: “We have taken a strategic approach to financial planning because we are committed to continuing to deliver high quality services for everyone in the Stirling Council area. This approach ensures that there is significant, targeted investment and that only the most appropriate savings are made.”

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Living Wage

Stirling Council has been setting the standard for protecting those on lower incomes by introducing the Living Wage, which is an hourly pay rate designed to reflect the basic cost of living in the UK. In February 2014, we backdated payment of the new Living Wage to November 2013, more than four months ahead of schedule; the third consecutive year of doing so.

Stirling Council has applied the Living Wage since April 2012 and those on the lowest pay grade have seen their salaries increase by approximately 20% over the past two years (from £6.36 per hour prior to April 2012, to £7.65 per hour from November 2013). Around 160 Stirling Council employees are on the Living Wage.

Council Leader Johanna Boyd said:

“We are determined that Stirling Council should set the standard by implementing

the new Living Wage from November 2013. In these difficult financial times, with

the cost of living continuing to rise, it is important that we remain committed to

protecting and helping our employees on the lowest pay grades, many of whom

are local residents.”

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Key Priorities

• Being a good corporate parent

• Increased focus on early intervention to help families in need

• Improving care for our vulnerable people at home

Being a good corporate parent

Looking after young people in care – what we call corporate parenting – is one of the Council’s key responsibilities. As a good corporate parent, Stirling Council works to ensure a high quality of care for all looked-after children, young people and care leavers in Stirling, up to the age of 21 and sometimes beyond. We aim to give the young people we work with the support, security and opportunities they need to live full and rewarding lives.

Council Leader Johanna Boyd said: “Corporate parenting is not just a responsibility, but an opportunity for us to turn around and improve the life chances and outcomes for each and every one of our looked after children in Stirling. It’s an opportunity to make being in care a positive experience, and gives young people the care, stability and safety which every child deserves.”

What we are doing:

• Listening to our cared-for young people and responding to their needs

• Improving our service through our Corporate Parenting Working Group

• Supporting young people who have moved on and are beginning to live as independent adults.

Through our Supported Lodging scheme, we give young people who have left care the opportunity to stay with individuals or families with a spare room. Placements can last from a few weeks up to two years.

Social Care and Health

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Social Care and Health

Scott’s Story:

Scott suffered neglect and abuse as a young child and entered the care system at the age of five. His troubled background meant that he lacked confidence and suffered complex emotional and behavioural issues that affected his ability to get on with others. Two years ago, he moved into supported lodgings with a local lady named Siobhan.

Siobhan said: “Since being placed in supported lodgings, Scott has begun managing his own behaviour well and has even settled into a part-time job, which has given him motivation and pride in himself. While there have been ups and downs, Scott has developed significantly and is learning how to look after himself and do basic household chores. He recently told me that he thinks of me as his mum.”

Scott said: “I’ve learned how to cook better, also how to manage my independence better. There’s a very homely feeling within supported lodgings.”

Emma’s Story:

Emma (21) was in long-term foster care with Lynne and Stuart from age nine through to age 16.

Emma said: “Lynne and Stuart made me feel welcome from the first time I met them. People say it’s horrible being in care, but being fostered by them was the best thing that had ever happened to me. They taught me so much and I was just like part of the family.

“I can honestly say I never felt unsafe or unwanted. The house was always a happy and busy home. I loved being a part of the family and I still am, even though I am not staying at home anymore. I see them all the time and we’re in contact almost every day.”

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Max and Alyson’s Story:

After registering as adopters, a child was identified for placement with Max and Alyson Hislop in December 2013. They worked with Stirling Council Adoption and Fostering Social Worker Heather Martin.

Heather said: “Alyson and Max were told that they might be able to adopt a two- year-old boy from Falkirk, who had a troubled family history and was at risk of suffering the long-term effects of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. Alyson and Max worked with the boy’s foster carer, as well as Stirling Council social workers and Falkirk Council child care team, to ensure he felt comfortable before moving him to live with them permanently.

“The little boy is now a bright and happy little boy, who is meeting all key milestones and is adored by his new family. He recently began attending nursery on a part-time basis. I feel humbled by this experience and the marvellous job this family – and other families like them – has done. It’s the best part of my job.”

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Improving care for our vulnerable people at home

We are working to create effective, affordable services to provide the care that vulnerable people need, and, where possible, to provide care in people’s homes or communities.

What we are doing:

As part of our shared social care service with Clackmannanshire Council, we have introduced the Reablement project to allow care services to be tailored to individual needs, helping older people get the support they need, when they need it.

Reablement has significantly reduced the number of unnecessary hospital admissions and delayed discharges, benefiting older people’s long-term health and well-being and reducing the pressure on NHS resources in Forth Valley. The project rated highly in an inspection by the Care Inspectorate in the spring of 2013.

Social Care and Health Committee Convenor Councillor Christine Simpson said: “We know that most older people want to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible. Bringing a wide range of health and care services together under the one facility and providing the right follow up support in the community can help make this a reality for many more older people.”

Elsewhere, in February and March 2014, Stirling Council teamed up with Stirling Advice Partnership and NHS Forth Valley to provide confidential housing, health and well-being advice to residents in a number of rural locations across the Stirling area.

Meanwhile, Allan Lodge and Beech Gardens care homes were given very good results by the Care Inspectorate after an assessment in Spring 2013. The facilities help reduce the length of time spent in hospitals, encourage independent living and provide space to make life-changing decisions about care needs. Both homes achieved a Grade 5 or ‘very good’ in all areas of the inspection.

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Commitment to tackling gender-based violence

In December 2013, Stirling Council made a commitment to tackling gender-based violence, developing a strategy and action plan and appointing Councillor Danny Gibson as the Council’s White Ribbon champion. Councillor Gibson plays an integral role in promoting White Ribbon campaign activity and chairs the White Ribbon Steering Group, which is a subgroup of the Stirling Action for Change Violence against Women multi-agency partnership.

Councillor Gibson said: “The White Ribbon Scotland campaign is crucial to ensuring that men take an active role in tackling violence against women. I would urge all men in the Stirling Council area to sign up to support the campaign via the website www.whiteribbonscotland.org.uk.”

A key part of White Ribbon Scotland’s remit is prevention work with young people. In 2011, Stirling Council became the first local authority in Scotland to receive White Ribbon City status.

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Increased focus on early intervention to help families in need.

All young people should have the best possible lives and opportunities. We are identifying children at-risk as early as possible and providing the support they and their families need. This can also benefit the community by reducing crime and antisocial behaviour.

What we are doing:

• Supporting children and young people through child protection, providing a range of family support services including advice, information and practical help, and ensuring that children are protected from abuse and neglect

• Working closely with representatives from NHS Forth Valley, Police Scotland and the voluntary and independent sectors through the Stirling Child Protection Committee

• Providing assistance for children affected by disability or who have special needs and their families

• Coordinating our work with other agencies to make sure that we collectively support vulnerable families

• Using and sharing data effectively to identify families at risk of developing problems

• Addressing causes, not just symptoms, of troubled families to provide help at an early stage and help families cope better

In Stirling, we have set up Health Spot, a confidential and informal health information service for secondary school pupils, who can access it once a week during their lunch-break. The project was successfully rolled out in Clackmannanshire before being extended to Balfron High School in Stirling in 2013, and the aim is to extend the service to all local high schools so that young people across the area can access advice, help and support when they need it.

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Key priorities

• Build more socially rented housing

• Ensure enforcement action is taken across all areas of Council activity and make full use of Council policy to combat anti-social behaviour

• Make resurfacing roads, paths and pavements the service priority across the whole Stirling area

• Adopt a pragmatic approach to sustainability that protects and enhances the local environment

Building more socially rented housing

The Council aims to ensure a good supply of quality and affordable homes for rent, and is working to meet the different housing needs of families, couples and single people.

What we are doing:

Our Housing and Customer Service team works with around 5,500 local residents on a daily basis, managing the Council’s stock of flats and houses. We also work with Forth Housing Association and Rural Stirling Housing Association to develop affordable housing across the area. Our vision is to provide affordable, desirable and sustainable housing across the Stirling area and to deliver a high-quality service for our tenants.

The Council’s current Strategic Local Programme runs to March 2015 and includes 16 Council housing developments providing 171 new homes. At the end of the 2013 / 14 financial year, a total of six projects providing 86 homes had been completed. These included 12 new two-bedroom flats for Killin, which were officially unveiled in December 2013. All have been built to a high standard of energy efficiency with solar panels, high levels of insulation and a mechanical heat recovery system.

Housing Convenor Councillor Violet Weir said: “The completion of this development was a great achievement for everyone involved. It faced many challenges, including the weather and the location, but the Council, our project partners and the local community in Killin supported it throughout. It has provided much-needed affordable housing for the area.”

Environment and Housing

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The development was completed thanks to an investment of £1.56M from the Council, with the Scottish Government contributing project grant funding of £30,000 per flat.

At the same time, four new two-bedroom bungalows were also completed at Station Road, Bannockburn, again all built to a high standard of thermal efficiency as well as being made wheelchair accessible throughout.

Work on a £9.3M multi-tenure affordable housing project also began in Glendevon Drive, Raploch, in late 2013. The project – a partnership between Stirling Council, Cruden Homes (East) Limited, Forth Housing Association and RURC – will result in 24 flats and two bungalows for Stirling Council. A further 20 homes for social rent were to be provided by Forth Housing Association Ltd and an extra 42 properties for private sale by Cruden Homes (East) Limited.

Council Leader Johanna Boyd: “I was at the ground breaking ceremony for this site in January and it’s great to now see this project coming to a conclusion. The houses and flats at Glendevon Drive will be a fantastic boost to our current affordable housing stock and also help to deliver on the Council’s key objectives of regenerating communities and delivering more socially rented housing.”

Meanwhile, in December 2013, a report from the Care Inspectorate praised the Council’s Housing Support Service, concluding that it operated at a ‘very good’ level throughout.

Housing Portfolio Holder Councillor Violet Weir said:

“This report reflects not only Stirling Council’s commitment to supporting those

who use our housing services, but the sheer hard work of the whole team who pull

together to ensure that the service they provide is among the best anywhere.”

Elsewhere, Housing and Customer Service’s Income Maximisation Officers helped tenants and homeless people claim over £2.3M in unclaimed benefits in 2013 / 14. Since 2008, the team has brought in over £9.2M for the people they work with, helping to sustain tenancies, prevent homelessness and tackle poverty in the Stirling area.

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Adopt a pragmatic approach to sustainability that protects and enhances the local environment.

We aim to enhance the character of our city, towns and villages through practical improvements to sustainability and the environment.

What we are doing:

Stirling Council was one of the first local authorities to adopt a waste collection system in line with the national Zero Waste Plan, meeting Government targets and providing best value. In 2013 / 14 we recycled more than 53% of domestic waste and our Waste Services team was recognised as being one of Scotland’s best.

Environment Convenor Councillor Danny Gibson said:

“The vast majority of citizens right across the Stirling Council area are doing their

bit to reduce, reuse and recycle and their participation and support is crucial to

improving our environment, increasing recycling rates and reducing landfill costs.”

The Council has established a Sustainable Development and Climate Change Working Group, tasked with identifying areas that could benefit from action or investment through a Sustainability Action Plan. The group will also help to identify ways of reducing energy consumption across the Council estate.

In November 2013, Stirling entered into a unique agreement with the Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) as the Council signed up to the CSGN’s Local Authority Concordat. The CSGN is Europe’s largest green space initiative, which seeks to transform Central Scotland into a place where the environment adds value to the economy and where people’s lives are enriched by its quality.

Council Leader Johanna Boyd said: “We must collectively plan and utilise our open spaces to best effect through partnership working with local communities and key agencies, and the Central Scotland Green Network provides that collaborative opportunity, as we seek to maximise the contribution of the whole land asset in terms of its usage, quality, connectivity and economic potential. We look forward to working with our partners on these shared aspirations and outcomes.”

Also, in 2013 / 14 a total of 11 community projects shared £50,000 of Council funding to help improve the local environment. Awards ranged from £1100 to replace a damaged fence in a Cornton play area up to £13,750 towards path enhancements at Bannockburn’s Ladywell Park. Stirling’s iconic Black Boy Fountain in Allan Park was also fully restored thanks to a grant of £12,000.

In other improvement works, walkers and cyclists can now enjoy the magnificent views along the River Forth thanks to the completion of a new path around the Kildean Loop. The project was led by Stirling Council’s Fisheries team who also carried out a range of other work aimed at maximising the potential of the River Forth, including the building of a new platform near Craigforth for use by disabled anglers.

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Make resurfacing roads, paths and pavements the service priority across the Stirling area

As a Council, our aim is to be proactive in delivering a high-quality repair and maintenance service.

What we are doing:

We have invested a substantial amount upgrading 15,000 street lights, which will improve energy efficiency and create a positive impact on the local environment. We have also been working with local communities on our Flood Management Plan to ensure we identify workable solutions and are adequately prepared for all eventualities.

Improvements are being carried out on King Street, opening up the city centre and making it more aesthetically pleasing.

We have committed £1.7M to restoring the 250-year-old Stevenson Bridge and are carefully managing the associated maintenance and planning works.

The standard of one of Scotland’s busiest streets was improved during March 2014 as part of £50,000 worth of works. Albert Place (outside Stirling’s Smith Art Gallery and Museum) was resurfaced, along with the Corn Exchange (including part of Glebe Avenue).

Environment Convenor Councillor Danny Gibson said: “The quality and safety of our roads and pathways are of paramount importance to the Council and we will continue to invest in infrastructure, equipment and people to ensure the high quality of our road network is maintained.”

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Ensure enforcement action is taken across all areas of Council activity and make full use of Council policy to combat anti-social behaviour

Stirling Council seeks to protect its residents from noisy neighbours, vandalism and other anti-social behaviours that can harm our quality of life. We are also working to prevent harm to the environment from litter, graffiti and fly-tipping.

What we are doing:

We are working closely with individuals, groups, victims and witnesses, police and schools to make sure that we are all aware of the role that we can play in tackling anti-social behaviour.

The council uses Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABC), an early intervention designed to help an individual who is involved in unacceptable or antisocial behaviour to acknowledge this behaviour and its impact on other people, with the aim of stopping it.

An ABC is a voluntary written agreement between the perpetrators and one or more local agencies charged with preventing such behaviour, for example the police, housing, education, social work and youth services, and voluntary organisations. The agreement sets out the antisocial behaviour that the individual has engaged in, and which they agree to stop.

ABCs can be a strong deterrent when the individual knows that if they breach the contract or refuse to enter in to it without acceptable reasons, they may face legal action such as an antisocial behaviour order (ASBO).

Housing Convenor Councillor Violet Weir said:

“The Acceptable Behaviour Contract is a positive and proactive means of tackling

antisocial behaviour, and helping to protect our communities. By working with

individuals on the voluntary written contracts, we are able to have antisocial

behaviour acknowledged and stop such behaviour escalating.”

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Community Planning and Regeneration

Key priorities

• Building a Community Planning Partnership that is democratically led with an engaged community and works towards positive outcomes for Stirling

• Regenerate our most in-need communities to deliver a full range of positive social, environmental and economic outcomes

• Promote opportunities and support access to physical activity and sport for all

• Develop advice services that are fit to support people through the current round of welfare changes by establishing an integrated service with voluntary sector leadership

Building a Community Planning Partnership that is democratically led with an engaged community and works towards positive outcomes for Stirling

Our vision is for a partnership that engages and empowers our communities. We also want to see public agencies working even more closely on services that are best delivered jointly.

What we are doing:

In November 2013, Stirling Council introduced a dynamic business planning process called Priority Based Budgeting (PBB). PBB is a more transparent approach to financial decision-making that outlines all costs and proposed savings over a five-year rolling period.

In February 2014, the Council approved its first five-year business plan and budget using the PBB process after a comprehensive communication and engagement exercise with our communities. At a series of community conversations and discussion forums in November and December 2013, more than 330 people turned out to discuss the issues with Council officers. More than 200 people responded to a survey on the issue and a further 200 comments and responses were received by the Council. That process allowed us to identify approved savings of £10.7M of the indicative required savings of £29M in the five-year-period to 2018.

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The Council is currently consulting again with our communities for the second year of PBB.

Council Leader Johanna Boyd said:

“This approach really helped to open up a dialogue between the Council and

the people who live, work and visit the Stirling area. I believe it strengthened

relationships and helped us to identify ways of delivering sustainable services.”

Meanwhile, in June 2013, Stirling Council consulted members of the creative community on future arts and cultural spending in the area. The Council invests more than £1M a year in the arts and culture and the consultation was aimed at ensuring that the money spent brings the maximum benefits to Stirling’s arts sector.

Community Planning and Regeneration Convenor Councillor Corrie McChord said:

“The arts and culture are of enormous value to Stirling, its people and economy

and we want to do all we can to ensure they have firm foundations on which

to flourish. The consultation was aimed at making sure that we make the best

possible use of the money we have. We consulted with key stakeholders from the

area’s arts and culture sector and with organisations at a regional and national

level.”

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Regenerate our most in need communities to deliver a full range of positive social, environmental and economic outcomes

Building and maintaining vibrant, positive and safe communities is vital to the economic and social well-being of the Stirling area.

What we are doing:

Between January and May 2013, a refresh exercise took place to establish if the Raploch Masterplan and Design Guide, originally approved in 2004, remained fit for purpose. The refresh recommended some minor infrastructure and re-zoning changes, small amendments to the design guide and opportunities to improve local amenities including community gardens.

Community Planning and Regeneration Convenor Councillor Corrie McChord said: “The physical element of the Raploch Regeneration Project was aimed largely at providing significant levels of new housing in the Raploch area. However with the economic downturn from 2008 onwards the level of housing development was significantly less than anticipated. Following a review and consultation exercise a revised Raploch Masterplan and Design Brief were produced.”

The Community Planning and Regeneration Committee approved both the Raploch Masterplan and Design Guide.

In addition, Stirling Council has regenerated the riverbank area around the River Forth to allow ease of access, and attract visitors to the area and is continuing to work with communities on a 10-year park plan. Meanwhile, Bruce View Community Park in Cultenhove was officially reopened in October 2013 after a two-year multi-agency regeneration project that cost just under £180,000.

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Promote opportunities and support access to physical activity and sport for all.

Our aim is to make Stirling the leading Scottish city for sport, able to cater for everyone from able-bodied and disabled athletes and amateurs to those wanting a country walk or quiet cycle ride.

What we are doing:

As a Council, we have seen an increase in the number of people taking part in sport through the Council’s sports body, Active Stirling, to 1.2M, up 6% on the previous year. The number of Active Schools participant sessions has risen by 60% to 116,000. A new GP referral scheme has attracted 250 referrals to Active Stirling in its first year.

At the start of this year all P6 pupils in Stirling got the chance to take part in free ski training, giving them the chance to try a new sport. Working with Active Stirling and Snowsport Scotland, the Council provided funding and logistical support. Participating schools appointed their own ski leader to coordinate the project.

Trossachs and Teith ward Councillor Martin Earl, who spearheaded the project, said: “This was a one-off pilot but a wonderful opportunity for pupils across the Council area to have a go at a sport they might otherwise never have had the chance to try. It’s also an excellent example of how by working with a range of other organisations we can help to increase the range of such opportunities available.”

Sport also continues to play an important part in Stirling’s high schools where the Champions in Schools project is broadening pupils’ horizons. Another partnership project, this one sees the Council working together with the Winning Scotland Foundation. At Bannockburn High School, three groups of S1 pupils enjoyed visits from rugby sevens star Colin Gregor, curler Lauren Gray, and hill runner Angela Mudge during the summer term of 2013. The athlete visits were complemented by a series of coaching and teambuilding workshops.

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Develop advice services that are fit to support people through the current round of welfare changes by establishing an integrated service with voluntary leadership

At Stirling Council our aim is to help the many families affected by the financial climate and the biggest round of welfare changes in 60 years by providing an independent advice service that links up with specialist charities.

What we are doing:

The Council has been working with partners and the voluntary sector to set up the Stirling Advice Partnership, a new service to help Stirling residents cope with housing and debt problems, make the most of their money and keep their homes. The service brings together experts from Stirling Council, Shelter Scotland and Macmillan Cancer Support and is grant funded by Stirling Council (with grant aid support from NHS Forth Valley, Falkirk Council and the Scottish Legal Aid Board).

The new service launched in June 2014 and is based at Customer First in Stirling’s city centre. It provides free, confidential information, advice, advocacy and representation on: benefits, income maximisation, money/ debt, housing options, and tenancy problems.

Stirling Council Leader Johanna Boyd said: “The Stirling Advice Partnership brings together existing services provided by the Council, MacMillan Cancer Care, Shelter and The Scottish Legal Aid Board to provide a single source for advice on housing, benefits, debt and welfare reform. As an independent charity it will be able to work with funders and other advice providers to ensure that high quality advice is available across the Stirling area to anyone that needs it. Putting this in place has been a key priority for the Council and I’m delighted that it is now a reality.”

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Education

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Key Priorities

• Improve the outcomes for the lowest performing 20% of children in nurseries and schools

• Provide additional nursery and out of school care places throughout the Stirling area to support families

Improve the outcomes for the lowest performing 20% of children in nurseries and schools

At Stirling Council we are committed to ensuring that all of our 14,000 school and nursery pupils have the best education possible. Our schools include some of the best performing in Scotland with results consistently above the national average. Recent national league tables showed that the Stirling Council area came third out of Scotland’s 32 local authorities in terms of pupils achieving five or more Highers (21%). At the same time, Stirling has been focused on measures to improve the results and prospects of the lowest-performing 20% of pupils.

What we are doing:

The Council’s commitment to raising attainment involves working with a range of partners both locally and nationally. Initiatives include the Opportunities for All cross-sector partnership to improve employability opportunities.

The dedicated Employability Fund has also been used to secure training contracts from Skills Development Scotland, supporting those young people furthest from being ready to enter the jobs market due to a range of complex issues. During 2013 / 2014, 44 participants are either still in training or have progressed further down the line towards employment.

Meanwhile, the Employer Recruitment Incentive offers a 50% subsidy on the wages of young, first-time employees for a six month period. Through this incentive, a total of 21 additional job opportunities have been created.


Match funding under the European Support Fund – Young Working Lives Programme – has also boosted the chances of even the most disadvantaged with the main focus here being on 16 to 19-year-olds and particularly those young people leaving care; carers; young offenders; young people with physical and mental health problems; and young people misusing drugs or alcohol. Fifty young people have engaged in this programme, with 22 moving into employment and eight taking up places in further education. The remaining 20 are still being supported to move forward.

The Council also continues to invest in the Modern Apprenticeship Programme, progressing towards its target of having 5% of the workforce under the age of 26 in first level posts by March 2015. The current figure is 3.8% with 67 young people participating in 25 vocational areas across the Council.

The Council has also provided some schools with an Attendance and Welfare Officer to work with families and improve young people’s school experience. We have also put in place Inclusion Support Workers to bridge the home-school gap and work individually with vulnerable young people and their families. Support for youngsters in this bracket continues even after they have left school, with the Council’s Youth Services taking forward a number of initiatives to maximise their chances of moving into further education or securing employment or training.

Education Convenor Councillor Alistair Berrill said:

“There are many factors which can contribute to lower performance – family

poverty, problems with health, well-being or housing, additional support or

learning needs, reduced attendance at school, and other social and emotional

issues. I expect our schools to foster a culture of high expectations, and to broaden

the horizons and the ambitions of all our pupils. Every pupil is entitled to receive

the best possible education in order for his or her potential to be fully realised –

that is what Stirling Council is committed to providing.”

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Provide additional nursery and out of school care places throughout the Stirling area to support working families

Working families need high quality, affordable childcare. At Stirling Council, we are leading the way in making sure that families in Stirling can access 600 hours per year of free early learning and childcare.

What we are doing:

Stirling blazed a trail when it became the first local authority in Scotland to introduce 600 hours per year free early learning and childcare for all families.

A phased introduction of the new entitlement – a substantial increase in the 475 hours previously offered – began here in January 2014, initially taking in all looked after two-year-olds and children aged two with kinship care orders.

The Scottish Government’s Children and Young People’s Bill called for all three and four-year-olds to have access to the additional hours from August, and even here, Stirling was ahead of the rest.

The phased introduction got underway across the Council’s 18 nursery classes attached to schools and 11 stand-alone establishments from April, as additional funding provided to facilities at East Plean and St Ninian’s enabled them to become early adopters of the policy.

A key part of the early introduction strategy was the commitment to provide additional staffing resources to nursery classes where the new hours were implemented ahead of schedule and newly appointed staff members are all fully qualified early childhood educators (ECEs).

Council Leader Johanna Boyd said: “We have some of the best nursery education in Scotland and are insisting that all the providers we work with are of a very high standard. This policy means that all of our youngest children will be getting the best possible start, with excellent care in an environment which lays the vital foundations for their later education.”

As well as improving the learning experience for up to 2000 Stirling children, the new provision will also benefit families as a whole. Stirling Council also offers play, education and leisure opportunities for school-aged children before and after the school day and in the school holidays. We also provide support to enable the development and improvement of new and existing organisations delivering out-of-school care across the Council area and we give start-up support and advice to new groups.

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Raploch’s Big Noise

In January 2014 Big Noise’s Big Trip saw a group of 52 children from Raploch’s pioneering orchestra travel to Venezuela as guests of charity El Sistema. There, they participated in a four-day seminar with local children and formed a huge bi-national orchestra that rehearsed intensively for up to seven hours at a stretch. The visit culminated in a performance at the Centre for Social Action through Music in Caracas, followed by a reception hosted by the British ambassador to Venezuela.

Education Convenor Councillor Alistair Berrill said: “Big Noise isn’t just about the music, it’s about changing lives. The trip was a great success. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience for the children involved.”

To ensure that the wider community benefited from the Big Trip, a Big Fiesta was held in Raploch Campus when the orchestra returned.

Councillor Berrill added: “We wanted to use the trip to create a feeling of excitement, anticipation and pride in the wider community, and to ensure that children who weren’t able to travel to Venezuela benefited from the broader experience. This resulted in The Big Fiesta, which was highly effective in focusing on some of the younger children and meeting families not previously engaged with Big Noise.”

Each week, Big Noise engages with 80% of eligible youngsters. Of those who started with Big Noise while they were at primary school, 42 children now in S1-4 remain committed members.

Stirling Council’s partnership with Big Noise and their leadership in social regeneration in the community was also recognised with a Gold Award at the COSLA Excellence Awards 2014.

Council Leader Johanna Boyd said: “Big Noise Raploch has always been about so much more than music. It is a transformational programme, aimed at nurturing a new generation of children, helping them realise their potential and equipping them to succeed in all areas of their lives.”

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School Meals

Health and well-being continue to be of the utmost importance for Stirling schools and this year the Council became the first local authority in Scotland to secure the coveted silver level Food for Life Catering Mark from the Soil Association for its school meals service.

The mark means that all Stirling Council schools produce meals that are freshly prepared using seasonal ingredients, are better for animal welfare, and free from harmful additives including trans fats and GM ingredients.

Facilities Management Service Manager Margaret Gilmour said: “We were thrilled to secure the bronze level award in March 2012 and decided to build on that success by working for the silver level award. In partnership with our colleagues in the Education Service, we’ve made lots of different connections between food and cooking and the health and well-being of our young people.

As a result the number of children choosing school dinners rose from 38% to 66% in one school alone, with numbers still rising. From April 2014, organic milk also began to be served in all local primary schools.

Meanwhile, the Education and Facilities Management services have been working together to add even more value to school meals, not just providing children with healthy eating options but also getting them involved on the catering side themselves, and linking school meals to wider areas of the curriculum.

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Other Committees

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee receives and considers reports on a range of issues and reports concerned with ensuring the Council is functioning properly, both financially and in a wider operational sense.

It is also made aware of any risks to the Council’s functioning and can call for investigations into specific areas of interest or concern.

Over the last year, the committee has worked on re-framing the reporting mechanism to contextualise outstanding actions so that risks to the Council can be properly determined. This has improved the transparency and accountability of council services.

Public Safety Committee

The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 brought together eight former police forces, the Scottish Police Services Authority and the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency establishing a single Police Service for Scotland known as Police Scotland which became operational from 1 April 2013. The Act also created the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), replacing the former eight fire and rescue authorities and joint fire and rescue boards. This new Service also came into operation on 1 April 2013.

Councils are responsible for scrutinising the performance of Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service at local level. In Stirling Council this role is undertaken by the Public Safety Committee.

2013 - 14 has been the first year of operation for both Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the first year of this new role for the Committee. Work undertaken by the Committee reflects these changes and has focussed primarily on developing effective relationships with these organisations and ensuring local priorities are addressed.

The Committee, through extensive engagement with both organisations has ensured local community priorities are embedded in their Local Plans approved in 2014, and designed to guide their operations for the next three years. The Committee has also considered the local impact of emerging national policies and issues and contributed to wider debates on these on behalf of our communities and the Council.

The Committee also successfully negotiated the retention of Traffic Wardens locally reflecting the importance of traffic enforcement as a community priority, and making the Stirling Council one of the few local authorities to do so.

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Our People

Strathyre Primary School Catering Supervisor Marianne Hendry

“We have a phrase here – ‘Don’t be scared of your lunch.’ It is a fact that certain children can be scared of eating something new and I like just to try and encourage them to try different things, without any pressure.

“I’m a bit of an activist for healthy eating and local produce and any chance to pass that on is great. It’s good to be able to do things that probably just wouldn’t be possible in a larger school, even with more staff on hand. The other day I was able to make personalised rolls with their own initials on them for the

children, which is just a nice thing to be able to do for them.

“It’s a very satisfying job in a lot of ways, and a lot of fun.”

Trading Standards Officer Lindsay McNeil

“A lot of my job is about educating traders about what they can and can’t do, the things they need to look out for and so on,” she says. I also organise for youngsters to go into premises and try to buy products they aren’t legally allowed to. Again that’s not about catching people out as much as about education.

“In most cases traders are doing exactly what they should do and in the few cases where that isn’t

happening my role is to step in and make sure they do in future. At the end of the day it’s all about making sure teenagers and younger are being kept safe.”

“It’s probably one of the few jobs where you actually welcome complaints. There’s something different to do every day and I enjoy the variety. More than that, though, it’s very satisfying to know that through your investigations or the advice you give you are actually helping people in a very real way.”

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Customer Service Development Project Manager Carol Herity

“I’ve been with Stirling Council for six years but worked in a customer-facing role in financial services for 25 years before that and like to think I bring a lot of what I learned there with me to this job. We’re looking at ways of making it possible for customers to deal with us in a more efficient manner and in a way that suits them.

“One of the things we’re looking at is making it possible for customers to deal with one person at the Council from start to finish, rather than having to be passed around.

“That’s all about making sure staff have the knowledge they need to be able to do that and to make sure the systems are in place with enough information that they can easily find out the things they don’t necessarily know off the top of their head.

“It’s also about making sure that information is easy to find online if that is how customers would prefer to interact with us.

“If you ask me what I enjoy about my job I would say I like working with people all across the Council, but more than that it does feel like you’re doing something that really will help people and make a difference.”

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Survey and Information Officer Gordon Lawrie

“We are responsible for managing and maintaining information on the Council’s property ownership - which includes everything from schools and parks to road verges. It’s obviously important for people and organisations to have access to that information when they need it.

“We also assist with things like traffic surveys if consideration is being given to roadworks say, or similarly with schools where there are plans for a rebuilding programme. In a lot of ways we’re the foundation for a lot of other things. We’re not always the

most obvious or most visible service, but a lot of projects and works that do have an impact on people couldn’t happen without us.

“A lot of it is desk-based but I do enjoy the chance to get out and about now and then as well. The team I work with are great as well - very professional, very industrious – we just like to get our heads down and get on with it.”

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Senior Library Assistant Ray Cramb

“I help out with the Taste IT sessions that we run, helping people get to grips with the basics of computers, and answering any specific questions they might have.

“I’m also currently involved in developing another series of classes for people looking to understand more about using iPads.

“It’s definitely good being able to bring interests and skills you already have into the workplace and the variety is good as well.

“I like going out to the branches and having the freedom to come up with different ideas to improve the service, including looking at ways just now of taking some of the IT work out to residential care homes and into the prison system.

“It’s the sort of job where you can really feel part of the community.”

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Community Worker Andy Davis

“Along with the rest of the team, I support community groups to help them take forward different project ideas, analyse opportunities and make the most of them, engage with other partners, and build capacity to get things done. One of the main things we do is help communities work through ideas and establish what needs to happen when, and how, in order to achieve their objectives. Working for the Council really helps as you know who to go to for various things, and can facilitate meetings and partnerships – there’s quite a lot of negotiating involved.

“It was amazing to be involved in the Bruce View community park project from the very start, right through to its completion and opening. The park has really transformed the area and made a once under-used area with safety concerns into a buzzing community hub that people use and enjoy.”

Development Officer Neil Ramsay, helps local groups apply for grants under the Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER programme for economic and community development.

“The application process can be quite tricky to work through so a lot of the job has been about helping groups to say the right things in the right way.

“A lot of our grants go to existing community groups who want to undertake new work and we will proactively go out to communities to ask if they have anything that could benefit from our backing. We’re always happy to be approached as well though.

“Obviously it’s great to feel you’re doing something to help communities who want to grow or diversify,” he says. “A lot of the projects we back wouldn’t be able to get off the ground otherwise so it’s satisfying to know that in a small way you’re really helping to make a difference.”

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Formats

Copies of our leaflets are available by request in arange of other languages, large print and on audiotape. To request articles in any of these formatsplease email or call 0845 277 7000.

Have Your SayAs a Council we are committed to engaging with our communities and our citizens. We want to know what you think of this Annual Report. Your feedback will help shape our services and our priorities in the years ahead. We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact details

Email: [email protected]

Mail: Communications Team, Stirling Council Old Viewforth Stirling FK8 2ET

Social Media: Stirling Council @StirlingCouncil

Documents

Annual report dec 10th web