Bedford Borough’s Sustainable Community Strategy 2009-2021
BBP006_09 Sustainable Community Strategy / designed by DSD Design, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford MK42 9AP - 01234 267433 / Printed on 80% recycled paper
Photography: Bob Johns - www.expresspictures.co.uk / Hedj Dollman - www.inrogue.co.uk / David Maxwell LRPS / BRCC Services Ltd / Jordi Lafon - BCA Gallery / Bedford Borough Council PR Photo Library / Copyright © 2009
Our Vision
We are pleased to present our Sustainable Community Strategy for the new unitary Borough
of Bedford.
We believe that Bedford Borough should be a place of opportunity where everybody can fully
realise their potential and influence the decisions that affect their daily lives. People
should feel connected with the Borough and proud to celebrate its rich natural and built
environment, diversity and history. We want to improve the quality of life of present and
future generations and ensure that those who live and work in the Borough are supported to
lead healthy and fulfilled lives. To do this, we need to tackle the real and pressing issues
facing the Borough – around jobs; employment; housing; crime; skills and education – and
adapt to the pressures and demands of a growing and ageing population.
We are aware of the burden our way of life places on the planet on which we depend. We
know the consequences of already unavoidable climate change are increasing stress on
resources and environmental systems. Therefore, we believe that the
future of Bedford Borough must be founded on sustainable principles. We will
ensure that our actions and delivery follow these key principles:
t
t
t
t
sustainable consumption and production
reducing carbon emissions and promoting energy efficiency
natural resource protection and environmental enhancement
sustainable communities
(see http://www.inspire-east.org.uk/sustainablecommunitiessessions.aspx)
We are committed to delivering this vision and will lead by example, but we cannot
make this happen on our own. We hope that all partners, stakeholders, citizens and
communities will take responsibility, demonstrate commitment and make practical
contributions to help realise our vision for Bedford Borough.
Dave Hodgson
John Cross
Mayor of Bedford Borough
Co-Chair
Bedford Borough Partnership Board
Chief Executive of bpha
Co-Chair
Bedford Borough Partnership Board
3
Bedford Borough Sustainable Community Strategy 2009-2021
Introduction
AThrivingBorough
ATh
A
ii B
h
Economic Development, Regeneration and Enterprise
AGreenerBorough
Environment and Climate Change
AnAspiringBorough
5
9
13
17
Children and Young People
AHealthyBorough
Adult Health and Well Being
ASaferBorough
Safer Communities
AnInclusiveBorough
21
25
29
Social Inclusion, Community Cohesion and Culture
AGrowingBorough
Housing and Transport
Annex A
The Bedford Borough Partnership Board
Annex B
How the Bedford Borough Partnership is Organised
33
37
38
Introduction
Northamptonshire
Bedford Borough covers an area of 476 square kilometres. Almost 155,000 people live in the
Borough and many more work here, or use the Borough for shopping, recreation or key services.
Over the next fifteen years the Borough’s population is planned to grow by 20,000.
Cambridgeshire
The Borough is home to a large number of distinctive communities, each with its own unique
identity. At its heart is the county town of Bedford.
The quality of life for those who live, work or visit the Borough depends on many organisations
– the Council, Police, Fire & Rescue and healthcare organisations, as well as Parish and
Town Councils, Urban Community Councils, businesses, voluntary organisations, tenants and
residents associations, community, race and faith groups, individual residents, workers and
visitors. Tens of thousands of people have an impact on what it feels like to live and work in
the Borough.
Bedford Borough
Milton
Keynes
Central Bedfordshire
Hertfordshire
Luton
Buckinghamshire
5
What is the Bedford Borough
Partnership and what is a
Sustainable Community Strategy?
Local quality of life is more likely to
improve if we can all agree what needs
to be achieved and how we will work
together to make the changes that are
necessary to maintain and improve life
for the Borough’s residents, workers and
visitors.
The Bedford Borough Partnership is an
inclusive confederation of all the
organisations and bodies who, in some
way, are working to improve the quality off
life of people in the Borough.
The Partnership Board brings together
representatives from the Borough Council,
l,
the Police, NHS Bedfordshire, Parish and
d
Town Councils, schools, voluntary
organisations, business and community
groups. A list of Board members can be
found at Annex A.
The Board is responsible for pulling together
ther
the Sustainable Community Strategy for
the Borough and securing the buy-in from
m
partners that is necessary to make the goals
oals
and aims of the Strategy a reality.
The Strategy sets out the Partnership’s
vision for the future of Bedford Borough and
the goals that the Partnership is seeking to
achieve. The Strategy explains what the
Partnership is planning to do (our aims) to
o
meet those goals. The Partnership will keep
eep
p
local residents and stakeholders in the
Borough involved and informed of progress.
ss.
The starting point for the development of this
Sustainable Community Strategy has been
en
an understanding of what things are like in
n the
Borough and how they are set to change,, for
example, because our population is growing
wing and
we are living longer; because of the changing
ging
demands of the labour market; or because
se of the
impact of climate change.
6
Armed with th
this knowledge, the Partnership Board has developed a series of goals for the future of the Borough.
These reflect our analysis of what needs to be done to tackle the pressing problems that have been identified.
The goals ha
have been organised around seven themes, which together reflect our vision – a Borough which is:
Thriving...
Thriving...
with a str
stronger
ronger local economy delivering higher levels of grow
growth and employment for the benefit of
the Boro
Borough’s existing and future residents;
Greener...
Greener...
G
reener...
supporting
suppor
rting a high quality natural and built environment which is valued and enjoyed by all;
which encourages biodiversity and supports the development of a low carbon community,
including local businesses, capable of adapting to the impacts of climate change;
includ
Aspiring...
Aspiring
A
spiring
whe
where
ere all the Borough’s children and young people are able tto lead safe, healthy and happy
live
lives and are provided with opportunities to develop their self-esteem, maximise their life
chances and realise their full potential;
cha
Healthy...
Healthy...
H
ealthy...
w
where
everybody has access to high-quality health and social
socia care services when they
need them and the help they need to lead healthy and independent lives;
n
Safer...
Safer...
where people live safer lives;
Inclusive...
IInclusive...
nclusive...
where all people feel part of the wider community and are pro
proud to celebrate its rich
diversity; where inequalities are reduced and all people are able to participate in the
sporting, artistic and civic life of the Borough;
Growing...
G
rowing...
Growing...
where the supply and quality of housing and transport is capable
capa
of supporting the
needs and aspirations of the Borough’s population now and in the future.
To realise these goals this Sustainable Community Strategy sets out a series of aims which, through
their actions, the partners will be seek to deliver. We will tackle cross-cutting issues, such as
sustainability, equality and diversity in a consistent way for all goals and aims.
Of course, having a clear and shared idea of what you want to achieve is one thing. Acting
consistently in a way which delivers the Strategy’s goals and aims and which makes a real difference
to people’s lives, is another. The Partnership is committed to making such a difference and, to this
end, has established seven thematic partnerships whose job will be to design and take the actions
which will ensure that the goals and aims set out in the Strategy are actually delivered.
The Partnership Board will monitor delivery and will regularly involve and inform Bedford Borough
residents and stakeholders of progress. Further information about the structure of the Partnership
and how it will report its progress can be found at Annex B.
7
1
AThrivingBorough
Economic Development, Regeneration and Enterprise
Our Goal: A stronger local economy, delivering higher levels of
sustainable growth and employment for the benefit of
the Borough’s existing and future residents.
Why this matters:
Being located at the centre of the Oxford –
Cambridge Arc and within the Milton Keynes
& South Midlands growth area, the Borough is
potentially well-placed to benefit from the rapid
growth of this knowledge-based economy. To
do so it needs clearly to define its role and
make itself the location of choice for
businesses re-locating to the area.
Given today’s uncertain economic climate,
we need to focus our immediate efforts on
minimising the impacts of the recession
whilst setting firm foundations for recovery
and growth. In the medium and longer
term, an expanding local economy will
be important to securing the numbers
and level of jobs that Bedford’ s growing
population will need – a population which
is forecast to increase from 155,700 in
2008 to 172,500 in 2021.
The extensive housing growth proposed
for Bedford Borough (see chapter 7 – A
Growing Borough) will not be achieved
without a strong local economy and
the creation of key economic drivers,
including the provision of
infrastructure, to support the local housing
market.
Growing the economy also matters if
we are to tackle the increasing levels of
worklessness that currently exist – 4.2%
of Bedford’s working age population were
claiming Job Seekers Allowance in June
2009. The out-of-work benefits claimant
rate is currently between 15% and 20%
in Kingsbrook, Cauldwell, Castle,
Goldington, Harpur and Queens Park
wards.
If new businesses are to be attracted to
Bedford, there must be a skilled workforce
ready to help grow those businesses.
Currently 27% of working age people
have few or no qualifications and it is
important therefore that we improve our
skills base, thereby helping both business
and Bedford’s citizens.
Retaining existing businesses and
attracting new employers also means
creating a thriving and vibrant public
realm, in which people will want to live,
work and socialise. It means improving
Bedford town centre and access between
it and the surrounding areas; and
enhancing people’s leisure opportunities
9
by providing a wide range of activities and
facilities.
We believe that economic development must be
sustainable if we are to achieve a thriving, low
carbon economy.
What we are already doing:
We are driving forward Town Centre
renaissance through physical redevelopment
of the Town Centre and have completed
various improvement works, including
Castle Quay.
We are delivering a multi-million pound
programme of infrastructure improvements
to bring forward the Growth agenda,
attract private sector investment and help
ensure that the employment opportunities
available match new housing growth.
We have identified the need for one or
maybe two strategic employment sites
to be provided within the Growth Area
(Bedford, Kempston and the Northern
Marston Vale).
We are working to raise the profile of
the Borough as a business location
to attract better quality business
investment. We are delivering a
10
series of high profile events to attract
visitors to the Bedford area, including the
River Festival with its 350,000 attendees.
We have established the Bedford
Business Improvement District (BID) and
the Blue Caps and worked to enhance our
markets to help improve the Borough’s
vibrancy.
We are supporting business start up,
growth and survival as part of the East of
England Development Agency’s Solutions
for Business programme, through
Business Link East localised delivery,
provision of incubator and business
growth space at Bedford i-Lab, Bedford
i-Kan and the new Bedford i-Pad for
creative industries and have improved
business to business networks and events
under the Bedford Development Agency,
a network of over 500 local businesses.
We are working to raise the skills of our
local community, investing in Further and
Higher education provision and promoting
fuller economic participation for our
disadvantaged communities. We are
helping people improve their access to
local jobs and removing the barriers to
work and enterprise.
What the Partnership will do
To deliver our goal of a Thriving Borough, we will:
aim1
Enc
Encourage
high value added inward investment, the
rete
retention and development of local companies and the
esta
establishment of new start-up enterprises.
aim2
Cre
e
Create a highly attractive, safe and successful town centre
pro
providing a distinctive and excellent range of activities and
fac
facilities which can be used and enjoyed by all.
aim3
Ma
Market the Borough as a prime investment location,
ra
raising its profile and image and promoting investment
op
opportunities.
aim4
S
Support and work in partnership with the local tourism
in
industry to expand what it has to offer and market the
B
Borough as a tourist destination.
aim5
aim6
nto
Encourage economic participation and support people into
jjobs within urban and rural communities, by maximising
ng
employment opportunities for local people and promoting
skills development.
Improve the general business environment (the supply and
quality of infrastructure, premises and services), in order
er to
foster enterprise, encourage investment and sustain economic
conomic
growth.
11
2
AGreenerBorough
Environment and Climate Change
Our Goal: A high quality natural and built environment which is valued
and enjoyed by all; which encourages biodiversity and supports the
development of a low carbon community, including local businesses,
capable of adapting to the impacts of climate change.
Why this matters:
Climate change is an issue that affects us all.
Within their lifetime, our children and
grandchildren can expect to see average
temperatures rise between 2o and 3.5o C, and
experience hotter, drier summers, water
shortages and more intense heat waves (with
their attendant impact on health). Winters will
be milder and wetter with a greater risk
of flooding.
It is important that we all work individually
and together to minimise the impact of
climate change by reducing our emissions
of those greenhouse gases, which
contribute to global warming; and by
conserving our natural assets – land, air
and water. We also need to adapt to the
challenges – and the opportunities – that
climate change will present, whether
through changes to building design and
building materials; the conservation
of water; and the use of renewable
energy; or through the exploitation of
new opportunities in agriculture and
horticulture.
The projected increase in population for
Bedford Borough between 2008 and
2021 (16,800) will lead to a growth in the
number of houses and jobs and
associated infrastructure that will be
needed. This growth will inevitably put
pressure on our natural and built
environment, increasing demand for
energy, waste, transport and green space
for leisure and recreation. If this is not
managed sensitively, the emissions of
carbon dioxide and other pollutants will
significantly increase and continue to
adversely impact on climate change.
Over 89% of the Borough is agricultural
land or green space. The extent and
quality of our green infrastructure
contributes greatly to our quality of life,
providing people with opportunities for
sport, recreation or just quiet
contemplation. It is also important for
local food production, managing flood risk,
biodiversity and maintaining an attractive
local landscape. The quality of our natural
and built environment – both rural and
urban – affects the way we feel about our
surroundings and our general sense of
well-being.
13
Biodiversity is fundamental to sustaining human
life. It is the basis of our economic success and
wellbeing and provides us with many essential
products including fresh food and water, timber,
fuel, textiles and medicines. The Borough
supports a rich biodiversity which faces a
number of threats, including climate change,
pollution and inappropriate land management.
What we are already doing:
We are working to reduce our own
emissions of carbon dioxide and
undertaking promotions to encourage
householders and businesses to increase
environmental awareness and reduce
energy consumption as well as adapt to
climate change. Through the LAA we
have set a target to achieve a 10.8%
reduction of tonnes per capita carbon
emissions from 2005 by 2011.
We are supporting community led
action to improve and care for the
local environment including community
woodland, allotment, orchard and
heritage projects. For example, the
Zero Carbon Castle project is a local
Bedford community action group
tackling climate change through
changing lifestyles and the running
of local businesses, focussing on
energy, food, schools, transport
and waste.
14
We are improving the recycling and
composting of domestic waste for the
Borough. We have increased recycling
from 8% in 2002 to 32% in 2009.
We have committed to ensure that
housing development is based on
sustainable principles. We are working
with developers to achieve high quality
design that takes account of character,
local distinctiveness and sustainable
design principles, enabling access and
promoting community safety. We are also
working with developers to protect and
enhance the countryside, biodiversity and
geodiversity, and the quality and
connectivity of green infrastructure in the
Borough with particular emphasis on
enhancing the Marston Vale and river
Great Ouse valley.
We maintain much of the existing green
infrastructure, including six major parks,
two country parks, a network of heritage
sites, large areas of the Marston Vale
Community Forest, a network of wildlife
reserves, play areas and public rights of
way including footpaths, cycleways and
bridleways.
We are working to protect habitats
and species in wildlife priority areas
including the ancient semi-natural
woodlands of north Bedfordshire and
the river Great Ouse valley.
What the Partnership will do
To deliver our goal of a Greener Borough, we will:
aim1
Min
Minimise
carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of
climate change focussing on transport, business and
clim
homes.
hom
aim2
Minimise domestic and commercial waste production and
Min
maximise reuse and recycling.
ma
aim3
Develop a strong green infrastructure network through
De
protecting, extending and linking landscapes, biodiversity
pr
sites, heritage sites, green spaces and paths.
sit
aim4
Improve the understanding, enjoyment and care for the
Im
natural and built environment.
na
aim5
protect and enhance our natural resources including air, soil
p
and water to minimise the impacts of flooding, climate change
a
hange
and pollution.
a
aim6
aim7
Reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
Protect and enhance the rich biodiversity of the Borough.
h.
15
3
AnAspiringBorough
Children and Young People
Our Goal: A Borough where all the Borough’s children and young
people are able to lead safe, healthy and happy lives, and are
provided with opportunities to develop their self-esteem,
maximise their life chances and realise their full potential.
Why this matters:
The care provided to parents and child during
the antenatal and postnatal period can impact
greatly on the health outcomes for the child.
Good quality care during this critical period
helps provide newborn babies with the
healthiest possible start in life.
There are 39,000 young people in the
Borough under the age of 20. 1 in 5 of
young people aged 0-15 live in families that
are officially classified as living in poverty.
In some local areas this rises to 2 out of
every 3 young people.
In 2008, just over 46% of 16 year olds
attending Bedford Borough maintained
schools achieved 5 or more GCSEs at
A*-C grade (including English and
Mathematics). Whilst levels of
educational attainment have risen in
each of the last five years, there are
significant inequalities across the
Borough. Individual school
performance varied from 72% to 20%
of pupils achieving 5 A*-C grade
GCSEs (including English and
Mathematics) in 2008. Variation in
performance within schools is always a
focus for school improvement activity. We
also know that between 5% and 6% of
16-18 year olds are not in education,
employment or training.
The life chances of too many young
people are blighted by low educational
attainment, by lack of jobs and by the
absence of opportunities for improvement.
There is a pressing need, therefore, to
improve the educational attainment of
all our young people; to tackle poverty,
improve training and skills and create jobs
(see chapter 1 – A Thriving Borough).
The quality of life of some of our young
people is also affected by mental health
problems, alcohol and substance misuse,
teenage pregnancy and obesity – over
11% of 4-5 year olds and over 16% of our
10-11 year olds are obese.
But it is not just through school, or work,
that we define ourselves, develop
self-esteem and realise our potential.
Access to, and participation in, the arts,
culture and sport give young people a
sense of purpose, allow them to develop
their potential and enrich their lives.
There is evidence, moreover, that
17
providing sports and arts activities specifically
to young people, promotes physical and mental
health and wellbeing, reduces the complaint
of “nowhere to go, nothing to do” and reduces
youth crime.
What we are already doing:
We are ensuring a healthy start in life for all
our children by promoting early access to
antenatal care, improving smoking cessation
services for pregnant women and promoting
the uptake of the Smokefree Homes
Programme, and improving support for
women to breastfeed.
We recognise the contribution of early
years settings and the statutory sector
to the achievement and attainment of all
children and young people. These
contributions have a direct impact on attainment at an important national benchmark namely Key Stage 4 GCSE or
equivalent. We are supporting efforts
in early years settings and schools to
target resources to those in most need
of support and in doing so raise the
bar for all and at the same time narrow the gap in levels of attainment
between those more vulnerable
groups of children and their peers.
Children’s Centres have been rolled
out very successfully with
18
11 operating across the Borough. They
have provided the focal point for early
identification and targeted intervention
programmes for children, young people
and their families. We are planning the
development of four more Chldren’s
Centres in 2010.
Our Healthy Schools Programme is
promoting exercise, healthy eating and
tackling obesity, By March 2009, 63
schools in Bedford Borough (83%) had
achieved National Healthy School Status.
We run summer play-schemes for 5-13
year olds, with over 8,000 attendances in
2008.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health
(CAMH) services are much improved with
better access to assessment, treatment
and age appropriate facilities. There have
been no admissions to adult wards of
under-16 year olds in 2008.
Work to tackle teenage pregnancy has
been focussed on those communities
with highest need. A contract has
been awarded to provide a community
integrated sexual health service,
improving access to sexual health
services for the whole population. It is
anticipated the service will be up and
running by March 2010.
What the Partnership will do
To deliver our goal of an Aspiring Borough, we will:
aim1
Help all children and young people to achieve their full
potential through high quality teaching and learning in
pote
schools that have accessible community activities and
sch
facilities.
fac
aim2
Prioritise preventative services for children in their early
Pri
years to help families stay together and thrive.
yea
aim3
Ensure vulnerable children and young people at risk of
En
abuse and neglect are safeguarded and supported to a
ab
better life.
be
19
4
AHealthyBorough
Adult Health and Well-Being
Our Goal: A Borough where everybody has access to high-quality
health and social care services when they need them and the
help they need to lead healthy and independent lives.
Why this matters:
Generally, people in Bedford Borough enjoy
good health. However, life expectancy in the
Borough is lower than the east of England
average. There are significant health
inequalities across the Borough, depending on
gender, income and ethnicity – life expectancy
in Harpur ward is eight years lower than in
Bromham ward.
Over the last ten years, rates of death from
all causes have decreased in both men and
women. However, the death rates from
cancer, stroke and heart disease in the
Borough have not shown the same
reduction as across England generally.
Two of the biggest risk factors for poor
health are smoking and obesity caused
by poor diet and lack of exercise. One in
four adults in the Borough smokes and
around 200 local people die from
smoking related illness every year.
Only a third of adults eat healthily and
fewer still are physically active. More
than one in four adults in the Borough
is clinically obese.
Bedford’s population is set to
increase as a result of the growth in
housing (see chapter 7 – A Growing
Borough), with older age groups predicted
to grow much faster than the average, as
people live longer. It will be important to
ensure that the opportunities presented
by growth are used to create healthy
communities.
Pressures on social care and health
services are likely to be particularly
significant in rural areas, where the
average age is roughly three years higher
than in urban areas of the Borough, and
where there are more barriers to
accessing services.
Achieving our goal and helping individuals
to lead healthy and active independent
lives means, of course, tackling a very
much wider range of socio-economic
issues. Tackling poverty and creating
jobs, the availability and quality of
housing, the accessibility of local services
and the ability of people to participate in
educational, leisure and cultural activities
will all contribute to the health and
well-being of people in the Borough,
including older people. What the
partnership is doing to tackle some of
these wider issues is set out in other
21
chapters of this Strategy. The rest of this chapter
looks at how we aim directly to improve health
outcomes and help the most vulnerable in our
communities.
What we are already doing:
We are already promoting and integrating a
range of activities to promote lifestyles,
focussing on the most deprived wards across
the Borough.
Through NHS Health Checks we are
helping to reduce and prevent prevalence of
new cases of heart disease, stroke
diabetes and kidney disease.
Health Trainers will work with deprived
and vulnerable communities in Bedford
to provide “next door” advice on priority
health issues, which will bring people
into more effective contact with services
such as smoking cessation, weight
management, opportunities for
22
exercise, screening and wider health and
social care services.
We are improving information and support
for older people on healthy eating,
keeping active and general wellbeing.
We support a network of Good Neighbour
schemes, staffed by volunteers, which
support vulnerable people in continuing to
live independently in their own homes.
The Putnoe Surgery and new Walk In
Centre are open 8:00am to 8:00pm every
day seven days a week, as part of the
Government’s programme to increase
access to primary care services. The
Centre will provide all patients with greater
access and choice to receive advice
and treatment for a wide range of minor
injuries and illnesses, and so is helping to
reduce health inequalities, particularly for
hard-to-reach groups.
What the Partnership will do
To deliver our goal of a Healthy Borough, we will:
aim1
Incr
Increase
healthy life expectancy for all across the
Bor
Borough.
aim2
Red
Reduce health inequalities by focussing effort on deprived
are
areas and increasing opportunities for healthier lifestyles.
aim3
Im
Improve help and advice to vulnerable adults and older
pe
es
people to enable them to continue living in their own homes
an
le.
and so maintain their independence for as long as possible.
aim4
Tr
s,
Transform adult social care services by improving access,
ch
h
choice, control and advocacy for users and carers through
th
the provision of self directed care.
aim5
Im
derImprove dementia services by raising awareness and undersstanding, and providing earlier diagnosis, intervention and
nd
h
higher quality of care.
aim6
Improve the safeguarding and well-being of vulnerable adults
and older people.
23
5
ASaferBorough
Creating Safer Communities
Our Goal: A Borough where people live safer lives.
Why this matters:
Crime levels in the Borough have been falling
over the last five years. Total crime in the
Borough was just under 12,000 in 2008/9 –
down from just over 16,000 in 2003/4.
Serious acquisitive crime fell by 18% in
2008/9. However, we know that domestic
burglary has increased by 29% across the
Borough from April to June in 2008 to April
to June 2009.
We know that the level of crime is a big
issue for the Borough’s residents – crime
levels ranked as their most important
quality of life factor in surveys in 2006 and
again in 2008.
We know that anti-social behaviour, in
particular, can have a significant impact
on people’s fear of crime and their
perception of their personal safety.
Elsewhere in the Strategy we set out
the importance of creating a Borough
where people feel part of a wider community and in which they are fully able
to participate in civic, cultural and
sporting life (see chapter 6 – An Inclusive Borough). The extent to which
this will be achieved, and the
extent to which people are able to
maintain a healthy and active
independence (see chapter 4 – A Healthy
Borough) will depend, in part, on their
sense of personal safety.
Drug dependency and, in particular,
alcohol abuse are factors which contribute
to crime and anti-social behaviour. Nearly
three-quarters of those convicted of
disorder offences were identified as
hazardous drinkers and over half
identified alcohol as a factor in their arrest.
There is a perception that many incidents
of anti-social behaviour are committed
by young people and as we identify in
chapter 3 – An Aspiring Borough – the
provision of sports and arts activities can
help reduce youth crime and reduce the
likelihood that young people will get drawn
into such activity.
We know that domestic violence accounts
for 25% of all violent crime. Domestic
violence will affect one in four women
and one in six men in their lifetime. On
average, a person will be assaulted 35
times before reporting it to the police.
25
Finding ways to tack
tackle crime and anti-social
behaviour therefore
therefore, goes to the heart of our
Strategy. Ensuring that people are able to live
their lives free of crime
cr
and the fear of crime
will help create the conditions where we can
achieve the wider goals set out in this Strategy
those for a healthy, aspiring and
– particularly thos
Borough.
inclusive Borough
What we are already
doing:
alr
continues to have
Bedford Town Centre
C
economy with
a vibrant night time
t
approximately
appr
ap
prox
oxim
imat
atel
elyy 40 premises with a
combined capacity
to entertain over 11,000
cap
and Pub:Safe
people. Our Bed:Safe
B
projects aims to ensure that people use
town
and
an
d enjoy
enjo
en
joyy to
tow
w centre facilities safely and
related violent crime.
so reduce alcohol
al
We are providing
intensive supervision
prov
and support
suppor to a relatively small number
of priority and
a prolific offenders who we
commit a relatively high number
know com
of crimes. We know this intensive
helps break dependency on
support h
drugs
d
rugs and
d alcohol for many offenders.
26
We now use a multi-agency risk
assessment approach to dealing with
incidents of domestic violence which is
already leading to reductions of the
numbers of repeat incidents.
Our neighbourhood improvement
approach to community safety
encourages communities to identify
and help tackle local problems.
Our Bobby Van and Neighbourhood
Watch schemes provide advice,
information and guidance on security
measures for households whilst CCTV
in public areas both deters and identifies
offenders.
We have adopted a Community Safety
Design Guide to assist in planning out
crime within existing and new
development.
We provide a range of diversionary
activities for young people, including
street schemes, the NACRO SCORE
Project and initiatives aimed at
rehabilitating young offenders.
What the Partnership will do
To deliver our goal of a Safer Borough, we will:
aim1
Red
Reduce
burglary, robbery and other serious acquisitive
crim
crime and criminal damage.
aim2
Tac
Tackle the issues which increase the likelihood of
rere-offending and target prolific offenders.
aim3
aim4
aim5
Ta
Tackle anti-social behaviour.
Re
Reduce incidents of domestic violence.
Ta
Tackle crime and disorder by reducing drug dependency and
a
alcohol misuse.
aim6
T
Tackle the fear of crime.
aim7
IIncrease public confidence in the Partnership’s delivery of
ccommunity safety.
27
6
AnInclusiveBorough
Social Inclusion, Community Cohesion and Culture
Our Goal: A Borough where all people feel part of the wider community
and are proud to celebrate its rich cultural diversity; where
inequalities are reduced and all people are able to participate
in the sporting, artistic and civic life of the Borough.
Why this matters:
We want everyone to be included in the life of
the Borough, to feel that they can influence
what happens around them, and join in with
community-based activities such as
volunteering, sport and the arts.
Bedford can proudly claim to be one of the
most culturally diverse boroughs in the East
of England, with over 60 different ethnic
groups living within its boundaries. Many
immigrant communities are of long
standing. Others are more recent, such
as immigrants from the new EU accession
states, and those who came here originally
as refugees and asylum seekers. The
relations between these groups appear to
be remarkably good – in a recent survey,
around 80% of those who were asked
thought that people from different
backgrounds get on well together.
There are other barriers to inclusion,
however. Bedford has some of the
highest concentrations of poverty in
the country directly alongside areas
of affluence. Tackling child poverty
is particularly important in terms of
improving life opportunities in the future.
20% of children in the Borough live in
workless families. Many people find it
difficult to access employment, key
services and cultural opportunities due
to living in rural areas, or not having their
own transport. These issues are likely
to loom larger in a period of rising
unemployment and may lead to people
feeling excluded from, or marginalised by,
society.
It is estimated that by 2020, one in three
people will be living with physical, sensory
or learning impairment. People with such
impairments can often find themselves
socially excluded by society’s attitude to
their disability.
Being inclusive is also about enabling
people to influence the decisions that
affect their lives.We are encouraged that
a significantly greater proportion of people
in Bedford Borough (31.7%) currently feel
they can influence local decisions,
compared to the national average of
28.9% for all local authority areas. There
is evidence that empowering local people
increases well-being and social cohesion,
builds people’s trust in civic institutions,
and increases the quality of decisions.
29
Bodies such as local councils also need to be
as representative as possible of the communities they serve, so we need a greater number
and diversity of people serving as councillors,
magistrates, school governors, and on other
decision-making groups.
We know 28% of Bedford’s citizens regularly
give up their time to get involved as
volunteers in their community: serving as
trustees, running community activities,
helping to improve their environment, or
supporting those facing disadvantage.
Communities depend on these volunteers,
who, in turn, can gain personal satisfaction,
make friends and acquire skills for
employability. A thriving voluntary scene
contributes considerably to community
life and the ability of local communities to
take action for themselves.
Another way in which people feel part of
a community is by participating in
sport and culture. As well as being
fulfilling activities in their own right,
sport and culture make up a major
part of Bedford’s identity. Bedford
boasts two rowing clubs with national
reputations, an international
athletics stadium and a strong
network of local rugby, football,
basketball and sailing clubs,
competing at various levels. The
recently refurbished Cecil Higgins
Art Gallery and Museum houses a
nationally important collection of
19th and 20th Century prints and
watercolours; Bedford Creative
Arts has a critically acclaimed
contemporary art gallery, and
the Corn Exchange hosts a
residency by the internationally
renowned Philharmonic
Orchestra. Libraries across
the Borough also help to
foster community and a
30
sense of place and provide free access to
learning, cultural activities and
information.
However, participation and engagement
in the arts, at around 42%, is below both
regional and national averages. There is
a relative shortage of high-quality arts
facilities in the Borough – furthermore,
Bedford’s arts scene does not fully reflect
the diversity of cultures within the area.
When it comes to sport, whilst regular
adult participation, at just over 22%, is
higher than the average, women’s
participation in sporting activity is
significantly lower.
What we are already doing:
We support Bedford’s parishes to put
together their own Parish Action Plans
based on identified community priorities.
We have delivered training to increase
people’s confidence and ability to take on
civic roles.
We have raised awareness of people’s
entitlement to benefits by means of a
“Benefit Take-Up” campaign, and
actively encourage benefit take-up,
through monthly outreach sessions,
helping to remove barriers to people
returning to work.
We have run a number of successful local
campaigns and initiatives to encourage
adults’ participation in physical activities,
including people with disabilities, and
organised fitness and sports activities for
young people, such as a newly
established amateur basketball league.
We run a range of visual and performing
arts venues offering high-quality cultural
opportunities.
What the Partnership will do
To deliver our goal of an Inclusive Borough, we will:
aim1
Red
Reduce
the proportion of people living in poverty and so
mak
make a positive difference to communities.
aim2
Pro
Promote activities that bring people and communities
clo
closer together.
aim3
En
Encourage and support more people, particularly from
un
under-represented groups, to take on civic roles and
vo
volunteer within their communities.
aim4
C
ce,
Create more opportunities, and provide support and advice,
to enable people to influence local decisions.
aim5
E
al
Encourage and enable more people to participate in local
a
arts, culture and sporting activities.
aim6
E
Ensure that marginalised and vulnerable people receive
e
effective support, advice and advocacy, and can accesss key
services.
31
7
AGrowingBorough
Housing and Transport
Our Goal: A Borough where the supply and quality of housing and
transport is capable of supporting the needs and aspirations of
the Borough’s population now and in the future.
Why this matters:
Bedford Borough is at the heart of the Milton
Keynes and South Midlands growth area and
has been identified for significant housing
growth. This will impact on the economic,
environmental and social wellbeing of the
Borough. As a result of the housing growth,
the population of the Borough is forecast to
increase to 172,500 by 2021. The growing
population will increase the demand for both
jobs (see chapter 1 – A Thriving Borough)
and housing. Over 16,000 new homes are
planned to be built in Bedford, Kempston
and the northern Marston Vale over the 20
year period to 2021.
But as well as tackling the supply of
housing, we need also to ensure that
there is enough affordable housing to
meet people’s needs in both urban and
rural areas. Despite the recent
downturn in the housing market,
average house prices are still nearly
60% higher than they were in 2001.
With the average price of a house
more than seven times the average
salary, buying a home is – and will
remain – beyond the means of many
people. Ensuring a sufficient
supply of affordable housing is vital if we
are to meet people’s housing needs and
tackle poverty and reduce inequality. For
example, we know we need to increase
gypsy and traveller site provision to meet
identified needs.
It is also important to ensure that
vulnerable households in the private
sector are living in homes of a decent
standard and condition; and that, in the
light of the economic downturn, that we
support families and individuals who are
at risk of homelessness.
Economic and housing growth need to
be matched by timely and co-ordinated
improvements in the fabric and
infrastructure of the Borough. Growth in
Bedford and the northern Marston Vale
requires improvements to existing
transport networks. The historic pattern
of roads and bridges means that the
town centre experiences significant
congestion. Local traffic movement –
particularly between the growth areas
of northern Marston Vale and Bedford –
could also be compromised by the heavy
traffic volumes around Bedford caused
by the main north-south and east-west
regional transport routes.
33
As well as focussing on major new infrastructure
such as the Bedford western bypass and the
improved railway station for the town, meeting
the transport needs of the Borough will require
improvements to public transport and increased
opportunities for walking and cycling.
In addition to transport, we also need to
ensure that the impact of housing and
economic growth is matched by
improvements to the water, sewerage and
green infrastructure of the Borough; and that
schools and health services are equipped
to deal with the growing numbers of people
who will live and work in the Borough.
What we are already doing:
Since 2001, over 4,000 new homes have
been built and planning permissions are
in place to deliver a further 8,000. A high
priority will be given to the sustainability
of all planned housing growth.
In 2008/09 302 affordable homes were
delivered and we aim to provide an
additional 200 affordable homes each
year. In response to the economic
34
downturn, we are putting in place a
short-term intervention strategy to
stimulate new housing developments.
We are working on an Infrastructure
Delivery Plan that will ensure we properly
support the growth of new and existing
communities – this will include education,
health, transport, water and energy and
other key elements of infrastructure.
We have started the first phase of the
Bedford western bypass and are
improving the A421 by providing dual
carriageway between Bedford and
junction 13 of the M1.
We support people with disabilities by
providing Disabled Facilities Grants and
invest more than £1.2M each year helping
disabled people live independently in
their own homes.
We have supported 252 households
through the Rent Deposit Scheme and we
are piloting a Mortgage rescue scheme to
prevent people from becoming homeless.
What the Partnership will do
To deliver our goal of an Growing Borough, we will:
aim1
aim2
Pro
Promote
the construction of sufficient energy efficient new
hom
homes, transport and infrastructure to support the growing
eco
economy and population and which can adapt to climate
cha
change.
Imp
e
Improve the transport, community and public infrastructure
of the whole Borough to support the economy, population
an
and housing.
aim3
Im
Improve housing and transport for vulnerable people to
pr
promote their independence.
aim4
M
g
Maintain and improve the condition of all existing housing
a
bility
and transport, including it’s energy efficiency and adaptability
to climate change.
aim5
T
Tackle the problems of air quality in the Borough.
35
Annex A
The Bedford Borough Partnership Board
Dave Hodgson - The Mayor of Bedford Borough (Co-Chair)
Bedford Pilgrim’s Housing Association Chief Executive - John Cross (Co-Chair)
Bedford Borough Council Chief Executive - Philip Simpkins
NHS Bedfordshire Chief Executive - Andrew Morgan
NHS Bedfordshire Director of Public Health - Muriel Scott
Bedford Hospital NHS Trust Chief Executive - Jean O’Callaghan
Bedfordshire Police Divisional Commander - Andy Street
Beds and Luton Fire and Rescue Service Area Commander - Tony Rogers
Bedfordshire Police Authority Vice-Chair - Penny Fletcher
Bedford College Chief Executive - Ian Pryce
Business Sector representative (Bedford Development Agency Chairman) - Peter Hughes
Job Centre Plus Senior External Relations Manager - Alison Hunt
Wootton School Head Teacher - Tony Withell
Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity Chief Executive - Janet Ridge
Mid and North Beds Council for Voluntary Services Chief Officer - Martin Trinder
Town and Parish Council representative - Ann Lovesey
37
Annex B
How is the Partnership Organised?
The Bedford Borough Partnership is an inclusive confederation of
all the organisations and bodies who, in some way, are working to
improve the quality of life of people in the Borough.
At its centre, is the Partnership Board, which is responsible for
pulling together the Sustainable Community Strategy and securing
the buy-in from partners and from the community that is necessary
to realise the goals and aims set out in the strategy.
Around the Board are grouped seven Thematic Partnerships –
mirroring the seven themes of the Sustainable Community
Strategy. Each of the Thematic Partnerships is responsible for
securing the actions that are needed to deliver the Strategy’s
goals and aims.
The Partnership aims to publish its Strategy for 2009-2021 towards
the end of 2009, following a thorough consultation exercise.
Shortly afterwards, we will publish the delivery plans for each of
the seven Thematic Partnerships, setting out the steps which
together and individually, the partners will be taking to help make
the Strategy a reality.
Alongside the delivery plans, we will publish a “reporting
framework” setting out the measures we will use to judge how well
we are doing. This will be the basis for monitoring and reporting
progress to the local people through an annual “State of the
Borough” report.
38
Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street
Bedford MK42 9AP
Town Hall, St. Paul’s Square
Bedford MK40 1SJ
Phone: 01234 267422
Fax: 01234 221606
Web: www.bedford.gov.uk