Ambition Lancashire revised 2007
Appendix A
CONTENTS
1.Foreword
2.Introduction
 The original AL
 Why revise it now
 Carrying out the review
3.Context – the Story of Lancashire
4.Our Overall Vision
5.Our Principles
 Narrowing the gap
 Active citizens and communities
6.Our Priorities
 The Economy
 Health & Wellbeing
 The Environment
 Education, Learning & Skills
 Community Safety
7.Delivering Our Ambitions
 Our geography
 Working together
 By theme

Prosperous Lancashire

Accessible Lancashire

Dynamic Rural Lancashire

Image of Lancashire

Learning Lancashire

Every Child Matters in Lancashire

Caring and Healthy Lancashire

Welcoming and Harmonious Lancashire

Safer Lancashire

Older People’s Lancashire

Living in Lancashire

Cultural Lancashire

Greener Lancashire
8.Appendix One: Key Agencies
Appendix Two: Key Plans and Strategies
Appendix Three: References
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Ambition Lancashire revised first draft November 2007
1. Foreword
- Frank Hayden, Chair of the Lancashire Partnership
to be inserted
2. Introduction
The Original Ambition Lancashire
In 2005 the first version of Ambition Lancashire was produced following extensive
consultation and analysis of information and evidence.
Ambition Lancashire set out for the first time a Vision for the whole county
combined with a more specific vision for each of the 13 themed chapters and
developed through a series of related ambitions.
The Vision articulated in Ambition Lancashire was supported by partners across
Lancashire. Since 2005 progress has been made towards achieving its ambitions
and many of the specific actions set out in Ambition Lancashire have been
incorporated into Lancashire’s first Local Area Agreement.
Why revise it now?
Ambition Lancashire was never intended to be a static document and it
recognised that changing circumstances would need to be monitored and the
strategy reviewed periodically to keep it focused on key issues and priorities.
So although only two years have passed we have reviewed Ambition Lancashire
now because the context in which it exists has changed.
Critically the relevance and importance of the strategy has been elevated by the
change in emphasis of central government thinking and associated legislation
which moves Local Strategic Partnerships to centre stage and identifies Local
Area Agreements as integral to the development of a new central-local
relationship and to the delivery of improved outcomes for local areas.
The Local Government White Paper “Strong & Prosperous Communities” stated
that “LSPs will provide the forum for setting the strategic vision for an area, for
capturing that vision in the Sustainable Community Strategy and for agreeing
priorities for improvement in the Local Area Agreement”
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Clearly the Lancashire Partnership and the existing Ambition Lancashire have
already done this but as the priorities identified in Ambition Lancashire will inform
the content of the new Local Area Agreement it is critical that we review our
priorities now to ensure that our new Local Area Agreement contains the right
targets and indicators for Lancashire for the next 3 years.
Additionally other circumstances have changed since 2005. Key strategies
referred to in the original document have been superseded by others such as the
Single Regional Economic Strategy and some policy issues such as climate
change, wellbeing, social inclusion, tackling extremism have become more
important.
Feedback from partners has also indicated a desire for the strategy to both be
more clearly focused and to be more explicit in its recognition of the relative
importance of different issues across the county.
Carrying Out the Review
the purpose
The purpose of a revised Ambition Lancashire is to
 articulate the overall Vision for the County to the year 2025
 identify strategic priorities that will
o influence spending decisions and service planning
o encourage joined up working to address identified needs
o enable partners to collectively lobby and influence on behalf of
Lancashire
 inform the Local Area Agreement
what can it do
 be strategic
 identify indicators by which the achievement of the Vision can be
measured
 identify county-wide priorities
 recognise different needs in different parts of the county
 help identify the most effective footprint for joint activity
 make links to neighbouring local authority areas
 identify crosscutting priorities to be worked towards through the agreement
and collaborative working of partners
what can’t it do
 include everything
 reflect every individual organisation’s priorities
 refer to every action that is being taken to achieve the Vision
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 identify specific actions for partners in areas that have yet to be agreed by
all key partners
what shouldn’t it do
 sit on a shelf in a cupboard
 determine every local or themed priority
 duplicate all the specific measures and actions found in existing strategies
and plans
what should it achieve
 clarity
 common understanding
 the potential for added value
the process
The time available to carry out the review has been short and largely dictated by
external timescales relating to the new LAA.
In May 2007 the State Of Lancashire report that was originally produced for the
first Ambition Lancashire was reviewed and reformatted incorporating a
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis to complement the
13 chapters of the original document. The revised State of Lancashire is now
incorporated into the Lancashire Profile website www.lancashireprofile.com and
is continually monitored and updated. Formal consultation with partners has been
carried out over the summer of 2007 both through a consultation document and
face to face meetings.
In addition the Lancashire Partnership conference in May 2007 included
workshop sessions with over 100 partners looking at each of the chapters.
Residents views have been (will be) incorporated via the Life in Lancashire
survey and through consultations at district level as reflected in their district
Sustainable Community Strategies, all of which have also been used as source
documents.
The approach adopted in the revision has been generally to
o
o
o
o
o
o
retain the overall vision and ambitions
retain the chapter themes
include more focus on fewer priorities
refer explicitly to geographical differences
exclude actions but to refer to other existing and related plans
identify cross cutting issues and impacts
However there have been constraints particularly related to the short timescales
and consequent difficulties of alignment with other strategy development for
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example the Strategic Needs Assessment, new Community Safety Strategy,
Children and Young People’s Plan and district Community Strategies which are
all being undertaken around the same time. We would hope and expect that in
future versions of Ambition Lancashire future as a coordinated and more
comprehensive 3 year planning cycle develops this alignment and information
issue will be less problematic.
3. The Story of Lancashire
Overall, Lancashire is a very special place. It is marked by outstanding
landscapes and heritage. It is proud of and welcomes the diversity of its
communities.
The history and landscape of Lancashire has clearly shaped the place it is today
producing the benefits and opportunities that many residents enjoy but inevitably
also the challenges.
Lancashire enjoys a varied and spectacular topography from its sandy beaches
and fertile coastal plain to the dramatic landscape of the western Pennines. Its
famously wet climate and the fast flowing rivers pouring off the hills produced the
favourable conditions for industrial development based around cotton mills while
to the west economies developed around ports as well as seaside based tourism
and varied types of agriculture.
This shaped our current urban developments some of which still reflect their
manufacturing heritage in terms of their appearance and some which are still
changing in response to more recent developments and demands of our current
manufacturing and service economy. Coastal towns continue to attract visitors
while throughout the large parts of rural Lancashire market towns provide hubs of
activity for their surrounding areas. Lancashire benefits from having its urban
conurbations in reach of areas of outstanding natural beauty.
Our current transport links also reflect the changing demands and economic
importance of different parts of the county over time from the Leeds to Liverpool
canal, to the varying standards of rail links to the motorway system and
increasingly congested roads.
Lancashire has a proud history and a welcoming culture. Lancashire is home to
over a million people who between them maintain Lancashire’s reputation for
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warmth and a sense of humour. The County has a history of sporting prowess
especially associated with its cricket and numerous football teams but also a
reputation for famous comedians and entertainers who reflect and are associated
with the friendly welcoming characteristics of the people of Lancashire.
We have a history of immigration, which fed the requirements of the cotton and
manufacturing industries and continuing today with recent arrival of European
Union economic migrants. Now Lancashire is a growing society, reflected in our
changing ethnic and cultural diversity. These changes bring many gains but
sometimes there are tensions and divisions that may lead to fracturing within
local communities. Tensions do exist in some pockets of Lancashire, but these
must be viewed in the context of a County that is a peaceful and tolerant society.
Whilst overall Lancashire is considered to be a fairly affluent County with many
parts enjoying a high quality of life, there is also deep-rooted deprivation in the
County. There are parts of East Lancashire that have been at the very bottom of
every deprivation table for some time, in spite of a number of regeneration
initiatives.
This is an example of the contrasts and sometimes extremes that exist within the
large and uniquely varied County of Lancashire that is both
o
o
o
o
o
o
urban and rural
coastal and moorland
accessible and remote
wealthy and poor
healthy and sick
booming and declining
but which make it the interesting, resourceful and opportunity filled place it is.
Our Vision is for all the residents of Lancashire and although these contrasts
make the achievement of our vision uniquely challenging we all share our pride in
the County, our sense of ambition for the future and a determination to make it
happen.
Our story is further expanded in the introduction to each of the theme chapters.
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4. from the Our Overall Vision
To position Lancashire by 2025 as an area of outstanding
opportunity, combining a world-class economy with a
breathtaking environment and exceptional communities.
Lancashire’s towns, cities and rural areas maintain their
separate identities, but inter-dependence is strengthened
through strong economic, social and environmental
connections.
How to Achieve the Vision
This revised Ambition Lancashire retains most of the ambitions and themes of
the original but these have been updated to reflect current priorities and needs.
In addition from the consultation and evidence 2 principles and 5 key themes
have been identified as fundamental to the achievement of all the ambitions.
Principles
The original Ambition Lancashire set out 5 key principles that partner
organisations would have regard to.
This revised version places greater emphasis on two key principles which will
apply across the priorities and related actions if our ambitions are to be achieved.
In addition specific measures have been associated with the principles so that we
can monitor whether or not they are being applied. These two encompass 4 of
the principles previously set out in Ambition Lancashire – participation,
accessibility, equality and social inclusion.
The fifth principle sustainability still applies and this document has been
examined in a Sustainability appraisal building on that applied to the original
version as will any future versions. This approach is now sufficiently embedded
not to require separate monitoring.
Priorities
5 key priorities have been identified as fundamental to the achievement of the
Vision for Lancashire. The priority is determined by the current performance and
achievement of Lancashire in relation to these issues and the impact on
residents’ experience of life in Lancashire.
This is not to say that any of the other themes is not important but that these 5
addressed in line with the principles above will have the greatest effect in terms
of achieving the ambitions across all the themes.
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AMBITION LANCASHIRE
Overarching
Principles
Narrowing the Gap





Active citizens and
communities
Social inclusion
Equality
Access to services
Targeting
Comm. cohesion




Engaging VCFS
Nhood engagement
User involvement
Social inclusion
Key Priorities
The Economy
Health &
wellbeing
The
Environment
Education,
Training & Skills
Community
Safety
Delivery Themes
Prosperous
Learning
Every Child
Matters
Accessible
Dynamic
Rural
Greener
Older
People
Living
Caring &
Healthy
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Safer
Welcoming &
Harmonious
Cultural
Image
Ambition Lancashire revised first draft November 2007
5. Overarching Principles and Approach
A. Narrowing The Gap
Why Does It Matter
The County includes extremes of wealth and poverty for example in terms of housing, health, income and the gap is
widening both between areas and communities urban and rural, east and west, and within them.
Insert relevant SWOT stats
Our Vision is for better quality of life and opportunities for all Lancs residents. Our ambitions and aspirations apply to
everyone so we want to narrow the gap to avoid the continuation or widening of current differentials which could lead to
 problems relating to Community Cohesion
 division and conflict – Community Safety issues
 unfulfilled potential – education, work, health
 a poorer experience of Life In Lancashire for everyone
 child poverty
 social exclusion
What Do We Need to Do - how do we address the issue
What this means is –
 ensuring equality of access to services,
 social inclusion – giving people the opportunity and ability to access services ,
 identifying Hard To Reach groups
 targeting services,
 promoting equality,
 improving opportunities and services for children and young people
This principle will guide identification of priorities at a themed and geographical level i.e. where should resources be
directed to narrow the gap
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How will we know if we’re getting there
2025 measures and targets
to be included in specific measures for education, health, worklessness, income
Index of Multiple Deprivation – reduced number of SOAs in bottom 20%
Child poverty
B. Active and Engaged Communities and Citizens
Why
The voluntary, community and faith sector has an important role in actively engaging and serving communities and
citizens. The sector brings value through its diversity, in representing the interests of marginalised groups, shaping and
delivering services, helping build strong and active communities and building social enterprise






Builds on Lancs history of active citizenry, involvement, self help, - refer to no. of voluntary groups
Supports public sector service provision, flexible, responsive to changing demands, influencing private sector
Makes achievement of ambitions more possible and more worthwhile – addressing the right priorities
Enhances individuals and communities experience of Life In Lancashire
Responds to changing demography e.g. increasing numbers of older people
Can support promotion and development of Community Cohesion
What
 Providing opportunities to participate in neighbourhoods and communities – support to neighbourhood
engagement models
 active and engaged voluntary, community and faith sector – support to sector, compacts, agreements
 support to development of community businesses, social enterprise
 commissioning through the voluntary community and faith sector.
 Expectation on service providers to consult, involve, listen, act
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How do we know if we’re achieving
2025 measure
 VCFS perception
 Turnout at council elections
 Number of people volunteering more than two hours a week
6. OUR KEY PRIORITIES
Our key priorities have been identified as those areas that need to be given priority in terms of strategy, action and
resources if the vision and ambitions for Lancashire are to be achieved
This section addresses the why and the what.
Detail of how and where considered in the related theme chapters and their associated strategies.
For each of the principles and key priorities a limited number of measures is included. These are for the Partnership
collectively to assess whether or not we are moving towards our Vision. They are not to performance manage individual
organisations.
1. The Economy
Why is it a key priority
Without improved economic prosperity many other problems e.g. health, housing, crime, access to services are all much
harder to address.
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While the economy of Lancashire has been improving it has been doing so at slower rate than rest of country – ref
relevant stats. Also the relative growth between different parts of county is widely different and exacerbates the widening
gap between rich and poor as described above in the principle Narrowing The Gap. A poorly performing economy has a
circular and self reinforcing effect reducing employment opportunities leading to a loss of working king age and qualified
population and for individuals having a detrimental effect on feelings of self worth, health, ability to participate in society.
What do we need to do
 Create more and better employment opportunities – moving up the value chain / Increase employment
opportunities within Lancashire particularly within high value and highly skilled areas
 Actively change and influence the type of economy in Lancashire through marketing and lobbying
 Take advantage of new opportunities – knowledge economy, advanced manufacturing
 Improve skills
 Make better use of existing opportunities in Lancashire – landscape, green technology, tourism
 Supporting the Make better use and development of the rural economy
 Address barriers i.e.
o transport issues - locally, sub-regionally and regionally
o provision of suitable housing – appropriate development sites, appropriate quality, affordable
 Address issues associated with worklessness
o Targeting areas and populations most badly affected
 Continue to support and enhance existing success eg. Central Lancashire development of City Region
Measures- how will we know if we’re getting there
2025
average income
reduced differential between individuals, groups and areas
gva
improved growth compared to rest of country
2. Health and Wellbeing
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why
Life expectancy is significantly lower in Lancashire and especially some parts of Lancashire than elsewhere.
Ill health in old age is especially problematic and affects people’s ability to enjoy life in Lancashire and puts increased
demand on services
Some health issues are particularly problematic in some areas and some communities – e.g. alcohol-related illness, drug
dependency, mental health, heart disease, obesity, teenage pregnancy All affect wellbeing and impinge on the ability to
take advantage of opportunities for work, education, social activities. Health problems reduce ambitions and expectations
and some health issues also have links to crime.
what
The factors which influence health and can create health inequalities are usually referred to as the determinants of health.
Some of these are personal characteristics, such as age, ethnicity and gender. Others relate to individual behaviour such
as smoking, diet, alcohol consumption and levels of exercise. Wider determinants of health include housing, environment,
education and income. Generally poorer and more deprived people suffer a greater burden of ill health and premature
death. However, an individual’s ability to make healthy lifestyle choices is influenced by these same determinants or
circumstances.
We need to tackle both the wider determinants such as
 Poor Housing  Worklessness
 Education
as well as working to prevent and address a number of health issues that impact most directly on life expectancy and
potential specifically:
 Mental health
 Alcohol and drugs
 Teenage pregnancy
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



Obesity
Smoking
Coronary heart disease
Infant mortality
Measures
2025 yr vision
– reduce health inequalities by 10% as measured by life expectancy at birth and infant mortality
Number of adults with learning, physical disability, mental ill health,
Quality of life Long term illness free
3. Education, Training and Skills
Why
 Educational attainment across the County and for particular groups is very unequal and represents wasted
opportunities for the County and for those individuals
 Lancashire has proportionately fewer highly skilled residents and this affects our ability to develop and maintain
skilled economy
 Training for new and existing skills is needed to equip the population for work and for life
 Learning provides a route to activity paid or not, an opportunity to be active and involved and can improve health
and personal development.
 The inequality of access and achievement evident in Lancashire perpetuates poverty and divisions
 Improved learning and skills are necessary to
o Maximise opportunities to improve the economy and general prosperity
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o Address worklessness
o Respond to the changing demography and ageing population
o Raise aspirations
What does this mean








Improved access to training opportunities
Increasing skills in current workforce – working with employers, promoting and providing apprenticeships and
training
Targeted support to poorly achieving schools
Maintaining achievement where it’s good
Pre-school child and parenting support
Increased collaboration between schools, colleges and universities
Supporting and sharing achievement and good practice
Increased participation in higher and further education
Measures
GCSE results
NVQ
Degrees
Reduced numbers Not in Education, Employment or Training
4. Environment
why
The environment of Lancashire is a key feature of the Lancashire story and what makes Lancashire attractive, special and
different to other parts of the country.
It is a key asset in relation to:
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Ambition Lancashire revised first draft November 2007
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Opportunities for new sustainable technologies,
Tourism
Biodiversity
Agriculture and the rural economy
Quality of life including mental and physical health benefits
Image and marketing of Lancashire
Our natural heritage as well as the built environment
But there are also significant issues relating to inequalities, such as :
o Rural poverty
o Access to services
And the appearance and quality of the local environment is a key concern for residents, i.e.
o The Local environment, streetscene
o Littering
o Climate change
What









Protecting and managing the environment
Making most of opportunities it provides e.g. Tourism, promoting health benefits, green technology
Managing Natural assets
Developing Green infrastructure and access to Greenspace
Maintain and enhance Biodiversity
Climate Change mitigation and adaptation
Addressing littering and fly-tipping
Supporting Farming and Food sector
Reduction of waste and recycling
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Measures
BAP measure zero net loss of Lancashire biodiversity (indicative of climate change being tackled as well)
Carbon emissions
Reduction in carbon emissions
Litter measure
5. Community Safety
why
Overall crime figures for Lancashire are low but in some neighbourhoods there are very high levels of some types of
crime. Where Community Safety is a problem it has a very negative impact on the lives of residents impinging on the
health and wellbeing not just of those immediately affected but on the neighbouring areas and towns too.
Even where crime levels are not high the fear of crime is still a major issue and affects behaviour, confidence, quality of
life. (Fear of crime is a big issue, even in areas where crime levels are low.) Despite the relative safety of Lancashire,
surveys continue to show that the feeling of safety and perception of crime in many areas are disproportionately high
compared to the reality.
In recent years, the focus of crime reduction has been on burglary , robbery and theft of and from vehicles which has led
to significant reductions in these types of crime. The Countywide Audit of Community Safety in 2004/05 identified that the
volume crimes for Lancashire are violent crime and criminal damage. These crimes are also recognised to have a
significant impact on people’s feelings of safety and quality of life in combination with other factors including anti-social
behaviour, street scene, fires and road safety.
what
 Anti social behaviour
 Criminal Damage
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


Deliberate fires
Domestic Violence
Drugs and alcohol related crime

Community cohesion
Measures 2025
How safe do you feel
Reduce number or crimes by ** %
7. Delivering Our Vision
Geographically
The principles and key priorities identify what we need to do to achieve our vision at a Lancashire wide level.
Similarly AL identifies ambitions for Lancashire as a whole but as a Partnership we need to acknowledge that actions
taken by partners to achieve the ambitions will take place at different levels on varying geographical footprints. As a
Partnership we need to be ready to identify which level is most effective at delivery, what we want for Lancashire and be
prepared to work together and direct resources at that level.
The benefits of addressing issues on a county-wide level are already recognised through the existence of numerous
county-wide theme groups that provide opportunities for different partners to work together and to learn from and
influence each other.
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Some aspects of most themes will be more effectively addressed at a county-wide level where they will benefit from
economies of scale in delivery, procurement, planning. Some infrastructure issues that cross partners boundaries and
have implications beyond Lancashire can really only effectively be addressed at a wider level.
Examples include:
 Image, including publicity, profile, the image of Lancashire and its constituent parts, common messages and
communication,
 The Economy including regional issues – Northern Way, city regions, attracting investors – links to image,
transport, tourism
 Transport including railways, roads,
 Aspects of health - Mental health, Drugs
 Environment - Climate change issues, wildlife
But a priority for Lancashire doesn’t necessarily mean delivery at a Lancashire-wide level. Many issues are more
effectively addressed at local level, both district and neighbourhoods, or where the overall approach adopted still has a
need for local interpretation and local joint working.
All districts have developed their own community strategies that set out the priorities for that district.
As all districts want to improve the quality of life for residents in that particular area many of their priorities will be the same
and contribute to the delivery of county–wide priorities although the actions needed to achieve them in different areas will
vary according to the local circumstances.
County-wide and district priorities need where possible to be explicitly aligned so that they become mutually reinforcing.
Where choices have to be made about resource allocation between different parts of the county the principles and
priorities in Ambition Lancashire should help determine how best to use resources to achieve the greatest impact on
achieving our ambitions for all residents of Lancashire.
Districts in conjunction with the County Council are also already working with neighbouring areas where this is a more
effective level at which to operate and where district boundaries form artificial barriers to service delivery or to the reality
and extent of conditions or needs.
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The following map illustrates the distribution of priorities across the county as identified by the district LSPs
through their sustainable community strategies.
INSERT MAP With key priorities by district
District Community Strategies have been produced in different ways in each district and key issues and priorities
are presented differently. Some district strategies are currently in the process of being revised and so the
priorities listed include for some that are draft but which were supplied in response to the initial consultation on
the Ambition Lancashire revision. (include links to districts)
Chorley
- Put Chorley at the heart of
regional economic development
in the Central Lancashire subregion
- Reduce pockets of inequality
- Get people involved in their
communities
- Improve access to and the takeup of public services
- Develop the character and feel
of Chorley as a good place to
live and visit
Lancaster - draft
The provisional priorities for
Lancaster District are as follows;
the
-
That life-long learning, information,
opportunities, facilities and
incentives are available for all.
-
To achieve strong, prosperous,
cohesive and resilient
communities.
-
To empower individuals and
communities and encourage them
to achieve their full potential for
good health and well-being.
To achieve a better quality of life
for everyone now and in the future
that is not at the expense of the
wider environment and wider
community.
-
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Burnley
- Creation of an Educational and
Enterprise Zone on Princess
Way.
- Implementation of the Town
Centre Action Plan
- Development of the Weaver’s
Triangle, increasing business and
leisure opportunities.
- Improvement to transport links,
particularly to Manchester.
- Housing Market Renewal through
Elevate,
- A sustained, targeted and robust
approach to antisocial behaviour
and environmental crimes.
- Completion of the new schools
building programme,
Ambition Lancashire revised first draft November 2007
-
-
To ensure the district is a safe and
pleasant place to live, work and
visit.
To make a positive difference for
children and young people.
To achieve quality of life through
educational excellence,
knowledge, economy, heritage,
rural and coastal tourism.
South Ribble
- safer communities
- healthy communities with affordable
housing, cultural, leisure
opportunities
- Clean green sustainable
environment
- Sustainable integrated transport for
all
- Prosperous borough with
education, learning, and
employment opportunities for all,
- Supporting people with diff needs
e.g. mental health
Ribble Valley
affordable housing
- environment
- public transport
- towns and villages as service areas
Fylde draft
- Environment –climate change
- Economic Prosperity –
Rossendale
Key challenges
- low level aspirations for jobs
- business opportunities
- tourism
social enterprises
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-
Delivery of the Every Child
Matters agenda,
Work to help make Burnley a
place where people from different
backgrounds and traditions live in
harmony together.
Wyre - draft
-Young People Opportunities
- Natural and built environment
community involvement
-Transport Infrastructure
-CV sector & diversity
-Health services target inequalities
-Crime fear of crime
-Homelessness
-Opportunities for Older People
Pendle draft
- Housing Market Renewal
- Neighbourhood engagement
Ambition Lancashire revised first draft November 2007
- Community Safety and Fear of
Crime
- Quality of Life –
- Alcohol
- Learning
- Growth and Development
- Neighbourhood Renewal
- Older People
- Community Cohesion
West Lancashire

safer communities
•
stronger communities.
•
improved health for all.
•
affordable housing
•
quality and accessible services.
•
sustainable development.
•
young and older people.
•
the economy and jobs.
•
better environment
-
-
community safety
heritage assets
inequality
unfit housing
sustainability
Preston
- increasing the role of Preston at
a European, county, regional
and national level
- reducing inequalities particularly
for health, crime, employment,
and education to ensure that
everyone sees a benefit for their
quality of life
- maintaining cohesion between
communities in Preston
key themes – environment, culture,
health & wellbeing, housing, learning,
safer, prosperous.
Cross - thematically
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-
Inequalities
health,
wealth ,
education,
crime,
employment
Hyndburn
Revised strategy being developed
Priorities to be inserted
Ambition Lancashire revised first draft November 2007
This encompasses working together and working differently to support key priorities
o Insert suggestions & examples from LAA conf
Under each of the themed chapters that follow we include suggestions and examples from partners of how issues link to
other themes.
All the themes link to each other in some way for example, employment and wealth, environmental issues and living
conditions are all likely to impact on an individual’s health. So partnerships concerned with the economy, housing,
community safety, transport and the environmental will all have a part to play in achieving a healthier society. This is
widely recognised across existing partnerships and the Lancashire Partnership has a key role to play in identifying where
value can be added and by facilitating joint working and planning of services between existing partnerships.
Adding Value
The Lancashire Partnership can add value to approach of different themes and localities by
o Providing a systematic approach to county-wide issues
o Supporting communication between partners – coordinating, making links, providing opportunities for views to be
exchanged and for partners to influence each other
o Lobbying on behalf of Lancashire
o Monitoring performance Lancashire wide
o Identifying ways to avoid duplication, making best use of resources
o Minimising the effects of competing priorities and potential conflict
o Help make links between strategic priorities and district and neighbourhood delivery – 2 way process
8. Ambition Lancashire Theme Chapters
Content
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Each chapter retains a Vision with supporting ambitions with a short background and introduction. The previously
included ‘actions’ are reduced and focus on top overarching priorities and highlight cross cutting issues.
The visions and ambitions were originally set for 2025 and have been amended in the light of consultation responses but
only where there was a strong case that included the following points;
 Vision does not adequately address a issue that has changed since the last edition of Ambition Lancashire in 2005
 Extensive discussion in relation to that theme has taken place since the original Vision was proposed
The Visions for each chapter set out how we would like Lancashire to be in 2025. Issues and barriers that are a threat to
achieving the visions will be addressed by the priorities that are highlighted within the chapters
Each chapter lists a limited number of outcomes under ‘What we want to achieve’ with explanation of which plans and
partners are key to achieving the stated outcomes.
Referencing plans is intended to reduce the need to selectively repeat actions contained in existing plans and keep
Ambition Lancashire shorter, and more up to date.
Where Ambition Lancashire identifies an area with potential for development but there are no existing plans or
agreements between partners it will set out a strategic direction, it will not seek to impose specific measures and actions
that partners have not had chance to agree to. Partners will be able to develop specific actions through the ongoing work
of the Lancashire Partnership.
Measures
Ambition Lancashire needs to link and align to current strategies and plans, it will not seek to repeat the detail of
indicators measures and actions contained within them, as this would be repetitive and add little to service delivery.
It is important that the Lancashire Partnership is able to measure its collective progress towards its long term Visions.
The Lancashire Partnership will be able to use the measures in the new Local Area Agreement to measure short term
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progress over three years. We still need longer term indicators to measure progress towards our 2025 visions and
measure activity not contained within the Local Area Agreement.
We propose to do this by having 1-3 measure per vision or chapter. The measures will give a broad indication of success,
it is unlikely that the measures will capture every aspect of the vision, it is important however that the whole Visions
should remain the focus of the Partnerships attention. These measures should work with the detailed targets and
performance measures that individual partnerships and organisations already have.
At the end of each chapter a cross cutter tool is included, challenging organisations and partnerships to consider how their
work could add value to and link to other themes, some examples are used to illustrate links between the themes.
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Prosperous Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025.
Lancashire is an economically prosperous county. It is characterised by its innovative and
dynamic businesses, social enterprise, training opportunities and skilled workforce. Major new
developments in key locations have created conditions for sustainable growth throughout
Lancashire.
Lancashire was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution and is where many of Britain’s traditional industries had their
earliest start to here; most notably textiles but also engineering, vehicles and chemicals among them. To this day the
legacy of canals, older industrial premises and industrial structures still bear witness to the County’s fundamental
contribution to the manufacturing industry in Britain when it was said that “England’s bread hangs by Lancashire’s thread”.
Many of Lancashire’s towns still have the unmistakeable stamp of an earlier manufacturing era.
Today Lancashire has a very diverse economic base with a strong mix of both international and indigenous companies
from BAE Systems, Baxi Heating, British Nuclear Fuels, Leyland Trucks, and Rolls Royce to Matalan,. Manufacturing
remains a key and highly valued wealth–creating sector still accounting for fifth of the workforce.
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Our Ambition
To improve business performance and address skills shortages to secure Lancashire’s
economic growth
What we want to achieve our Outcomes
Why
A more diverse economy
Examples of how this can be done
By supporting more businesses to start up and survive
Developing different types of business – the knowledge
economy, sustainable technologies
Exploiting growth potential of key sectors – tourism,
aerospace, energy, textiles
A higher proportion of people in the County work in
manufacturing than nationally. In east Lancashire this
difference is even more pronounced. Financial and
business service sectors are under represented in the
County, accounting for only 13.5% of jobs.
Lancashire has high levels of low value-added/low wage
and vulnerable industries and services.
Moving existing economy sectors up the value chain e.g.
traditional to advanced manufacturing
Developing programmes to foster and support social
enterprises and community businesses, especially to target
residents in the County’s most deprived wards.
Social enterprises and community businesses offer
alternative models for expanding economic activity whilst
securing social gains and building community capacity in
the County’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
An appropriately skilled workforce
Examples of what how this can be done
The future economic prosperity of Lancashire, in large part,
depends on whether our workforce is sufficiently skilled
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Supporting and providing more training for the current
workforce
and productive to enable Lancashire’s businesses to
compete in national and global markets.
Increasing participation in further and higher education
Successfully developing the knowledge economy and
moving sectors up the value chain will be supported by
significant increases in higher level skills.
Increase the number of people in Lancashire with higher
level skills
Providing support to SME businesses
Public sector collaboration to support the local
economy
Examples of how this can be done
Through joint procurement
Through collaboration between public sector employers
and further and higher education providers to meet skills
needs
The public sector in Lancashire has a substantial economic
footprint; as an employer, a purchaser of goods and
services, and as a service provider. The sector employs in
excess of 150,000 people.
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Our Ambition
To Provide the infrastructure to deliver a renaissance of Lancashire’s towns, cities and rural
areas.
What we want to achieve-our
Why
Outcomes
Successful and sustainable economies
within Lancashire
To enhance the attractiveness of Lancashire as a place to live and
invest.
Examples of how this can be done
This will include the regeneration of town
centres as in Preston (Tithe Barn),
Skelmersdale and Burnley.
The development of market towns
Some parts of Lancashire in particular are suffering the effects of
economic decline. Supporting the regeneration of those areas will help
to reduce the inequality between areas and contribute to improving the
overall prosperity of Lancashire.
Areas where the economy is already improving need to be supported
and further developed.
Building on the role of Preston and Chorley
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Appropriate and quality development sites
Examples of how this can be done
By coordinating actions to identify sites, linking
development to accessibility for both workers
and customers and harmonising marketing
activities.
Lancashire has an over supply of business and industrial land, some
sites are underused and not close to where potential employees live.
Four regional investment sites identified to support the region’s
sectoral priorities.
Appropriate and affordable housing
Examples of how this can be done:
Economic prosperity and housing supply and demand are interlinked.
This will mean very different approaches in
different parts of Lancashire
 Housing market renewal in East Lancs
to stimulate demand and raise house
prices
 Increased supply of development sites
and increased proportion of social
housing in rural areas
The average house price in Ribble Valley is £244, 002 compared with
£96, 304 in Burnley
Lancashire has an over supply of small terraced housing in parts of
East Lancashire which has led to abandonment and dereliction. The
Elevate housing market renewal pathfinder is working to address this
issue.
In rural and more affluent parts of the county rising house prices mean
housing has become inaccessible for the lower paid and first time
buyers.
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Our Ambition
To reduce levels of worklessness amongst Lancashire residents
What we want to achieve /Outcomes
Why
Fewer people excluded from work opportunities
Examples of how this can be done
A range of partners working together to address the
reasons that individuals become unable to work – custody
leavers, disability, incapacity, access to childcare
By providing supporting people to gain the skills people
needed for employability in the modern labour market.
By working with employers to develop more flexible
approaches towards work patterns and employees
The proportion of people of working age on incapacity
benefits is much higher in Lancashire than in the UK as a
whole.
The rate of people claiming incapacity benefit in Lancashire
stands at 8.3% compared with 7.2% for Great Britain.
Within the county there are areas where the concentration
of worklessness is very significant. Worklessness impacts
on a whole range of other issues relating to income,
poverty, physical and mental health so preventing
worklessness and getting people back to work is critical to
the achievement of many of the visions in Ambition
Lancashire.
The Voluntary, Community and Faith sector also has a role
in helping people return to work and access training
opportunities in terms of support, signposting and by
providing work experience through volunteering.
More opportunities to access work
Examples of how this can be done
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Modern apprentice schemes
Increasing opportunities for accessing training, Further and
higher education
The supply of jobs and development of the economy will
clearly determine opportunities to access work overall but
specific additional activities can make work more
accessible for some groups and communities.
Supporting employers to provide graduate opportunities to
improve graduate retention
Providing transport to work sites
Direction of travel indicators
We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which will give a broad indication to all the
partners on our progress towards the vision, for example,

GVA per head compared with the UK average.

Growth in the VAT-registered business stock can provide a useful measure of some aspects of the Lancashire
economy and is available by district authority annually.
.
Strategic Plans
There are a number of existing plans and strategies that set out the economic direction for Lancashire and which address specific
aspects of the economy and associated prosperity.
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Aim Higher (Higher Education) this strategic plan for Aimhigher Lancashire has been developed on behalf of Aimhigher
Lancashire Area Steering Group which is broadly representative of partners. This strategy document covers the period
2006-2008. This work has helped Aimhigher Lancashire to align itself with national 14-19 strategies and priorities whist
taking account of regional economic and social needs. The plan for the next 3 years is currently being developed.
Central Lancashire City Regional Development Plan represents a medium to long-term spatial strategy for the Central Lancashire
area.
District Sustainable Community Strategies
all include reference to the economy as it affects their district and many contain
specific actions designed to improve performance and increase local prosperity. This will include reference to local masterplans
where these exist.
Elevate Area Development Frameworks look at factors specific to the Elevate areas in Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale and
Hyndburn.
Lancashire Economic Strategy
Lancashire
Has identified areas for economic growth and looks to encourage prosperity throughout
Lancashire Skills Strategy is designed to provide an agenda for action and investment in learning and skills over the period 20062009, complement production of the Lancashire Economic Strategy (LES) and outline the learning and skill contribution/evidence
base to support delivery of the Central Lancashire CRDP.
LEGI plan related to government funding for East Lancashire including Blackburn with Darwen to
Local Development Frameworks - A folder of local development documents, introduced by the Planning and Compulsory
Purchase Act 2004, and prepared by district councils, that outline the spatial planning strategy for the local area.
Single Regional Strategy is a combination of the Regional Economic Strategy and the Regional Spatial Strategy.
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Ambition
Lancashire
Examples of links with other themes in Ambition Lancashire
Accessible
Lancashire
Dynamic
Rural
Lancashire
Learning
Lancashire
Every Child
Matters in
Lancashire
Caring and
Healthy
Lancashire
Welcoming &
Harmonious
Lancashire
Older
People’s
Lancashire
Greener
Lancashire
Economic development requires good transport infrastructure and accessible towns and markets.
The ambitions for a prosperous Lancashire apply equally to rural areas but may require specific
approaches to recognise the different needs of rural areas
The need to improve skills relates directly to the ambitions for a learning Lancashire
Targets to increase skills and employment levels would have a direct impact on a young people’s
welfare, particularly those in currently workless households
Economic prosperity and income have a direct impact on health and wellbeing
More equally shared prosperity will result in less division and resentment between communities.
As the population ages increased economic activity will be required to support people that are not
economically active and more training and employment opportunities should allow older people to
continue to work if they wish to
The environment of Lancashire provides opportunities for developing the tourism sector of the economy
and an appropriate setting for new green technologies
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Accessible Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025.
Lancashire’s first class travel infrastructure means that travel is safe, clean and accessible. Our
modern communications system minimises the need to travel.
Accessibility has an essential and positive role to play in economic and social development, and the need for good
transport to access jobs, services and leisure opportunities will remain important in the future.
Increased use of the car has brought many economic and social benefits for the people of Lancashire, bringing greater
freedom, widening horizons and supporting economic growth. However journeys are getting longer and peak hours are
becoming increasingly congested, causing delay not only to cars but also to buses and goods vehicles.
Alternatives to travel by car are desirable for car owners and essential for people without access to a car. Roads will
continue to play an important part of Lancashire’s transportation system, but with a greater emphasis on sustainable
travel. New routes for walking and cycling will provide affordable and convenient access to local destinations. Improved
public transport will offer efficient travel on local and inter-urban journeys.
In the medium to long term, better integration of spatial and transportation planning bringing homes, jobs and services
together will achieve better accessibility and manage the need for travel. Broadband communications and e-commerce
will be a valuable way of accessing services without the need to travel.
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Our Ambition
To have a highly effective and efficient transport and communications system.
What we want to achieve – our outcomes
Why
Reduced road casualties
Examples of how this can be done
Speed limit enforcement: Road safety campaigns;
Road Safety training for all classes of road user.
Travel should be safe for all road users. The personal and
community costs of road causalities are high.
Highway Management including:
Local Safety Schemes at sites where accidents have
caused casualties
Although progress is being made Lancashire suffers from above
average numbers of road casualties in some locations.
The rate of people of all ages killed or injured (all severities) in
road traffic accidents in Lancashire in 2006 was 5.6 per 1000
people, compared to a rate of 4.5 per 1000 people nationally.
Improved access to jobs and services
Examples of how this can be done
Services and transport solutions are planned
together.
Access to service and jobs is an important part of a prosperous
Lancashire with engaged and cohesive communities. It is
important that the transport infrastructure together with location of
services supports rural communities and people at risk of social
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Our Ambition
To have a highly effective and efficient transport and communications system.
What we want to achieve – our outcomes
Why
exclusion.
Planning services that meet the needs of people from
excluded groups e.g. people with disabilities, mental
health problems and older people. Buddying
schemes are one innovative way to make public
transport accessible to people traditional excluded
from using it.
Increasing accessibility for all helps to make stronger and more
cohesive communities. Greater life opportunities that result from
access to jobs and services, can help to narrow the gap between
different groups of people, and between our poor and wealthy
areas.
Increased safety and confidence of public transport
users, for example, through initiatives such as the
Safer Travel Unit.
Businesses need reliable transport links to suppliers, customers
and employees.
Accessibility, Information and Travel Planning for
school, business and personalised travel plans.
Extending the Broadband infrastructure into rural areas and
encouraging take up across all groups will help reduce travel,
support business. Greater access to and take up of Broadband
will prevent groups from missing out on the benefits of fast
internet access.
Services and information available over the Internet.
Improve the broadband Infrastructure
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Our Ambition
To have a highly effective and efficient transport and communications system.
What we want to achieve – our outcomes
Why
Improved air quality and reduced traffic
emissions
Examples of how this can be done
Highway Management including;
Air Quality Management Area Action Plans,
Congestion reduction schemes and Low emission
zones.
To reduce effects of air pollution locally and globally. Lower
emissions will help us to achieve a high quality environment and
lead to significant health benefits.
The reduction of emissions will help reduce greenhouse gases
that cause climate change.
Reduced delays on journeys
Examples of how this can be done
Highway Management including;
Highway improvements,
Congestion reduction schemes,
Urban Traffic and Management Control
Reducing delays is important to reducing costs to the economy.
The personal inconvenience of congestion and the higher
environmental and economic costs make it an important issue to
address.
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Our Ambition
To have a highly effective and efficient transport and communications system.
What we want to achieve – our outcomes
Why
Increased active travel
Examples of how this can be done
Improvements to walking and cycle route
infrastructure, making them a safe and attractive
travel option for all sections of the community.
Promotion and improvements to green infrastructure,
to encourage walking and cycling.
Well maintained footpaths and bridleways, to improve
access to the countryside.
Reducing dependence upon the car, by providing safe and
attractive cycling and walking routes will help to promote physical
exercise, reduce congestion and improve air quality. Physical
activity and a healthy environment will contribute to the health and
wellbeing of individuals.
Active travel provides a healthy way for all individuals to access
services including the natural environment, and to make positive
contact with each other.
Integrate cycling and walking into travel planning.
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Our Ambition
To invest in Lancashire’s strategic transport infrastructure.
What we want to achieve /Outcomes
Why
An improved strategic transport infrastructure
Examples of how this can be done
Bus and Rail Improvements including;
Community rail schemes
Current transport infrastructure is of varying quality where it
exists and in some areas inadequate to support the current
needs or future development prospects.
New bus stations and interchanges,
Quality Bus Services including bus priority schemes.
Bus and rail initiatives can reduce dependence upon the car
and provide increased access to services across all groups.
Effectively engage with neighbours to secure cross
boundary improvements.
Rail schemes have the potential to stimulate regeneration of
areas, reduce congestions and improve air quality.
Press for substantial improvements to the strategic
highways network.
An effective, reliable and safe transport infrastructure is
essential for economic prosperity.
Support the appropriate development of Blackpool Airport.
In Lancashire, 59.4% of people aged 16-74 in employment
travel to work in a car or van, compared to a national figure
of 55.2% in England and Wales.
New Park & Ride operations
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Our Ambition
To invest in Lancashire’s strategic transport infrastructure.
Increased journeys by bus and rail
Examples of how this can be done
Develop state of the art integrated ticking and Smartcards
initiatives.
Travel information systems and use of smartcards will make
public transport easier to use and more accessible.
Travel information systems and the promotion of public
transport options.
Indication of direction of travel towards our Vision
We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which will give a broad indication to all the
partners on our progress towards the vision, for example.
3 Year Target
x % of areas in Lancashire that are with in 15 -30 minutes by public transport of at least four of the
following services: Primary School, Secondary School, Further Education, GP, Employment Opportunity, Hospital,
Supermarket.
2025 Target
x % of areas in Lancashire that are with in 15 -30 minutes by public transport of all seven services.
Strategic Plans
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The following are some of the partnership plans that will help deliver the vision and ambitions
CIty-VITAlity-Sustainability (CIVITAS) The CIVITAS EU funded initiative helps cities to achieve a more sustainable,
clean and energy efficient urban transport system by implementing and evaluating an ambitious, integrated set of
technology and policy based measures.
District Sustainable Community Strategies Accessibility issues highlighted include the importance of public transport
for vulnerable groups and rural areas, and highlight the need to address air pollution and congestion
Has identified areas for economic growth, this will inform how sub regional partners
address future investments in the transport and communications network.
Lancashire Economic Strategy
The plan is a strategic document based around the four shared priorities of road
safety, congestion, air quality and accessibility together with other quality of life issues and maintenance.
Local Transport Plan (2005/6-2010/11)
The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) sets out the statutory sustainable
development framework for the North West over the next 15 to 20 years. The Regional Transport Strategy (RTS) is an
integral part of the RSS. The RTS establishes a regional context for the preparation of local transport plans and local
development frameworks, and sets out the region’s priorities for investment and management across all modes of
transport.
Regional Spatial Strategy for the North West
Ambition
Lancashire
Examples of how Accessibility Outcomes contribute to delivery of ambitions and visions in
other themes
Prosperous
Lancashire
Good accessibility by all modes of transport will help to deliver a renaissance of Lancashire’s urban
centres, market towns and rural areas.
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Dynamic Rural
Lancashire
Learning
Lancashire
Every Child Matters
in Lancashire
Caring and Healthy
Lancashire
Welcoming &
Harmonious
Lancashire
Safer Lancashire
Older People’s
Lancashire
Greener
Lancashire
Access to services and personal mobility is key to quality of life in rural areas. Rural buses will take
residents to new services in Community Resource Centres. Walkers, cyclists and horse riders will
bring new opportunities for the rural economy.
Safer highways and broadband services will give students easier access to education and
information. School Travel Plans and Safer Routes to School will improve access to and
attendance at schools. Broadband connections will give easier access to information.
Safer highways and better bus services will give children greater opportunities to make trips safely
and independently. New foot and cycleways and better bus services will give children greater
opportunities to travel independently. Road safety training and traffic calming will reduce the
number of child road casualties.
Our programme of road safety training, highway improvements and speed management will make
travel safer for everyone. New opportunities for daily exercise on foot and cycleways will bring
improved levels of health.
Better accessibility to services and social activities will lead to greater social inclusion and cohesion,
building stronger communities.
The highway network is the council’s most valuable asset and its use is open to all. Our broad
programme of road safety training, highway improvements and speed management will improve the
safety of everybody who uses the highway network.
Safer roads and easier and cheaper travel by bus will enable older people to maintain an active role
in society.
Together, concessionary travel and smart cards will improve accessibility to healthcare, essential
services and social activities.
We will reduce dependence on the car to reduce the impact of traffic, congestion, and air pollution.
We will improve access to the countryside for pleasure and exercise.
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Dynamic Rural Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025.
Lancashire is a county with a dynamic rural economy that is financially, socially and
environmentally sustainable.
Although Lancashire is known for its industrial heritage, its association with the cotton and textile industries and its
traditional mill towns, in reality it is a diverse and largely rural county. Over a quarter of its residents live within rural areas
and over 80% of the land area lies outside the main urban centres.
The county’s landscape varies from the remote Forest of Bowland and the East Pennine moors to the intensive agriculture
of the coastal plain.
The varied nature of Lancashire’s rural areas is reflected in its communities. In small isolated communities agriculture can
still play an important part in the life of the village and its economy. Throughout the county market towns provide important
service centres and hubs of economic activity for the villages of the rural hinterland. On the urban fringes settlements form
closer relationships with the major towns of the county.
Population centres such as Preston and neighbouring Blackburn together with the close proximity of Manchester and
Liverpool provide significant opportunities for example to support local producers and increase tourism and recreational
activity. The relationship that exists between the rural areas of the county and the adjacent urban concentrations therefore
presents unique opportunities in terms of assisting the regeneration of rural Lancashire.
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Our Ambition
Broaden Lancashire’s rural economic base and assist in the support and diversification of
agriculture
What we want to achieve / Outcomes
Why
An increased range and quality of employment
opportunities
Examples of how this can be done
By supporting the diversification of Lancashire’s Farming,
Food and Forestry industries
Increasing the economic value of sustainable tourism in
rural Lancashire.
Improving development opportunities and skills levels.
Rural areas of Lancashire are over dependant on
manufacturing employment and many jobs in this sector are
low wage.
Employment in manufacturing is very high in rural
Lancashire, accounting for. 39% of the workforce as opposed
to a national level of 18.2%
Although agriculture and horticulture still provide significant
employment opportunities the numbers of agricultural
businesses has been falling.
Rural, environmental and agro-tourism have the potential to
make a significant contribution to Lancashire’s rural
diversification and is a largely under developed resource.
Increased skills levels will aid the development and
diversification of businesses. Currently poor access to child
care and limited public transport can deter people from taking
up training
Sectoral change within rural businesses to higher
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value activities
Examples of how this can be done
Identifying and providing more high quality work space
People’s desire for a pleasant work environment combined
with the flexibility of the internet provides an opportunity to
promote different types of business opportunity in rural areas.
Sustainable rural land management
Examples of how this can be done
Encouragement and promotion e.g .stewardship
Our Ambition
To deliver social regeneration, including the delivery of central government services at local
level in Lancashire
What we want to achieve /Outcomes
Why
Sustainable rural communities
Examples of how this can be done :
Increasing number of locally developed and delivered
community projects
Improve joint working across the public sector to support
rural communities e.g. through quality parishes, tri-partite
arrangements, neighbourhood engagement
Although rural areas may appear to be amongst the most
affluent in the county they can also suffer from declining
service provision, a lack of access to quality employment
and a variety of social problems
New ways of working and generating income are required
to counter the effects of the agricultural decline. Local
projects can identify local issues and impacts and work to
integrate environmental and economic actions.
Promoting farmers markets, food shops to support local
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food producers and the local economy
Many parishes take an active part in engaging with their
communities. They are able to provide effective community
Improving access to and providing alternative rural transport leadership through the development of parish plans that
services
seek to improve community services and facilities
For many living in rural Lancashire provides a good
quality of life but is largely dependant on personal
mobility.
Further development of “touch down” centres to improve
internet access
Shared access points and delivery of public services
More and better access to affordable housing in rural
areas
Examples of how this can be done
Joint working between districts, parishes and communities
in relation to identification of potential sites and
consideration of planning applications
The availability of affordable housing in some areas is
becoming an increasing problem. It restricts the ability of
lower wage earners to live or stay in some areas forcing
them to move out in order to find affordable
accommodation. Over time this can impact on the viability
of other activities and services and make a community less
sustainable.
Direction of travel indicator We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which
will give a broad indication to all the partners on our progress towards the vision, for example,
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Sectoral change within rural businesses to higher value activities and increased wage levels (average by place of work
and place of residence).
Improved performance against the DoT thresholds for essential services - Local Transport Plan/county averages.
Increased number of locally developed and delivered community projects.
Increased area of land under environmental management e.g. stewardship.
Strategic Plans
The following are some of the partnership plans that will help deliver the vision and ambitions
CARL - Co-ordinated Actions for Rural Lancashire 2006-9 is owned by the Lancashire Rural Development Board,
Lancashire Rural Practitioners Steering Group and the Lancashire Rural Affairs Forum.
District Sustainable Community Strategies A number of District Sustainable Community Strategies identify rural
issues as a priority.
Lancashire Economic Strategy Has identified areas for economic growth, this will inform how sub regional partners
address future investments in the transport and communications network.
Lancashire Rural pathfinder – developed to give a real sense of understanding of the issues facing rural communities,
and the inherent challenges in achieving the strong and prosperous communities, which are at the heart of Government
policy objectives.
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Local Transport Plan (2005/6-2010/11) The plan is a strategic document based around the four shared priorities of road
safety, congestion, air quality and accessibility together with other quality of life issues and maintenance. Accessibility is
of particular relevance torural communities
North West Rural Delivery Framework – Outlines how we in the North West are making the most of the opportunities
recently given to use by Government to develop a new devolved and targeted approach to rural policy and delivery. This
is a driver for change across the range of issues that critically affect the people who live in, work and visit the rural North
West. It will be an enabling framework that integrates and joins up delivery across the full range of partners activities
impacting on rural areas and communities.
Regional Spatial Strategy for the North West
Includes the Regional Transport Strategy. It addresses the scale
and distribution of future housing development and sets priorities for dealing with environmental issues, transport,
infrastructure, economic development, agriculture, minerals and the treatment and disposal of waste.
The State of Rural Lancashire contains social and environmental data on rural Lancashire, as well as economic data.
Ambition Lancashire
Examples of how Dynamic Rural theme links with other themes in Ambition
Lancashire
Prosperous Lancashire
Accessible
Lancashire
Learning Lancashire
Caring and Healthy
Lancashire
Cultural Lancashire
A sustainable rural economy is part of making a prosperous Lancashire
Improving access to and availability of public transport in rural areas will support
sustainability of communities and reduce social isolation
Developing skills within rural Lancashire will support the diversification of the rural economy
Successful local agriculture can provide quality local food to the people of Lancashire and
help promote the benefits of healthy eating.
Lancashire’s rural communities are part of Lancashire’s culture and rural locations are home
to many and varied cultural activities and attractions
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Welcoming & Harmonious
Lancashire
Older People’s Lancashire
Greener Lancashire
The VCF sector can make contributions socially, economically and environmentally to rural
areas
Rural areas are generally those where life expectancy and healthy old age is greatest.
Protection of the rural environment will help conserve Lancashire’s natural heritage as well
as support its attractiveness as a visitor destination
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Image of Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025.
Lancashire is the place where people choose to live, work and enjoy life..
Lancashire is a unique destination. It is a sub-region of great culture, heritage and environmental quality. It’s diverse
geography and interlinked network of cities, towns and settlements, within an extensively rural context, sets it apart from
other investment locations. Lancashire hosts a number of the country’s premier economic assets.
A unique concentration of higher value added manufacturing activity, with a world-leading aerospace sector contributing
£851 million to the economy, captures the distinctiveness of the sub region in a European context. Lancashire also boasts
a vibrant and growing tourism sector, built upon a historic city and coastal resort offer, and a high quality and attractive
rural environment. The dramatic coastal and upland landscapes are of international importance.
However statistics put Lancashire at the wrong end of deprivation indices for low wage levels and the wider economy, as
well as health and various social indicators.
At best external perceptions of urban Lancashire are neutral and at worst, negative. Some outdated and negative
perceptions of the county could be powerful determinants for future development. The impact of existing negative
stereotypes and in some of our communities a low achievement culture couple with a lack of self-esteem and political
extremism should not be underestimated.
Addressing these challenges and championing the many strengths is the key to a successful Lancashire renaissance.
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Our Ambition
For Lancashire to have a reputation as a successful place to live work and enjoy life
What we want to achieve - our Outcomes
Why
A better external image for Lancashire as a whole and
especially for the former mill towns of East Lancashire
Examples of how this can be done
Through coordinated Public Relations and marketing for
Lancashire to counter negative perceptions
Through publicising successful regeneration and new
developments
Casual negative remarks in national and regional media are
damaging to perceptions and over time have become self
reinforcing
A positive profile as a visitor destination will boost the
reputation of Lancashire so supporting other sectors and
providing jobs
By providing a quality experience for visitors to Lancashire
An increased number and range of visitors to
Lancashire
Examples of how this can be done
Increasing the skills of the workforce in the sector
By developing a high quality visitor experience
A confident, skilled and diverse workforce is needed to be
able to deliver a quality experience for a wider range of
visitors.
Perceptions of Lancashire as a destination are often
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Improving access to and from tourist destinations
negative and outdated. Developing a different profile should
attract additional more affluent visitors and more business
tourism.
A reputation for best practice in access for all will help to
attract a wider range of visitors
Residents throughout Lancashire express their pride
in their village, town or city and county
Examples of how this can be done
Through undertaking local pride campaigns
Supporting cultural programmes and events
The image of Lancashire is important for the people who
live here now as well as for visitors. Although Lancashire is
famed for the warmth of its welcome in some areas
residents do not express pride in their immediate
neighbourhoods or town. This can impact on people’s
aspirations for themselves as well as on external
perceptions of the area.
Direction of travel indicator
We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which will give a broad indication to all the
partners on our progress towards the vision, for example,


perception survey internal/external
visitor numbers and spend– STEAM -These provide a trend analysis for the tourism sector. e.g revenue, visitor numbers,
tourism jobs supported, etc
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Strategic Plans
The Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board is responsible for destination management and strategic leadership of the visitor
economy across the sub-region and our relevant key strategies are the Visitor Economy Strategy 2006 – 2016 (VES) and the annual
Destination Management Plan (DMP) which acts as a blueprint for action against the VES.
The following are some of the partnership plans that will help deliver the vision and ambitions:
Culture matters: The cultural strategy for Lancashire 2004-2007
District LSP Community Strategies. Identify opportunities to increase the volume of tourists to the area whilst preserving
the lifestyles of residents.
Lancashire and Blackpool Visitor Economic Strategy 2006-2016 recognises the link between business and tourism and
provides a strategy for the role of public sector businesses in tourism.
Lancashire Economic Strategy provides more details on Tourism and Rural Development.
Tourist Board Lancashire Strategy
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Ambition
Lancashire
Links between Image and other themes
Prosperous
Lancashire
Image is critical to the perceptions of external investors and potential employees and a better image
will encourage businesses and people to locate in Lancashire. Image also affects tourism and the
attraction or not of visitors to all parts of the county. Developing tourism will provide jobs and
contribute to prosperity
A positive image will help the promotion and development of both agriculture and innovative rural
businesses
Image improvement through improving skills within the tourism sector will contribute to additional
opportunities for training
Positive image and self perception can reinforce community cohesion. Building pride in localities
benefits all communities.
Dynamic Rural
Lancashire
Learning
Lancashire
Welcoming &
Harmonious
Lancashire
Safer Lancashire
Older People’s
Lancashire
Greener Lancashire
Accessible
Lancashire
A positive image may contribute towards reducing fear of crime
Tourism provides opportunities for older people both in terms of providing services and taking
advantage of additional visitor activities and access.
The reputation and attraction of the environment is key to the image of Lancashire
Improving access for visitors will improve facilities for local people too
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Learning Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025.
Lancashire is a learning county where everyone enjoys learning and achieves success.
Learning makes a vital contribution to the prosperity of Lancashire and to people’s quality of life. Learning in this sense is
broadly defined and includes learning for life as well as gaining more formal qualifications and skills for employment.
Learning underpins most of the chapters within Ambition Lancashire.
The economic prosperity of the county is increasingly dependent on a knowledge and skills based economy. The
provision of appropriate education, training and lifelong learning opportunities will ensure that the necessary skills are
attained to allow the development of a diverse, innovative and productive Lancashire economy.
The county also has a rich supply of higher education institutions eg University of Lancaster, the University of Central
Lancashire, Edge Hill University and St Martins College, with excellence in both teaching and research. An exceptionally
high proportion of students are drawn from the local population compared with other parts of the UK and considerable
higher education provision is located in further education colleges in the county.
In this sector there are also significant challenges to be addressed. Issues relating to children’s learning and attainment
are included in the next chapter Every Child Matters but adults of all ages face learning issues too including a significant
proportion of adults who have difficulties with basic skills. Proportionately fewer graduates stay in Lancashire after
qualifying than elsewhere. More adults will face challenges to develop or update their skills to meet changing work place
requirements and to be able to operate effectively in a technology based society.
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Our Ambition
Ensure opportunities are provided for all to benefit from learning and development
What we want to achieve / Outcomes
Why
Improved work-related skills amongst Lancashire people
Examples of how this can be done
Learning and prosperity are interdependent.
by:
 Increasing employer commitment to and involvement in the
training of their personnel.
 Increase the delivery of work based Foundation Degrees
close to centres of population.
 Improving work preparedness of young people and adults.
 Reducing the skills shortage by identifying the specific
areas of deficiency and training local people to meet the
shortfall.
 Increasing the number of employers and organisations
offering apprenticeships to young people and work based
learning to adults, including basic skills.
The skills of people in Lancashire are a vital asset. Skills help
businesses achieve the productivity, innovation and profitability
needed to compete. They help our public services provide the
quality and choice that people want. They help individuals raise
their employability, and achieve their ambitions for themselves,
their families and their communities.
Lancashire faces a challenge to increase the number of adults
engaged in formal, non-formal and informal learning. In a
survey of Lancashire employers, 41% of vacancies were
identified as hard to fill and 28% said this was due to skills
gaps:

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The largest skills gaps reported by employers are
technical, practical or job specific skills (54%), customer
handing skills (49%), oral communication skills (52%)
and problem solving skills (50%).
Ambition Lancashire revised first draft November 2007

Literacy and numeracy skills are an issue for 35% and
32% of employers respectively.

IT skills are much less of an issue than previously – less
than 20% of employers identify a deficit in these areas.
The development path of Lancashire’s economy offers fewer
and fewer opportunities for the low and no skilled (below level
2). (Lancashire Skills Strategy)
An expansion of the community, voluntary and faith
sectors to delivering learning opportunities.
Examples of how this can be done
Involvement of the sector in identifying needs, commissioning
the sector to deliver.
High quality and varied learning opportunities in
Lancashire so that all adults can participate in learning
and development
Examples of how this can be done
By recognising and supporting different ways in which learning
can be delivered whether through traditional means or other eg
VCF sector involvement, use of libraries, cultural activities,
provision of internet access
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The community and voluntary sectors can provide some of the
most innovative ways of providing learning opportunities to
groups that have traditionally been difficult to engage. There
has been an insufficient focus on ways in which community,
voluntary and faith organisations may be supported in their role
as learning providers and community ‘enablers’.
Learning for personal development has valuable social and
health benefits for individuals and the communities they live in –
whether towns, villages or workplaces. The concept of the
learning community is a fast growing one and recognises that
learning for personal development and fulfilment can be a
significant area in which all agencies and individuals can
combine in partnership to deliver health goals, economic
priorities and social regeneration.
People who have had poor experiences of learning in the past,
e.g. at school, are often hesitant to take up other learning
opportunities. They may need to have their confidence
increased before they feel that they can take up learning again.
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Our Ambition
To enable individuals to participate fully in the opportunities on offer in order to maximise their
potential
What we want to achieve our Outcomes
Why
Fewer young people not in education, employment The number of young people age 16-18 in the Lancashire
Authority not in education, employment or training during the
or training
period 2005-06 was 7.7%. (Ofsted Report: Summary of
Baseline Indicators for 2007 APA for Lancashire.)
Examples of how this can be done
This is a vulnerable group who without support have the
potential become one of the most disadvantaged groups. This
can in turn impact on delivering some of the other ambitions
and targets in the vision. If action can be taken to prevent
young people falling into this category it will have positive
impacts on delivering the overall vision.
Improve collaboration between providers to meet needs
differently and more flexibly
A reduction in the amount of worklessness
Worklessness restricts access to training and skills
development.
Examples of how this can be done
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By targeted activity with groups suffering worklessness and
enabling individuals to overcome barriers to skills development
and entry to work.
See “prosperous” chapter for more
Increased participation in further and higher
education
Higher levels of skills and educational attainment will be
required if Lancashire is to develop a modern and high value
economy. Improved personal achievement and attainment
provides choice and potentially enhanced earnings.
Examples of how this can be done
Through collaboration between schools, colleges and
universities, raising aspirations, providing flexible and
innovative options for learning
Direction of travel indicator We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which
will give a broad indication to all the partners on our progress towards the vision, for example,
NEET reduction target
Numbers of adults gaining NVQs 2 & 3
Strategic Plans

Aim Higher (Higher education) this strategy plan for Aimhigher Lancashire covers the period 2006-2008. This
work has helped Aimhigher Lancashire to align itself with national 14-19 strategies and priorities whist taking
account of regional economic and social needs. The plan for the next 3 years is currently being developed.
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
Children and Young People’s Plan responds to the reforms set out in the Children Act 2004 whereby local areas
were required to produce a single, strategic, overarching plan for all services affecting children and young people in
their area. The plan was produced in conjunction with a range of partners. The Areas of Focus within the plan are
aligned to the Government’s Every Child Matters framework.

District Sustainable Community Strategies learning issues highlighted include increasing the skill level of young
people, targeting those young people who are ‘Not in Education Employment or Training’ commonly referred to as
NEET and promoting lifelong learning.

Learning and Skills Council Lancashire – Lancashire Skills Strategy is designed to provide an agenda for
action and investment in learning and skills over the period 2006-2009, complement production of the Lancashire
Economic Strategy (LES) and outline the learning and skill contribution/evidence base to support delivery of the
Central Lancashire CRDP.
Ambition
Lancashire
Links between Learning and other themes within Ambition Lancashire
Prosperous
Lancashire
Dynamic Rural
Lancashire
Every Child
Matters in
Lancashire
Improving skills is key to achieving a prosperous Lancashire. Increasing the numbers in work impacts on
disadvantage and increasing skills levels has a direct impact on wage levels.
Diversification of the rural economy also depends on developing new skills. For example, IT skills enable
working from remote locations, and business skills help diversification from agriculture into tourism.
Improved skills and learning for adults also impacts on the prospects and aspirations of young people.
Parents engaged in learning report higher levels of self-esteem and are more likely to support their child’s
learning in school.
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Caring and
Healthy
Lancashire
Welcoming &
Harmonious
Lancashire
Older People’s
Lancashire
Accessible
Lancashire
Learning opportunities and development can increase individual’s sense of wellbeing. People are more
able to make informed choices about their own health and lifestyle.
Learning activities can improve understanding and tolerance between different groups and communities
Older people can continue to benefit from learning as well as being able to pass on their skills and learning
from their experience
Improving transport to physical locations and the availability of internet provision will improve opportunities
to access learning
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Every Child Matters in Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025
Lancashire is a county where the contributions of children and young people are at the forefront of
life in Lancashire. They are actively involved in taking decisions that affect them, and are supported
and cared for at every stage of their growth and development.
In Lancashire, children and teenagers have a lot to look forward to. They and their parents face a challenging, but hopeful
future. Technological change and globalisation demand that young people of today must develop knowledge, skills and
flexibility for their world of the future. Society, and the role and structure of the family, is changing. Young people face
increasing challenges in their personal and family life as society on the one hand encourages an earlier transition into
adulthood, but on the other, increasingly postpones departure from home and the formation of lifelong relationships.
Services in Lancashire will strive to attain the five key outcomes for children and young people identified by the
Government in its consultation on Every Child Matters which are being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving,
making a positive contribution and economic well-being. Services will involve children and families fully, actively listen and
learn, aim to provide the best possible outcomes, be responsive and flexible, respect diversity and promote equality of
opportunity and promote equal rights for all children, in line with the UN Convention on the rights of the child, and in the
UNESCO Salamanca agreement.
Our Ambition
to ensure that children and young people have the key skills required for adult life
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Our Ambition
to ensure that children and young people have the key skills required for adult life
What we want to achieve - Our outcomes
Why?
 Improved attainment at all stages
 Narrow the gap in attainment in targeted areas
 Reduce the numbers of 16-18 year olds not in
employment education or training, especially in
targeted areas or with vulnerable groups
 Reduce the rate of permanent exclusions from
school
 Reduce worklessness and child poverty
We want every young person to achieve their
potential and to have the right skills as they become
adults and move into further or higher education or
into work
Our Ambition
To improve the (emotional)health and wellbeing of children and young people




What we want to achieve – our outcomes
Reduce infant mortality
Reduce involvement in risk taking behaviours,
including alcohol, substance misuse and smoking
Reduce teenage conceptions and improve sexual
health
Improve children and young people’s emotional
health and mental wellbeing, including the
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Why
Good health is vital if children and young people are
to enjoy their childhood and achieve their full
potential. Good habits that are established in
childhood will provide the basis for lifelong health and
wellbeing.
Ambition Lancashire revised first draft November 2007
development of CAHMS
 Reduce levels of obesity
 Improve oral health
 Improve access to and take up of sports, cultural
and leisure opportunities
Our Ambition
To enable young people to make a positive contribution to their community
What we want to achieve – our outcomes
Reduce youth offending
Reduce involvement of young people in criminal
damage, anti-social behaviour and arson
Reduce violent crimes involving young people,
including domestic violence, violent extremism
and gang culture
Improve safeguarding the young and vulnerable
Why
Keeping children and young people safe from harm
is a priority and responsibility for everyone. Positive
activities and experiences are a vital part of a happy
and enjoyable childhood and teenage years. We
want a society where children and young people feel
valued and in which their achievements are
recognised and celebrated.
What we want to achieve – our outcomes
 Reduce youth offending
 Reduce involvement of young people in criminal
damage, anti-social behaviour and arson
 Reduce violent crimes involving young people,
including domestic violence, violent extremism
Why
Keeping children and young people safe from harm
is a priority and responsibility for everyone. Positive
activities and experiences are a vital part of a happy
and enjoyable childhood and teenage years. We
want a society where children and young people feel
valued and in which their achievements are




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and gang culture
 Improve safeguarding the young and vulnerable
recognised and celebrated.
Indication of direction of travel towards our Vision
We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which will give a broad indication to all the
partners on our progress towards the vision, for example,
3 Year Target
2025
Target
Strategic Plans (We propose to list partnership plans and give a brief description explaining why they are relevant to
the theme)
The following are some of the partnership plans that will help deliver the vision and ambitions
Children and Young People’s Plan
Lancashire Education Development Plan
Lancashire Teenage Pregnancy Strategy and Action Plan
Ambition Lancashire
Examples of how Every Child Matters links to delivery of ambitions and visions in
other themes
Prosperous Lancashire
Dynamic Rural Lancashire
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Learning Lancashire
Every Child Matters in
Lancashire
Caring and Healthy
Lancashire
Welcoming & Harmonious
Lancashire
VCFS delivering help to children with disabilities, DV, school events, bullying intervention,
special need sports clubs, gang culture
Safer Lancashire
Older People’s Lancashire
Greener Lancashire
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Caring and Healthy Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025
Lancashire is a place where all sections of the community can lead long, active and healthy lives,
and experience a high degree of wellbeing.
Despite increased national prosperity, wider opportunity and improving health over the last twenty years, there remain
striking inequalities in health between groups and areas of Lancashire.
In many parts of the county people enjoy affluent lifestyles. Public health is markedly better than that enjoyed by our
predecessors. Many serious public diseases have been eradicated and life expectancy has increased. But in some small
areas of Lancashire, life expectancy is considerably shorter than the national average. A strong body of research clearly
demonstrates the opportunity for a long and healthy life today is still linked to social circumstances, childhood poverty,
where you live, what job you do, how much your parents earned, your race and your gender.
Looking at particular health issues, Lancashire like many counties has problems relating to lifestyle, and especially to
smoking, diet, and drug and alcohol abuse. Tackling these issues can have a major impact on improving an individual’s
health and can have wider benefits for the whole community.
More people are also living longer and they will have specific needs that must be met in respect of care, health, mobility,
housing and many other services.
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Our Ambition
To reduce health inequalities and provide opportunities for Lancashire people to live healthy lives.
What we want to achieve / Outcomes
Why
Good health and wellbeing
Examples of how this can be done
Health inequalities run through life from before birth and into old
age. They exist between different social classes, different areas of
the country, between men and women and between people from
different ethnic backgrounds; between people with and without a
disability; between heterosexual and Lesbians; Gay Men; Bisexuals
and Transgender people; and between people of different ages
Reduce poverty by increasing access to employment and
education.
Work to ensure everyone has a decent standard of
accommodation.
Support community activities, befriending schemes to reduce
social isolation.
Social isolation can lead to depression, loss of independence and
confidence, physical health problems and illness.
Vulnerable people may find it hard to eat a healthy diet, or worry
about financial difficulties that can lead to health problems. Injuries
may be sustained whilst people try to make their own repairs.
Provide practical help for vulnerable people including
shopping, repairs and dealing with bills.
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Reduce the gap in life expectancy and ill health between Statistics show that the pattern of mortality in Lancashire has
Lancashire’s most deprived wards and England’s remained relatively unaltered over the last few decades.
population as a whole.
Many of the benefits of engaging people in living healthier lives
Examples of how this can be done
occur in the long term. Poor lifestyle choices, particularly in
Lancashire’s disadvantaged communities, exacerbate poor health,
Develop programmes to help people make good lifestyle
and these can be passed on from generation to generation.
choices about diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol and drugs.
Our Ambition
To invest in and strengthen access to high quality health services so improving public health in
Lancashire.
What we want to achieve
Why
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Access to high quality health services
Examples of how this can be done
Emphasising that the Health Service should be a health rather
than a sickness service, National Service Frameworks (NSFs)
provide a systematic approach for improving standards and
quality across health care sectors. They exist for coronary heart
disease, mental health, older people, renal health, diabetes,
children, young people and maternity services.
Implement the National Service Frameworks in Lancashire
(NSFs).
Through collaborative arrangements for service planning with
disabled people, carers and other stakeholders, using
“Partnership Boards” to advise on future commissioning of
services
The basis for the NSF model has already been established in
services for people with learning disabilities ensuring better
integration of services, less duplication and waste, and services
that meet the needs and expectations of people who use
services.
By developing arrangements for closer service integration in
services for people with mental health problems.
Services for this group are already delivered by multi-disciplinary
teams under single management. There is further scope to
integrate service planning and delivery with health agencies and
the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sectors to get best benefit
from resources and create flexible, responsive services for
users.
Our Ambition
To support all vulnerable adults to lead more independent lives.
What we want to achieve – our Outcomes
Why
Vulnerable adults living more independently and making
a valued contribution to their communities
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Examples of ways this can be done
In partnership of local authority, health agencies and the
Voluntary, Community and Faith sectors, strengthening
support for adults in the county who need it by and putting in
place robust support networks for vulnerable people and
carers

Supporting the majority of people with a learning
disability to live independently in their own home, have a
paid job and an active social life.
 Supporting people who have experienced mental health
problems to secure meaningful paid employment and to
live independently in the community through a range of
support services that can be increased quickly if the
need arises.
 Supporting People with a physical disability or sensory
impairment to be able to secure meaningful paid
employment, to live in supported housing rather than
institutional care and be able to use leisure facilities.
People with learning disabilities are living longer and
increasingly outliving their parents. Many service users
want to live independently and have more influence over
how their care is provided. Carers say they want more
respite care.
Those will long-term mental ill-health have the lowest rate
of employment of any of the main groups of disabled
people (Towards Skills for Jobs, LSC, 2007). . With the
right support many more would be able and would like to
work.
Research suggests that those with a disability experience
lower employment rates and earnings, and are three times
more likely to exit work than are people without disabilities
or health problems (Towards Skills for Jobs, LSC, 2007).
This will lead to raised awareness of disability, challenge
stereotypes and undermine discrimination.
Give people the opportunity to have more flexible,
individually-tailored care and support.
Examples of how this can be done
Direct Payments give people who need care at home the
facility to fund their own arrangements which can be built
around their own situation and needs and reflect the
increasing desire for more flexible tailor-made care
arrangements.
By promoting Direct Payments as an alternative to care
arranged for them.
Self directed services for people who need social care.
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Indication of direction of travel towards vision
We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which will give a broad indication to all the
partners on our progress towards the vision eg
Reduce health inequalities - Life expectancy, healthy and disability free life expectancy
Strategic Plans
District Sustainable Community Strategies include the need to improve the coordination of health-related services and
deliver health-related services in ways that suit local people and take account of future generations.
NHS North West Local Delivery Plan The NHS North West’s Local Delivery plan outlines how health care will be
developed from 2006-2008 across the North West. All health communities have produced Local Delivery Plans which
show how they plan to reduce health inequalities by 10% by 2010. NHS North West’s initial focus is on smoking
cessation.
The Local Delivery Plan (LDP) process identifies how the PCT as a commissioner ensures that it will remain within its
financial allocation for the year whilst at the same time delivering the required targets placed upon it, eg reduction in
waiting times etc.
LCC Adult & Community Services Business Plan 2008-2009
Produced annually, the Business Plan is an overarching document covering social care services, cultural and communityoriented services. The plan is a framework guiding individual services’ plans and aims to deliver better outcomes for
people through improved partnership working and a ‘whole community’ perspective of health and social care issues.
Supporting People Strategy (2005-2010) Supporting people is a working partnership of local government, health, support
providers and customers that use support services. The five year strategy is a document that will be used to guide the
future direction and provision of Supporting People services across Lancashire and is updated with detailed annual plans.
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Lancashire Healthy Schools Programme The Lancashire Health Schools Programme has been developed under the
National Healthy School Standard and is a partnership project developed by Lancashire County Council and North,
Central and East Lancashire Primary Care Trusts. It aims to raise educational achievement and improve health by
addressing national, regional, local and school priorities, and by countering disadvantage and disaffection.
Theme
Caring and Healthy examples of links to other themes
Prosperous
Greener
Healthier people are better able to work and contribute to the economy
Our environment contributes to our potential for well being and provides opportunities
for increasing healthy activity
Ill health restricts people’s ability to participate in training or other forms of personal
development
Children’s learning, wellbeing and future potential is affected by their own ill health or
their parents
Poor health can limit ability to use both private and public transport
The voluntary, community and faith sector makes a huge contribution towards caring
for and supporting vulnerable people and those with health related problems
Older people can contribute to supporting people with ill health as carers and
volunteers
Better and appropriate housing can prevent or alleviate health problems and help
support carers and people with disabilities
Learning
Every Child Matters
Accessible
Welcoming & Harmonious
Older People
Living
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Welcoming and Harmonious Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025
Lancashire is welcoming, ambitious and harmonious. Diversity is celebrated. Tolerance and
pride is embedded in a modern multi-cultural Lancashire. Where people from all backgrounds
have equal life opportunities
Lancashire’s vibrant voluntary, community and faith sector is a major contributor to a just and
civilised society.
Community cohesion lies at the heart of what makes a safe and strong Lancashire. It must be delivered locally through
creating strong community networks, based on principles of trust and respect for local diversity, and nurturing a sense of
belonging and confidence in local people. Effectively delivering community cohesion also tackles the fractures in society
which may lead to conflict and ensures that the gains which changing communities bring are a source of strength to local
areas.
Building cohesive communities brings huge benefits by creating a society in which people from different ethnic, cultural
and religious backgrounds can live and work together in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. Cohesive
communities are communities which are better able to tackle common problems, to provide mutual support and to work
together for a positive future.
Lancashire’s positive future as described by our ambitions belongs to everyone. It is important that people from all
communities and backgrounds are involved in taking decisions that affect them and that they have equal life opportunities.
An important characteristic of a strong, cohesive and equal community is a strong voluntary, community and faith sector.
The voluntary, community and faith sector in Lancashire has a vital role as the county’s ‘third sector’, working alongside
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the public sector and the private market. Through its engagement of volunteers, the services it provides and the support it
gives to individuals and groups, its contribution to life in Lancashire is immense.
Our Ambition
To promote awareness and understanding between Lancashire’s communities.
What we want to achieve – our Outcomes
Why
Strengthened planning and delivery of equality issues
across agencies in Lancashire
Example of how this can be done
By developing service plans that that address equality and
diversity issues
Public and statutory sector working with VCFS to
strengthen planning and delivery of equality policies
Working to reduce inequalities by targeting initiatives and
projects at areas and individuals most in need.
The public sector agencies in Lancashire have a statutory
duty to promote equality issues. Whilst much activity exists,
it can sometimes appear fragmented to communities and
individuals. By better harmonising activities, the public
sector agencies of the county can provide a more effective
service.
Inequalities within our communities creates longer term
underlying problems that often manifest themselves as
community tensions or fractures within areas of greatest
deprivation.
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Diversity that is celebrated and cultural and faith
awareness.
Examples of how this can be done
Endorse and support community events, cultural festivals
and sporting events to raise awareness and understanding
of cultural and faith differences.
Use the media to promote positive community images
including working with the VCF sector to develop
community media projects
Working with the VCF sector to ask communities about
local solutions and innovative approaches to achieving
community cohesion
A better understanding of the diversity of our different
cultures and faiths, together with more understanding of
what we share, raised through a higher profile, will help to
strengthen community cohesion in the county. This is a key
way of beginning to address tensions between different
communities.
The VCFS is leading on celebrating and organising, interfaith, and diverse community events. Lancashire
communities include people with roots in various parts of
the world including South and east Asia, Western and
Eastern Europe, China, Africa, the Caribbean and Latin
America. These communities reflect the large diversity of
faiths and cultures within Lancashire.
Working to ensure people get on well together
Examples of how this can be done
Strengthen leadership on community cohesion
While Lancashire is overall a tolerant and peaceful society,
we need to carry out actions to ensure that it remains so.
Collect up to date information on make up of population and
changes in it and responding to changes
It is important to be able to identify and respond to changing
needs and emerging events within the population.
Myth busting to challenge negative and false messages
Participate in initiatives to preventing violent extremism
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Our Ambition
To reinvigorate local democracy and support the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector.
What we want to achieve - our Outcomes
Why
A stronger local democracy that allows people to have
a greater say in local decision making.
Examples of how this can be done
Devolve decision making from Lancashire County Council
through the ‘Lancashire Local’ Programme.
In a strong society the public are actively involved in
decision making, and have confidence that they are
shaping policies to improve the communities in which they
live.
Partners establish working arrangements that will help
deliver the aspirations of local communities, for example
through the development of Parish and Neighbourhood
Charters.
It is important that the public sector and other agencies
respond wherever practicable to the aspirations of local
communities.
Develop electronic communication systems that give
communities the opportunities to understand and contribute
to planning of services.
Engaging with VCFS groups that represent the diversity of
Lancashire’s communities.
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Strengthened support for and relationships with the
voluntary, community and faith sectors from public
agencies.
Examples of how this can be done
The voluntary, community and faith sectors in Lancashire
(VCFS) bring experience and expertise to initiatives and
Seek to jointly draw down national funds to support local help to create meaningful community engagement.
developments in partnership with the VCFS.
The VCFS is in a position to act as advocates and as
Explore the opportunities for more commissioning of
service providers for the communities including
services from the VCFS
marginalised and traditional excluded groups.
Through the County Council’s VCFS Policy Framework, and All participating agencies need to have shared principles
encourage other public sector organisations to sign up to
and common aims In order to achieve their objectives. The
the Compact.
Compact sets out the key principles and undertakings that
underpin the relationship between the Council and the
Clarify the respective roles, expectations and set out VCFS in Lancashire.
commitments to work together, by developing protocols
between the VCFS and other partners.
Direction of travel Indicators
We are proposing to developing 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target that will give a broad indication to all the
partners on our progress towards the vision, for example,
To what extent do you agree or disagree that this local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get on
well together.
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Do you agree or disagree that you can influence decisions affecting your local area?
Awareness of other cultures/attendance at multicultural events
Strategic Plans
Lancashire County Council’s Community Cohesion Development Plan This includes actions to achieve four goals;
growing our understanding of community cohesion in Lancashire; promoting community cohesion through mainstream
services and functions; countering myths and misunderstandings; and being an active partner in tackling cohesion
countywide.
County wide approach to community cohesion Developed by representatives from each local authority in Lancashire,
the approach includes actions to achieve six agreed goals to strengthen work already ongoing across the county.
Getting it Right – Embedding diversity and equality into local strategic partnerships and sustainable community
strategies A guidance document which seeks to provide local strategic partnerships with the knowledge and tools to
embed equality and diversity into their local strategic partnerships and sustainable community strategies in order to meet
legislative requirements.
Equality and Diversity Legislation The Home Office has a mandate to build a safe, just and tolerant society for
everyone in the UK, regardless of their race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or age.
Promoting equality and diversity is a responsibility shared by all government departments. Local Authorities have a legal
duty to produce Equality Strategies for Race, Disability and Gender.
Our Shared Future: the report of the Commission on Integration and Cohesion A report which sets out the
Commission’s practical proposals for building integration and cohesion at the local level.
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Theme
Examples of links from Welcoming and Harmonious to other themes
Prosperous
Cohesive communities will be supported by shared economic prosperity between all our communities.
Providing equal employment opportunities to Individuals from different backgrounds will improve their live
chance and make a significant contribution to Lancashire’s economy. The VCFS contributes significantly
to the economy of Lancashire in terms of inward investment, jobs, social capital (e.g. volunteering), and
as training providers
Services should be accessible by all groups, this will improve peoples life chances and help to bring
people together from different backgrounds.
A modern multicultural Lancashire where cultural diversity is celebrated and people from different
backgrounds get on together will support a positive image for Lancashire.
Raising the educational attainment of people with disabilities; and of BME and other disadvantaged
communities; is important part of making Lancashire a place where everyone can enjoy the better life
opportunities that come from learning. VCFS work in this area includes providing training in for example,
community languages, parenting skills, basic skills in global education, IT.
The VCF sector provides extensive activities for young people that can increase their confidence and
skills, including young people with special needs, disabilities and those who are disaffected.
The VCFS provide important social and caring support services and facilitate community activities that
enhance quality of life and physical and mental wellbeing.
Community activities and VCFS services will become increasingly important to meeting the needs of
Lancashire’s aging population. Many older people also provide invaluable services as volunteers.
Addressing fear of crime can remove barriers to people participating in community and voluntary
activities. Reducing incidents of hate crime is important part of making Lancashire safer for everyone.
Lancashire’s cultural is enriched by the activities and heritage of its diverse communities. The VCFS can
help to promote and assist raising cultural awareness and making other cultures accessible and promote
and support Arts and Leisure activities and access to facilities within the VCFS especially for disabled
and older people.
A greener Lancashire can benefit everyone, community food growing projects that encourage people to
grow traditional vegetables, along side vegetables grown in other parts of the world, can be good way to
share the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity between different communities. The VCFS can
help people to understand issues and change behaviour.
Accessible
Image
Learning
Every Child
Matters
Caring and
Healthy
Older People
Safer
Cultural
Greener
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Safer Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025
Lancashire is a safe place to grow, live and work. There is a strong sense of community
responsibility and involvement in community life.
All Lancashire’s citizens require a safe environment and protection from crime to function productively and to improve the
quality of their daily lives.
Lancashire is a relatively safe place. But in some pockets of the county crime levels provide disturbing evidence of social
disintegration, and create loss and physical and psychological wounds. In turn, insecurity exacts an economic toll in
growing expenditure on security and it discourages inward investment.
The aim is to make Lancashire a safe place to grow, live and work. In working towards this goal, the focus will be on
tackling the causes and contributory factors in crime and safety. This means understanding the complex relationship
between crime and social factors like poor housing and job prospects, truancy, ill health, drug and alcohol misuse.
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Our Ambition
To reduce crime levels and the fear of crime.
What we want to achieve – our Outcomes
Why
Less crime, particularly in the areas with the highest
levels.
Examples of how this can be done
Neighbourhood Policing to communities through local
teams of Community Beat Managers supported by police
Community Support Officers.
By the integration of Local Authority Neighbourhood
Management approaches, with Neighbourhood Policing
Tackling violent extremism through partnership working.
Crime and fear of crime continues to feature amongst
residents concerns despite significant falls in some types of
crime. Although overall in Lancashire crime levels are
relatively low there are a significant number of “hotspots”
throughout the county.
Neighbourhood Management and Policing is an opportunity
for partners within Local Authority areas to work together to
achieve joint community outcomes around crime, disorder
and the environment
Working with partners to reduce hate incidents and crimes
The Tackling Violent extremism pathfinder, receiving
funding for partner initiatives to tackle extremism will aim to
prevent the development of this form of crime.
Fewer incidents and less acceptance of anti-social
behaviour
Examples of how this can be done
Addressing the issues of most concern to local people
through multi agency collaboration.
Anti-social behaviour includes a range of problems – noisy
neighbours, abandoned cars, vandalism, graffiti, litter and
youth nuisance. It can hold back the regeneration of
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The advent of ‘Restorative Justice’ approaches particularly
in respect of young people is seen as an innovative and
positive means of dealing with minor transgressions of the
law than more formal criminal Justice processes.
Lancashire’s most disadvantaged areas, creating the
environment in which crime can take hold.
Further increase reassurance and reduce the
perception of crime
Partnership working with communities such as through the
Police and Communities Together initiative and publicising
success
Improving the local environment by dealing with abandoned
vehicles, waste, fires, improving lighting
There are many crimes that go unreported and many more
victims exist than the statistics suggest. Being a victim of
crime affects the whole family as well as the individual and
can lead to many dysfunctional behaviours, even leading to
the individual turning to crime themselves.
Our Ambition
To reduce the risk factors associated with criminality.
What we want to achieve - our Outcomes
Why
Prevent offending by children and young people
Examples of how this can be done
Tackling the risk factors for offending at an early stage
through universal and targeted services Through projects
such as an innovative Youth Referral Scheme, the GRIP
project, the Criminal Justice Intervention Programme and
Positive Activities for Young People.
Early intervention with young people and families promotes
improved outcomes for young people, including a reduced
risk of offending and anti social behaviour, ultimately
resulting in safer communities for everyone.
Our Ambition
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To make living, working and travelling in Lancashire safer.
What we want to achieve - our Outcomes
Why?
Less alcohol and substance misuse
Examples of how this can be done
Addressing the problem of drugs dependency and drug
related crime, through, for example, increased supported
housing for people recovering from substance misuse and
increased support for rehabilitation schemes.
Establishing more programmes for the treatment of alcohol
and drug misuse.
Promoting responsible attitudes to alcohol and a safe night
time economy
Safer Roads
Drug dependency leads to anti social behaviour and
criminal activity affecting the whole community.
Alcoholism has serious consequences for individuals health
& wellbeing, is linked to offending and reduces the life
chances of all those affected.
It will make town and city centres less threatening,
especially for those waiting for transport. It will also reduce
alcohol related road casualties.
Examples of how this can be done
Speeding enforcement and promoting road safety
messages.
Road safety training for children as in The Right Start and
Passport to Safer Cycling programmes that involve schools
and parents working together to make children safer road
users and to offer them greater mobility.
Casualties on Lancashire’s roads can have a devastating
and permanent effect on the lives of Lancashire people.
Road casualties also impose a heavy burden on the health
services.
The UK has a particularly poor record of child pedestrian
accidents when compared to other European countries. In
Lancashire, child pedestrian accident rates are higher in
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areas of deprivation.
A reduction in the incidence and consequence of fire
across Lancashire especially among Lancashire’s
vulnerable and deprived communities.
Examples of how this can be done
Prevention and protection work through multi-agency teams
Fire kills. Preventing fires saves lives and reduces injuries.
Lancashire has previously had comparatively high levels of
fire related deaths and injuries.
In 2006/07 Lancashire experienced 27% fewer fire deaths
and 45% fewer fire related injuries but the current approach
needs to be continued to ensure that this level of
performance can be sustained.
Our Ambition
To make Lancashire a safer place for vulnerable people.
What we want to achieve our Outcomes
Why
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A reduction in the prevalence of domestic
violence.
Examples of how this can be done
Supporting local activities holding: awareness
campaigns; multi and single agency training
sessions.
Providing Specialist Domestic Violence Courts
Research shows that domestic violence in England claims more
than 150 lives per year in England, has more repeat victims than any
other crime, and claims the lives of two women each week.
From June 2005 to July 2006 Lancashire Constabulary had a
reported 23 501 incidents of domestic violence. This amounts to a
monthly average for the whole of Lancashire of between 125 – 155
incidents.
Providing Counselling and Refuge spaces for
victims
Lack of progress on tackling domestic violence adversely affects
much of Ambition Lancashire. The prevalence of domestic violence
affects progress in many of the themes, partly due to the prevalence
Providing programmes for perpetrators of domestic rates, partly due to the large and varied effects in our communities.
violence, including support for partners.
Lancashire is a safer place for vulnerable
people
Examples of how this can be done
Often the most vulnerable and frail elderly people are targets for
doorstep crime, rogue direct selling and traders and become targets
for distraction burglary and repair malpractices. The impact of
doorstep crime on the older person can be devastating.
Protect the most vulnerable from doorstep and
other crime.
Agencies working together to understanding
needs of disadvantaged groups.
Safeguarding of vulnerable adults
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Indication of direction of travel towards vision
We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which will give a broad indication to all the
partners on our progress towards the vision, for example:
Reduce BCS (British Crime survey) comparator crime by an agreed % over an agreed time period
Reduce the fear of crime – perception measure
Strategic Plans (We propose to list partnership plans and give a brief description explaining why they are relevant to
the theme)
The following are some of the partnership plans that will help deliver the vision and ambitions
District Sustainable Community Strategies Highlight concerns about crime and the fear of crime, road safety and
other community safety issues, specific issues that they address include alcohol and substance misuse, and domestic
violence.
Lancashire Domestic Violence Strategy 2007-20012
This strategy details how all Lancashire agencies can respond more effectively to domestic violence by working together
in cooperation with Lancashire Domestic Violence Partnership.
Lancashire Drug and Alcohol Action Team (LDAAT) strategy
This strategy outlines how the National Drugs Strategy will be delivered in Lancashire. The LDAAT is a partnership of
police and probation services, local authorities, prisons, health authorities and voluntary organisations working together to
break the cycle of substance misuse.
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Local Transport Plan 2006/7-2011/12 These are 5-year strategies based around the four shared priorities of road safety,
congestion, air quality and accessibility together with other quality of life issues and maintenance.
Policing Lancashire Strategic Plan 2005-2008
A medium-term plan which shows how the Lancashire Police Authority and Constabulary will address national policing
priorities, while identifying and responding to local needs.
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Risk Management Plan 2008-2011
A single overarching strategic document which gives clear direction to the work of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. It
aims to fully integrate provision of services with those of partners in pursuit of local priorities.
District Community Safety Partnerships Plans and Strategies
A legal obligation resulting from the Crime and Disorder Act 2000, District Community Safety Partnership Strategies are
strategic documents produced each year to tackle crime and disorder in their area. The plans contain specific detail of
actions to achieve the objectives of the strategies.
Theme
Examples of links to other themes
Prosperous
The Probation Service is working with local employers to increase the employment prospects of exoffenders. Domestic violence is a cause of disadvantage and creates poverty of opportunity; families
fleeting domestic violence will be at risk of direct financial poverty.
Addressing community safety issues will improve the image of Lancashire
Increasing the opportunities of offenders to access further training or higher education is important to
improve their live chances and reduce re-offending.
Domestic violence is very high, affecting, as a conservative estimate 48,000 children and young people
every year. It is a child protection issue. Even if children are not physically assaulted, there are likely
to be consequences for their short- and long-term prospects.
There is a proven link between mental health problems and offending, demonstrated by the high
numbers of people in prison diagnosed with mental health illnesses. It is important that offenders are
encouraged to lead healthy lifestyles that contribute to employment, learning and leisure activities.
Image
Learning
Every Child
Matters
Caring and
Healthy
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Welcoming &
Harmonious
Older People
Living
Voluntary groups work with offenders and help reduce re-offending. Increased understanding between
different communities can help reduce community tensions.
Fear of crime and crime is a particular concern to older people and can prevent them from participating
in community life.
Homelessness or being housed in unsuitable accommodation represents a risk for offenders. Having
stable housing can reduce re-offending by more than 20% and ensuring that offenders have access to
suitable accommodation is crucial to successful rehabilitation.
Older People’s Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025
Lancashire is a county where older people are empowered to live their lives in the way they
choose and where the skills and expertise of older people are valued.
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The number of older people in Lancashire is increasing, particularly those living into advanced old age.
The circumstances of individual older people are very varied. The factors that influence individual circumstances include
health, income, gender, social integration, work history, child-rearing and caring history, location and housing conditions.
Some will be characterised by good health and high levels of independence before some acute health episode leads to
sudden decline. Others will suffer the steady attrition of chronic health problems that diminish the quality of their life for
much of their old age. Whatever their circumstances, all older adults deserve economic, physical and social well being
at levels enabling them to remain secure, active and contributing members of Lancashire life.
The number of ‘younger’ older people is also increasing as people retire earlier and live longer. Most older people are
going to be more concerned about things like lifestyle expectations, leisure, opportunities, and the same issues as many
other Lancashire residents – transport, road safety, crime and disorder, employment opportunities. With the growing
emphasis on health improvement and tackling health inequalities, we can expect a growing number of people over 65 who
will be fit, active and looking to play a full part in society.
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Our Ambition
To maximise the life opportunities for older people and engage them in all levels of decision
making.
What we want to achieve / Outcomes
Why
Older people are able to make a positive contribution
There are more and more people over 50 that are fit and
healthy and have expectations that they will be able to live
life to the full. When asked what was important for their
lifestyle in old age 48% of older people responded to ‘lead
a full and active life’
Examples of how this can be done
Strengthen the opportunities for older people to remain
active and fully involved in community life. Including
volunteering, working and leisure activities.
Older people have a great deal to offer the community in
which they live. They may have rich experiences of family
Promote inter-generational work to build generational bridges and working life and their skills and experience which can
enrich the life of their communities and help Lancashire
meet its economic needs. Their skills can be harnessed as
Tackling ageism and discrimination.
employees, volunteers and as mentors and can promote
services within their communities. 72% of 45-64 year old
Challenging myths and stereotypes about older people.
agree that older people will play an increasingly important
role in society in the future.
Make sure that all older people are engaged in
making, including those with learning difficulties,
and mental health needs, and those from black
ethnic communities, gay or lesbian and people of
faiths.
decision
physical If services are to meet the need of the aging population
minority they must engage with all older people, to identify their
different different issues and needs. For example the ageing
demographic of the black minority ethnic communities is
changing presenting different opportunities and service
Develop collaborative arrangements for service planning with needs.
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older people, carers and other stakeholders.
By working together services can reduce duplication and
better meet the needs of older people.
Capitalise on the skills and expertise of older people from all
communities and cultures and their contribution to local As volunteers and mentors older people’s skills can be
harnessed and they can promote services within their
communities.
community.
Older people with sufficient financial security to
maintain their quality of life and wellbeing
Examples of how this can be done
Many of Lancashire’s older people experience poverty that
can restrict access to basic needs. Almost 28,000
pensioners (around 15%) in Lancashire have low incomes
Maximise the take up of welfare benefits
Provide opportunities for older people to work flexibly
between work and retirement.
As the number of older people in the workforce
increases more flexible training opportunities need to
Provide older people with the opportunity to work if they want be provided
to.
Improve financial planning for old age
Older people are a major contributor to the cash
economy of Lancashire and therefore impartial
financial planning advice is crucial
Older people are able to access mainstream services
Examples of how this can be done
Many older people without access to public transport in
rural Lancashire can find themselves dependant on
Provide older people with access to good quality information,
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by providing advice and advocacy services.
Strengthen older people’s access to public transport, making
it easy to access services and leisure facilities.
Involving older people in developing and reviewing access to
information and services.
declining and expensive village based services. This can
lead isolation and exclusion from those services and
facilities that can enhance quality of life.
Involving all sections of the older population in service
reviews will help reduce unnecessary barriers and
promote access.
Improving co-ordination of specialist transport schemes for
people who cannot use public transport
Our Ambition
Promote older people’s health, safety and independence and ensure that all older people and
their carers are treated with respect, dignity and fairness.
What we want to achieve - our Outcomes
Why
Older people are safe and supported
Examples of how this can be done
Older people say it is very important to them to remain in
their own homes and live as independently as they can for
as long as they can. 62% of older people see ‘being able
to live independently as very important to their lifestyle in
older age. 58% rate being able to stay in their own home
as most important for their lifestyle.
Provide support services for older people and carers to
maintain their independence, including help with shopping
and cleaning.
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Volunteers help older people with practical tasks
Carers provide essential support and it is important that
services work with carers and older people, to meet their
Use the latest technology to provide increased support at needs.
home and work.
Use the latest technology to provide increased support at
home and work with housing providers to promote and
Encourage housing providers to promote and provide ‘life provide ‘life time homes’ adaptable to the needs of all
time homes’ adaptable to the needs of all households and households and age groups.
age groups.
Independence in the home enhances wellbeing, feelings
of security and confidence
Allowing older people to contribute to their own safety
Being able to control your own security reduces the
and ensuring they are able to contribute to their local
sense of vulnerability and ensures older people are
area as a citizen
seen as capable citizens.
Older people are healthy and well
Examples of how this can be done
Older people should be physically mentally and emotionally Having access to community activities and good social
healthy
networks will help older people leave happier lives.
Physical and mental wellbeing are both important.
Services that are, accessible and close to home.
All services need to plan for an aging population and their
changing health needs, for example an increased
prevalence of dementia amongst older people.
Services based on need with out age related discrimination
Better information about what services are available
Work with older people to plan for their different needs can
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Support older people’s social networks for example by
developing befriending schemes.
help reduce isolation.
Social contact, income levels and recognition as a full
citizen will be key to good health for older people as
well as having a positive effect on the Lancashire
Economy.
Provide older people with access to a range of
activities - including education and leisure services
Provision of flexible work packages including gap years
and retraining to allow older people to stay in
employment
Indication of direction of travel towards vision
We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which will give a broad indication to all the
partners on our progress towards the vision.
Strategic Plans (We propose to list partnership plans and give a brief description explaining why they are relevant to the
theme)
The following are some of the partnership plans that will help deliver the vision and ambitions
Strategy for an Ageing Population – Aims to make Lancashire a place where older people can live their lives in the way
they choose and where their skills and expertise are valued. The strategy also responds to the different lifestyles of the
generation aged 50+. It focuses on health and social care, but also on Lancashire’s economy, transport, leisure, lifelong
learning and housing.
District Sustainable Community Strategies - Older peoples’ interests are represented across the Districts in Lancashire
with a focus in many of the strategies on issues such as improving public take up of services, reducing inequalities, health
and wellbeing, community safety and transport.
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Lancashire Economic strategy (added by the Lancashire Economic Partnership) Has identified areas for economic growth
and looks to encourage prosperity throughout Lancashire
Theme
Examples of links to other themes
Prosperous
Older people’s skills and experience means they have a valuable contribution to make to the
workforce. Older people’s expenditure provides business opportunities.
Services must be accessible to the changing needs of the older population; public transport is an
important part of this especially in rural areas.
Older people living in rural areas need to be considered by service planners and involved in decision
making.
Learning activities is important to enrich older people’s lives and provide social opportunities.
Information Technology skills can be learnt as part of intergeneration projects between younger and
older people.
Physical and mental wellbeing is important to allow older people to leave independent, active and
happy lives.
Community, voluntary and faith groups provide services for older people and volunteering
opportunities enable older people to use their skills and experience.
Feeling safe in their home and neighbourhood is important to older people and allows older people to
participate in community activities.
Housing providers need to plan for the age population and provide housing suitable for their needs.
Arts, leisure and library services can all provide opportunities for older people to lead active lives and
contribute to and participate in community life.
Accessible
Dynamic rural
Learning
Caring and
Healthy
Welcoming &
Harmonious
Safer
Living
Cultural
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Living in Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025
Lancashire offers a choice of good quality housing in successful, secure and sustainable
communities.
Perhaps the most basic need of any community is housing. The provision of affordable, safe and decent housing for all
Lancashire residents is a paramount concern.
Where there is insufficient choice and opportunity available to individuals to access and maintain an appropriate housing
product a slow spiral of decline can result. As can be seen in parts of the County, this then leads to a lack of confidence
leaving an oversupply of outdated, dilapidated and often vacant dwellings. This has a negative impact on the general
economy of the area affecting local businesses and often traps individuals and families with the least opportunities in
areas of highest need. It must be recognised that addressing housing issues has a direct and dynamic relationship with
economic issues and social regeneration. Agencies need to work collaboratively to predict and meet the needs of existing
and future communities.
Parts of Lancashire have severe housing condition difficulties, particularly in east Lancashire and parts of western
Lancashire where there are extensive areas of poor quality, obsolete housing for which there is no demand. The ‘Elevate’
housing market renewal programme is seeking to tackle the challenges in east Lancashire.
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But Lancashire’s housing stock varies greatly in condition and value, and parts of western and east Lancashire have very
different problems. Some parts of the County have strong market values and affordability is an issue for new entrants to
the housing market. In other areas, the oversupply of a particular type of property limits choice and adversely affects
housing market along with specialist and supported housing provision also being very limited.
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Our Ambition
To invest in neighbourhoods and replace obsolete housing in a sustainable way.
What we want to achieve – our outcomes
Why?
Increased demand for housing and attractive areas to
live
Examples of how this can be done
Lancashire has one of the biggest concentrations of low
housing demand in the country.
Invest in housing areas to reduce problems of obsolete, unfit
and unpopular housing.
Morecambe, Fleetwood and the Fylde coast,
Skelmersdale and Preston are also showing signs of low
Develop a targeted programme of strategic activity to prevent demand and abandonment.
market failure in East Lancashire and other areas of the
county at risk from low demand.
To provide safe and attractive places for residents and
visitors to enjoy.
Develop projects such as Home- Zones to raise the standard
of the public realm in residential neighbourhoods.
Design and develop new housing that achieves high
environmental and quality standards.
Examples of how this can be done
Make sure housing meets the Decent Homes Standard.
The way we use natural resources for building and the
levels of pollutants emitted in the process of building, and
in the use of buildings once occupied, are unsustainable.
Apply minimum standards for energy water and waste
efficient to housing developments.
Elevate East Lancashire has produced a framework to
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Our Ambition
To invest in neighbourhoods and replace obsolete housing in a sustainable way.
What we want to achieve – our outcomes
Why?
Use The Government’s Code for Sustainable Buildings when
procuring new homes.
ensure that sustainable development principles underpin
the plans and projects developed as part of Elevate East
Lancashire.
Our Ambition
Meet Lancashire’s needs for affordable, specialist and supported housing.
What we want to achieve / Outcomes
Why
Affordable homes to maintain balanced communities.
Examples of how this can be done
In some parts of Lancashire, especially rural areas,
excess demand and restricted supply has pushed house
prices and rents beyond affordable levels. The impact on
the vitality of mixed communities in the county can be
acute. In Lancashire in 2006 the ratio of median house
price to median income was 5.58 with this being as high
as 7.73 in Wyre.
Social housing landlords, developers and planners working
with communities, identifying potential sites, buildings and
innovative uses.
Meet Lancashire’s needs for specialist and supported
housing.
Examples of how this can be done
The scale and complexity of supported and specialist
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Public agencies working together and engaging with all
sections of the community to understand their specialist
housing needs.
housing needs makes this a particular challenge for
Lancashire. Covering older people, people with
disabilities, people with mental health problems, people
with physical disabilities and sensory impairments, victims
Providing access to Home Improvement Agencies, registered of domestic violence, homeless people, teenage mothers
trader schemes and availability of telecare to support
and other vulnerable young people, people who have
vulnerable groups in maintaining the fabric of their properties chronic alcohol or drug addiction and ex-offenders.
and thus maintaining their independence, quality of life and
wellbeing.
Indication of direction of travel towards vision
We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which will give a broad indication to all the
partners on our progress towards the vision, for example.
Relative house prices between the HMR areas and the Lancashire average
Affordable Homes built
Percentage of decent Homes
Ratio of Median House Prices to Median Incomes
Strategic Plans (We propose to list partnership plans and give a brief description explaining why they are relevant to
the theme)
The following are some of the partnership plans that will help deliver the vision and ambitions.
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District Sustianable Community Strategies have identified the very different district and local difference in housing need,
including addressing low demand and unfit housing in some areas and increasing number of areas where housing is
unaffordable.
Elevate East Lancashire Strategic Plan - This prospectus sets out Elevate’s vision and strategy for housing market
renewal and sets it in a strategic content
Regional Spatial Strategy - Sets out the statutory sustainable development framework for the North West over the next 15
to 20 years.
Local Development Frameworks - All Local Authorities are required to produce a LDF which is a set of documents whose
purpose is to guide future development within a Local Authority area. This new system is set to replace Local Plans and
is intended to be faster, easier to update and more responsive to change. It will also provide a greater opportunity for
public participation in the plan making process, helping communities to shape the future of their areas.
Lancashire Economic strategy Has identified areas for economic growth and looks to encourage prosperity throughout
Lancashire
Theme
Examples of links to other themes
Prosperous
Accessible
Affordable good quality housing is essential for employees and key works.
Housing developments that are located near to facilities and public transport help residents
access services.
Affordable housing is important to retain sustainable communities in rural areas.
High quality and affordable housing will attract people to Lancashire.
Lack of decent living accommodation causes distress to individuals and prevents young people
from for filling their potential.
Poor housing is a significant cause of ill health.
Good quality housing that meets the needs of our diverse community will support more cohesive
Dynamic rural
Image
Every Child Matters
Caring and Healthy
Welcoming &
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Harmonious
Safer
Older People
communities.
People need to feel safe and secure in their own homes and neighbourhoods.
The needs of the ageing population must be reflected in housing planning and design.
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Cultural Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025
Lancashire’s cultures are rich and diverse and belong to us all. We will work together to
enhance, develop and care for culture because it is central to how we feel, live, earn a living and
inhabit our environment and to how we understand each other.
Culture enriches society. It makes us happier and healthier, cements communities and creates warmth.
Lancashire is a county of great diversity, both in its environment and its communities. It boasts beautiful and dramatic
rural landscapes and has a rich built heritage embedded in its cities, towns and villages. It is also home to over one
million people who provide its energy, innovation and spirit of enterprise. Our coastline, areas of outstanding natural
beauty, town and country parks, historic buildings, industrial and archaeological heritage, and splendid museums and
libraries are all part of Lancashire’s rich cultural assets.
Lancashire is at the heart of the vibrant North West region and makes a key contribution to its economy and culture.
Lancashire also has great economic and cultural potential which joint working will help to unlock.
Our Ambition
To increase investment in culture and to develop cultural activity that makes a greater
contribution to Lancashire’s economy.
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What we want to achieve - our Outcomes
Why
Cultural activities that make a significant contribution
to regeneration and a successful economy
Examples of how this can be done
Investing in our cultural assets and address gaps in
provision.
Training a skilled workforce so that cultural industries can
play a leading role in the economic development of
Lancashire.
Promote Lancashire’s tourism product.
Help Lancashire people and visitors to learn more about,
and make more of, Lancashire’s rich cultural assets.
Our heritage and culture enriches our lives and contributes
to the economy and plays a large part in regeneration of
deprived areas.
Tourism and creative industries provide jobs and make a
significant contribution to the economy. In 2005 tourism in
Lancashire was estimated to support more than 51,000 jobs
(8.6% of all local jobs).
Lancashire’s landscapes, diverse industrial and
technological heritage, and international important wildlife
sites are all valuable assets that attract UK and overseas
visitors.
Our Ambition
Promote the role of culture in developing welcoming and harmonious communities and
celebrating our rich and diverse culture.
What we want to achieve / Outcomes
Why
Accessible cultural, arts and leisure activities that
reflect our diverse community
Examples of how this can be done
Culture plays a key role in uniting diverse communities and
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Promote events and community activities that celebrate
cultural diversity.
cementing the bonds of established communities.
Communities that engage around festivals and community
celebrations are more cohesive, leading to greater
understanding and respect.
Broaden leisure facilities for young people and involve them
in identifying what is needed.
Having plentiful leisure opportunities enhances self esteem,
builds confidence and reduces the amount of disruptive
Support and promote better access to a range of leisure
behaviours in young people.
and arts facilities within communities.
Accessing leisure facilities within a community promotes
Continue to strengthen the role of libraries in our
participation and promotes social inclusion.
communities, with an increased roll-out of internet facilities.
Libraries can provide many opportunities for Lancashire
Promote the broadening role and range of schools as
people to improve their learning and develop their skills and
community and leisure centres.
knowledge.
Schools provide opportunities for young people to
experience a wide range of creative activities, both in and
out of schools hours.
Indication of direction of travel towards vision
We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which will give a broad indication to all the
partners on our progress towards the vision for example.
3 year Target
Above 65 % of people agree there is a good range of arts & cultural activities in Lancashire
Target 2025
90% of people agree there is a good range of arts & cultural activities in Lancashire
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Strategic Plans (We propose to list partnership plans and give a brief description explaining why they are relevant to
the theme)
The following are some of the partnership plans that will help deliver the vision and ambitions.
District Sustainable Community Strategies - Contain cultural initiatives and and show the potential for culture to be used to
address a range of issues including phisical and mental wellbeing, and regeneration of deprived areas.
Culture Matters - Cultural Strategy for Lancashire
Lancashire and Blackpool Visitor Economy Strategy 2006 – 2016 - Signs up to the objectives of the Northern Way
Strategy which aims to aims to establish the North of England as an area of exceptional opportunoity with a world class
economy and a superb quality of life.
Lancashire Economic Strategy - Provides the Lancashire Economic Partnership with a context and framework within
which the future develop and strengthening of all aspects of the economy of Lancashrie will sit.
Local Transport Plan - Sets out plans for transport in the county for the years 2006-10.
District Sustainable Community Strategies
Contain cultural initiatives and and show the potential for culture to be
used to address a range of issues including phisical and mental wellbeing, and regeneration of deprived areas.
Ambition
Lancashire Theme
Examples of links to other themes
Prosperous
Image
Creative Industries and tourism make a significant impact on the economy
Cultural heritage and opportunities to participate in cultural activities help to build a positive
image of Lancashire for potential visitors, investors and residents.
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Learning
Every Child Matters
Caring and Healthy
Welcoming &
Harmonious
Living
Museums, libraries, public art and cultural events are a direct part of learning and educational
activities for all sections of the community.
Leisure and arts activities can be an effective way to engage disaffected young people and
building their confidence.
Opportunities to participate in cultural activities can improve people’s physical, mental health
and wellbeing.
Cultural activities and events can celebrate the diversity of the population and help bring
people from different backgrounds together.
Access to good leisure and cultural facilities where people live is important to making areas
attractive to residents.
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Greener Lancashire
Our Vision for 2025
Lancashire is a county where the dramatic beauty of our landscape and wildlife is cherished,
and our urban areas contain fine buildings and inviting open spaces. Lancashire plays its part in
addressing global environment issues and delivering environmental sustainability.
Lancashire enjoys a natural beauty that is, in some areas, unsurpassed. Many other areas of the UK aspire to what we
already have. The County boasts two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and internationally important wildlife sites.
Much of Lancashire has retained its natural beauty.
But parts of our landscape and environment have also served as the engine for our economy and social development
since the industrial revolution, providing the resources for food and energy and the raw materials for growth.
Some of our activities have left a legacy of damage to the land, air and water in pockets of the County. Some of these
activities continue to cause concern. We must take action to address these issues, and we must conserve and manage
our assets in the face of the pressures associated with growth and development.
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Our Ambition.
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the consequences of climate change
What We Want To Achieve - our Outcomes
Why
Reduced Carbon Emissions
Examples of how this can be done
Promote energy efficiency in the domestic and business
sector, especially among the most intensive users.
Encourage the development and deployment of renewable
energy technology.
Reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector.
Encourage a low carbon economy.
Increase the cover of ‘carbon sink’s.
This is in line with UK commitments under the Kyoto
Protocol, and also the Energy White Paper 2003, which
aims to cut the UK’s CO2 emissions by some 60% by 2050,
to maintain reliable energy supplies, and encourage a
competitive energy market.
Energy produced from renewable sources will play an
important part in reducing carbon dioxide emissions, the
main cause of climate change.
Transport makes a significant contribution towards total
carbon emissions In 2005 road transport accounted for
27.9% of Lancashire’s Co2 emissions
Forests, marshes and moorlands absorb carbon dioxide.
Such ‘carbon sinks’ are important in reducing greenhouse
gases.
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Effectively Adapt to Climate Change
Examples of how this can be done
Adaptation to climate change is critical, especially flood risk
and water resource management, and in terms of being
prepared for emergencies such as extreme flooding or
weather events.
Assess the vulnerability of the county to the dangers and
damage caused by unmanaged floods and take steps to
protect vulnerable areas.
Some parts of Lancashire are particularly vulnerable to
flooding. The risk of flooding is increasing due to a number
of factors: our weather is becoming wetter and sea levels
rising, both possibly as a result of global warming; Some
flood plains have been compromised by development.
Unmanaged flood events cause significant damage to
property, businesses and tourism.
Plan for and coordinate service responses to extremes of
weather.
Manage and enhance natural assets to help wildlife adapt
to changes.
Our Ambition
To protect and improve air, water and land quality, and use resources wisely.
What we want to achieve / Outcomes
Why
Lancashire’s outstanding natural environment supports
agricultural production and tourism. There is potential to
develop green tourism.
A High Quality Environment that Supports a
Sustainable Economy
Examples of how this can be done
Encourage and promote environmentally sensitive and
sustainable land management practices to encompass both
farming and local food production.
Environmentally sensitive agricultural practices, especially
conversion to organic farming, will maintain and enhance
the conservation, landscape and historical value of the key
environmental features of Lancashire. A large and growing
number of small food businesses exist in Lancashire.
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Promote Lancashire’s attractive environment to visitors and
develop green tourism.
Promote the development of environmental industries.
Promote and deliver integrated management of our coastal
areas.
Lancashire is a key player nationally in the field of waste
management and recycling and has led the way
internationally in the field of land reclamation. Lancashire’s
potential for harnessing renewable energy resources and
the development of renewable technologies is amongst the
best in the UK. In 2005/06 Lancashire County recycled
34.3% of household waste compared to a figure of 26.7%
for England
Lancashire contains two Areas of Outstanding Natural
Beauty (AONBs), and other dramatic landscapes on the
coast and in the uplands. Much of Lancashire’s
undeveloped coast has considerable nature conservation
value and is important in terms of its landscape quality and
character
Pressures from pollution, development, the increased risk of
flooding due to climate change, as well as wear-and-tear
caused by the successful tourist industry, make
Lancashire’s coastal areas fragile and in need of protection.
Good air quality and improved environmental quality
for our rivers, canals, inland and coastal waters.
Examples of how this can be done
In 2002, road transport accounted for over half of the total
Work with and regulate industry and transport to ensure
nitrogen dioxide emissions in the UK.
emissions to air, land and water are within acceptable limits.
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Enhanced and protected natural assets and green
infrastructure benefiting people and wildlife
Examples of how this can be done
Map, protect and manage natural assets resources to
ensure everyone has access to green spaces in their local
area.
Promote allotment and healthy food growing projects.
Ensure all communities have access to environmental
equity by targeting environmental improvements at areas
that suffer from the poorest environments.
Use natural assets to maintain and create wildlife corridors.
Access to quality greenspace in urban and rural areas is
important for the human spirit and for wildlife conservation.
Lancashire has an abundance of dramatic open spaces,
natural areas and public rights of way, but more needs to be
done to ensure good public access to these.
The natural environment and green spaces provide
opportunities for people to engage in healthy physical
activities, including health walks and volunteer conservation
activities. Urban green spaces can also help cool cities in
hot weather and mitigate the effects of pollution. With
appropriate management, green spaces can be shared
spaces that bring people from all sections of the community
together.
Research on environmental equity in the UK has shown that
there is a strong link between negative environmental
impacts and areas of deprivation. It is important that all
sections of the community have access to greenspace and
nature, and the positive health and recreational benefits that
come from them.
Minimised commercial and household waste
Examples of how this can be done
Increase substantially the levels of waste reuse, recovery
and recycling from households and commercial premises.
Most waste is buried in landfill sites. If the amount of waste
that is produced can be reduced, the need for landfill sites
will also be reduced. Reusing and recycling waste helps to
conserve substantial amounts of energy and natural
resources.
The EU Landfill Directive requires Member States to divert
65% of biodegradable municipal waste away from landfill by
2020.
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Our Ambition
To conserve and promote Lancashire’s natural and built heritage.
What we want to achieve / Outcomes
Why
Biodiversity and features of geological interest are
maintained and enhanced
Examples of how this can be done
Manage natural assets to conserve and enhance
wildlife, including habitats and species.
Manage our impact on geological assets to conserve
and protect them.
Lancashire has some nationally and internationally important
species and habitats. Over 1,000 Biological Heritage Sites exist
in Lancashire.
Lancashire is a biologically rich and diverse county with
internationally important habitats, including estuaries, peat
bogs, limestone pavements, moorland, ancient woodland, and
semi natural grassland. Delivering the targets in the LBAP will
contribute to international biodiversity.
Consider the biodiversity impacts of all developments.
Contribute to global conservation through the
implementation of the Lancashire Biodiversity Action
Plan.
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Architectural and built heritage, and sites of
archaeological importance are protected and
preserved
Examples of how this can be done
Identify and protect building and sites of historic interest
Our archeologically heritage tells a physical story about the
history of Lancashire and influences our sense of regional and
national identity. It is part of what attracts visitors to
Lancashire and is enjoyed by its residents.
Develop qualitative indicators to measure the condition
of these assets
Indication of direction of travel towards vision
We are proposing to develop 1- 3 measures and set a 3 year and 2025 target, which will give a broad indication to all the
partners on our progress towards the vision for example.
Carbon per ciziten
% of people who say that ‘access to nature’ is important in making somewhere a good place to live.
Strategic Plans (We propose to list partnership plans and give a brief description explaining why they are relevant to
the theme)
The following are some of the partnership plans that will help deliver the vision and ambitions
Northwest Climate Change Action Plan - This strategy sets out the vision for the region and outlines the associated
outcomes to be achieved by 2020. The strategy focuses on the twin objectives of reducing regional greenhouse gas
emissions and adapting to those effects of climate change which are now unavoidable
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Draft Lancashire Climate Change Strategy LCC, the Environment Agency and the LEP are developing a Lancashire
Climate Change Strategy, which will aim to set out the direction for wider actions on climate change in Lancashire and will
inform and influence the impact of other strategies and polices on climate change (such as RSS, sub-regional transport
and waste plans, LAAs, LES and Central Lancashire CDRP
Developing Lancashire Green Infrastructure Strategy – Economy North West - This strategy is currently in development.
The Lancashire Economic Partnership is working with a range of partners in Lancashire and the North West to develop a
Green infrastructure Strategy to fully develop the potential of this key Lancashire asset. The GI Strategy will identify a
network of key sites – a green grid and aims to maximise the benefit of Lancashire’s GI to our key transformational
projects.
Lancashire Biodiversity Action Plan BAP - Offers guidance on what we can all do at a local level to maintain and enhance
Lancashire's wildlife.
Local Transport Plan - Sets out plans for transport in the County for the years 2006-10.
North West Rural Delivery Framework - Outlines how we in the North West are making the most of the opportunities
recently given to use by Government to develop a new devolved and targeted approach to rural policy and delivery. This
is a driver for change across the range of issues that critically affect the people who live in, work and visit the rural North
West. It will be an enabling framework that integrates and joins up delivery across the full range of partners activities
impacting on rural areas and communities.
Ribble Coast and Wetlands Project
Rights of Way Implementation Plan - This plan contains important information on how to maintain and improve the
county’s footpaths.
Lancashire’s Municipal Waste Management strategy 2001-2020 A Greener Strategy for a Greener Future emphasises the
need to cut down on the amount of rubbish we produce, to limit our use of landfill sites for the burial of rubbish and to
achieve as much recycling and composting as possible.
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Lancashire’s Municipal Waste Management Strategy Waste management activities in the Lancashire Waste Partnership
area. Lancashire Minerals and Waste Development Framework
Business Resources Efficiency and Waste Programme (BREW) The BREW Programme from DEFRA supports
businesses in improving their efficient use of resources, in particular by encouraging waste minimisation and diversion
from landfill.
Local Development Frameworks – All Local Authorities are required to produce a LDF which is a set of documents whose
purpose is to guide future development within a Local Authority area. This new system is set to replace Local Plans and
is intended to be faster, easier to update and more responsive to change. It will also provide a greater opportunity for
public participation in the plan making process, helping communities to shape the future of their areas.
Theme
Examples of links to other themes
Prosperous
Environmental assets directly support the economy by providing raw materials, supporting agricultural
systems, and attracting visitors and employees to Lancashire.
A healthy environment and well maintained green infrastructure will encourage active travel and can
provide opportunities for everyone to benefit from nature and open green spaces.
Maintaining an attractive and productive countryside is essential to our dynamic rural vision.
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and our attractive coast and uplands, make a significant positive
contribution to Lancashire’s image.
Conservation volunteering opportunities provide work experience and support intermediate labour
markets initiatives such as New Deal.
Healthy food growing initiatives, health walks, volunteer conservation activities in urban green spaces
and the country side provide people with greater opportunities to make healthy life style choices.
Increasing air and water quality will have direct positive impact on health.
Our countryside and green spaces are for everyone to enjoy the benefits of, they can bring people
together from all backgrounds.
Sensitive management of urban green spaces is needed to keep people feeling safe and to make
Accessible
Dynamic rural
Image
Learning
Caring and
Healthy
Welcoming &
Harmonious
Safer
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Living
Cultural
attractive areas for people and wildlife. Offenders and Nature schemes involve offenders working as
volunteers on nature conservation and woodland sites.
Housing areas benefit from being located in clean and attractive surroundings.
Our built, industrial and natural heritage all impact on Lancashire’s cultural identity.
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