A fit for purpose council
a council which leads our city by enabling and empowering others to achieve.
www.newcastle.gov.uk
What does the council look like today?
The council is on track to deliver within it’s
budget.
2015/16
agreed
budget
% spend with
Newcastle
based
suppliers
2015/16
projected
budget
£241.2 million
£241.1 million
Source: Financial Services, NCC
June
2015:
Resident satisfaction with the council is
similar to 2012.
% spend with
North East
based
suppliers
42.3%
60.7%
Dec 2014:
April 2015:
June 2015:
8.36
8.71
8.68
days
2012
2015
60.0%
57.0%
58.0%
Newcastle
Newcastle
Newcastle
The number
of people
employed by
the council
is falling
(exc. schools,
YHN and TWAM)
2010:
Source: Residents’ Surveys 2012, 2015
2013:
April – June April – June April – June
2013:
2014:
2015:
141
complaints
180
complaints
163
complaints
58.87% 55.56% 50.92%
upheld*
upheld*
upheld*
Dec 2014:
% of staff with no absence has remained stable
since April
Dec 2014:
April 2015:
June 2015:
10,031 7,559
April 2015:
June 2015:
6,680 6,529 6,499
53.04% 51.18% 51.16%
Source: Payroll system, NCC
Source: Corporate Customer Services, NCC
The turnout at elections is lower in
Newcastle than the national average.
days
Source: Financial Services, NCC. Source data: Report to Audit Committee from SAP system
2010
We received fewer corporate complaints
compared to last year, and fewer were upheld.
* at reporting date
Source: Commissioning and Procurement, NCC
The average number of days lost through our staff
taking sick leave has remained stable since April.
days
The council is committed to supporting
local businesses.
Newcastle
2010**
59.3%
2011*
41.1%
2012*
33.1%
2014*
34.2%
2015**
62.0%
National average
The proportion of Council Tax and Business
Rates collected in Newcastle is higher than
the average for North East councils and the
average for England’s Core Cities.
65.1%
2014/15
Newcastle North East Core Cities
average
average
Council
Tax
96.9%
95.9%
94.8%
Business
Rates
99.1%
97.9%
97.7%
66.1%
*Local elections only
**Local and parliamentary elections
No elections held in 2013
Source: Electoral Commission
Source: Department for Communities and Local Government, local Benchmarking group
What do we want a fit for purpose council to be?
The council is known
to be a cooperative
organisation which
enables and
empowers others to
achieve.
The council provides
clear and effective
leadership of the
city.
The council is
recognised as an
ambitious and
generous partner in
the North East.
The council
demonstrates value
for money.
Staff feel
motivated, valued
and trusted to
deliver high quality
services to residents.
Residents feel the
council does a
good job.
April 2015 – June 2015
A major programme of investment in Newcastle’s
transport infrastructure is now underway
Over £60 million is being invested to completely transform
the city’s highways and public spaces. This is part of Renewcastle – Newcastle City Council’s programme of renewal
and reinvention, delivering the biggest transformation the
city’s infrastructure in a generation.
The four phases are:
• Phase 1 - between St Mary’s Place and Northumberland
Road, including works on St Mary’s Place
• Phase 2 – between Northumberland Road and Durant
Road, including works on Northumberland Road and
North Street
• Phase 3 – between Durant Road and New Bridge Street West
• Phase 4 – between New Bridge Street West and Market
Street, including works on Carliol Street and Market
Street East
across the north of Newcastle. Running from west to east,
these improvements will take in: Cow Hill; Kenton Road to
Granstand Road at Duke’s Moor; the Blue House junction;
junctions on Jesmond Dene Road at Osbourne Road and
Moorfield; and the Haddricks Mill roundabouts at South
Gosforth.
The work will be completed by Spring 2016.
Our programme of work is focussed on delivering
improvements:
• that benefit residents, businesses and visitors to travel
within the city centre
• to routes across Newcastle, reducing congestion and
improving cycling facilities
• through major investment around the city on the A1 and
A19.
Understandably there will be some short term disruption as
these improvements take place – however, the outcome will
have lasting benefits. We are investing in our city to meet the
needs of a flourishing modern city long into the future.
Many of these improvements have been in the planning for
years and have now been made possible by the council
securing extensive funding.
Within the city centre
A million-pound improvement programme on John Dobson
Street started in early August. The major improvements will
see John Dobson Street transformed into a new boulevardstyle layout featuring widened pavements, new road
crossings for pedestrians, a segregated two-way cycle track,
seating areas and improved public transport links.
The planned changes will bring significant benefits to
pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users, as the new
layout and improved traffic light technology will make is
safer and easier for everyone to travel in the city centre.
Business will also benefit from the new layout, with a more
attractive area for shoppers, visitors, workers and students.
We have planned the work into four phases to minimise
disruption and inconvenience.
Across the city
To enhance our investment in the city centre, we also plan to
work to improve movement across the city. Our proposals are
based on upgrading the technology we use to manage our
highways. Currently many of the busiest corridors are not
controlled using modern technology, and this means that in
peak hours journeys are slower and less reliable than they
could be.
Building on improvements already underway at Cowgate
Roundabout and Four Lane Ends, we will smooth traffic flows
across the north of Newcastle and into North Tyneside and
south east Northumberland, by investing in critical junctions
This work will be linked to proposed improvements along
Gosforth High Street and to an upgraded junction at Salters
Road and Church Road. This will ensure the major travel
corridors in the north of the city are connected and managed
better. This will add intelligent control and reliability to the
network used by thousands of people every day.
www.newcastle.gov.uk/renewcastle