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Tour Guide

23 January 2013

Mandateforchange

Most Improved Council

It’s quite a claim to suggest we are the most improved council in the country, but we believe we have a lot of evidence to show that is just what we are.

We started from a low base: in 2009 we were just about bottom quartile across every performance indicator. We were in the middle of Government intervention, had a really low rate of customer satisfaction and the city had recently been voted the worst place to live.

So it is hardly surprising that Stoke-on-Trent City Council – its members and its staff – felt we had a long way to go to create a vibrant city that our residents could be proud of and make the organisation one where our staff were happy to work.

Three years ago our improvement journey began with a new Chief Executive and a new momentum – we were all determined to turn things around.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing - we have been hit with a few curve balls along the way, mainly in the form of significant cuts to our funding, currently £56m with similar amounts set to follow over the next two years.

Despite this things are improving. We are in a strong financial position with a vote of confidence from our external auditors and our transformation is mapped out in our Mandate for Change. With strong leadership and strategic direction for the organisation, employees have embraced new ways of working and perhaps most significantly they are also are visibly committed to improving Stoke-on-Trent, the place and its people. The stable political administration has helped us to progress quickly and is driving forward the bid to maximise the city’s potential by creating jobs and growth.

This page:

Top left image:New Science and Technology Building, UniQ

Centre image:Cobridge Health Centre

Stoke-on-Trent: Capital of Staffordshire

Stoke-on-Trent is changing. A city that has always enjoyed a fantastic location is developing fast – a city where house builders want to develop, home buyers want to live and developers want to invest in the high quality facilities our residents demand and deserve. Here’s a flavour of what’s happening and what is planned, as we deliver the transformation of this great city.

This page:

Top left image:West End Village, one of our Extra Care Homes

Bottom right imageOne of the classrooms at Omiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy, part of our BSF programme

The story we will tell you today shows you just how far we have come, whilst acknowledging the programme of continuous improvement needed to make Stoke-on-Trent a great working city and engage our communities in this mission.

Mandate for Change clearly sets out our priorities for the four years from 2011 to 2015 and today we aim to show you the significant steps we have made in delivering them.

The priorities outlined in this transformation to make ours “a great working city” are:• Making Stoke-on-Trent the place to bring business• Supporting and developing existing business• Working with people to promote independence and healthy lives• Making Stoke-on-Trent a great place to live and• Developing an effective and confident council.

Throughout today we want to demonstrate to you that we are delivering on these pledges and hope you will agree too that our journey has been one of significant improvement in the past few years. One way we will do this is to take you on a tour to see how the city is changing. This booklet gives you an outline of the journey you will make.

4. LGC Tour Wednesday 23 January 2013

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© Crown Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Stoke-on-Trent City Council 10002428.

To the M1

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Rail line toDerby

Rail line toBirmingham

Rail line toManchester

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Burslem

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LGC Tour Wednesday 23 January 2013 5.

Outline Itinerary

Ref Project Page Number

1 YMCA 6

2 Central Business District 8

3 Bus Station 9

4 City Sentral 10

5 City Waterside 11

6 UniQ 14

7 West End Village and Extra Care Housing PFI 19

8

Building Schools for the Future - Reach Pupil Referral Unit, St Joseph’s College Edmund Rice Academy Trust, St Thomas More Catholic College and Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy

21

9 CoRE (Centre of Refurbishment Excellence) 28

10 Our Achievements 30

11:30 Depart Civic Centre for tour of the city featuring key transformation projects

12:15 Arrive at Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy (OSSMA)

13.30 Arrive at CoRE (Centre of Refurbishment Excellence)

14:30 Arrive back at Civic Centre

Projects you will see


YMCA North Staffordshire

• Funded by Government, the Big Lottery Fund and the city council, the new YMCA complex is one of North Staffordshire’s most energetic social enterprises, and one of its key third sector employers.

• The city council was instrumental in helping develop its new Youth Campus which is made up of 36 flats and a separate activity centre, providing learning and sports facilities along with new independent living apartments for those ready to move on from hostel accommodation.

• YMCA North Staffordshire is giving young people the opportunity to be the best they can be, by providing more than accommodation. It’s about youth development and broadening the experiences of young people in a friendly environment.

• The facilities are open to the public with the aim of making the YMCA a hub for the community.

1


City Centre - including Central Business District, Bus Station and City Sentral

2,3,4


Central Business District

• The city council’s ambition to create a great working city is exemplified in its plans to create a new central business district in the heart of the city centre.

• Work is under way to create two new council office blocks which will form part of the wider business district to demonstrate confidence and encourage further investment in the city.

• Funded by the sale of land and assets, the new offices are just part of what will become a bustling area featuring 750,000 square metres of offices, along with hotels, retail and leisure attracting in excess of 4,000 jobs to the city – a much needed boost to help link with the area’s universities.

• The council has appointed a development partner, Genr8 Developments. It is anticipated that the development will be worth £62m a year to the local economy. and the development is expected to increase the value of North Staffordshire’s economy.

• The council will also reduce its operating costs and improve customer service through an asset rationalization plan and new customer access strategy.

• Site works are already under way and the first buildings are programmed to be ready for occupation by Spring 2015.

• The marketing launch of the site will take place in Summer 2013 and discussions are already underway with companies interested in taking space in subsequent phases of the scheme.

Image: Artist impression of Central Business District


City Centre Bus Station

• The new City Centre bus station, which is due to open soon designed by award winning signature architects Grimshaw to be an important arrival point to the city centre and enhance the public transport infrastructure

• The iconic design provides an exciting and unique image to help re-define Stoke-on-Trent and encourage more people to travel to the city centre by public transport.

• The 22 stand new bus station will provide new staff facilities in John Street, a welcoming, enclosed new concourse and passenger waiting area, public information kiosk and passenger facilities

• The whole area is surrounded by improved public realm.• A new car parking strategy and promotion of public transport will also support the

station’s opening to help reduce the impact of traffic on the improved city centre.

Images: Artist impression of the new City Centre Bus Station


City Sentral

• City Sentral is one of the most important retail and leisure projects in the UK development pipeline. A new shopping centre at the heart of the transformation of Stoke-on-Trent, as a dynamic, ambitious 21st century city, proud of its past, but embracing its new future with enthusiasm.

• The completion of the bus station and the plans for the new central business district have unlocked the potential for the new retail centre.

• The £350m private sector led redevelopment aims to transform this prominent city centre site into a premier regional shopping destination.

• The City Sentral scheme is being delivered by developer Realis Estates, designed by award winning architects Benoy and includes a wide range of new stores, cafes, restaurants, vibrant public spaces, a multi-screen cinema, a hotel and much improved parking facilities.

Image: Artist impression of City Sentral


City Waterside5


• City Waterside is our new outlook to city living and represents a multi-agency approach to a pioneering urban development in this area which had significant land assembly issues.

• The area exploits the natural leisure and recreational opportunities afforded by the Caldon Canal.

• The regeneration scheme draws on the area’s heritage and aims to create a vibrant community in an expanded neighbourhood where people want to live work and spend their leisure time.

• £100m of public sector regeneration investment has seen the removal of over 800 empty, unpopular and unfit dwellings which have already been replaced with more than 400 of the 1750 planned new homes.

• Negotiations with developers continue and planning approval has been granted for Goodwin International plc to expand their engineering operations and training facilities on the Eagle Pottery site (Jubilee Project).

• The City Waterside neighbourhood has further enormous potential with the boundary to the area enclosing 67 hectares of land immediately southeast of the city centre.

• The area was formerly characterised by industrial activities associated with pottery manufacture.

• The area is well serviced by the road network and benefits from access to the Caldon Canal which acts as an artery linking the busy Trent and Mersey Canal at Etruria to the west through the neighbourhood and on towards Froghall 17 miles away in the Peak District to the east.

• Again the area has benefited from enhanced public realm and improved transport links.

• In addition the Bridgewater Pottery site on Lichfield Street was purchased early in the programme to secure local employment opportunities.

• The future programme aims to use the council’s significant land holdings to direct the nature and variety of development. Private landowners are also able to access assistance from the Homes and Community Agency when they are willing to work in partnership to achieve high quality space and design standards.


Programme and Project DetailsWaterside Primary School, Eastwood Road - Opened in 2008 on a former Imperial Pottery site.

Spine Road - bisecting east to west someparts constructed and final completion linked to planning requirements for new developments.

Substantial public realm enhancements include upgraded canal towpath, street lighting, and pavements. There are also hard landscaping projects completed on Lichfield Street and Bucknall New Road.

Hanley Pottery, ‘Amphora’- 71 homes now completed and sold by Keepmoat.

Eagle Pottery, ‘Waters Edge’ - 160 dwellings now completed and sold by Redrow Homes.

Trent Bathrooms, ‘Wedgwood Gardens’and ‘Johnson’s Wharf - 136 dwellings now completed by Ben Bailey - Gladedale with a further approval for 241 homes.

Ridgeway Road, ‘Caldon Quay’- Lovell are currently constructing 91 new homes.

Balfour Street, City Council heritage refurbishment scheme on site creating eight large two-into-one homes.

What’s next? Canal Quarter - exiting new concepts in discussion with the owners of Bridgewater Pottery for business expansion and an enhanced visitor attraction, coupled with new high quality housing development north and south of the Caldon Canal.

Tullis Russell – a planning application has been submitted by owners Seddon Inspired for residential development of 62 family homes.

We have been marketing of the Dresden Street, Bucknall New Road and Ludlow Street housing areas for new housing commenced at the Build it, Buy it, Live it, Love it summit event. The appointment of preferred developers through a competitive process will see the planned release of new homes on these sites in 2014.


University Quarter6


• The regeneration of UniQ will create a nationally and internationally recognised centre for education in North Staffordshire.

• Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent College, The City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College, and Stoke-on-Trent City Council are working together to develop an integrated educational offer and estate, with new build and refurbished facilities.

• Visually, UniQ will be a stunning centrepiece for education and will create a vibrant business and learning community focal point.

• UniQ is designed to significantly raise the attainment of higher level skills and qualifications in the city, making the city a more attractive and competitive location for inward investment.

• With plans to increase the existing 25,000 students and increased investor confidence as new and improved educational facilities are delivered, there remains significant opportunity in the UniQ for the city to capitalize upon this to bring forward various commercial development and infrastructure opportunities, including improved transport, housing, and public spaces. This will create a vibrant, safe and attractive environment that provides opportunity, investment, and better quality of life for all those living, studying, and working in the UniQ.

• More than £110m has already been committed to the regeneration of the University Quarter over the last four years, the key projects being:

The new Stoke-on-Trent College £11m lifestyle building was opened to 600 health and social care students, staff and the public in 2009. The college plan to continue to remodel its Cauldon campus site, enhancing its setting adjoining Hanley Park, and invest in shared facilities with UniQ Partners.

The new £33m Sixth Form College building – opened in 2010 to 2,000 staff and students and will broaden the outlook, understanding and optimism of young adults.


Staffordshire University’s £30m Science Centre – Opened in September 2012, it is destined to create the region’s next generation of forensic scientists, medical device engineers and renewable energy pace-setters.

£20m St Peter’s Academy on the former Sixth Form College site – the Academy will open September 2013 and will be the home of 1,200 new students.

Staffordshire University’s campus landscaping and estate remodeling – will deliver £13.6m of improvements to the campus, including £5m of campus landscape improvements. Works are ongoing and will be complete by end of 2013.

What next?

Stoke College’s £4m Sports Centre – works have commenced on providing a sports hall, fitness suite and aerobics facilities. Being located on the city council’s former park depot site, the centre will add considerable value to the ongoing regeneration of Hanley Park.


Station Gateway – linkages between the city centre and Stoke-on-Trent railway station will be strengthened with improvements to public spaces, public transport and traffic flows, redevelopment of adjoining vacant sites and reuse of heritage buildings. Construction works involving traffic management measures are due to commence shortly.

Regeneration of Hanley Park – £420k of Heritage Lottery Funding has been secured towards the £5.8m restoration of heritage buildings and structures in the park. It is a partnership based project with Stoke-on-Trent College and Staffordshire University to create a sustainable park, enabling the park to regain its role as an important city park with a range of facilities, activities, and events.

Fenton Manor Leisure Development – there is growing market interest in developing the former Fenton Manor Marl Quarry site as a leisure development opportunity.

The leisure opportunity for this and other development opportunity sites, including Stoke Links, has been strengthened by the government announcement of investment in Moorland and City Railway’s proposals for re-opening the ‘moth-balled’ line from Stoke to Staffordshire Moorlands, including Alton Towers.

Staffordshire University sites

Sixth Form College

Stoke College

Proposed site for St Peter’s Academy

University Quarter Boundary

Fenton Marl Hole


Stoke Links – this is one of Stoke-on-Trent’s most visible strategic development sites adjacent to the mainline railway station. It has potential for station retail, office, education, and tourism and leisure uses, linked with planned growth of the University, the leisure development at Fenton Manor, and re-connection of the ‘moth-balled’ rail link from Stoke to Staffordshire Moorlands.

Spode Works

Stoke Links

Image: Learning pod at Sixth Form College


West End Village and Extra Care Housing PFI7Staffordshire Housing Association’s West End Village is an older people’s housing scheme situated in the regeneration area of Stoke town, Stoke-on-Trent. Completed in January 2011, it comprises of 100 mixed-tenure apartments and a variety of communal facilities.

As well as being an excellently designed example of an older persons’ housing village, and a significant catalyst for regeneration in a declining town, West End Village is unique in the relationship it has with the local community and with Staffordshire Housing Association itself.

Built at the same time as, and physically adjoining Staffordshire Housing Association’s new headquarters, the village shares many of its facilities with the association, its staff and customers, and the local community.

Facilities run by local business owners at the village include:• Restaurant• Coffee bar and bar• Gym• General store• Hairdressing salon• Therapy room• Community room

The £18 million village has been funded by the Home and Communities Agency (HCA), Stoke-on-Trent City Council, RENEW North Staffordshire, the Association itself and the Carbon Trust.


Extra Care Housing Private Finance Initiative (PFI)

• New extra care homes have been created or are in the process of being developed across the city to help cater for the growing demand from our ageing population.

• The objective of the new developments is to provide a modern, flexible housing solution that offers fully flexible apartments and takes maximum advantage of service innovation and technologies to ensure a ‘lifetime of modern living’.

• Extra care housing allows for independent living with relevant levels of care being available at an appropriate time.

• The three sites at Abbey Hulton, Blurton and Chell will provide 390 one bed plus or two bed homes for social rent.

• The schemes were all developed in conjunction with older people and provide a village style setting including shops, libraries, restaurants, launderettes and other local facilities all designed to be easily accessible to the local community.

• The next phase of homes form part of a private finance initiative set up by the council to fund the projects.

• The over-riding aim of the schemes is to ensure that older residents are able to retain their independence and remain in their homes for longer while still having access to quality care when required.


Building Schools for the Future8• The aim of the BSF programme is to establish a city where young people have the

skills, qualifications and aspirations to take advantage of the new employment opportunities arising from the city’s regeneration.

• BSF is a major contributor to the council’s Mandate for Change and its delivery is at the forefront of the city’s wider transformation.

• A first wave BSF programme, the Stoke-on-Trent schools project survived the coalition cuts in 2010 but had to deliver £12.3m of efficiencies.

• A revised programme in 2010 saw Balfour Beatty and Thomas Vale/Wates appointed as design and build contractors and RM appointed to provide ICT services to schools across the city.

• In February 2012 the council allocated some additional capital funding to the programme to ensure that best value and sustainable design solutions could be delivered to all schools without compromising quality.

• Construction work on the first school (Reach Pupil Referral Service) started in February 2011 and since then work has continued at a pace on all sites across the city against a target date to complete all schools by September 2014.

• Through BSF the council has closed 7 high schools and replaced them with five sponsor-led academies, supported four schools to change status from community to foundation/trust schools, and revamped special schools to support children with more challenging needs. Many more community schools in the city are now seeking to convert to Academy status in the Government’s new programme.

• The total value of the BSF programme is £270m. In total, 18 schools are being rebuilt or refurbished across the city. To date, 7 schools have been successfully completed on time and budget. The most recent of these was Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy, which opened the doors of its new building to students on 14th January 2013.

Image: Artist impression of Thistley Hough High School


St Joseph’s College, Edmund Rice Academy Trust

St Joseph’s College is an 11-18 co-educational catholic school, rated outstanding by Ofsted. It was one of the first schools to convert to Academy status in February 2011, and became one of the country’s first Teaching Schools in 2012. The BSF programme is providing an iconic new four-court sports hall built to national standards for badminton, plus an extension to the College’s existing music facility. Construction by Balfour Beatty began in December 2011 and will be completed by mid-February 2013.

Reach, at Trent Vale, provides full-time or part-time support, depending on their age and need, to up to 80 students aged 11 – 16 who have been excluded or are at risk of exclusion from their home schools. Rated an Outstanding pupil referral unit by Ofsted, Reach also operates an extensive student-focused outreach service including sessional opportunities to students of secondary schools. The BSF programme has provided a brand new building on one of the main gateways into the city comprising purpose-built facilities for staff and students. Construction by Balfour Beatty began in February 2011 and was completed in February 2012.

St Thomas More Catholic College is an 11-18 Voluntary Aided catholic school with capacity for 1050 pupils. A high performing Mathematics and Computing specialist school, it provides an all-round education in a Christian setting to students from southern Stoke-On-Trent. The BSF programme is providing a new entrance (giving the school a “wow” factor and enhancing visitors’ sense of arrival), internal and external improvements to circulation and accessibility, and a new chapel at the heart of the school. Phased construction by Thomas Vale began in February 2012 and will be completed in August 2013.

Reach, Pupil Referral Service

St Thomas More Catholic College


Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy

The Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy, with capacity for up to 1050 students aged 11-16, is sponsored by The Ormiston Trust with the strategic partner Keele University. Established in September 2010 to replace Blurton High School, in 2012 the Academy achieved an outstanding 18% overall improvement in GCSE results. The Academy states: “At Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy we go the extra mile for our young people. The academy is committed to developing as both a specialist Mathematics and Business and Enterprise Academy, helping young people master the key skills they need in preparation for adult life.”

Everyone involved with Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy has a great deal of pride in their new school. It has benefited greatly from the ‘halo effect’ of Sir Stanley Matthews’s legacy and the academy is working closely with Stoke City Football Club. Academy students acted as guards of honour at a match between Stoke City and Blackpool, two clubs that Sir Stanley played for, in front of 26,000 people. The name has made a big impact outside of Stoke-on-Trent as the academy challenged an under-14s football team from a Blackpool school to compete against them for the ‘Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Cup,’ creating publicity in Blackpool as well as Stoke-on-Trent.

The BSF programme has provided a completely new building for the Academy on the old Blurton High School site. Kemball Special School is also moving to a new building on the site, which will promote opportunities for inclusion and partnership working between the schools. Construction by Wates began in March 2011 and the new Academy building was completed in January 2013. The old high school building is due to be demolished and external landscaping completed by July 2013. The new Kemball Special School will open in September 2013.


The BSF Programme’s contribution to the current and future local economy

The city council has worked in close partnership with the main contractors for phase 2 of the programme to maximise its benefits to the local economy and support the Mandate for Change vision to create a great working city.

Work opportunities for local supply chain businesses (within 15 miles of Stoke-On-Trent)Meet the Buyer events were held in 2010 and 2011 to promote the opportunity for up to £150m work through the local supply chain. The main contractors worked together to establish a single PQQ process to assess tenders against consistent standards for health and safety, environmental systems, financial stability, capability, product and quality delivery systems, locality, commitment to apprentices and references.

A wide range of local sub-contractors and materials suppliers have supported the programme (security, ground-works, brickworks, M&E, plumbing, joinery, aggregates, furniture and equipment).

To date approximately 45% of the total value of the programme (around £75m) has been invested in local labour.

Image: Example of BSF impact on the local economy – Little Dreams feature in The Sentinel Oct 12


Work experience and apprenticeships for students and young people

The city council’s Inward Investment Team has worked with Stoke College and the BSF contractors to set up a new company, Real Apprentice Ltd. New procedures and protocols have been created through dialogue between the college and the contractors that have enabled:• the employers to provide flexible, longer term placements that will support FE

qualifications • the college to provide apprentices who are “site-ready” (i.e. they have received

basic training and are appropriately Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) qualified).

• Besides this, to date, a total of 42 apprentices have been appointed by BSF contractors and their supply chains (18 through Thomas Vale/Wates, 24 through Balfour Beatty in conjunction with the Princes Trust). A wide range of disciplines are covered, including business administration, plumbing, joinery, electrical, and carpentry. RM are also recruiting 4 ICT apprentices this month (against their overall target of 16 by 2017).

Post-BSF it is intended to maintain the relationships and procedures established through the Make It Construction network that covers Stoke-On-Trent and North Staffordshire.

Curriculum and personal development (CPD) opportunities for students and school staff.

• The city council, in partnership with RM, are delivering a structured programme of training and curriculum development, based on the school or academy’s vision for learning and teaching.

• Each school has a tailored programme to help them to achieve their learning and teaching priorities to support student achievement. The programme offers:• Essential Skills: on-line skills audit which identifies staff strengths and areas for

further development, allowing CPD to be tailored to meet individual needs and school priorities.

• Action Research Projects (ARP): provide opportunities for innovation and creativity using new and existing school technologies to address educational needs. A Lending Library enables the school to ‘try before you buy’, allowing staff to explore the potential of a range of technologies to deliver learning outcomes in the classroom, helping to develop practice and inform the use of the funds available to them through BSF.

• Visits: by staff and students to inspirational venues such as the RM Real Centre. This showcases how furniture and exciting new technologies can be combined to provide a stimulating learning environment. Working together staff and students explore a range of technologies and create resources for use back in school to share the experience with the wider community.

• Shared Information and Knowledge: the School Learning Platform is regularly updated with information and knowledge gained from the CPD Change Management programme. This now includes several case studies of real experiences from the city’s schools.


A52

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© Crown Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Stoke-on-Trent City Council 10002428.

To the M1

M6 North

M6 South

Rail line toDerby

Rail line toBirmingham

Rail line toManchester

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Tunstall

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BSF School Site Map


Ref Project

1 St Joseph’s College - Edmund Rice Academy Trust

2 Reach - Pupil Referal Service

3 Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy

4 Kemball Special School

5 St Thomas More Catholic College

6 Portland School

7 The Co-operative Academy at Brownhills

8 Ormiston Horizon Academy

9 Middlehurst Special School

10 St Margaret Ward Catholic High School

11 Haywood High School and Engineering College

12 Holden Lane High School and Specialist Sports College

13 Birches Head High School

14 The Discovery Academy

15 Abbey Hill Special School and Performing Arts College

16 St Peter’s Academy (new site at Fenton Manor)

17 Thistley Hough High School and Visual Arts College

18 Trentham High School

19Sandon Business and Enterprise College (built in 2008 under Phase 1 of the scheme)


CoRE – Centre of Refurbishment Excellence9• CoRE is a new facility that enables construction professionals to learn new skills in

reducing greenhouse gas emissions during building refits or refurbishment projects to help meet the new targets outlined in the Climate Change Act of 2008.

• It is a key part of the city council’s green agenda and is providing a base to share knowledge and develop and learn new skills.

• CoRE is situated in a refurbished pottery site in the heart of Longton, providing ‘hands on’ practical skills workshops and theoretical knowledge via virtual interactive learning compacts that will be available via the CoRE website.

• It is estimated that more than 22 million homes will need some form of improvement in the next 40 years so the centre is ideally placed to help meet some of the demand in training people in the construction industry.

• It is also used to showcase sustainable refurbishment products and new processes such as providing a training facility.

• The government has set itself challenging targets to reduce emissions by 2050 which are now enshrined in law in the form of the Climate Change Act 2008. The UK commits to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% from 1990 levels.

Image: Artist impression of CoRE


Image: Photovoltaic cells on the roof of CoRE


To increase inward investment in the city we have:

• Launched our ‘red carpet’ approach for businesses which offers:• a single point of contact for investors• a streamlined planning process• tailored solutions for business growth• guidance to funding and • access to supply chains, labour markets and

networks. This has secured 500 new jobs in the city.• Created partnerships with the county for our

inward investment service and with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to promote the city.

• Showcased Stoke-on-Trent at the House of Commons and the international retail and property trade fairs MAPIC and MIPIM.

• Increased awareness of our ceramics companies to overseas countries by working with the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman David Wootton, and participating in the annual ‘New Era’ ceramics industry trade fair at Stoke City Football Club.

• Hosted an event to promote overseas trade, with Minister of State Lord Green as the keynote speaker. The event was attended by more than 170 businesses and other stakeholders, and has led to a longer term partnership to help local companies to export goods and services overseas

• Committed to a core Central Business District that will define the commercial heart of the city. This is in partnership with Gener8 and the main phase of construction will commence in spring 2013 aimed at creating up to 4,500 jobs.

• Started work on our new Etruria Valley Business Park which will create additional capacity for businesses to move to the city.

To develop a skilled workforce we have:

• Boosted apprenticeships numbers from 2600 in 09/10 to 3900 in 11/12.

• Enabled people back into employment - 949 from April 2011 to end September 2012.

• Opened the retail skills shop ‘The Store’ helping people into retail jobs.

• Rolled out our comprehensive adult and family learning programme to over 5,000 people.

• Commissioned a successful volunteering scheme specifically for people out of work delivered through Voluntary Action Stoke-on-Trent.

To ensure we offer a streamlined planning service we have:

• Redesigned our planning service to say ‘yes’ to good development

• Become accredited with the LEP Charter Mark for good planning.

To provide green, low cost energy solutions we have:

• Opened the Centre of Refurbishment Excellence (CoRE) – the UK’s leading centre for sustainable refurbishment and completed the second phase of development including fitting out the conference centre and demonstrations facilities.

• Designed innovative projects to deliver energy self-sufficiency by working closely with the private sector to develop a portfolio of cutting edge and

• Completed our first four Carbon Reduction projects with a further 11 in implementation, which will deliver annual savings of £0.181m and a reduction of 1,336 tonnes of CO2.

• Initiated innovative approaches to creating sustainable energy which have been recognized and supported by Nesta’s Creative Council Board.

• Improved the energy efficiency of our city’s homes by working with partners with over 5,500 benefiting so far.

• Installed solar panel systems to 568 homes across the city.

Make Stoke-on-Trent the place to bring business


To deliver excellent connectivity and infrastructure we have:

• Got our access routes and link roads ready for the new business park at Etruria Valley.

• Almost completed our new City Centre Bus Station which is critical for the next phase of developing our new major retail and leisure complex City Sentral with partner Realis.

• Completed significant improvement to the key road junctions that will allow buses to easily access the new bus station and improves the overall condition of our highways.

• Started work to complete the City Centre Ring Road.

• Started work to improve traffic flow on the vital route between our train station and the city centre and improved the way we manage our traffic across the city which has reduced delays and improved journey reliability.

• Organised a substantial clean-up operation on major trunk roads – the A500 and the A50.

• Improved 18 historic buildings as part of the three year, major regeneration Longton Conservation Scheme. The former Phoenix Pottery Works is now undergoing a facelift to create retail and office spaces to help create new jobs.

To provide local business with financial packages and support we have:

• Established a single point of contact for business support to help companies and potential entrepreneurs, which has recorded over 1200 calls to date and helped local businesses access Olympics Procurement 2012 and “micro” companies gain orders worth over £200,000.

• Introduced business mentoring programmes with over 40 experienced business people and entrepreneurs on its database, who support 60 companies a year to grow their business.

• Continued our successful JET Service which has helped over 400 local employers with their recruitment needs;

• Set up a business investor network with North Staffordshire Chamber to link people of high net value with companies seeking investment.

• Launched the Stoke-on-Trent Loan Fund which can make loans of up to £50,000 available to local businesses. £175,000 of funds have been awarded to date, creating 30 new jobs and safeguarding another 50.

• Assisted 19 local companies to access £15m from the Regional Growth Fund to underpin business Growth including working with businesses such as Prince’s Regeneration Trust in Middleport to develop plans and secure funding via RGF and European funding to accelerate growth, enhance visitor attractions and preserve jobs in the ceramics industry.

• Provided business start-up grants to support nearly 50 small businesses.

• Employed Enterprise Coaches who have already helped 70 new business starts since April 2012

• Launched a new supply chain programme, ‘Make it your business’, to help local companies access a broad range of business and procurement opportunities. 450 local companies have signed up to date.

Support and develop existing business


To protect our most vulnerable people we have:

• Created additional accommodation for older people including 390 apartments within “extra care” schemes which help meet the need for appropriate accommodation and increase independent living.

• Delivered vital short breaks to support children with disabilities and their families with 1,322 breaks being enjoyed by 472 children in 2012.

• Provided suitable care solutions at home for 8,455 older and younger people with disabilities to enable them to enjoy living independently. This includes ensuring the provision of almost 600,000 hours of domiciliary care to 2,507 people.

• Opened a new, purpose built refuge, including 11 units of accommodation, for women fleeing domestic violence.

• Redesigned dementia services to provide more support at home by working with Combined Health Care.

• Redesigned social work services to improve the way we work with families.

• Delivered safeguarding improvements in our schools to the value of £0.75m.

• Established a new Sexual Assault Referral Centre through work with partners.

• Achieved the second highest number of adoptions and the highest number of Special Guardianship Orders in the West Midlands region (2011-2012) and we have recruited more foster carers. We have also achieved a rating of ‘good’ in an Ofsted inspection for our Adoption Service.

To help people reach their potential we have:

• Started our £270m Building Schools for the Future programme to establish a city where young people have skills, qualifications and aspirations to take advantage of new employment opportunities arising from our regeneration - with 13 secondary schools, 5 special schools being re-built or re-modeled.

• Increased primary school capacity by extending seven primary schools to create over 1,200 new places.

• Provided access to specialist educational provision in their own community for 540 children and young people with complex needs.

Work with people to promote independence and healthy lives• Received a national award for ‘Stoke Speaks

Out’ - our work to improve communication with very young children.

• Improved day services for adults with learning disabilities to increase independence and inclusion, employment and meaningful activities.

• Supported adults with learning disabilities into employment, training or voluntary work with 136 adults (19% of service users) benefiting in 2012 of which 38 was through paid employment.

• Refurbished and redesigned our life skills unit for adults with learning disabilities (with Brighter Futures) to support people to live independently in the community.

• Improved services for older people with physical disabilities to increase inclusion and independence.

• Improved our re-ablement service to assist older people to live independently and safely including providing Lifeline Services which has responded to 2,280 call-out visits.

To provide fair and easy access to services we have:

• Redesigned local services to integrate Libraries, Youth Services and Community Engagement so individuals and families can access services more easily.

• Reduced unplanned hospital admissions and length of stay and ensured safe and timely discharges from hospital with the right packages of support available at home.

• Worked with partners to provide healthcare facilities including the new hospital, Cobridge Community Health Centre, Meir Primary Care Centre, Tunstall Medical Centre.

• Worked to prevent serious health problems by helping over 28,000 through initiatives such as the Lifestyle Programme, Stop Smoking campaign and the NHS Health

• Provided carers with advice, information and services with 2,516 benefiting in 2012.

• Provided personal budgets so people can choose their own care and support with 3,305 people receiving them in 2012.


To boost the visitor economy we have:

• Raised the profile of the city through events such as:• the Halfords Tour Series cycle race and

a stage of the Tour of Britain cycle race (which has been held in the city for the last four years - cementing our commitment to cycling)

• concerts in Hanley Park (attracting over 16,000 visitors) and

• the Olympic Torch Relay and evening celebrations (attracting national TV coverage).

• A major British Gymnastics Championships held at Fenton Manor.

• Attracted visitors to view the Staffordshire Hoard which attracted over 55,000 people in the first three weeks. The Hoard was also shown in Washington DC and filmed by National Geographic. The installation of the Saxon statue supported local talent and raised the profile of the area.

• Held the British Ceramic Biennial – the Biennial drew 30,000 visitors and generated £2m additional economic impact.

• Held the “Stoke Your Fires” Film Festival 2012 with international recognition of local talent e.g. Blood and Bone China which won an award at the Marseilles Film Festival.

• Increased regular adult participation in sport and active recreation helping people to maintain healthy lifestyles.

To provide a choice of good quality housing we have:

• Redesigned our housing maintenance service through our joint venture with Kier resulting in a customer satisfaction rating of 99%.

• Helped house builders build great homes in the city, overseeing proposals for 650 new homes across the city including Fegg Hayes, Middleport, Chell Health, Cauldon Quay, Wedgwood Gardens, Abbey Hulton, Blurton and Meir.

• Built 17 new eco-standard bungalows designed to accommodate wheelchairs in Warren Road, Chell Heath. Solar panels will provide some of the household electricity and should also offer residents a saving on their fuel bills.

Make Stoke-on-Trent a great city to live in• Launched an executive, custom-build homes

scheme for sites in Penkhull and Hanford having secured £500k from Growing Places (LEP) to deliver infrastructure for the scheme.

• Provided Home Repairs Assistance Loans to 200 homeowners, delivering around £2m investment into the city’s private sector housing stock.

• Worked on the completion of a complex of 36 ‘move on’ apartments using local labour in partnership with the YMCA

• Continued to offer a free loft and cavity wall insulation service to all residents in the city which has improved the energy performance of 1,400 homes.

• Committed to a programme of housing retrofit works with three energy suppliers investing £8 million into the housing stock, improving 1,000 homes with new heating and/or solid wall insulation.

• Brought back into use 120 long term empty homes.

• To keep the city safe and looking good we have:

• Helped to reduce the rate of youth offending and to increase numbers of offenders taking part in education, employment and training by working closely with partners. We have also seen a reduction in crime and antisocial behaviour.

• Organised respect weeks and clean up campaigns in a number of areas to increase the feeling of pride in the city amongst residents.

• Worked with residents to ensure community cohesion – despite national tension we had no disturbance during the riots of summer 2011.

• Planted 60,000 trees to form two new ‘Diamond’ woodlands to adapt to the effects of climate change.

• Supported the £2m restoration improvements to a key city park in Burslem using Heritage Lottery funding. We held the official opening in June 2012 to celebrate the restored the Victorian pavilion, new landscaping and a specially commissioned sculpture

• Improved the appearance of our city centre by completing the first phase paving works, funded by European funds, on parts of Tontine Street and Stafford Street carriageway and footways.


To ensure we operate an effective and confident council we have:

• Provided an open and transparent view of the city council through a no-holds barred BBC4 documentary.

• Demonstrated strong financial management with final year end expenditure for 2011/12 coming within budget and with 83% of our planned 2012/13 savings achieved in the first 6 months and remaining on target to achieve all by the year end.

• Received a positive opinion from our external auditors on ‘Value for Money’ and our Statement of Accounts for 2011/12.

• Received national recognition for the impact of our Spot the Cheater’ campaign which has almost doubled the number of referrals for fraud.

Develop an Effective and Confident Council• Improved our cash collection rates in respect

of Council tax by £1.3m, and business rates by £0.5m to the end of October 2012 compared to the same period last year.

• Completed the consultation on the Local Council Tax Support Scheme, a significant government-led change in how council tax benefit will be provided in the future.

• Been awarded the West Midlands Members Development Charter which will support the development of our councillors.

• Established a new state of the art primary Data Centre to improve data security and reliability and also house the new CCTV control centre.

• Redesigned “back-office” services to cut costs including reducing our first class mail use from 55% to 13%

• Received the Personnel Today ‘Excellence in Public Sector HR’ award in November 2012 in recognition of our HR and Organisational Development team who have provided vital support to the teams on our transformation journey.


Image: Artist impression of Central Business District


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