Area Assessment in East Sussex July 2009 Emerging Thinking

Purpose of this discussion – open and transparent dialogue : ‘start of a dialogue’

To start to share the emerging picture • Current thinking and areas for focus light touch tracking of progress issues needing further investigation or information• any issues currently “tagged” red or green - none todate • issues we are likely to report on this year/ongoing

To hear your views on:• whether we have hit the right issues?• gaps in our knowledge and how best to fill• any particular exceptional or innovative examples you would like to

highlight in these areas?• any areas you think are of concern that you would welcome some

external challenge on?

Area assessment is aboutHow well served are people in East Sussex • by organisations working together to

deliver better outcomes• how you as public bodies are working

differently and • what do you need to do differently

Judgements across inspectorates

Year 1 – will be an ‘initial take’

Organisational assessments for councils and fire and rescue authority ongoing

Evidence sources so far…

• Pride of Place;• Background notes produced by AC;• Scan of public information – websites/ inspection reports;• Discussion with thematic partnership leads & others;• Document review – focussed on ESSP monitoring of

delivery of local priorities;• Track record of organisational performance including

performance assessments, CPA, Joint Area Review

We are following your agenda: Pride of Place

9 local priorities: Economy, jobs and prosperity; Transport, access and communications; Housing; Environment and climate change; Education, Learning and skills; Health and wellbeing; Community safety; Community strength and leadership; Culture, sports and leisure;+ Older people; + Children and young people .

Pride of Place – measures of success

Pride of Place sets out key countywide tasks for each strategic priority.

3 sets of action plans:• LAA targets monitored and reported to ESSP;• Countywide action plan agreed May 2009;• Local action plans of partners and partnerships

Our current thinking: • ESSP monitors performance against LAA targets well• We are not yet clear about what full picture of delivery of local

priorities looks like beyond LAA targets

How well do local priorities for East Sussex express community needs and aspirations?

;

Place Survey 2008

Improvements in perception about quality of life issues:• Satisfaction with local area increasing• Crime and anti-social behaviour seen as less of a problem

Perceptions of influence static ( declining elsewhere)

Fall in satisfaction with councils

Broadly reflects national picture

Pride of Place - current thinking• comprehensive, integrated approach• good understanding of the diversity of the area and the

issues faced - reflects the key challenges for the area• consultation and engagement appear effective and

inclusive• user friendly ESSP website• sustainability, narrowing the inequality gap and value for

money are cross cutting themes• ESSP mature and inclusive• differences between place understood - significant

challenge : spread of deprivation levels across county

Areas for focus

We need to better understand: • What ‘narrowing the gap’ looks like in terms of

outcomes for specific people and places

How well are outcomes and improvements needed being delivered?

What are the prospects for improvement?

Economy, Jobs and ProsperityStrategic priority: To narrow the economic performance gap within and between communities in the county and between the county and the region, in order to develop a thriving, diverse and sustainable economy where everyone can prosper

Background:

Significant numbers of small businesses;

Low skill – low wages economy;

Different economies across county – rural, urban, coastal.

Working age people claiming out of work benefits in worst performing neighbourhoods – currently red LAA target;

Current thinking/Areas for focusImpact of economic climate:• Partners have developed a strong evidence based approach to

managing the impact of the recession

• Recession Task Force up and running – partnership approach

Too early to assess impact but sound evidence based approach that reflects local circumstances, identifies opportunities as well as challenges and plans for progress once recession ended. We will track progress .

Progress in narrowing the economic gap : what does success looks like in terms of outcomes ?

Engagement of the business and voluntary sectors: positive examples of engaging voluntary sector ; we need to better understand challenges in engaging business sector in an inclusive way

Transport, access and communications

• Strategic priority : To improve sustainable travel choices and access to services and facilities within and between communities in the county

• Background:• Transport network: no

motorways; main A roads radial from London; 11 miles dual carriageway; character including future National Park;

• KSI – red LAA target

Current thinking/ Areas for focus

Killed & Seriously Injured (KSI)

Red LAA target. We will track progress of East Sussex Casualty Board (Safer Sussex Roads Partnership) .

Plans and progress on transport infrastructure .

Plans and progress on rural transport and rural accessibility to services .

Need to better understand management of the complex tensions. We will follow progress of Rural Transport Study. Likely to be year 2 focus.

Housing

Strategic priority: To provide affordable, good quality and environmentally friendly homes and housing for all;

Background:Balance between jobs and homes – house price/local earnings affordability gap - a key challenge;Tensions between need for housing and respect for high quality environment and nationally designated landscapes;SE Plan – Hastings designated as primary regional centre.

Current thinking/Areas for focus Strategic approachCountywide strategic approach is developing. Some areas where outcomes have exceeded targets – eg temporary

accommodation/empty homes.

Housing delivery, including affordable housingProvision of homes and specifically affordable homes is a key challenge . NI 154 is

currently a red LAA target . We will track plans and progress to address shortfall.

Needs of the most vulnerable Plans to address needs of people with disabilities at an early stage .Partners working together to improve services for some of the most vulnerable – eg youth

homelessness, – but too early to assess impact. We will track progress.

Private Sector HousingWorking together effectively to tackle poor conditions in the private sector – BEST

partnership. .

Environment and climate changeStrategic priority: To protect and enhance our natural and

built environment for current and future generations, and enable individuals and organisations to tackle and adapt to climate change

Background:Climate change conference ;Joint waste management strategy and waste director’s

forum progressing partnership working;Mixed performance on recycling;Conserve high quality natural environment.

Current thinking/Areas for focus Climate change & sustainable development

Strong commitment and partnership engagement. We will track progress against action plans currently being developed.

Waste management

Overall approach appears to be developing .

We will pick up mainly through organisational assessments of councils

Education, Learning and SkillsStrategic priority: High quality education, learning and skills development opportunities for all by building on good performance and improving poor performance

Background:Low skills economy;Children make good progress in early years – gap reducing;KS2 – rate of level 4 or above (Eng & Maths) just below national/similar authorities average;2008 APA identified low rates of attainment at KS4 as area for improvementAttainment gap for SEN and pupils with free school meals at KS2 not narrowingNEETs – rate declining but above average

Current thinking/Areas for focus Narrowing the gap in educational attainment The picture of C&YP attainment is broadly in line with national profile .

Through Ofsted performance profiles we will track the extent to which equality gaps are closing through targetted impact.

Skills agenda

We need to better understand how links between economic and educational aspirations are managed .

Health and wellbeingStrategic priority: To reduce health and care inequalities within and between communities and improve overall health and well being

Background:

Striking differences in health outcomes across the area – 13 year difference in life expectancy;

Disproportionate outcomes linked to deprivation;

Teenage pregnancies – less than England average but variations in rates significant ;

Alcohol related hospital admissions are high;

Smoking higher than England average and very high during pregnancy

Current thinking/ Areas for focus Targetted action to address health inequalities

Positive links between JSNA and Pride of Place .

Measures not always well defined.

Examples of positive initiatives to tackle inequality – eg DAAT with good prospects for improvement.

We need to track how partners work together to target activity to narrow the gap in outcomes across the county and how capacity issues are addressed.

Community SafetyStrategic priority: To build safe communities through targeted activity, particularly in high crime areas.

Background:Crime levels are lower and falling faster than in the south east as a whole. They vary across the county, with Hastings having the highest levels. Violent crime reducing but remains high; Action planned to tackle alcohol related violence

Current thinkingTargetted action in hotspots

We will track progress against community safety plan outcomes focussing in particular on crime hotspots.

Community strength and leadership

Strategic priority: To build strong, sustainable communities with effective and inclusive participation, representation and leadership

Areas for focus What does success look like ?

We need to better understand outcomes and what success looks like in delivering this priority.

Culture, Sports and Leisure

Strategic priority: To enable everyone to enjoy a wide range of cultural, sporting and leisure opportunities

Current thinking/Areas for focus All age approach taken including focus on older people;

What does success look like ?

We need to better understand outcomes and what success looks like in delivering this priority.

Older People• Strategic priority: To support

older people to have a healthy, active and independent life

• Background:• Higher proportion of older

people than regional and national averages;

• Ageing population : projected older people population of 50.9% by 2029;

• Highest proportion of 85+ residents than any county in England.

Current thinkingPlanning for ageing population• Older People’s Joint Commissioning Strategy – good

evidence base of need linked to JSNA , engagement with 7 older people forums

• Older people’s partnership – evidence of good practice

We need to track progress and ensure that this significant challenge is being effectively addressed.

Children and Young People

Strategic priority: To ensure children and young people are well cared for, have healthy life styles, achieve their potential and grow into confident , empowered , responsible adults – able to contribute to the economic prosperity of the county

Background:

APA 2008 results positive - outstanding: healthy/staying safe/positive contribution

Under 18 conceptions – variations in rate , not falling as quickly as some areas.

Current thinking/Areas for focus

Ofsted performance profile will track progress.

Flagging - in final reportTagging – cues for discussion now

Green Flag

• Represents exceptional performance or outstanding improvement which is resulting in proven delivery of better outcomes for local people that are sustainable and which others could learn from

• Good or very good practice will not be sufficient

• Neither will rapid improvement that cannot be sustained

Red Flag• Where there are significant concerns about outcomes

and future prospects for outcomes, which are not being tackled adequately – i.e. something different or additional needs to happen to improve

outcomes

• One of more of the following circumstances may result in a red flag:– Performance is poor, slipping or not improving– Service or outcome standards are un acceptable– Improvement is not on track to achieve a target– Locally agreed priorities do not reflect evident and pressing need– Insufficient account is being taken of inequality– Insufficient account is being taken of people whose

circumstances make them vulnerable or who are at risk of avoidable harm

Tags Tags

Taking this forward • Contribute evidence from organisational assessments;• Close gaps through ongoing dialogue – signpost key

people/documents;• Continue to share emerging picture ;• Formal update to ESSP ion 2 October ; • Pre –publication draft AA report 16 October;• Publication 10 December.

Purpose of this discussion – open and transparent dialogue

. To start to share the emerging picture • Current thinking and area for focus light touch tracking of progress issues needing further investigation or information• any issues currently “tagged” red or green • issues we are likely to report on this year/ongoing

To hear your views on:• whether we have hit the right issues?• gaps in our knowledge and how best to fill;• any particular exceptional or innovative examples you would like to highlight

in these areas?• any areas you think are of concern that you would welcome some external

challenge on?