Asset Management Strategy 2007 - 2011

3.0  Strategic Direction – The Corporate Plan 2007 - 11

The Council is very clear about what it wants to achieve.  Its objectives reflect the Government Guidance needs and requirements of local people. The Council has a Corporate Plan for 07-11, aimed at continuing to make Thanet a good place to be, which also provides opportunities meeting the expectations of residents.

3.1    Key Priorities and Targets

Thanet's Economy

Dynamic management of assets, aligned to an efficient Planning Service, will help generate jobs.  The Council will work with developers and inward investors.

Thanet's beautiful beaches and coastal location offer a unique setting for both businesses, visitors and residents, and the Council intends to maximise its coastal and marine potential to expand the visitor base. The council aims to create Thanet to be a destination of choice for weekenders in the South East and the day trip destination of choice for people in East Kent. To achieve this, the Council is aiming to:

• Develop key industrial and employment sites
• Support the creative and cultural visitor economy
• Implement the vision for Westwood
• Diversify the Port of Ramsgate
• Develop Margate town centre
• Support the development of Kent International Airport.

Safer Neighbourhoods

The Council intends to make Thanet a safe place to live, and reduce people's fear of crime.  This is something that the Council cannot deliver on it's own, and will work closely with the Police and other partners to reduce crime and associated behaviour in Thanet.  To achieve this the Council is aiming to:-

• Make Thanet's streets safer at night
• Reduce both incidence and fear of crime
• Develop diversionary activities to prevent and reduce offending / re-offending rates

Healthy Communities

We intend to improve the healthy and well being of people who live in Thanet.  Promoting a feeling of belonging for all residents.  Tackling genuine feelings of inequality, and giving residents every opportunity to be involved in decision taking.

• Increase opportunities for exercise and play
• Promote healthy lifestyles
• Support the establishment of community space in Broadstairs and Ramsgate

Beautiful Thanet

Thanet has some of the most beautiful beaches in the England and therefore it is vitally important that the Council improves and maintain high levels of cleanliness in Thanet. An improved standard of the services which have a direct impact on the appearance of the streets, beaches and open spaces, is important to the residents of Thanet and it is important for us to work towards high levels of public satisfaction.

• Strengthen enforcement activities – especially in problem areas
• Improve the environment within busy areas and on the approaches to Thanet
• Increase domestic recycling levels to 40% by 2011
• Provide the whole district with access to separated waste collection
• Improve the level of cleanliness across the district
• Provide new swimming pool facilities.

Quality Housing

The Council wants to ensure that irrespective of income or tenure, people in Thanet have access to good quality and secure accommodation that they can afford. To achieve this, the Council is aiming to:

• Ensure that the planning system is used effectively to deliver new affordable housing, with a target of up to 30% of homes on eligible sites being available to rent or buy by households on low incomes of a mix that meets identified housing need
• Work with RSLs and other partners to provide more specialist accommodation for the frail elderly and other vulnerable groups (RSLs Registered Social Landlords)
• Continue to improve housing conditions and the housing market in Cliftonville and Margate central
• Promote initiatives and investment to tackle fuel poverty for people on low incomes , living in poor quality housing
• Reduce the number of vulnerable people living in non decent accommodation (PSA7) through effective HMO licensing and enforcement activity
• Reduce the incidence of homelessness and repeat homelessness and reduce the number of households living in temporary accommodation
• Provide the opportunity to build quality homes.

A Modern Council

The Council intends to make the best use of its resources to provide residents with high quality, consistent and efficient services. It aims to do this by continuing to evolve our internal processes, systems and management to make the best use of people, technology, buildings and assets and that all these elements of the Council enhance service delivery, in both the short and medium term.

• Open the integrated  Thanet 'Gateway' in central Margate
• Developing and publishing Service Standards across major service areas
• Implement a specific standard that delivers effective and fast response to resident queries and complaints about key Council services.
• Implement a process to give high profile scrutiny of complaints.

3.2 Are These the Right Aims? Is This What People Want?

Thanet Council has worked hard to ensure the needs of the community are met, and to ensure that what it is striving to achieve is what people in the local area are looking for. The Council has undertaken extensive consultation through the MORI survey in 2005; this identified the key concerns for residents in Thanet as:

• Cleaner Streets
• Reducing Crime
• Activities for teenagers

From this consultation a Resident's Panel was set up, a representative sample of Thanets' population allowing 1000 members of the community to be consulted on various different issues and decisions the council has made.

Further extensive consultation has continued with the development of the Corporate Plan for 07-11 to ensure the Council achieves what the public want. Helping us shape priorities for next four years.

3.3 Priorities, Policies and links with Our Partners

The diagram below identifies the relationship this Asset Management Strategy has with the Council priorities and how this links in with other strategies and, most important of all, implementation via Service Plans.  The more explicit we can make these links, the easier it is for our partners from the private, public and voluntary sector to work with us.

Next: Strategic Context 

Back to: Strategic Background

• Introduction and Mission Statement
• Strategic Background
• Strategic Direction
• Strategic Context
• Strategic Analysis
• Strategic Decision-taking
• 2007/11  Asset Management Plan
• Monitoring and Performance

Environmental Services

E-mail:

environmental.services
@thanet.gov.uk 

Tel: 01843 577580

Fax: 01843 290906