CPA Self-Assessment - Open Space - February 2004

1. How well does the Council contribute to the management of the physical environment?

1.1 Does the Council secure a high quality environment through new build and maintenance work?

The Council has produced a number of guidance documents and leaflets including Access Guide to Shrewsbury which lists disability organisations/accessible buildings/services in the town centre. The new office complex is accessible to disabled people and 25% of our public buildings are now accessible to the highest achievable standards. The Council has also produced Access for Disabled People which are guidance notes for Architects and Agents to assist them with Planning Applications, a Parking Leaflet showing the position of accessible parking spaces both on street and within car parks and a leaflet on Induction Loops which explains what they are, how they work and who installs them.

Within the Asset Management Plan 2003 there is an Action Plan item 6.7 to follow up the access Audit to improve access to our other public buildings. The Council is developing proposals for new wheelchair accessible facilities at one of the two remaining non-accessible public conveniences.

The Council places a high priority on achieving sustainability and through its adopted Local Plan (June 2001) is seeking to reconcile the promotion of development against the need to protect the Borough’s environmental assets. This is principally focussed on issues such as reducing the need to travel, recycling land/buildings to maximise the level of brownfield development, protecting important green spaces and ecological sites and promoting the development of affordable housing to meet local needs. All sites identified as residential in the Local Plan have been given added value through the preparation of development briefs and supplementary planning guidance on affordable housing, hot food takeaways and open space provision. The Council uses Section 106 agreements to secure appropriate community benefits. Pre-application discussions with relevant professional officers provide a valuable context for addressing issues.

An open space, sport and recreation assessment is currently underway. However, securing new open spaces as part of all larger residential developments is already increasing public open space provision. Supplementary planning guidance used to secure such space and any necessary maintenance contributions. A series of public consultations are carried out annually to measure public opinion on various open space/recreation type issues. The Public Amenity 2002 Service Portfolio shows satisfaction results.

A good example of the Council's contribution to the physical environment is the commitment to the prestigious Britain-In-Bloom award. In the spirit of the competition effort has been targeted to improving the local environment through floral enhancements, community participation and numerous initiatives to keep the community clean. The Council received a Gold Award in recognition of these achievements for 2003. The national body also recognised the enhancement of a town centre public convenience and the British Toilet Association awarded a special merit award to the Borough for external landscape works.

The Council recognises the need to provide modern State of the Art public toilets within the Town Centre. Recent designs for a new museum and exhibition venue comprising of a TIC and public toilet have been temporarily deferred, although further consultative work is continuing on this project to ensure the public view is taken on board for the future development of this proposed facility.

The new surface car park at St Austins, built to replace the ageing multi-storey, has been built to high standards, and a number of new trees have been planted in the Town Centre as a result. Further tree planting is planned at Frankwell Car Park during 2004 when the flood prevention works are complete.

Similarly, multi-sports provision for young people at various sites throughout the Town and Borough have been built to high standards and playground new build design and construction is in accordance with BSEN1176/73 for non-abrasive surfaces and equipment.

The paths, roads and car parks which are the Council’s responsibility are inspected, maintained and swept on a regular basis. Riverbank protection works have recently been carried out using plant material rather than stone or concrete.

Byelaws Officers monitor the streets to prevent littering and dog fouling, and apply fixed penalties for such offences when detected.

The Council carries out a number of planned maintenance programmes to improve the local environment. These include tree replacement and maintenance, landscaping and upgrading of flowerbeds, grass verge cutting (14 cuts/year). Weed control is administered to hard surface areas in accordance with the appropriate regulations.

A SLA for arboricultural advice and survey work has recently been developed between the Grounds Maintenance and Planning Policy sections, to improve cross-departmental working and provide a more corporate approach to the management of Council-owned trees.

Work is carried out to meet seasonal variations through various programmes and schedules. Much of the work carried out to the Countryside Heritage Sites and Community Woodland is undertaken by volunteers/trainees and local people. The Unit manages 28 sites comprising of 151 ha (373 acres), including nature reserves and Community Woodlands. The Unit organises 20 Countryside Events each year including tree planting and "clean up" days. Volunteers/trainees and local people undertake much of the work. Nature conservation advice and guidance are also provided to many diverse organisations and the general public.

Council staff are issued with appropriate high visibility jackets and work-wear to identify them as authorised employees of the Council. The Public Amenities Section has effective communication and reporting procedures in place to send and receive information for all relevant service areas. These are transmitted via operatives and other SABC staff to HQ by way of two-way radios, mobile telephones and standard communication procedures and systems for fly-tipping, missed collections, dumped rubbish etc. Close working relations between Byelaws, Engineers, Property Services and the Public Amenities Sections also ensures that issues such as illegal fly posting and dumping are dealt with efficiently. Councillors are encouraged to report litter hot spots to the Public Amenities Section for removal and scheduling purposes. Members of the Tidy Shrewsbury Group frequently use litter report forms to notify the Department of litter problems, overflowing bins etc. The Community Watch Scheme has been introduced to supplement reporting procedures which are primarily associated with incidents affecting the well-being of the general public, senior citizens and the disabled. Instances include build-up of newspapers, milk etc at an elderly/disabled person’s property, broken glass dangerous substances reporting etc.

The Council has agreed a policy to strive to become a Centre of Environmental Excellence by 2010, through the Community Strategy Partnership. The strategy links to many of the Council’s strategies including the emerging Cultural Strategy, Air Quality Strategy and Housing Strategy.

Following on from a Review and Assessment of Air Quality, three Air Quality Management Areas have been declared. The development of the air quality strategy will follow as part of the Council's continuing review. The Council has progressed to the fourth stage of the Review and Assessment of Air Quality Management Areas. Public consultation on the development of the action plan has taken place with more scheduled for later this year. The second round of the Review and Assessment of Air Quality is underway in partnership with the other authorities in the country.

Enforcement policies are in place for food safety/health and safety, pollution control, general public health and licensing. These are modelled on the Enforcement Concordat and approved by Council.

Flooding remains a key issue within Shrewsbury. As well as seeking to ensure that development proposals do not lead to an increase in flooding or adversely affect a watercourse, the local plan identifies areas considered to be at risk from flooding. The plan includes a policy to ensure adequate flood protection and prevention measures are implemented as part of any development proposal in these areas. The Council works closely with the Environment Agency and has contributed to the capital acquisition of temporary flood defences for Shrewsbury. It works closely with its partners such as Severn-Trent Water and Shropshire County Council (SCC) in the development of a Joint Emergency Response plan, which includes significant involvement by members of the public as flood wardens.

Whilst the Council has not formally adopted a climate change strategy its work on energy use reduction is on target to achieve the 30% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2006 from 1996 levels.

The Council has not adopted EMAS, however, has been assessed under the Business in the Environment West Midlands Environmental Index improving performance from 23.81% in 2001 to 39.17% in 2002.

2. Does the Council help keep the locality clean?

2.1 Does the Council deal effectively with household and other waste?

The Council’s waste services consist of a weekly kerbside wheeled bin collection supplemented by a free household clinical service. Overall 42,500 domestic properties are served, and around 44,500 tonnes of household waste, including recyclables, is collected each year. The service is supplemented by a free bulky item kerbside collection arrangement operated by a freighter service nicknamed ‘Freddie the Freighter’ (currently under review as part of the current Waste Management Review), which visits all Council wards on a regular predetermined basis. A chargeable bulky item collection service is also available for members of the public who require a collection at other times or are unable to use the freighter service. Chargeable trade refuse and clinical waste services are also offered to around 800 customers in the commercial sector.

A Best Value Review in August 2001 concluded that the Council provides a "Good" 2 star cleansing service that will improve. The services audited include Street Cleansing, Refuse Collection, Recycling and Public Conveniences. To complement the statutory customer care survey the Council has also conducted a survey on its recycling services to determine satisfaction levels and assist in shaping future policy and service levels. In response to the survey the Council has made two major changes this year; the extension of the green waste scheme from 15 to 23 weeks and the removal of the limit on the number of bags that residents can put out for collection. This has had a dramatic effect on recycling levels and, along with the introduction of kerbside boxes, adds confidence that the Council will meet and exceed its statutory target of 18% recycling by 2003/4. The Council is also part of the Shropshire-wide LPSA for recycling which sets its own demanding stretch targets, which the Council is also on-target to achieve in 2004/5.

Refuse and Street cleansing operatives are about to undergo a NVQ Level II training course, and preliminary investigations are also underway on the introduction of ISO 14001 Environmental Management systems to underpin our existing service standard and work towards the EFQM model.

All waste and cleansing services were recently challenged under the Council’s Waste Management Review 2003. This review was undertaken to provide members with the most up-to-date service data for further evaluation purposes including, modifying service standards, discontinuing services, charging policies, outsourcing and partnerships to ensure cost effective service delivery and progress on recycling in order to meet and exceed the statutory targets. From this a number of initiatives have resulted on the Freddie the Freighter, clinical waste, Bulky Household and Commercial Waste services in order to ensure cost effective service delivery.

The Council is moving forward on waste reduction and reuse through its support of the national ‘Real Nappy’ campaign, financial support of the Shrewsbury Furniture Scheme and educational promotions in schools and at local events such as the Shrewsbury Green Day. The creation of a promotional character 'Smart Bob' and use of ‘Recycler, the Rapping Robot’ performances in schools underpin the Council’s efforts on the educational front. The Council, along with the other Shropshire district councils, also subscribes to a contracted arrangement with a supplier of discounted home composters and wormeries to residents.

A Schools Recycling Service has also been introduced, with vehicle and bins funded from the DEFRA Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund. Progress on recycling has been rapid over the last 12 months, with the introduction and extension of a kerbside garden waste collection and composting service, and the introduction of boxes to the dry kerbside service to permit the collection of glass as well as cans, paper and textiles. This is in addition to the Council’s 35 bring sites.

The five districts and SCC support energy recovery through the county-wide Joint Waste Strategy. SCC are progressing plans for a major new waste management facility in Shrewsbury, which should initially provide facilities for waste transfer, deliveries of local authority recyclables, civic amenity and public recycling. The medium to long term plans for this facility are to include sorting of waste for recycling and ultimately in-vessel composting and/or anaerobic digestion facilities, with the possibility of energy-from-waste processing of residual waste.

2.2 How effectively is the Council cleaning streets and other public places?

Street cleansing is managed to comply with the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse and weed control is administered to hard surface areas in accordance with the appropriate regulations.

Environmental Issues affecting adjoining land are also pursued for example litter on railway land. The Council is working with Housing Associations, local traders and the Police, Magistrate Courts etc to introduce more effective measures for litter and overall environmental improvements. A GIS mapping system has been developed with members to ensure clarity of land ownership and responsibility. This is currently under trial and will be extended to all members during 2004. Members of the public are offered various communication channels to report issues/complaints. This is achieved though our website http://www.shrewsbury.gov.uk/, e-mail, telephone, personal visit, written correspondence and voice mail.

The Council is compiling the mapping and inspection processes to comply with BVPI 199. A Tidy Shrewsbury Group has been formed to monitor performance and contribute to service improvement through activities such as voluntary litter-picks. Members of the Group use litter report forms to notify the Council of litter problems, overflowing bins etc. Local Performance indicators have been developed and monitoring is underway to measure performance through the introduction of a service log computer system. A portfolio member is responsible for the service together with a member Waste Advisory group set up to report key issues to cabinet to ensure quality of service delivery.

The innovative Team Litter scheme introduced in the summer of 2003 links both the private and public sectors for litter removal and other similar community clean-up projects. The scheme introduces additional labour paid for by private sector partners for litter clearance etc in exchange for sponsorship PR opportunities. Over 20 companies and public institutions have signed up to the scheme ranging from fast food outlets, supermarkets, the retail sector and the probation and young offenders units. The net effect of this initiative has resulted in over 200 man-hours per month committed to the clean-up campaign at no additional cost to the local taxpayer. The Council is reviewing its existing street cleansing frequencies to provide improved standards and facilitate deployment of the additional resources allocated to the service. Other public spaces owned by the Borough are cleaned through the provision of direct labour and supplemented by volunteer groups on occasions. The Council also has a two man emergency response team to manage and clear illegal dumping, fly tipping etc. A litter bin survey has been completed and the data is being assessed to improve overall cleanliness in the Borough.

A total of 485 vehicles were reported to the Council as abandoned during 2002. Of these, 157 or 32.4% were removed and disposed of.

The introduction of a series of new initiatives on the Street Cleansing service is a further example of the outcomes of the Waste Management Review. These include:

• The introduction of 6 additional street sweeping staff,
• The purchase of a new chewing gum and street washing machine,
• A major fly posting removal and enforcement campaign,
• An enforcement campaign on littering and dumping,
• Partnerships with the retail sector resulting in major chains providing street cleaning resources around the town,
• Involving Shrewsbury Sixth Form College in litter clearance from the town’s main park during lunchtime use by students.

A timetable for the improvements required under the review has been established.

Opportunities for further improvements have been identified through the Open Spaces CPA group; a trial dog fouling bin service is underway in two known problem areas. Fly tipping hot spots are patrolled and cleared on a regular basis. The Council now has use of a mobile CCTV unit, which is used in enforcement against both fly tipping and littering in rural areas. Permanent CCTV installations are situated in the town centre to supplement the Council’s enforcement campaign and identify problem litter hot-spots etc.

During the second half of 2003 the Council stepped up its anti-litter enforcement activities, and is making full use of its powers under Section 88 of the EPA. A total of 33 fixed penalties were issued to individuals for dropping litter. Only two instances of non-payment occurred and both resulted in successful prosecutions. Extensive media interest has been achieved for this campaign, including significant coverage in the local press and on BBC television.

The Council has drafted a fly-posting policy, which covers enforcement and removal. The enforcement action, under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992, has resulted in some venues ceasing to fly-post in the town. The removal of fly posting has also materially improved the appearance of many areas.

Although Shrewsbury has not historically suffered from high levels of graffiti, work is being developed in relation to this potentially growing problem. It is believed that by working in partnership with property owners, including the utility companies, the Council can maintain graffiti at minimal levels.

Anti-litter presentations continue to be made to local schools, and litter-picking events are organised with Shrewsbury College and the Sixth Form College. Where a particular litter problem seems to centre around a school, the head teacher has been encouraged to support the Council in its enforcement activities. The Council has made it clear that this will extend to the issuing of fixed penalties to pupils outside the school if necessary.

The Council carries out sweeping on some privately owned but publicly accessible areas, such as the shop frontages at Ditherington and on the banks of the River Severn. Privately owned areas are also targeted as required during 'Tidy Shrewsbury Group' voluntary litter-picks, which are equipped and sponsored by the Council. Fly tipping is also removed from private areas such as field gates in the rural areas. The Council also makes use of its powers under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 and Section 80 of the EPA, in enforcing against private landowners who allow nuisance through deposits of verminous or potentially verminous waste on their own land.

The BVPI customer satisfaction rating was 67% when the survey was last carried out in 2001/2. The survey results for 2003/4 are currently being computed.

3. Does the Council work with partners to improve community safety?

3.1 Does the Council provide an effective contribution to the local crime and disorder reduction partnership?

The Council was short listed in 2003 for Beacon Status for Community Cohesion, demonstrating clear understanding of the issues and focussed activities to address community cohesion and safety issues, in particular lack of cohesion between the old and younger population and the disproportionate fear of crime are priorities. Through initiatives such as Community Action Groups, Neighbourhood Watch and engaging young people in local decision making, we are working towards a whole community approach to addressing local problems and meeting diverse needs. The Community Safety Strategy arose from a detailed crime audit (2001) residents’ survey (2001) and Youth Survey (2001). The residents survey led to a number of initiatives including increased support for Neighbourhood Watch, increased investment in facilities for older children e.g. BMX and the appointment of a young persons drugs worker. Through these initiatives we have increased the number of neighbourhood watches by 18, developed (in partnership with young people) 4 BMX tracks and have a further 5 planned and have appointed a young persons drugs worker who’s most recent drugs awareness event attracted over 800 young people. Other longer term initiatives include the appointment of a jointly funded Reccy Ranger to provide outreach recreation, joint funded target hardening for older vulnerable persons households and the joint funded young persons mentoring project. An annual Community Safety Action Plan is produced and performance against this plan measured and reported.

The Community Safety Partnership led by the Council consists of almost 30 organisations, agencies, the voluntary sector and community representatives with the aim of making Shrewsbury and Atcham a safe place to live, work and visit. It is a task group reporting directly to the Community Strategy Partnership delivering the key objectives and ensuring that the two strategies are embedded. For example the need for a neighbourhood mediation survey was identified in the Community Strategy and this has been taken forward and delivered through the Community Safety Partnership. This has subsequently been further linked as a priority within the Homelessness Strategy and £100,000 of funding secured to meet both homelessness and community safety priorities. The drug strategy forms part of the overall Community Safety Strategy. The Partnership pools SCI and CAD funding and has been successful in securing £200,000 of SRB resources private sponsorship for CCTV and recently Homelessness and Anti-social behaviour funding for a County wide mediation service.

Delivery of the strategy is tasked to the Community Safety Partnership Steering Group chaired and administered by the Council. A performance management and reporting system is in place with lead agencies identified, targets established and quarterly performance monitored. This year the Council is leading on a number of initiatives including the mentoring service for young people, vehicle crime and CCTV. Through these initiatives it is hoped to reduce vehicle crime particularly in Council car parks, improve the productivity of CCTV by 200% (against the 2001/02 baseline) and to reduce the risk of disengagement of young people through school exclusion to prevent re-offending and reduce the risk of offending. The Partnership has developed strong links with the Drug Action Team and joint working to tackle the issue of drugs among younger people pursued through the Young Peoples Joint CAD/CDRP action group. 80% of the objectives set in the first year Action Plan of the 2002 to 2005 Community Safety Strategy have been met and work is progressing on outstanding objectives.

The success of the Community Safety Strategy is measured through crime data, project and resident feedback and Fear of Crime surveys (2001, 2003)¹⁹ . For example a recent malicious caller campaign led to a 20% reduction in calls to emergency services over 12 months, and a young persons intervention project in Sundorne led to a 97% reduction in calls to the police relating to this target group. Whilst changes in reporting criteria have significantly affected recorded crime levels the Community Safety Partnership has been successful in reducing crime levels by 5% from 1998 to 2001.

New initiatives are considered through a structured application process, requiring baseline data, SMART targets and outcome reporting. For example the Sundorne Youth Engagement project identified a problem of anti-social behaviour from complaints to the police and the local church and library, proposed a method of intervention and evaluation. The report produced following the project demonstrated a reduction in calls to the police from 30 between November 2002 to March 2003 to 1 following the project.

The annual Community Safety Action Plan is signed off by the Police, DAT and Government Office ensuring shared ownership of targets. The partnership is working together to deliver action and sharing risk and success with tangible benefits for the community. Examples of this are Operation Urban in Harlescott in June 2002 and again in Meole Brace in September 2002. These exercises were a multi agency approach to Crime and Disorder, tackling crime, grime and anti-social behaviour and have acted as a springboard for the joint funded Neighbourhood Warden, Harlescott Community Safety Initiative, Harlescott Forum and Meole Brace Community Action, co-ordinating partnership improvement schemes in our more deprived wards. Through our partnership approach, crime levels in these two wards have fallen by 14%. SABC is also a lead authority on anti-social and football exclusion orders. Information sharing protocols are in place with the Police and Shop and Pubwatch providing the expedient exchange of information via radio link and CCTV which has led in part to a 16% reduction in shoplifting in Shrewsbury in 2003.

The mainstreaming of community safety into Council activity is improving. A staff survey in 2001 of the integration of community safety found that two thirds of staff generally consider the crime and disorder implications of activities whilst undertaking specific duties. These included designed out crime, ground maintenance to improve visibility and specifying appropriate play equipment to reduce vandalism. The Performance and Improvement Plan includes targets derived from the Community Safety Strategy which are translated into service and personal objectives. Crime and disorder implications are considered in all Council decisions. Officers from a number of Council service areas sit on Community Safety Action Groups. The Council has introduced Community Watch an extension of the Neighbourhood Watch principles to make an active contribution to reducing crime and the fear of crime as part of their normal daily work. The scheme is initially being tested in the Public Amenities Section and will eventually be extended to cover all Council employees/members etc. The planned co-ordination of Team Tidy with the Anti-Social Behaviour Tasking Group will further proactively incorporate crime and disorder issues into street scene activities.

3.2 Has the Council (in partnership) been able to secure impact on outcomes as a result of the local community safety work?

Local issues and priorities were clearly identified through the crime audit¹⁸, residents’ survey¹⁹ and young people survey²⁰. Data is supported by the independent listening matters survey (2001) and neighbourhood satisfaction assessment (2003)²³.

The Crime and Disorder strategy reflects these local priorities of anti-social behaviour, property crime and quality of life issues as well as working towards delivering national crime and disorder priorities such as tackling on street violent crime.

The Council has developed a relationship with the local media as set out in the Communications and Consultation Strategy. The Community Safety Partnership produces a monthly bulletin that is widely distributed with copies going to the press and local media. The partnership monitors the level of media interest and communicates all articles published through the community safety website. The number of hits on the website is monitored and has increased from 31,000 in 2001 to 77,500 in 2003. The website is currently being used as the basis of a four-week assignment by Shrewsbury College of Art and Technology as an example of multi agency partnership communication.

The targets of the 1999-2002 Community Safety Strategy were largely met. 80% of the targets set out in the first year action plan of the 2002-2005 strategy have been delivered and the other objectives are progressing. From 1999 to 2001 the Community Safety Partnership delivered the largest reduction in our CDRP family group for violence crime, robbery and theft from a vehicle. Crime rates in the Borough remain relatively low and we continue to see top quartile performance of limiting the increase in our priorities of violent crime and burglary.

4. Does the Council contribute to activities to positively engage children and young people?

4.1 Does the Council have a clear idea about the needs of young

This is a rapidly developing area of activity for the Council. We are gaining a firm understanding of the needs of children and young people through a range of consultation methods. These include focus user groups, extensive customer satisfaction surveys and actively seeking complaint, comment or compliment on service provision, together with targeted community consultation specific to proposed local development, the latter often in partnership with other appropriate bodies.

The Sure Start Scheme is an excellent example of working with children in the local community. SABC’s Chief Executive sits on the Committee to deliver parenting help, a support network and member involvement.

The Council has developed an innovative approach to engage and involve young people through the Social Action Process using a neighbourhood action based model, which develops young people centred strategies at local level. This approach was chosen as a result of comments made by a member of the Young Peoples Parliament to Cabinet in February 2001. Current examples of surveys of young peoples needs include Meole Brace BMX, Shorncliffe Drive recreational redevelopment and Upton Lane recreational redevelopment. In all these examples the views of young people were actively sought through targeted consultation, the results directly influencing the final provision. Other young people surveys include focus groups held at youth clubs around mechanisms to inform on drug prevention and diversionary activities.

Leisure Services undertakes extensive customer satisfaction surveys in compliance with a pre-determined annual schedule, an integral element of which is the targeting of children and young people accessing holiday play schemes and sports development courses.

Throughout 2002/03 ten site (ward specific) consultation exercises targeted at children and young people have taken place and which have or will result in the provision of amenities allied to expressed local needs.

Satisfaction survey forms, specifically those targeted at children and young people, provide for feedback on the appropriateness of location, timing, cost and nature of provision. Feedback is invited on the questions "What didn’t you do which you would have liked to?" and "Have you achieved what you wanted to?" Evidence on survey analysis and consultation is retained on file,

The effectiveness of the Council’s Leisure Activities Booklet, or if its use has led to increase take-up by children and young people, has not been formally measured. With effect from April 2004 survey questionnaires pertinent to the effectiveness for the Leisure Section’s Marketing Strategy will include reference to the Annual Leisure Activity Booklet.

4.2 What is the Council doing to secure a range of activities for young people and encourage their positive engagement?

The Council has directed substantial capital investment towards expanded/enhanced facility provision targeted at the needs of children and young people. This involves playgrounds, multi-sports courts, skateboard ramps and BMX tracks, all of which will provide free and informal access and will be of a design and in locations determined by potential users and other appropriate stake holders as having greatest impact on reducing instances of anti-social behaviour. The Council has a policy of providing dual-use sports facilities located on secondary school/college campuses to ensure maximum accessibility to young people. Young peoples views are actively sought on play provision and as a direct result of consultation with young people 4 BMX tracks have been constructed and 5 are under development, a youth meeting point has been provided and the towns main play area was rebuilt incorporating designs from young people. The Council provides free access to sporting facilities/services by disenfranchised youth groups targeted by Shropshire County Council’s Youth Service and Passport to Leisure.

A Leisure booklet is produced and marketed each January/February providing information on the forthcoming year’s activities, provision is primarily targeted at young people.

Shrewsbury Leisure’s Child Protection Policy has been compiled in consultation with Social Services, the Football Association and Shropshire Sports Partnership. The very nature of the document requires joint working with a wide range of external agencies, the effectiveness of which was successfully tested in a ‘live’ situation during 2003. Content of and procedures outlined within the document have and will continue to be subject to independent inspection and approval by OFSTED as an integral element of their wider inspection process allied to the section’s day care provisions.

In December 2001 340 young people responded to consultation on crime, disorder and social issues affecting them, through the Young Persons Safety Survey. The survey identified key issues for young people including access to leisure, personal safety at night, concerns over the local environmental and the relationship with other members of their community. Results of this survey influenced the Community Strategy. Young people have been engaged through the Schools Environment Day to influence the priorities for the Environmental Centre of Excellence. The Council directly organises an extensive array of activities for children and young people, including rural outreach programmes, and is an active partner in the delivery of national initiatives at local level, primarily in the area of sports development. Officers regularly seek the view of participants to ensure provision matches local need. The recently appointed Reccy Ranger will be consulting widely with young people on recreational provision required providing activities at venues and times to meet their identified needs.

The Council has a formal written Child Protection Policy (last reviewed/redrafted spring 2003). The policy is clear direction on procedures to be adopted and guidance on the appropriateness of partnership working with child protection specialists. Criminal Record Bureau checks are undertaken in respect of relevant staff.

1. Your Access Guide for Shrewsbury
2. Guidance Notes on Access for Disabled People
3. Your Parking Guide to Shrewsbury
4. Induction Loops for the hard of hearing
5. The Asset Management Plan
6. The Local Plan
7. The Public Amenity Service Portfolio
8. Arboricultural Service Level Agreement
9. Cultural Strategy for Shropshire 2003-3007
10. Review and Assessment of Air Quality in Shrewsbury and Atcham SABC 2001
11. SABC Housing Strategy 2002-2005
12. Joint Emergency Response Plan
13. Best Value Review (August 2001) - Street Cleansing, Refuse Collection, Recycling, Public Amenities
14. Garden Waste and Recycling Questionnaire 2002
15. SABC Community Services Waste Management Review 2003
16. Shropshire Municipal Waste Management Strategy (June 2002)
17. Shrewsbury and Atcham Community Safety Partnership Community Safety Strategy 2002-2005
18. Shrewsbury and Atcham Crime Audit 1998-2001, JDT 2001
19. Community Safety Residents’ Survey 2001
20. Community Safety Youth Survey 2001
21. Shrewsbury and Atcham Community Safety Action Plan 2003/04
22. Delivery of 2001/02 Community Safety Strategy
23. BVPI Survey - Residents’ Survey 2003
24. Sundorne Estate Project Evaluation Report
25. Community Safety Best Value Review - Staff Consultation Survey
26. Listening Matters in North Shrewsbury Re-Generate 2002
27. Communications and Consultation Strategy
28. Usage Statistics for http://www.safetypartnership.org.uk/
29. Shrewsbury Leisure Activity Programme (April 2003-March 2004)
30. Child Protection Policy