12 Month Delivery Plan 2022-23

Over the last few years, we’ve all had to respond to significant changes in our lives brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. Some people have lost loved ones, others have lost their livelihoods, and most of us have had our mental and physical health, education, relationships, and way of life impacted in some way.

Back in March 2020, when the first UK lockdown was announced, the impacts of the UK’s exit from the EU were beginning to resonate with local businesses. The combination of these two major events led to one of the biggest challenges the Council has ever faced. During the pandemic especially, Councils were pivotal in implementing Government policy at pace and coming up with innovative local solutions to protect the health, wellbeing and livelihoods of local people and businesses. In South Tyneside, we set up brand new services, re-prioritised, re-focused our services and worked around the clock to meet new and changing demands, whilst continuing to provide many essential and statutory services within a context of significant uncertainty and workforce pressures.

South Tyneside is a unique place, set apart by our rich heritage and stunning coastline. Although marked by legacies of industrial decline and national disinvestment, the resilience, pride and solidarity of our residents make South Tyneside special.

Communities, businesses and authorities rallied together during the pandemic in many ways demonstrating the ‘best of South Tyneside’ in terms of community spirit and resilience. Despite this, the last two years have undoubtedly left their mark, exacerbating existing social and economic inequalities throughout the borough. South Tyneside includes areas of high deprivation, and as a North East coastal area, there is a strong legacy of intergenerational skills and health challenges within some of our communities. The pandemic has shone a light on these vulnerabilities and has underscored the importance of addressing the systemic, root-causes of issues to truly help strengthen the resilience and independence of our communities for the future.

As we transition in to a ‘new normal’ with a view to living with covid, we are at a defining moment in terms of our future planning.

We are committed to are working with local people and businesses, employees, and key partner organisations to build an underpinning evidence base of data, intelligence, and insight to shape our top priorities for South Tyneside and inform our future plans. By the end of this year (2022), building on this engagement and insight work, we will have agreed our refreshed 20 Year Vision for South Tyneside and will have a clear plan setting out what we will do to achieve this over the next three years.

At the same time, we are also working on an internal programme of change to modernise and strengthen how the Council makes decisions, manages its resources, and supports its employees and elected members to deliver exceptional services for residents.

The 'Our Council' change programme can be found here.

While we plan for the future, it’s important to communicate what the Council is doing right now to improve its services and ultimately, to further enhance the lives of South Tyneside’s people.

The ‘12 Month Delivery Plan’ sets out the headline activities and projects that the Council will be working on over the next year (April 2022 – April 2023). These activities and projects are wide ranging and include bringing forward infrastructure and regeneration projects; responding to major changes in Government legislation; delivering improvements or expansions to existing services; implementing brand new services to meet resident need; as well as enabling improvements in how the Council operates. This Plan does not outline in detail the huge range of ‘business as usual’ services that the Council delivers year in and year out – activities like emptying bins, managing roads and footpaths, managing council tenancies, administering financial support, and providing vital social care and support for some of our most vulnerable children, young people, and adults. There are robust management and in-year monitoring arrangements already in place within service areas to oversee these ‘business as usual’ activities. This 12 Month Delivery Plan is focused on the key projects and activities unique to the next 12 months and includes those which will require additional corporate oversight and monitoring.

The plan is arranged according to the Council’s six Directorates: Adult Social Care & Commissioning; Children’s Services; Public Health; Regeneration & Environment; Business & Resources; and Governance and Corporate Affairs, and sets out what will be delivered, by when and by who.

The Plan also indicates which of the five ‘Community Priorities’ each activity or project will contribute towards. The ‘Community Priorities’ were set out in 2021 by the Leader of the Council to provide a sharper focus on the shorter-term and recovery priorities for the Council in direct response to the pandemic.

The five community priorities are:

1. Support our young people in need
2. Support families and older or vulnerable people
3. Create the conditions for economic recovery and investment
4. Support all our town centres, villages, high streets and hospitality
5. Invest in our natural and built environment.

An update report was presented to Borough Council in January setting out progress so far on each of the Community Priorities. Read more here.

The aftermath of the pandemic, EU Exit and the new threats of rising inflation and skills shortages present multiple challenges for South Tyneside.

Many of these are also national issues and include:

• Our economy making the transition towards Net Zero
• Our towns adapting to changing shopping and working habits
• The mismatch between labour market supply and demand;
• The need for upskilling and retraining (and to boost aspiration)
• The continued gaps in the health and social care workforce;
• The effect of the pandemic upon mental health and young people’s progress
• The continued growth of multiple long-term health conditions
• An ageing population and the challenges around reablement and supporting people to live independently after hospitalisation
• The increasing recognition of the link between wider determinants of health and health outcomes
• The importance of transport and digital connectivity;
• The rising cost of living and prevalence of low pay and entrenched poverty

Many of these issues are interconnected and could put further pressure on services, driving up demand and exacerbating existing structural challenges and inequalities.

Yet they also present potential opportunities to improve outcomes for our residents and businesses. These issues will be addressed by the refreshed Vision and three-year Strategy, to be launched in Autumn 2022.

Adult Social Care

• The ‘Living Better Lives’ Adult Social Care Strategy, which been co-designed with residents and consulted on over recent months, is scheduled to be formally endorsed in September 2022. The Strategy will set out priorities and plans for Adult Social Care service design and delivery, in line with significant changes to policy outlined in the recent Adult Social Care Reform White Paper.
• Work is also underway to finalise an Adult Social Care Engagement and Co-Production Strategy, which will set out how services will engage service users and employees in the design and delivery of services. This work is happening alongside the development of an Adult Social Care workforce strategy, expected by August 2022, which will guide recruitment and retention of social care employees.
• A service-wide Adult Social Care case review is currently underway, which will inform a range of improvements, aimed at ensuring all services have the right level of resource to manage risk and demand and deliver the ‘Living Better Lives’ Strategy.
• Improvements to several Adult Social Care services are also due to be agreed and implemented over the course of the year following in-depth service reviews, including a new ‘Let’s Talk’ Service Model, new Safeguarding Model, new Occupational Therapy Model, a review of the carer support offer, together with a revised Housing Adaptions policy and work to ensure the most effective use of the Disabled Facilities Grant linked with the Adult Social Care reform agenda.
• With regards to residential care provision, a revised cross-service Accommodation Strategy is due to be finalised by December 2022. As part of this, the coming year will see the of six new apartments at Hallgarth House for residents with learning disabilities, the commencement of building works for similar accommodation at Father James Walsh and Nolan Hall, and contractors appointed for the building of new Extra Care Schemes, including at Hebburn New Town.
• Preparing for the new Adult Social Care CQC inspection framework, including a comprehensive self-assessment process, will also be a key area of focus for Adult Social Care over the coming year.

Integrated Commissioning

• It is expected that the considerable regional changes associated with the establishment of the new Integrated Care System/ Board and associated partnership arrangements, will significantly impact on the functions of the Integrated Commission Team over the coming year. Although the exact impact is not yet fully understood, it is anticipated that services for Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism may see considerable changes.
• The Integrated Commissioning Team is also working to respond to recent and emerging guidance relating to Government ‘Fair Price for Care’ reforms. As part of this, over the early part of 2022-23, the service is required to undertake a local ‘cost of care’ exercise and develop a provisional market sustainability plan by the Department of Health & Social Care deadline of September 2022.
• Aside from managing these changes over the coming year, the Integrated Commissioning Team will also continue to manage and review local health and care commissioning arrangements, including finalising contracts relating to care homes and overseeing reviews of key health and care offers, such as self-directed care, ‘Home First’ and early intervention.
• Additionally, the service is undertaking an ongoing programme of activity looking at commissioning in relation to ‘prevention’ and empowering individual to get upstream of potential future challenges and is exploring opportunities to develop capacity within the local community sector.
• All South Tyneside commissioning activities are guided by the Market Position Statement for South Tyneside and the Commissioning Priorities for 2021-24, both of which are kept under review to align to the wider regional market position and priorities.

• The Children’s Services Directorate provides a unifying direction for work with children and families, and teams are working together to develop a Children and Families Vision and Strategy for the coming 12 months. The Children and Families Vision and Strategy will provide a framework of principles for practice which will be consistent across all Children’s Services, with a shared approach and language, which parents and carers have told us is important to them in navigating services.
• Children’s Services are a key focus for the Government’s Levelling Up agenda and an increasing focus on supporting families is expected, as well as a significant range of new national policy and legislation over the next 3-5 years.
• The Education White Paper (April 22) and SEND Green Paper (April 22) will re-shape the education landscape over the coming five years, and Children’s Services will take a lead role in implementing guidance locally.
• Work is planned to engage with schools in relation to proposals for further academisation and multi-academy trusts, particularly given the context of South Tyneside being one of 55 School Improvement Areas.
• The Education White Paper will have a significant impact on the role of Local Authorities in relation to the provision of education, and whilst this will emerge over the next 3-5 years, we will begin to shape and plan our services this year.
• Work will also be undertaken to review school places, including finalising proposals for forecasted number of additional school places in line with wider Council work on the Local Plan.
• An Inclusion Charter will be launched to build the values and practice to further support a diverse and inclusive education offer.
• Work is also planned to formalise collaborative work with schools, partners and employers around skills and economic inclusion, including via the establishment of a Schools Skills Strategy.
• With regards to services supporting people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), key priorities for the coming year include looking at sufficiency of SEND provision in all local schools. This will be aligned to the direction set out by the SEND Green Paper.
• The service will continue to contribute insight and feedback to shape relevant Government policy. The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care (IRCSC) is due for publication in May 2022 and will make recommendations for change to Children and Families Social Care. The service will produce a response to the Review to inform the expected Green and White Papers, although final timescales are to be confirmed. The Select Committee on the Children’s Act 2014 is also seeking written submissions, and their resulting recommendations will come together into legislative change for children’s services alongside changes following the IRCSC.
• South Tyneside is a Sector Led Improvement Partner (SLIP) and will continue in this role during 2022/23. As well as the benefits offered to the Children’s Social Care Team in developing their improvement skills, being a SLIP has enabled the Council to develop good relationships with the Department for Education, and access to national forums.
• Another focus for the service is a programme of work to develop the offer of placement and accommodation for children in care and care leavers, which will see the design and build of an assessment unit and two new residential homes by April 2023, with a temporary children’s home planned to be opened from June 2022 while this work is underway.
• Work is underway to refresh the Education Training and Employment offer for Care Leavers, looking at a range of employment and work experience options.
• Work is also planned over the coming 18 months to review and refresh the Children’s Service’s workforce strategy, with proposals around workforce retention to be developed by April 2023.
• Analysis work will also take place with partners to increase understanding of growing demand for services, with thematic audits and detailed work around individual case circumstances now underway and a package of intervention proposals under development.
• The Government is re-shaping focus on support for families and Early Help, with Family Hubs a core model of practice. In line with this, the service is reviewing the current local Early Help Delivery Model, with a service restructure planned in Autumn 2022 to release resources for change. As part of this, an Early Help Network Consortium Partnership is being established to inform and shape the future delivery of Early Help. Plans are also being development for re-shaping the Early Help and Family Hubs offer working closely with partners from across South Tyneside.
• Work is also ongoing around a range of funding opportunities which are on the horizon though the Levelling Up agenda, Youth Investment Fund, and the Department for Education. The service will continue to bid for funding to support our ambitions for children and families services.

• The launch and implementation of the refreshed Health and Wellbeing Strategy is one of the main focuses for the Public Health Team over the coming year, as the service aligns its activity, delivery, policy, planning, commissioning, and system leadership to the strategy, which has been informed by a comprehensive consultation process taking place over the last year.
• In line with national guidance, the service is in the process of reducing involvement in Covid-19 response work and returning to ‘business-as-usual’ and to several projects and reviews that were put on hold during the pandemic. As part of this, the service is looking to finalise and implement a local ‘Living with Covid Plan’ in early 2022/23.
• Other key Public Health projects planned for the coming year include the development of a Domestic Abuse strategic action plan, a review of the Substance Misuse Service, the refresh of the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment, the development of the Local Plan Health Impact Assessment and a revised Family Hubs Model.
• The service has also achieved Cabinet agreement for new ‘Section 75’ partnership arrangements to deliver 0-19 health services, including the establishment of a Healthy Child Board.
• The service is additionally working on a multi-stage Health Determinants Research Collaboration bid, seeking to secure funding for research infrastructure that will help the local authority becoming more research-active and better able to use evidence to inform decision-making and service design.

Significant projects being delivered in 2022/23 include the Borough’s Local Plan which sets out planning policies and proposals for new development, town centre regeneration, large infrastructure schemes such as the International Advanced Manufacturing Park, delivery of new renewable energy schemes and work to re-design the area management delivery model.

Regeneration

Key projects for the Regeneration Service include a range of initiatives across South Shields Town Centre, the Riverside and Foreshore, and in Hebburn and Jarrow.

• South Shields town centre regeneration works are focused on the proposed relocation of Tyne Coast College’s South Tyneside campus into South Shields Town Centre, re-developing sites at Barrington Street and the former Central Library.
• Future High Street Funding Phase 1 demolitions in the town centre will commence in May 2022. A public consultation and engagement exercise on the future of South Shields Town Centre, under the banner ‘Our South Tyneside Conversation’ is planned in Summer 2022.
• At South Shields Riverside, civil engineering enabling works are underway providing sites for new homes and future development of the Holborn Enterprise Zone, Phase 2 and 3 residential planning application submissions are planned for July 2022, and it is expected that the first residents will move into ‘Phase 1’ by February 2023.
• Meanwhile, options for redevelopment of the Mill Dam and Ferry landing sites are due to be developed over the course of the year, and the Council will continue to work with the Custom’s House to support future funding bids.
• For South Shields Foreshore, a foreshore Promenade Masterplan covering plans for the Gypsie’s Green and surrounding Southern Foreshore area, is scheduled to be developed over the summer.
• A review of Hebburn town centre, the work programme and delivery model are underway, including options for older person’s housing, extra care facilities and enhanced green spaces, with an agreed investment and management plan and priorities finalised for July 2022.
• For Jarrow, a new investment and management plan and set of priorities is under development and expected by July 2022.

Asset Management

• Within Asset Management, an Asset Strategy for Land and Buildings is under development and scheduled for finalisation by Summer 2022. Projects associated with this Strategy include the Modern Workplace Programme, modernisation of the Middlefields site, completion of the Asset Transfer Programme, developing options for the future of Temple Park, as well as work to support other core services. Crematorium modernisation works are also scheduled to be completed by September 2022.
• Alongside this, the Asset Management service is also in the process of further enhancing new project and programme management arrangements across Regeneration & Environment to strengthen governance across major capital schemes.
• Following an extensive review of area management performance (including Council, South Tyneside and contractor-provided services such as grass cutting, tree maintenance, litter picking, street cleaning, etc), plans are underway to pilot an enhanced area management approach for a 4–6-month period in the South Shields town centre and foreshore area with a view to rolling out changes more widely if adjustments are well-received and provide value for money. As part of this pilot, work will be done to coordinate communications and align activity between the teams providing different elements of the service.
• A new contract for Green Space management is also expected to be finalised by December 2022. The team are also continuing to support volunteering, and to refine the Parks and Open Spaces Volunteer Handbook and other volunteering arrangements across the borough on an ongoing basis.
• The Asset Management team are continuing with the delivery of several pioneering renewable Energy Schemes over the course of the year, with completion of Phase 1 of the Holborn Energy Scheme anticipated in June 2022, confirmation of funding for Holborn Phase 2 anticipated in September 2022, and completion of the Viking Energy Network in Jarrow scheduled for March 2023. Work will also take place on the Hebburn Minewater Scheme, which is scheduled to be completed later in 2023, and work is ongoing around seeking funding for new energy firms and the enhancing of existing schemes.

Economic Growth

• Within Economic Growth, several projects are planned over 2022/23 to support more people into employment, including work via the ‘South Tyneside Works’ Employment & Skills service to develop a support package for the newly unemployed; work to improve digital skills for older people affected by digital exclusion, and work to support residents into growth sectors, including customer services, health and social care, and warehousing and logistics.
• The service is also undertaking a programme of work with schools to empower young people by boosting skills and providing careers guidance and pre-employment pathways, including via the Dogger Bank Community Fund around STEM provision in primary and secondary schools, with the creation of new pre-employment schemes aimed at reducing youth unemployment, and by transforming jobfinding support and triage services through the Youth Next Steps Hub.
• The team also continue to play a key role in developing or contributing to work associated with bids for competitive funding that could unlock significant economic growth for South Tyneside. This includes work on the future of South Tyneside College and working with the College to build on local strengths and opportunities associated with low carbon, advanced manufacturing, and digital training, as well as developing options for future funding opportunities, such as for Levelling Up Round 2 and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
• Work is also ongoing over 2022/23 to further progress the development of the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) as a key UK location for advanced manufacturing and electrification and as major employment site supporting c7000 jobs. Plans associated with the IAMP for 2022/23 include work starting onsite at the Envision #1 site, the development of the IAMP Pathways to Employment Plan, the approval of Northern Employment Area planning application and delivery plan, securing funding for power and infrastructure plans, and approval of planning application for the Envision #2 site.

Environment

• There are several big projects planned across the Environment Service for 2023/23, including an ongoing review of area management delivery (with development of a standards and performance management model and a pilot of an enhanced delivery approach in the South Shields area); work associated with the Sustainable South Tyneside strategy, responding to the implications of the Environment Act 2021 and developing an annual report against targets; work to develop a new Business and Neighbourhood Support Team; and work on a comprehensive Waste Strategy.
• Beyond this, several services will be responding to changes in legislation and national guidance, including the Trading Standards Team responding to the Tenant Fees Act, the Licensing Team introducing a Tax Conditionality System, and the Building Control team undertaking training to adapt to the requirements of the Building Safety Bill.
• As well as continuing to deliver critical ‘business as usual’ services, various teams across the Environment Service will be working to progress various enhancements to their offer, including the Community Protection Team running a number of safety campaigns and events (including preparing for the first South Tyneside Pride Event in 2023), the Environmental Sustainability service developing a Food Action Plan, updated Flood and Coastal Risk Management Strategy and new Tree and Woodland Policy, and Environmental Health producing a refreshed Air Quality Strategy.

Infrastructure and Transport

• The development of an Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy in line with regional plans and the finalisation of a regional Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) and Enhanced Bus Partnership bid by the 30th of June will help shape bus services going forward. Bus services across the region will become more efficient, reliable and affordable, and there will be substantial investment in both revenue and capital funding to do this. The BSIP and the EV charging strategy are a key focus for the Infrastructure and Transport Service over 2022/23. Both workstreams are a key factor in our aims to support sustainable transport and work towards delivering against our climate change agenda.
• Other major works scheduled for delivery this year include two Transforming Cities projects, these are the “Healthier Metros” initiative and the “Intelligent Transport Solutions (ITS)” improvements. Healthier Metros focuses on improvements to public realm, accessibility and safety to 4 metro stations and the ITS works are upgrades to traffic signalised junction across all of South Tyneside.
• The delivery of the Coast Road Realignment is critical to ensure the public remain safe and to sustain a key strategic highway link along the coastline. The delivery of the Monkton Terrace footbridge replacement programme is also an important project for the team – this will ensure that key pedestrian links are maintained for access to local schools and local amenities.
• Other key strategic projects include work on the development of a new Local Transport Plan for South Tyneside to complement the Regional Transport Plan, it will identify the highways infrastructure improvements needed across the borough and will compliment work on a new Road Safety Strategy in late autumn. Finally, it will be necessary to undertake a review of the Annual Winter Maintenance Service in the summer to continue to satisfy the Councils Statutory Duty for gritting of the highway.

Planning and Housing

• The development of and consultation on the Local Plan is a key focus for the Planning and Housing Service in 2022/23, with a ‘Regulation 18’ draft Local Plan (alongside a Statement of Public Involvement and adoption of a Local Development Scheme) scheduled for release in June 2022, ahead of public consultation from July 2022, with a view to a ‘Regulation 19’ final draft being consulted on in December 2022 before it is submitted to the planning inspectorate for examination.
• Other Local Plan associated pieces of work include the development of a Housing Delivery Plan by October 2022, an Infrastructure Statement by December 2022, a review of all Supplementary Planning Documents in December 2022, and an update to the Brownfield Register also in December 2022, as well as work on a Local Nature Recovery Strategy, when guidance becomes available in March 2023.
• In addition, the Housing Strategy team are undertaking a review of the Housing Strategy service, and are developing a Fuel Poverty Strategy, Allocation Strategy, and a Rough Sleeping Strategy, as well as undertaking work on homelessness prevention.
• Work will also be commencing this year to review working arrangements with South Tyneside Homes including in response to emerging legislation associated with proposals in the Social Housing White Paper.
• A key priority for the Service will be to increase housing delivery in the borough, which will require a collaborative appropriate with partners and the development industry.

The Business & Resources Directorate is made up of a range of high profile, front facing services such as Leisure, Revenues, Benefits and Customer Services, as well as business-critical back-office services, which enable the Council to function and deliver for its residents.

Notable projects across the Business and Resources Directorate over 2022/23 include:

Culture & Leisure

• The development and submission of an application to Arts Council England around South Tyneside’s libraries and cultural offer being awarded National Portfolio Organisation status has been a key focus for the Culture & Leisure service over recent years and following submission in March 2022, a final decision is expected in October 2022.
• Following the launch of the new five year ‘Making Waves’ Cultural Strategy, the Delivery Plan is on track to be agreed by June 2022, guiding cultural activity over the coming years.
• With regards to Leisure, the service has introduced a new app and self-service system to make it easier for people to book, pay for and manage leisure class and activity bookings, and the service is developing marketing incentives aimed at retaining members and attracting new ones.
• Monkton Stadium refurbishments are also expected to be completed in March 2023, and a new ‘Active Libraries’ campaign is planned to use libraries to promote resident engagement with leisure and physical activity.

Finance

• As in previous years, the development, agreement, and publication of the Medium-Term Financial Plan (for 2023-28), alongside the publication of the 2021/22 audited Statement of Accounts, will be key priorities for the Finance Service over the next 12 months.
• In addition, the service is undertaking a review of the budget consultation process; a scoping exercise is planned to understand needs for a refreshed financial planning framework; work is planned on the development and implementation of a financial competency framework; and the service will undertake any actions as a result of an arranged Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountability (CIPFA) review; as well as, work to prepare for adult social care charging reforms due in October 2023.
• The service will also play a key role in the Newcastle International Airport refinancing process, which is expected to strengthen the financial position of the airport for the coming years and unlock future financial benefits for Local Authority shareholders, including South Tyneside.

Internal Audit and Insurance

• As well as recurring annual activity, including the development and delivery of annual internal audit plans for the Council and South Tyneside Homes and contributing to the Annual Governance Statement (through the Internal Audit Annual Report), developing the skills and competency on the Audit Committee, and renewal and retendering insurance provision, the team will be bringing forward a number of updated strategies over 2022/23, including a new Risk Management Strategy and Framework and updated Counter Fraud Strategy.
• Additionally, the work of the team will be supported with several system improvements, including the Audit Digital Solution Project which will replace existing audit management software, as well as supporting Highways to implement a new Highways Management System.

Human Resources

• Key focuses for 2022/23 for the Human Resources team include undertaking a major exercise to refresh the Council’s Values and Behaviours framework, alongside the refresh of the Organisational Development Strategy, including a comprehensive Employee and Elected Member Training and Development Programme, and the development of an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Apprenticeship Strategy.
• The team will also progress several transformation activities, including implementing a new Electronic Records Management System, and undertaking initial discovery work in relation to the adoption of a new HR and Payroll system, as well as developing new policies and guidelines as part of the Modern Workplace Programme.
• The team will also undertake a review of the Occupational Health offer including the commissioning of a physiotherapy service.

Pensions

• Key regular annual activities for the Pension service include working towards the finalisation and publication of 2021/22 financial accounts with a clean audit opinion by December 2022, developing a Treasury Management Strategy for 2023/24 by March 2023 and a agreeing a Service Plan in February of each year.
• 2022 will see the Pensions service undertake its 3-yearly valuation (an updated appraisal of assets and liabilities), and a review of the Investment Strategy. These exercises will in turn shape reviews and updates during the year of a number of key policies and strategies, including the Funding Strategy Statement, Investment Strategy Statement, and Responsible Investment Policy.
• The Tyne and Wear Pensions Fund Climate Change Policy will also be reviewed and updated, to include carbon footprint and climate-related financial disclosures reporting.
• The service will also work over the year to adjust member records as part of a response to recent legislation aimed at removing age discrimination associated within public sector pensions.
• In relation to the Border to Coast, the Fund’s Investment Pooling partner, the service is looking to take key decisions, expected late 2022/23, on whether to invest in property, regional equities, and emerging market equities, which will shape future asset management activities.

Procurement

• The Procurement Service is currently responding to the Transforming Public Procurement Green Paper, by undertaking training and embedding a range of new processes. The Service is also amid a review of Constitution Procurement Procedure Rules and in the process of aligning Council procurement processes to the Fair Tax Charter.
• Alongside ongoing work overseeing service contracts and managing category plans, other notable procurement projects this year include a procurement card scrutiny exercise, work around payment process efficiencies and maximising external supplier take-up of e-invoicing, work on a Local Spend Action Plan and work locally and regionally on maximising Social Value in contracts.

Revenues, Benefits & Customer Services

• Key projects for the Revenues, Benefits & Customer Services include work to implement packages of support announced by Government to alleviate rising living costs, including distribution of the £150 Council Tax energy rebate scheme and payment of £100 hardship payments to working age Council Tax Support customers. In addition, the service will be administrating the Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund for Business Rates payers.
• The service is also planning a review of kiosks in customer services areas and a review of customer services opening hours.
• With regards to system improvements, the service is implementing voicescape technology into its processes to assist with Council Tax recovery.
• The service is also working on improvements such as: a new online application supporting customers to change their Council Tax address; a new system for handling all sundry debts; making changes to the current telephone system aimed at supporting business continuity; and exploratory work around improving customer contact processes and the customer relationship management system.

Digital & ICT

• As well as enabling several digital and system improvement projects across a range of services (many referenced elsewhere in this Plan), which will be brought together in a Digital & ICT Work Programme for 2022/23 and delivered through a new Project Delivery Framework, the service will also develop and implement a number of system-wide improvements.
• These include agreeing a plan for a new Council-wide Disaster Recovery Solution, developing a plan to update or retire internally developed legacy systems, upgrading and migrating Council Websites, migrating the workforce to Microsoft Exchange Online (part of the Modern Workplace Programme), finalising procurement of a new Wide Area Network (WAN) partner to help facilitate full fibre rollout across the Borough, and developing additional capacity within the Service.
• Other long-term digital and ICT projects that are already in delivery include ongoing cyber security enhancements, process redesign, developing the approach to the introduction of IT Service Management, and the Corporate Network refresh.

'Other' Business & Resources key projects

• Work is also underway to respond to the Government’s ‘Homes for Ukrainians’ scheme and to ensure the Council is providing the right support to guests settling in South Tyneside.
• The cross-service Modern Slavery Coordination Group is in the process of developing a refreshed Modern Slavery Strategy to guide activity to mitigate risks of slavery and support potential victims (including across social care, procurement, regulatory services and elsewhere).

The Governance & Corporate Affairs Directorate is a new Directorate within the Council and was formed to champion and implement the principles of robust and good governance, increase rigour in strategic planning and assurance frameworks, and give greater authority and independence to this important area.

Governance & Corporate Affairs

• Key focuses for the Director of Governance and Corporate Affairs will include progressing the ongoing constitutional review (including review of the Council’s committee structures, executive design-making processes, and scrutiny functions), supporting colleagues in HR to develop an enhanced elected member training and development offer, and planning and facilitating the first cycle of a new Lead Member / Director annual review process.
• Work is also ongoing to strengthen the Council’s reputation regionally and nationally, and to further develop the Council’s role and influence as a strong regional and national partner, including by providing significant contributions to the development of regional devolution proposals.

Legal & Governance

• A review of the legal and democratic service is a key focus for the Legal & Governance service for 2022-23.
• The service is also working to clear the backlog of Member Code of Conduct Complaints. The Legal Team will also implement a new legal case management system and undertake training and recruitment work to develop the team’s capacity and resilience.
• The Elections Team will, on top of regular annual elections business, undertake work to support the Boundary Commission’s national review of parliamentary constituency boundaries (2023/2024) and to prepare for the local electoral review of South Tyneside Council (May 2025).

Engagement, Communications & Support Services

• An LGA Peer Review of Communications will be undertaken in the coming months, with a resulting Communications Strategy and Action Plan to support further improvements across the service. Alongside this, a review and consolidation of Council Branding will be undertaken.
• A Community Engagement Strategy will be developed over the course of the year, setting out the mechanisms for engagement with local communities and partners.
• The service will shape the engagement, consultation, and communication on a refreshed 20-year vision for South Tyneside, three-year Council Strategy and revised Council values.
• A Tourism Communications Strategy and supporting marketing delivery plan will be developed to support the Cultural and Leisure offer.
• A Third Sector Strategy and action plan will be developed to strengthen the role of the Third Sector as a key strategic partner.
• The service will also facilitate the delivery of a ‘Poverty Truth Commission’ between April 2022 and March 2023 to capture service-user insights and shape policy decisions.
• The service will continue to deliver the #LoveSouthTyneside social action campaign, including the delivery of the #LoveSouthTyneside awards and community recognition programme.
• With regards to Support Services, the service will review and strengthen Data Protection, Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Regulation processes across services, as well as undertake a review of the Business Support function to ensure it can support the requirements of the emerging strategy, priorities and associated delivery models. Work will also take place to strengthen the internal Elected Member Enquiry System.
• Work will also take place to review and strengthen South Tyneside Partnership arrangements.

Performance and Change Management

• Over the year, the Performance and Change Management Service will play a lead role in developing a framework of activity to guide Council planning over the short, medium and long-term. This will include the production of a Council-wide 12-Month Delivery Plan and subsequently facilitating the development of a refreshed 20-Year Council Vision and 3-year Council Strategy.
• The service will also oversee the Council’s ‘Our Council’ corporate change programme and follow-up work associated with the January 2022 LGA Corporate Peer Review, including facilitating a Peer Review Follow-Up visit in Autumn 2022.
• Over the year, the service will design and implement a new Corporate Programme Management Office, to strengthen corporate oversight, grip, and support to all major change projects across the Council.
• The service will also review the Council’s current approach to Performance Management and implement a programme of improvements, including a corporate performance management framework, revised Corporate Performance Scorecard, strengthening of support to Place Services, and improved internal and external reporting.
• The service will additionally undertake a review of the Council’s corporate management and planning framework in line with all of the above.

Policy and Insight

• Key focuses for the new Policy and Insight Service over 2022-23 will include the development of a new Inclusive Growth Strategy to support the Council’s reorientation ‘from Projects to People’, the creation of a Local Investment Plan to maximise the value of UK Shared Prosperity Fund and other funding opportunities, and the development of a focused External Influencing Plan aimed at raising the Council’s profile among key national decision-makers.
• The new service will also seek to strengthen the Council’s policy positions and advice functions, facilitating a strong policy grip with shared understanding across the Council, and strengthen mechanisms for the capture and distribution across services of data and policy-insights.
• The service will also undertake work to embed data and evidence into policy and service development, including through the Health Determinants Research Collaboration bid work and the revision of the Corporate Scorecard.
• The Policy and Insight Service will play a lead role in the refresh of the 20-Year Council Vision and 3-year Corporate Strategy and will help develop a clear dataset and evidence base.
• As well as strengthening internal work, the service will continue to play a strong regional role, including the continued development of intelligence reports for the LA7, LA6, NE12 partnerships and the North East Combined Authority.
• The service will also undertake work over the 2022-23 year to coordinate cross-service poverty reduction activity and look to further develop the South Tyneside Pledge and associated network of engaged local partners to maximise benefits of local procurement, recruitment, and support.

The Council recognises and values the central role its employees and elected members play in delivering this 12 Month Delivery Plan and has recently embarked on a medium-term programme of internal change which is underpinned by additional investment to support service delivery.

The ‘Our Council’ change programme sets out a range of actions which will strengthen how the Council operates and delivers its priorities and is centred around five key themes (as set out below). These themes all deliver against the findings and recommendations of the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge 2022.

The 'Our Council' change programme:

VISION - Being clear on where we are, where we need to go and how we're going to get there

By the end of the year we will launch a refreshed 20 Year Vision for South Tyneside, having listened to and engaged a wide range of residents, members, colleagues, businesses, and partners. We will also have agreed a set of ‘Values’ and a Three-Year Strategy for the Council. Through these processes we will join up political priorities with everything else we need to do: our statutory obligations; our plans to meet demand; health & safety and pre-existing commitments. We will improve intelligence and data-led decision-making; strengthen performance management; and clearly communicate our progress and achievements.

DEVELOPMENT - A comprehensive learning, development, support, and wellbeing offer for all employees and elected members

We will ensure the refreshed Council ‘Values’ underpin ‘the way we do things here’. All employees and elected members will be supported to embody the Council ‘Values’; we will offer a comprehensive package of learning, development, wellbeing, and support, to enable both employees and elected members to deliver for residents through their distinct but complementary roles.

RESOURCES - Clear alignment between what we want to achieve and our people, money, equipment, and facilities, while reviewing how well we are doing

We will demonstrate clear links between our refreshed Council Strategy and resource allocation through the Medium-Term Financial Plan. We will further increase understanding and inclusion in the process of budget setting for revenue, capital, and growth. We will aim to invest and modernise to help and improve services. We will implement improvements to our performance management arrangements, providing clarity, transparency, challenge, and support.

GOVERNANCE - Making fair, informed and appropriate decisions

We will lead a further review of the Constitution and a fundamental review of the Council’s Committee Structure and reporting and decision-making processes. We will also undertake a review of our other internal decision-making processes, our Partnerships and Provider arrangements, in line with the refreshed Vision, and Council Values and Strategy. We will ensure our structures and processes are designed to guarantee accountability, transparency, responsiveness, rule of law, equity and inclusivity, empowerment, and broad-based participation.

CAPACITY - More capacity to support how we need to work as a Council

Implementing this programme will require additional capacity, skills, and some new ways of working. The programme will be supported by additional project management capacity to deliver projects within services and corporate capacity through an appropriately designed and resourced corporate programme management office.

The 'Our Council' Change Programme can be found here.

In relation to the delivery of this 12 Delivery Month Plan, the above workstreams around ‘development’, ‘resources’ and ‘capacity’ will be of particular importance. In terms of ‘development’, we will further invest in activities that ensure we attract, retain, and develop a highly skilled and supported workforce and group of elected members, who are able to fulfil their duties to their greatest potential. Our most powerful asset is our people so we will be implementing a Council-wide Organisational Development, Culture and Wellbeing programme, which will include investment in training and development, wellbeing and support, and a greater focus on equalities, diversity, and inclusion.

In terms of ‘resources’, there is clear alignment between this 12 Month Delivery Plan and the Medium-Term Financial Plan 2022-27, with resources allocated for the delivery of the priorities set out in this plan. The development of the refreshed three-year Council Strategy over the coming months will inform the development of a refreshed Medium Term Financial Plan for 2023-28.

In terms of ‘capacity’ we know that the Council is a lean organisation in many respects. Whilst we are careful to balance tight financial constraints with required growth in delivery capacity, we have identified some key areas for investment over the coming months. This year the Council will establish a new Corporate Programme Management Office (CPMO) to support the organisation in delivering its priorities. The CPMO will enable visibility of key projects and progress against them and will help identify risks and accountability for delivery. This Delivery Plan will provide a basis for a more robust and comprehensive approach to programme management through the CPMO and will be replaced by the three-year Council Strategy when it comes online later in the year. Enhanced corporate performance management capacity will improve the robustness of performance analysis and reporting across all Directorates of the Council.

How will we monitor progress?

Progress in delivering this plan will be monitored through a finance, risk, and performance lens. The Council’s Finance Service leads monthly reviews with budget holders to ensure that resource management is on track and helps steer corporate support and challenge where required. Quarterly Corporate Assurance Board Meetings, chaired by the Chief Executive, and Quarterly sessions with the Council’s Cabinet, chaired by the Leader of the Council, review both the performance and financial status of the delivery of key priorities.

Risk management is considered through the Quarterly Corporate Assurance Board, Quarterly Corporate Governance Board and through Audit Committee in reviewing the Council’s Strategic Risk Register and Annual Governance Statement. The Council has agreed a set of principles which will refresh and strengthen its approach to risk management and enhance visibility of identified risks and opportunities across the organisation. This will all be formalised in a new Risk Management Strategy and Framework which will be launched in early summer.

In the coming months there will also be enhanced accountability for performance and project delivery through a revised scorecard of Key Performance Indicators and supported by oversight through the new Corporate Programme Management Office.

This 12 Month Delivery Plan is a ‘live’ document and will be reviewed regularly to identify and address existing and emerging risks to delivery. The plan will form the basis for performance management and support through directorate management meetings and 1-1s between Directors and Heads of Service/ Corporate Leads, and ultimately 1-1s between Cabinet Members and Directors.

There are very robust performance frameworks within the Children’s Services and Adult Social Care and Integrated Commissioning Directorates in particular. Performance data is used daily by teams and assurance is provided formally through Director Assurance Meetings, and to the Safeguarding Partnership and relevant Committees on a quarterly basis. Many of our services provide performance data as part of regional and national Government reporting arrangements, including significant numbers of statutory data returns. Our updated Corporate Performance Management Framework will build on this approach to ensure all Directorates have a quarterly assurance process in place, supported by corporate performance capacity and linking into corporate performance monitoring, both internally and out with the Council.

A Performance Management Framework and Methodology document will be produced over the coming months to set out the Council’s revised approach to performance monitoring and reporting for all employees and elected members. It will determine how measures are established, monitored, reviewed, our approach to data quality, target setting, assurance, and governance, and will include a toolkit of key standard documents to help support a high performance management culture across the organisation. Where appropriate this will be linked to the annual review and individual performance and support mechanisms, which have been recently reviewed and relaunched within the Council.

We will also develop a more public-facing performance report during 2022-23 in the interests of transparency and to drive system improvements across service, partners, and communities.

Key Indicators to track our progress

To monitor progress against its priorities, the Council reviews a number of internal and partner performance indicators, demand measures and service user outcomes which are compiled into a regularly updated Corporate Scorecard.

These include:

1. Support our young people in need
   • Numbers / Rates of Children Referred to Social Care
   • Numbers / Rate of Children Looked After
   • Numbers / Rate of Children Becoming Subject to a Child Protection Plan (including repeat plans)
   • % of Children’s Social Care Assessments Completed Within Expected Timescales
   • Proportion of Care Leavers in Education, Employment or Training
   • Proportion of Children Leaving Care due to Being Adopted
   • Foster Placement Stability / Instability (% of Children experiencing no changes in 2+ years / 2 or more changes in 12 months)
   • Custody Rate for Under 18s
   • First Time Entrants into the Youth Justice System
   • Youth Re-Offending Rate
   • Young People aged 18-21 Claiming Benefits
   • Mothers Smoking at Time of Delivery
   • Breastfeeding Prevalence
   • % of Children and Families Social Care Case File Audits Scoring Assurance Levels of Good or above
   • Average caseloads for Children's Social Workers
2. Support families and older or vulnerable people
   • % of Schools Rated Good or Outstanding
   • % of 16-17 Year-Olds Not in Education, Employment or Training
   • % of KS4 Pupils Achieving Grades 9-4 in England and Maths % of Reception/Year 6 Pupils with Excess Weight / Obesity
   • Numbers of Contacts into the Adult Social Care Service (including % of issues dealt with a first point of contact)
   • Numbers of people with a commissioned care service
   • % of care service users who say that services have made them feel safe and secure
   • % of Adult Social Care File Audits Where Standards Met or Exceeded
   • % of Care Users with a Support Plan Receiving a Social Work Review within 12 Months
   • Numbers/Rates of Admissions of People over 65 into Long Term Residential Care
   • % of Older People Still at Home 91 Days After Leaving Hospital into Re-Ablement
   • Numbers of Domestic Abuse Incidents, including incidents with a child involved
   • % of People with Learning Disabilities In Employment
   • Number of Leisure Visitors
   • Smoking Prevalence
   • Numbers/Rates of Overweight/Obese Adults
   • % of Physically Inactive Adults
   • Numbers/Rates of Alcohol-Related Hospital Admissions
3. Create the conditions for economic recovery and investment
   • % of Residents Claiming Benefits
   • Employment / Unemployment Rates (broken down by age and gender)
   • Business turnover expectations (broken down by sector)
   • Average Hourly Earnings
4. Support all our town centres, villages, high streets and hospitality
   • Town Centre Footfall (South Shields, Hebburn and Jarrow)
   • Numbers of Tourism Visitors
   • Number of Crimes
   • Number of Anti-Social Behaviour Incidents
   • Numbers / Rates of Rough Sleepers
5. Invest in our natural and built environment
   • Household Waste Recycling Rate
   • Residual Waste Per Household (in Tonnes)
   • % of Households Recycling Waste Contaminated
   • Co2 Admissions
   • Number of Empty Properties (South Tyneside Homes)

In addition to the above Key Performance Indicators, the Council monitors a wide range of internal and corporate focused performance indicators and feedback, to ensure the ongoing health of the organisation and its ability to deliver services on behalf of residents.