Tendring Local Strategic Partnership

In 2009 Tendring had a population of approximately 148,000 (ONS 2009 figures) and the population is predicted to grow to around 170,000 by 2026. The majority of the Tendring’s population, 64%, resides in the large urban areas situated on the coast.

The proportion of ethnic minorities in the population is low, around 5%, but is becoming more diverse.

The average age in Tendring is 44.8 years compared to 38.6 years nationally and it is therefore no surprise that Tendring has the highest proportion of older people in the East of England with 1 in 4 (26% ) residents over the age of 65 (ONS 2007).

There are significant health inequalities within Tendring highlighted by location, gender, level of deprivation and ethnicity. The occurrence of Limiting Long Term Illness (LLTI) is high at 25.6% of the urban population and 21% for the rural population: these figures are considerably higher than those for both the East of England and England as a whole.

Tendring has above average numbers, 17%, of its working age population claiming benefit/allowances.

Life expectancy across the District varies greatly: residents in Pier Ward (Clacton town centre) have a life expectancy of 70.1% years compared to the ward with the longest life expectancy, Alresford, at 83.4 years – a difference of 13.3 years within the District.

Tendring is the most deprived District in Essex falling within the top 26% of most deprived authorities nationally. Significant pockets of deprivation exist in Jaywick (Golf Green ward) and Clacton town centre (Pier Ward). Golf Green has a very high level of social and economic deprivation with the area ranked as the 3rd most deprived in England and Wales.

Tendring has an unemployment rate 4.8% (ONS April 2009). Around 17,000 people travel to work outside of the district and 5,000 travel in: a net daily ‘out-commute’ of 12,000 workers. 50% of Tendring’s workforce is employed in the Colchester district and 8% commute to London. Tendring hosts a high proportion of small businesses e.g. 60% of businesses in the district employ 5 or fewer people.

The variation in the level of formal qualifications within the working population is stark: 12.5% of working-age adults in Tendring have a qualification at NVQ4 or above and 22.4% have no qualifications. The figures for Tendring are poor in every category compared to both the East of England and Great Britain. (ONS Jan 2007 – Dec 2007).

The Tendring District covers an area of 33,740 hectares (approximately 130 square miles). Bounded by the river Stour to the north, river Colne to the south the District has 60Kms of coastline. Colchester District forms the western boundary.

The District comprises of a mixture of coastal towns and inland villages. The main urban areas have, in general, developed along the coastline.

The District has an attractive environment characterised by its estuarine setting, a diverse range of large and small villages, coastal resorts and its heritage coast. Conservation areas number around 20 and with upwards of 1,000 listed buildings these features add to the character and appearance of the District’s environment. The coast hosts a number of areas, among them the Stour and Colne estuaries and Hamford Water, which are recognised as being of international ecological importance.

The Seafront Gardens and the West Greensward in Clacton have been judged the equal of the UK's finest parks and have been recognised by receiving Green Flag Awards. The coveted Green Flag Awards Scheme is run by the environmental charities, Keep Britain Tidy, GreenSpace and BTCV.

Tendring is home to a number of areas identified for regeneration and growth, in particular the Haven Gateway.

House prices in Tendring are the lowest in Essex and well below the national average.

Tendring has over 270 registered charities and a flourishing range of voluntary services for every age group.

Tendring has direct rail and road links into Colchester and onwards to London, Ipswich, Norwich and the Midlands. These links transport around 22,000 workers a day into and out of Tendring.

Tendring has an active Local Strategic Partnership; key partners include Tendring District Council, Essex Country Council, Community Voluntary Services Tendring, Essex Federation of Small Businesses, Essex Police, Colchester Institute, NHS North East Essex, Tendring District Association of Local Councils and North East Essex Children’s Trust Board.

Tendring LSP communicates and engages with the wider community across Tendring in a variety of ways e.g.:

• Crime and Disorder – Neighbourhood Action Panels (NAPs) to help address local priorities around crime and disorder. There are 8 NAPs operating across the District.
• A joint annual Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP), Police Authority Engagement meeting.
• Parish Plans encourage smaller communities to take ownership of their areas.
• Community Voluntary Services Tendring (CVST) offer opportunities for the voluntary sector to work together. CVST hold a number of conferences and events which link in with the LAA2 targets.
• Consultations through the Local Development Framework process.
• The Interaction Partnership, during its three year existence, carried out a considerable amount of research in Golf Green and Pier wards through consultations with residents, interviews and stakeholder seminars. The Partnership’s work is being consolidated into a broader plan within the District.

In addition to the above there are a number of community and stakeholder engagement activities specifically for more vulnerable groups, for example:

• Hate Crime Panel – includes membership from Colchester and Tendring Councils, the Police, County Council and critically the Tendring and Colchester Minority Ethnic Partnership (TACMEP).
• Tendring Domestic Abuse Forum – with membership from CDRP, Essex Police, Women’s Aid, a range of voluntary sector organisations e.g. Open Road and CARA and North East Essex NHS. This group was successful in gaining PRG money for a sanctuary scheme.
• People with learning disabilities and their carers were engaged in a workshop, The Big Day, led by ECC in December 2008. The workshop focused on a discussion on the future of relevant services and how gaps can be addressed.

Partners utilise their own communication channels to circulate information originating from the LSP to their communities. In addition, the LSP attends partner engagement events to further promote the role and work of the LSP and increase public awareness of its aims for Tendring.

Tendring LSP has its own dedicated website at: www.tendringlsp.co.uk . The site is regularly updated with the latest LSP information as well as being used to advertise Partner events on its News and Events page.

A range of other tools are in place at District level including the Place Survey; a Biannual Residence Survey; a twice yearly customer focus group meeting; a Tenants’ Panel; a Disability Equality Panel and a Tendring Youth Assembly.

Each year Tendring LSP holds an annual stakeholder meeting. The meeting is open with a large invitation list. The invitees include public sector agencies, the private sector, community and voluntary sector members, members of the public and those groups considered ‘hard to reach’. At the stakeholder meeting those who attend are consulted on any major changes to the vision and/or priorities of the LSP as well as identifying what they can do to contribute towards improvement to the district. The event exists to enable local people to hold Tendring LSP to account in a public forum and to generate ideas for the LSP to consider.

Partners organise and lead on partnership events on behalf of the LSP e.g. a Business Summit was recently held to provide advice in the current economic climate. Other events included an Access to Health Care seminar and a number of community engagement events organised on a regular basis by Community Voluntary Services Tendring.

A quarterly newsletter is issued electronically to all partners and stakeholders. The newsletter is distributed within partner organisations to reach as wide an audience as possible.

We have an enormous amount of information available to us which helps us to identify and target priority areas for improvement, for example:

• Local Development Framework including an Annual Monitoring Report
• Index of Multiple Deprivation
• 2001 Census data (with updated mid year estimates)
• Children and Young People Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) “report card”
• Crime and Disorder – the strategic assessment of crime is an annual assessment of crime rates and trends.
• Local Area Agreement performance information
• Place Survey – will provide some key evidence about perceptions
• Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
• Tenant survey
• Equality Impact Assessments give us a framework to ensure diversity is taken into account.
• A number of local consultation reports.
• Annual Public Health Report
• District Profile - these have been commissioned for each of the Essex Districts to inform the Integrated County Strategy and are an independent assessment of local conditions.

The information is used to inform a range of activities including:

• Identifying priority areas for action
• Target setting and identifying communities for support
• Risk management – identifying where the high risks are and then taking action, jointly with partners, to try and address areas of concern 

The LSP has built an electronic data warehouse for use by both the partners and the community as a whole. The warehouse is a living database and is updated as and when information becomes available or passes out of date. The warehouse is accessed through the LSP website.

Tendring LSP is led by the Executive Leader of Tendring District Council. A council portfolio holder sits on each of the six strategic theme areas which is the automatic link to ensure the views of the local people are heard and the needs are met.

Life expectancy in Pier Ward in Tendring is only 70.1 years compared with Littlebury Ward in Uttlesford 88.7 years.  Tendring was also the Essex District with the highest rate of male all cause mortality in 2007 and is above the national average rate for male all cause mortality related to cancer.

2007 data also showed that Tendring was above the national average for Under 75 all cause mortality for circulatory disease and for both male and female suicides.  Tendring is also above the Essex average for admissions to hospital for respiratory disease and for those diagnosed with hypertension.  Finally it is worse than the England average for diagnosis of coronary heart disease, diabetes and also chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Tendring Health and Community Partnership has been developed which seeks to address health issues in areas of need such as Pier Ward, the intention is to set up a Multi-agency Centre.  However, the partnership is already developing initiatives aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of residents and some of these are set out in the paragraphs below.

The ReachOut initiative aims to work with as many people as possible in neighbourhoods through a process of “listening surveys” by door knocking, meeting people in the street and in other local community venues.  It is targeted at Jaywick and Pier ward and addresses a range of inequalities (case study).

Tendring has also implemented a local enhanced service with GPs to address primary prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, targeting those in areas of low life expectancy and high deprivation and also with Learning Disabilities.  The NHS has also led around a range of issues that impact on life expectancy such as stop smoking and obesity.

A range of initiatives have also been launched to address diabetes including the provision of a diabetes outreach nurse targeting Pier and Jaywick, development and provision of diabetes personal records, an awareness campaign targeted at the over 45s.

Other initiatives include the launch of a Health Trainers Initiative and also provision of mobile unit across Tendring to increase uptake of immunisations.

Continued focus and support for activities in Jaywick is required, both in terms if infrastructure improvements and a clear strategy, in partnership, for dealing with health inequalities.

Foundry Court has been developed to address some of the health and wellbeing issues in Tendring and in Clacton in particular. Foundry Court celebrated its first anniversary in November 2009, over the past year it has extended its services to offer IT facilities and training, leisure activities including bingo, indoor bowls, Nintendo Wii and dancing classes, traditional day care services, carer respite and a lunch club which has served over 2,000 lunches to date.  Future plans for Foundry Court include opening a treatment room providing relaxing holistic therapy treatmentsTendring’s estimated obesity rate of 26.6% is the 2^nd highest in Essex in 2003/05 and is also highest for children in both year six and reception age groups. To address the issue of obesity an adult weight management and exercise referral schemes in place.  There has been a steep rise in the number of adults taking part in weight management programmes including Shape Up and Weight Watchers.  Additionally, despite the economic climate, membership of Lifestyles and Clacton Leisure Centre now stands at 1150, a 300% increase (March 09).

Work is ongoing to address obesity issues in children and includes the MEND programme, child health improvement sessions and a number of joint initiatives with both Tendring DC and education.

Ongoing active promotion of ‘Change 4 Life’ and an improved collection rate of 85% of year 6 children measured in place for this year.

Tendring had the lowest participation rate in moderate physical activity at 16.2% which was below the Essex and national averages in 2005/06.

A new pilot scheme aimed at encouraging primary schoolchildren to be more active more often has been launched in Tendring.  Pupils at Harwich Community School, Chase Lane Primary and Nursery in Dovercourt and Holland Haven Primary in Holland-on-Sea are joining the initiative which got under way in March 2010.  Pupils will receive points for every activity they take part in - both in school and outside - and those points will be converted into rewards and prizes.  The scheme has been set up by Tendring District Council (TDC), NHS North East Essex and the Tendring Coastal Schools Partnership.  It is supporting the Department for Health's Change4Life campaign to get people to eat well, move more and live longer.  If successful the idea will be to roll it out to schools across the whole Tendring District in the future.  A number of new activities will be arranged in the three schools, alongside those already taking place, at lunchtime and after school.  Children who have not already done so will be encouraged to register to the Council's ONE Card scheme which entitles those 16 and under to free swimming at TDC pools.  The parents of all those with ONE Cards will receive email updates about children's activities taking place all over the District as well as great tips about how to achieve a healthier, happier future.  They will also have direct access to professional services for advice.through extended services sustainability funding, the CYPSP commissioned TDC Leisure Services to deliver an Activetendring programme.  The Activetendring partnership commissioned sports clubs / organisations / sport centres to deliver a wide variety of activity to young people across the district at free or affordable prices. Easter and May half term activities have included art and craft, dance, percussion and musical theatre workshops, sports have ranged from basketball, sports hall athletics, tag rugby, Tri -Golf, cricket, tennis, squash, climbing wall, badminton, volleyball, self defence classes for girls, multi-activity for children with disabilities to soccer camps and football tournaments which further complimented the existing programmes being held at the council sports facilities.  Investment has been made to promote incentives to encourage as many people as possible to lead healthy active lifestyles as well as supporting a new website to give information and advice.

Free swimming for under 16s was introduced after making a successful bid for Government cash.  TDC was given more than £180,000 to pay for the scheme through until March 2011.  So far it has proved money well spent as the latest figures released by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport reveal.  From April 2009 to December 2009 there were 70,235 free swims by those aged 16 and under in Tendring and 36,892 free swims taken up by those 60 and over.  Tendring is 12th out of the 191 authorities across the country when it comes to free swims per 1,000 of the population in the 16 and under age group.  That puts it in the top seven per cent in the UK - and it is the top placed authority in the Eastern Region and best in Essex.  Tendring also comes very high up in the 60 and over section.  Here it is placed 49th of the 256 authorities taking part and that puts it in the top 20 per cent in the country - and it is again top in Essex. However, since Government funding has been withdrawn free swimming ended at the end of August 2010.  TDC is now looking to increase activity levels for those 16 and over and as part of this effort the Council is currently carrying out a Sports Facilities Strategy with Sport England.  The aim is to establish the needs of residents to provide the evidence on the way forward. Tendring’s estimated average smoking prevalence rate of 21.6% is slightly below the Essex average.  However, many of the areas in the 20% highest all-age smoking-attributable mortality rate in Essex are in Tendring.

The rate for pregnant women known to be smokers at the time of delivery remains significantly higher than in Colchester (22.5% compared to 17.3%), and the national target is 15%.  NHS NE Essex is implementing social marketing interventions in 2009/10 to tackle smoking in pregnancy.

The NHS Stop Smoking Service met its 2008/09 stretched target of supporting 1,266 smokers from Tendring to become “four-week quitters”, contributing to NHS NE Essex (NHS NEE) meeting its Vital Signs smoking cessation target.  Stretched targets have also been set for 2009/10 for the number of quitters from the 20% most deprived Medium Super Output Areas (MSOAs), with aim of reducing smoking-related health inequalities.

A pilot project offering food voucher incentives to encourage pregnant women in Clacton and Harwich to stop smoking had little impact, but overall number of pregnant women quitting with NHS support increased, and rate of smoking at time of delivery reduced in 2008/09 by approximately 1% to 22.5%. 

Tendring has low levels of Mental Health hospital admissions, but does have the highest rate of Mental Health benefit claimants, above Essex and England averages.  Above average rate of the working age population suffer from a neurotic disorder/depression although this data was captured in 2000.

In partnership with the DWP and NHS the District Council has been able to deliver a Condition Management Programme at Clacton Leisure Centre.  This has lead to an increase in referrals to this scheme, which aims to provide residents claiming incapacity benefit with support to return to work, and has a success rate of around 30%.

NHS NEE has invested in the IAPT programme commissioning RETHINK to provide our local service called "Health in Mind".  The IAPT service has a specific target to assist people to return to work.  

The teenage conception rate is above the Essex and East of England average.  Provisional figures for 2007 show that the conception rate was 45.9 per 1000 15-17 year olds compared to 45.7 in 1998 and 41 in 2006. Demand and need for services remains high, and most recent teenage conception rates (2004-07) show increases following a small but steady decline since 1998. 

Actions identified in the PCT funding plan, include sexual health awareness training for increased number of staff and further sexual health outreach work.

Partnership working, through ECC, NHS NEE and other agencies, is ensuring coordinated delivery and/or development of specialist services aimed at reducing teenage conceptions e.g. sexual health education in schools, young people’s contraceptive services, as well as more general support (eg educational, housing, benefit advice) for the young people, including teenage parents, who are most likely to have unplanned pregnancies.

There are specific wards within Tendring that have been identified as teenage pregnancy ‘hotspots’ often located in more disadvantaged communities and linked to poor educational attainment. These have not yet been identified from the 2004-07 data but are likely to still be those with highest levels of deprivation and “NEET” (young people not education, employment or training)

Although services are being developed across Tendring there remain significant issues around accessibility and availability, particularly of contraceptive services including Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC).  Actions to increase provision are being taken by NHS NEE, working with CHUFT.  PCT funding has also been identified to increase other services in 2009/10 including sexual health awareness training for staff and further sexual health outreach work

Breast feeding initiation in 2006/07 across all five PCTs ranged from 69%-75%, above the national average of 69%. However, there are pockets of lower rates. In 2005/06 there were four districts below 69%, including Tendring.

Tendring, at greater than 30%, has the highest proportion of older residents in Essex. It also has the highest proportion of older people in the East of England.  An increase of 25% has been projected for the period 2005-2015.  Some Lower Super Output Areas are in the highest 20% for rates of social care users and deprivation affecting older people.

Tendring has the highest rate, 3.1 per 1,000 head of population, of service users with physical impairment in Essex.

The District also has the 2^nd highest rate, 5.8 per 1,000 head of population, in Essex for all sensory impairments and the highest rate (0.8 per 1,000) in Essex for severe sensory impairments. 

For all forms of impairment the District has the second highest level in Essex, 5.8 people per 1,000.

A large number of residents consider themselves to have a limiting long-term illness; this is particularly high in the coastal areas. 

Tendring has the highest prevalence of people registered with a learning disability, 7.2 people per 1000 head of population; and a high proportion of economically active people within the disabled population and a high take up of benefits.

A Careline Service has been established in the District which is free to those 85 years and over.

A joint project between Practice Based Commissioning, Essex County Council, Adult Health and Social Care, Community Commissioning and North East Essex NHS aims to improve the access for re-enablement and intermediate care services. The project’s aims are to, where possible, avoid admission to hospital and then to facilitate discharge from hospital care.  Funding has also been provided to the Tendring Home Improvement Home from Hospital scheme.

An exciting new ‘Reach Out’ service will be supported by CWOP partners (Case Study). It is based on direct community work to improve access to services and benefits; increase and improve training and skills and aid employment. It will be implemented in areas of highest need across the County including Tendring.

Publication of a new “Homelessness Strategy” and delivery plan places a strong emphasis on prevention initiatives and to providing increased protection to the most vulnerable groups, including homeless young people and victims of domestic violence.

During 2008/2009 47 individuals of 16 and 17 years old were placed in bed and breakfast accommodation across the Tendring District. 

More than 20 Tendring residents came forward in November 2009 to support the new Supported Lodgings Scheme aimed at reducing the number of homeless youngsters being placed in bed and breakfast accommodation in Tendring. 

Tendring District Council is looking for people with a spare room who are prepared to act as "hosts" to homeless 16 and 17 year olds.  Under the Supported Lodgings Scheme, hosts receive a weekly payment for each person they take on, as well as training and on-going support. The young person will have their own room and share the kitchen and bathroom facilities with the family or host. Hosts can be families, couples or single people who are prepared to provide a safe and supportive environment for a youngster until they are ready to live independently.

Money has been set aside for the implementation of Personal Health Plans that will have an impact on this client group. The plans will help those with Long Term Conditions to focus on needs they personally perceive as affecting their quality of life and health and that need to be addressed by the services.

NHS North East Essex and ECC Supporting People have commissioned a number of organisations to provide support to vulnerable people. Home improvement, accessing services and promoting health and wellbeing are targets for this work.

The District has the highest rate of carers known to social services in Essex, 9.4 people per 1,000 head of population; in addition it has the highest rate of unpaid carers in Essex 140 people per 1,000 head of population.

£1.7m worth of “Warm Front” grants have been earmarked to help tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency in homes. Fuel Poverty will also be included in the Health Inequalities Strategy.

At 62 per 10,000 head of population, Tendring has the 3^rd highest number of children looked after in Essex. The District has below the average number of child protection plans in place. 

At 7.2 people per 1,000 head of population, Tendring has the highest rate of people in the county on Essex County Council’s learning disabilities register.

Within Tendring, approximately 41% of households include a person with a long term illness; this figure is significantly above the regional and national averages. 

In 2009 Tendring was ranked 11th of 12 Essex districts for secondary school children achieving 5 or more grades A*-C at GCSE7. 63.2% of Tendring pupils achieved 5 or more grades A*-C. The Essex average was 68.2% and the national average was70%.

Through extended services sustainability funding there has been a variety of ‘out of school activities’ delivered across the district to encourage more children and young people to engage in positive activities and increase motivation with the aim of a potential impact on achievement.

Activities and projects were supported by the Interaction Partnership; the Partnership was wound up on 31^st March 2010.

Funding was provided for a bus for Frobisher School to try and ensure that truant children are picked up and taken to school every day.  The education welfare service ran a campaign to target those pupils in schools who were at risk of becoming persistent absentees.  The full impact of this work will not be known until the end of the summer term but early indications are that the campaign was looking encouraging.

In March 2010, Tendring had the highest rate of children NEET in Essex; 13.6%, compared to an Essex average of just under 7%8. Tendring’s average rate for the year 2009-10 was 14%; the highest average rate in Essex and above the county and national averages.

Total Place NEET Tendring - Local partners in Tendring are working together to identify the causes of the high level of young people between 16 and 19 who are NEET in Tendring District. They are examining the impact of all the education, training and the support services provided to young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET. Interviews are being completed to find out the circumstances and views of young people. Partners will count the full cost of the education, training and support services provided, and recommend changes in how these resources are used. These recommendations may lead to some existing services being decommissioned or scaled back and other services expanded or new services introduced.  The target for NEET for Tendring for 2010 – 2011 is 10.5%.  North East Essex Children’s Trust Board is in the process of setting up a subgroup call the “Stay Safe” group which will advise and support the Local Children’s Trust Board with its responsibilities for safeguarding. 

Clacton Consortium provided an improved curriculum offer at post-16, with a combined “Subject Fair” event for year 11 leavers in Clacton. The event was attended by 379 young people, up from 338 last year.

From 2010 there will be provision of new specialist diplomas in areas of Business and Finance, Creative and Media, Society and Health and Development. Diplomas in IT, Retail and Sports will follow in 2011.

In Harwich and Clacton, two roll-on, roll-off programmes for Entry-To-Employment attract around 60 participants per year.

Approximately 150 places per year are offered to 14-16 yrs in Tendring for vocational courses alongside the school curriculum to encourage post-16 progression onto qualifications and to prevent drop-out.

Close links exist between providers and Connexions. They are reactive to suggestions for new courses e.g. in Retail and Admin, Taster Days and information and advice days. BTC sponsored “Get Sorted” events are also held every year to attract “don’t knows” into training and education.

The Tendring Learning Partnership Test Bed project started April 2009 to look at “Engaging Males”.  The former LSC funded this project with a grant of £25,000.

A Career Track programme is available through Tendring District Council to external employers and open to all employees aged 16 and over.  The Career Track programme is part of the BCT Consortium, formed by a number of training providers from North Essex to deliver learning opportunities in the work place.

Connexions staff continue to work with the NEET group and significant numbers of young people attend the entry to employment programme and other vocational programmes. 

Ongoing promotion of Higher Education programmes include foundation degrees offered by Colchester Institute and the University of Essex.  Strong progression routes are publicised, particularly via NVQs to Foundation degrees or via Access courses – with free access for first full level 2 (aged 19 upwards) and level 3 qualifications (aged 19-25).

Qualifications are a particular issue in Tendring with 21% of the population reporting “no qualifications” in 2008 compared to a national average of 12.4%.  At 26.5% of the working population Tendring lags behind the national average, 47% in 2008, of people educated to NVQ level 3. 

Tendring had a low rate of new business start-ups in 2007 (310 compared to 645 in Chelmsford).

There is continued investment in Clacton Town Centre with consent granted and work commencing, in two instances, on the provision of 141 hotel rooms and associated function and conference facilities.  New investments and restaurants have also opened including major chains such as Pizza Express and Domino’s Pizza, bringing attractions, increased economic growth and much needed jobs to the area. 

A new Regeneration Strategy is being developed by INTend which will have a clear and focused delivery plan to drive forward regeneration across the District.  Some speculative development, including small business units is also taking place.

Tendring Citizens Advice Bureau has been given an extra £6,000 to help assist hundreds of people at risk of losing their homes due to the recession.  Tendring District Council was granted the money from the Department of Communities and Local Government and handed the windfall straight to the CAB to boost its work in this vital area.  The money will be used to kick start an additional telephone helpline advice service for five days a week for 26 weeks.  It is estimated that this service would be able to help 650 clients over that six month period and it is hoped that almost 200 clients will avoid being made homeless as a direct result of the helpline.

The Job Seekers Allowance claimant count rate for Tendring (Apr 10) is 0.4% above the national average and 1.1% above the regional average.  The proportion of people claiming over 12 months (Apr 10) ranged considerably from 13% in Epping (the lowest in the county) to 15.2% in Tendring (5^th highest in the region). It is also in the worst quartile for prosecutions and sanctions in relation to benefit fraud (3.93).  There has, however, been continued improvement in benefit processing timescales from 12.5 days to 6 days despite the steep increase in customers making claims for support.

The District also has the 3^rd highest unemployment rate in the county (7.5%), is ranked 1st for employment deprivation and only 79% of working age population are economically active compared to 82% regionally.  The District is the worst overall in Essex for employment deprivation, with 53% of its small areas in the 20% most deprived in Essex

The services provided by “50-not out!" which is managed by the County Council’s Adult Community Learning Service, are completely free. The groundbreaking initiative, which currently operates in the mid and west of the County, has been so successful it is expanding its services into the Colchester and Tendring areas, including Harwich and Clacton.

A Worklessness Project Officer, funded through Performance Reward Grant will help to assess the provision within the District for initiatives to get people into work and develop new initiatives where appropriate.

A new ‘Town Centre Coordinator’ has been appointed through funding provided by a Performance Reward Grant. The Coordinator will be responsible for a number of town centres across the District. Plans for improving town centre areas will be drawn up in co-operation with retailers, partners and other key stakeholders. Addressing issues around decline of centres and seeking to improve their overall viability will be important objectives.

A small grant fund is being developed through Performance Reward Grant for Jaywick which will help organisations provide targeted support to residents in this community to access skills development and become “work ready”.

The Tendring District Local Plan 2007 contains a policy to seek a 40% affordable housing component in all schemes of over 15 dwellings.  This policy is being implemented by the Development Control Team.  Tendring is significantly above the regional average for dwellings deemed unfit in 2005, and has an estimated shortfall in affordable housing of 540. 

It is widely acknowledged that the rising concentration of greenhouse gases (principally carbon dioxide [CO₂]) arising from the burning of fossil fuels is contributing towards the warming of the atmosphere.   This is causing noticeable climatic effects worldwide particularly in the severity and frequency of extreme weather events.   Although climate change needs to be addressed at an international level with the support and co-operation of those countries emitting the largest quantities of greenhouse gases, the Council recognises its role at a local level in raising awareness of the risks and opportunities arising from climate change.   The Council is seeking to encourage a change in behaviour to reduce the emissions of CO₂, help plan and adapt to its effects and maximise any opportunities that arise from climate change.   A cross service Climate Change Steering Group has been set up to help drive this forward.

In the last year the Council has: 

• Worked with the Carbon Trust to identify opportunities to reduce CO₂ emissions from the Council’s own estate e.g. installed timer devices, efficient lighting and heating controls where appropriate in Council offices, carried out a trial of reduced cooling for server room and encouraged home composting. 
• Introduced a “Switch It Off” awareness campaign for Council employees. 
• Raised awareness of climate change and sustainability at work through the Climate Change Steering Group. 
• Developed a Local Climate Impact Assessment to prioritise risks and inform the development of the Council’s Climate Change Strategy. 
• Introduced or is developing, policies to support its aims such as an Energy Policy, Fuel Poverty Strategy and the Local Development Framework. 
• Liaised with the Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre to promote and support the installation of energy efficient boilers, home insulation schemes and renewable energy technology in homes within the District. 
• Households were invited to complete the survey and return it to obtain free, impartial, tailored advice as well as sign posting to possible grants or sources of reduced cost heating and/or insulation measures. 
• Developed partnership working with external agencies (National Grid Affordable Warmth Solutions) to fund the installation of gas mains and first time heating measures for vulnerable households living in houses with multiple occupants in Pier Ward, Clacton – one of the most deprived wards in the district. 
• Integrated climate change into the Local Strategic Partnership’s Sustainable Community Strategy and into Service Delivery Plans. 
• Promoted Warm Front Activity for vulnerable people. 
• Implemented Decent Homes plus standards for SAP rating within the Council’s housing stock.

The Climate Change Steering Group also produced the Climate Change Strategy 2010-2016 for the Council.  This sets out a framework for what will be a continuous improvement process to reduce carbon emissions and ensure as a district as well as a Council we are preparing for predicted changes to the climate and reduce our use of fossil fuels.

The Climate Change Strategy sets out three core objectives: 

1. To reduce carbon dioxide emissions by: 

• Working with partners across the County to reduce CO₂ emissions per person.
• Working with Service Delivery partners to set targets to reduce Council emissions.
• Work with individuals, communities and businesses to help them reduce their emissions. 

2. To prepare for a changing climate by: 

• Considering the risks faced by our district and how projected changes to the climate may impact on the services we deliver, the development we permit and the communities we serve. 
• Determining what mitigation or adaptation steps need to be taken in relation to the impacts identified. 
• Working with local organisations to help increase understanding of potential climate risks. 

3. Reduced reliance on fossil fuels by: 

• Promoting and making more efficient use of energy and using low carbon energy sources where feasible. 
• Working with the private sector to establish renewable energy supplies.

A Delivery Plan 2010 – 2013 accompanied the strategy to deliver specific actions.

The Council, in its role as the waste collection authority, encourages residents to reduce the amount of waste produced and improve recycling.   Household waste collection in weight per household in Tendring is the lowest in Essex, with cost of collection also low and the recycling rate improving.   The Council has signed a Waste Inter Authority Agreement (IAA) with other Local Authorities in Essex which provides funding to consider the introduction of a kitchen waste collection service in 2012 which will help reduce CO₂ emissions. The Council works with local organisations TREE (Tendring Reuse Employment Enterprise) and Tendring Furniture Project to promote the reuse and recycling of furniture and kitchen white goods.

Support home composting and promotion of the 80 recycling bank sites will continue. All but one of the District’s schools has a recycling collection service.  All street sweeping material is now processed through a local Material Recycling Facility allowing the material to be reused or recycled.

 National Indicator 188 is one of the key indicators measuring the Council’s preparedness in adapting to climate change and is measured on a scale of Level 0 to 4, the higher the level the better.  The Council achieved Level 1 in 2008/2009; Level 2 in 2009/2010 and we are seeking to achieve Level 3 in 2010/2011.

Tendring had above the national and regional rate of Killed and Seriously Injured in 2003/05.

A male alcohol specific hospital admission rate of 271.38 is the 2^nd highest rate in Essex.  The female rate of 119.66 is the highest rate in Essex.  Tendring is one of only 3 Districts with both male and female rates of alcohol-specific hospital admission above the Essex average admissions.  There has been investment in a schools liaison worker to co-ordinate activities designed to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol misuse and to provide advice and support.

The Tendring KEEP Project employs an Open Roads Floating Support worker to work with specialist police officers to address the most prolific drug and alcohol misusing offenders.  This worker will help to reduce crime and substance misuses among adults referred and to provide a support structure to enable them to obtain employment/training, housing and debt management.

There has been investment to increase the volume of test purchases of underage alcohol sales.

The District continues to fund 2 Youth Mentors to support young people who have been issued with and ABC or ASBO.  The project is delivered by NACRO to reduce the numbers of ABCs which are breached and result in an application for and ASBO by reducing offending by children and young people and increase positive attitudes and behaviours amongst those at risk of offending especially 8-13 year olds.

Continued support is also provided to the Firebreak Scheme (Case Study), which engages with young people who are in need of direction; participants identified via the Police and Youth Offending Team are included on the course.  The project is delivered over a number of weeks and involves the young people being trained as junior fire fighters with a demonstration and presentation day held at the end of the course which parents are invited to attend.

Continuation of Operation Triton (Army/Police School diversion project) and delivery of a Crucial Crew event for Year 6 pupils in Colchester also helps to reduce first time entrants to the youth justice system.

Regular licensing checks, which include test purchasing, ensure that high risk groups are not exposed to possible violence and associated injury.  High visibility patrols in target areas at key times are also used to deter violence.

A trail-blazing scheme designed to reduce anti-social parking in Tendring has picked up a coveted national award.  The Considerate Parking Initiative (CPI) came out top in the Living Streets category of the British Parking Awards 2010.  The initiative was first launched in Brightlingsea in December and has proved a major success in the town resulting in fewer problems caused by motorists leaving their cars in places where they inconvenience others.  The competition is organised by Parking Review Magazine to recognise innovation, excellence and achievement in the UK parking sector and is supported by the British Parking Association.  The CPI aims to highlight the issues around anti-social parking, the effect it can have on a community and change habits without having to resort to increased restrictions and enforcement.  Notices are placed on vehicles which are parked inconsiderately, pointing out the problem.  It is hoped this is sufficient to get the right message across to motorists but Fixed Penalty Notices are used to deal with persistent offenders. Identification of high risk persons through domestic violence forums and DV1 system allow early action to reduce offences.  There is also support for the roll out of MARAC (Multi-agency Risk Assessment Conferencing) in Tendring.

Education programmes are delivered in Tendring schools focusing on risk taking to promote sensible behaviour and thereby preventing offences.

Tendring also funds SAAIF (Stopping Aggression and ASB in Families) to reduce ASB and aggressive behaviour by young people in the family home and in turn reduce the levels of ASB these young people exhibit in the community.

A multi-agency project aimed at steering young people in Jaywick away from anti-social behaviour and crime held an awards evening to celebrate its achievements.  The Borderline Project is an early intervention scheme which 10 Year 8 pupils from Jaywick have taken part in. The young people celebrated on Monday, February 22 2010 after successfully completing the programme.  The young people are put forward by Essex Police’s schools liaison officers for the project, which includes sessions about anti-social behaviour, knife crime and alcohol.  Tendring’s District Commander said: “This project is all about reducing anti-social behaviour and I think it will make a difference for the children involved. They have worked exceptionally hard and deserve recognition for this. I hope they go on to put into practice the life skills they learned on this outstanding project.”  Essex Police, Tendring District Council, Connexions, Essex County Council Integrated Youth Service and the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) are involved in the delivery of the project. A victims of violent crime support group has been established to inform partner agencies on how best to reduce violent crime.

The District has the 3^rd highest rate for domestic violence in Essex, to address this the partnership will continue to provide vital information on domestic violence to professionals through leaflets, promotional events and other media campaigns.  Funding the Probation Women’s Safety Worker and supporting the IDAP programme will also continue.

Tendring also funds SAAIF (Stopping Aggression and ASB in Families) to run a programme for young people and their parents and carers.

A parallel group programme for young people who are perpetrating or who have witnessed domestic violence is being run, to support young people to develop positive and healthy relationships with others.  For parents to be included in parallel running groups helps them to learn effective parenting skills.

A Licensing Support Officer is being funded in order to support pro-active licensing initiatives ie: BOBB Scheme, Test Purchasing and directed licensed premises visits. This will aim to reduce serious acquisitive crime.  Development of better sharing of information between partners is, however also required.  A Police analyst will provide quarterly ‘Problem Profiles’ to the volume crime group in order to enable all partners to engage in problem solving.

A new project called TENBAC –Tendring Business Against Crime is being implemented through the Performance Reward Grant to reduce business crime.

Support to victims of serious sexual offences is provided through the Tendring Domestic Violence Forum.

Implementation and continuation of the youth mentoring scheme to increase positive attitudes and behaviours amongst those at risk of offending especially 8-13 year olds.

There has been an increase in the District in the number of people who use the Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) Reporting line.  Promotion of the ASB line will continue through use of the media, publicity and promotions.

Implement Neighbourhood Action Panels (NAP) and continue their use within the community.  These comprise members of the public and other interested agencies. NAPs identify issues in a defined local area and any derive actions required to address the issues.

Tendring CDRP will continue working with partners to identify specific hotspots and adopt a coordinated approach to tacking ASB. The CDRP will work to increase the level of “uniformed presence” across Tendring and to improve knowledge and information sharing for professionals and the communities they serve. Annual conferences comprised of interested parties and CDRP attendance at public events e.g. Clacton Air Show and the Tendring Show, are excellent vehicles for the public to help identify gaps in knowledge and provide information.

Tendring reported a 100% performance on the removal of abandoned vehicles in 2007/08.

Helping to reduce the fear of crime is important. A crime and disorder survey was sent to 4,000 Tendring residents and the information collected was used to inform the annual Strategic Assessment.  A Crime Book and community safety handbook has also gone out to all residents in Tendring.

Residents across Tendring are being offered valuable help and advice on how to combat the effects of surface water flooding after heavy rainfall.  Householders’ homes and lives can be turned upside down by the problems caused when water is unable to drain away freely. Tendring District Council (TDC) has issued useful information, guidance and contact numbers for people affected by flooding to use for assistance. 

Residents joined forces with police and council workers during an innovative community project in Harwich.

Tendring Crime and Reduction Partnership, Essex Police, Tendring District Council, Essex County Council, Harwich Town Council, Essex Fire and Rescue Service and others worked hand-in-hand during the Day of Action that took place on Friday, 30^th of April (Case Study).

They carried out enforcement activity, clean-up work and gave residents community safety advice.

The team, which comprised of more than 30 agencies, focused on the town centre and Old Harwich, including Marine Parade and Bathside.

Proactive measures are being undertaken to identify potential suitable locations across the District for gypsies and travellers.  Landowners, organisations, Town and Parish Councils are all being asked to put forward their own ideas to ensure that nowhere is missed out.  Tendring District Council (TDC) is required to allocate new pitches to meet local needs and is looking for up to 25 by 2026.  It has already brought in consultants to carry out an extensive study but wants to provide them with a shortlist of sites which can be considered in detail as part of the exercise.  TDC is looking for land to accommodate between 1 and six pitches in sites which do not impact on designated protected areas and are not prone to flooding.  Ideally they should have good access by public transport to schools, shops and doctors.  Sites will be landscaped and screened so as not to create a disturbance to nearby residents; they will require safe access for large vehicles as well as the ability to be connected to mains services.  Possible locations will then be evaluated through a study being undertaken by specialist consultants Mott McDonald who will advise on the best way forward.

There were no leisure and recreational facilities in the Brooklands and Grasslands area of Jaywick and very poor engagement with children and young people by outside agencies, however, a Multi Use Games Area and a children’s play area have been built on land to the rear of Jaywick Community Resource Centre currently owned by East of England Development Agency.  The MUGA provides very much needed indoor and outdoor leisure facilities for children and young people in the area, to meet and enjoy drop-in and structured educational, social and leisure activities. New refurbishment at Community Voluntary Services Tendring (CVST) provides top quality facilities for the third sector; regular volunteer recruitment events (Case Study)

Contractors have started work on two other leisure facilities for young people in Tendring.  Multi-Use Games Areas (MUGAs) at Frinton and Dovercourt are being installed by TDC and should be completed in Spring 2010.  The Frinton site at Park Playing Fields is being paid for by the Big Lottery Fund and will provide a much-needed new games area for teenagers in the area.  A youth shelter is being built on the site as part of the project which is costing about £60,000. The MUGA at Mace Park in Dovercourt is the second phase of a scheme at the site. At the end of last year TDC installed a new £66,000 play area for children which included ten pieces of equipment. Now work is underway on the £57,000 MUGA which is being funded by developers' contributions through Section 106 agreements.

Work is also due to start in March 2010 on providing floodlights for a popular leisure facility in Clacton.  Planning permission has been granted for the community project to install the lights at the multi-use games area (MUGA) in London Road.  Also included in the £35,200 scheme is a new pathway to improve access as well as two new benches.  Most of the money for the four lights and path were secured from Essex County Council's Community Initiatives Fund.

Children are to benefit from the total revamp of two play areas  at Wix and Rush Green, Clacton at a cost of £115,000.  And those who are to enjoy both the facilities have been given the chance to have a major say in their design.  Work is already underway at the Wix site and the £50,000 for the scheme has come from the Department for Children, Schools and Families' Playbuilder Fund.  The design of the play area was chosen by young people who live in the village.  The Council also successfully bid for £50,000 from the same fund to pay for the replacement of equipment at Rush Green Recreation Ground.  Additionally a separate play area at Rush Green Recreation Ground for children under 8 is being created and funded by the Council at a cost of £15,000.

Links exist through Tendring Learning Partnership to Creativity, Culture and Education, with a merger of sports and arts activities for young people, e.g. children’s carnival, “Imagination our Nation”.

There has been collaborative use of Learning and Skills Council and SSCF funds to start a rock music qualification in Jaywick.  The4 Princes Theatre in Clacton (incorporating the Princes Theatre Youth Theatre Company) offers a varied programme of entertainment for all the family and a wide range of community activities.

£1.4m has been secured from Planning Agreements (S106) for improvements to leisure facilities across the District.  This will help to rectify the below average satisfaction with leisure facilities.

In support of developing sustainable communities, Essex County Council has one of the most significant regeneration agendas in the country, focusing on major growth areas, such as the Thames and Haven Gateways, and those with significant deprivation, such as Jaywick in Tendring.

Through Performance Reward Grant Funding a Town Centre Manager will be employed to bring about improvements to the town centres making them more attractive for new businesses.  Masterplans/Area Action Plans/Town Plans are being developed for Dovercourt, Harwich, Clacton and Brightlingsea to help promote sustainable development in these town centres.

CVST plays an active role in the District and is a signatory along with Tendring District Council and Essex County Council of the Compact for Tendring. The Compact is a partnership initiative that defines the agreement on relations between the Statutory and Voluntary sectors in the Tendring District.  CVST arranges and is involved in a range of activities, for example:

• During July 2009 the CVST hosted and co-ordinated The First Thriving Voluntary Sector Conference.  The day enabled those attending to take advantage of the many services and facilities on hand to help develop organisations. There were representatives from fifteen different funders some of whom held workshops throughout the day and there were also workshops held on marketing, recruiting trustees, fundraising, the Compact and tendering for bids. This years conference ‘Its Only Money the Great Debate’ will be held on 28^th July.