Rushmoor Borough Council’s Cabinet has heard that good progress is being made on its new Delivery Plan, which sets out the council’s priorities and the key projects and activities and helps to ensure it is achieving what it set out to do.
Members were told on Tuesday (5 August), in the first report on the plan, that 20 of the 23 (86%) priorities were currently on track, and actions are in place to bring the remaining areas back in line with the plan.
The plan is structured across five themes: Skills, Economy, and Regeneration; Homes for All: Quality Living, Affordable Housing; Community and Wellbeing: Active Lives, Healthier and Stronger Communities; Pride in Place: Clean, Safe and Vibrant Neighbourhoods and The Future and Financial Sustainability
Key highlights for the quarter up to the end of June included:
- Stage 2 design of the new Farnborough leisure centre concluded, and the next stage of design has begun
- The Launch of Active in Rushmoor campaign to support increased activity amongst residents
- Walk This Waste final trial concluded on 28 June. Service has been well received by those who used it
- The council was awarded a grant of £17,300 to remove chewing gum staining in Farnborough town centre, with the clean-up taking place in July
- Victoria Day (7 June) – Aldershot’s annual carnival with more than 1000 people taking part in the parade with a wide variety of community groups represented
- The 80th anniversary of VE Day marked on 8 May with flag raisings and a beacon lighting at Manor Park, Aldershot. A similar VJ Day event will be held at the park on 15 August.
- Union Yard – residents started moving into the 18 affordable homes
- Farnborough Job Fair attended by more than 800 people and featuring 36 businesses and organisations
- Main work was completed on The Landing, the new town square for public events and activities in Farnborough
- Eight new businesses opened in Rushmoor – seven in Aldershot (three at Union Yard, including Starbucks and Shakeaway) and one in Farnborough
- Thirty-eight people were supported with a one-to-one business support sessions and a new series of business support workshops with WSX Enterprises
- The Youth Climate Ambassador group was launched, with several youth representatives from four secondary schools and one college in Rushmoor
Members heard that all this work had been delivered at the same time as the additional requirements of local government reorganisation.
The three priorities that needed more work were: moves to improve the quality of private rented sector homes; regenerating council-owned brownfield land and ensuring a culture of continuous improvement using the Corporate Peer Challenge recommendations.
The Leader of Rushmoor Borough Council, Councillor Gareth Williams, said: “We promised that we would be transparent and accountable to residents in running the council. This is the first update on our plan; I’m pleased to see how much has been accomplished already and we are on course to deliver on our pledges this year.
“We are not complacent, and we have highlighted where we need do more to bring our plans back on track. I’m grateful to the whole council team for getting behind the plan. We know that there is a lot more still to be done but I’m confident we will meet our targets.”
For more information on the Delivery Plan please see the Cabinet agenda and item.
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