Whathavewe doneforyou? 2022-2023
Brecklandisabeautifulanduniqueregionlocatedin theEastofEngland.Itisagreatplacetolive,work andvisit.Wehaveincrediblemarkettowns, charmingvillagesandabeautifulnatural environment.
Weareproudofourarea,andthroughdriving investmentandenablingopportunities,wecan maximiseitsfullpotential.Wewanttoinspire aspirationtolive,work,visit,ordobusinesshere:we wantourdistricttobeoneofchoice.
Wehavebigideasandweareinnovativeinour approach,comingupwithwaystomeettheneedsof thelocalcommunitiesthatweserve.Throughour actions,wewanttomakethingsbetter.Butwe knowthatwecan'tdoitalone.Wearea collaborativeorganisationandweworktogether withotherstomakeagreaterimpact.
OurCorporatePlanbringstogetherourstrategic prioritiesforthecomingyearsandoutlineswhat we'lldotomakeadifferenceinBrecklandtoensure itisaplacewherepeopleandbusinessescanthrive.
Breckland2035and WorkingSmarter
Wearedelightedthatinasurveyin2022,residents toldusthoseprioritiescontinuetoreflecttheir needsandaspirationsanditisimportanttousthat weremainresponsivetotheissuesthatmatterto ourbusinessesandcommunities.
Herearejustofsomeoftheoutcomeswehave achievedthisyear.
Ourprioritiesaregroupedacrossfourkeythemes:
InspiringCommunities
ThrivingPlaces
ChiefExecutive MaxineO'Mahony #DistrictsDeliver
Formoreinformation; https://www.breckland.gov.uk/corporateplan
OurChangingDistrict
ThedatafromtheCensushelpsusasaCouncil,toseehowour districtischangingandenablesustotailorourservicesto bettersuitresidentandbusinessneeds.
Since the census in 2011, the population of Breckland has increasedby8.4%fromjustunder130,500in2011toaround 141,000in2021,higherthantheEnglandaverageof6.6%.
In2021,Breckland washometo around0.8people perfootballpitch sizeofland,(0.7in 2011)Thiswasthe jointleastdensely populatedinthe EastofEngland
60,400households inBreckland,covering 350squaremiles
55.7%areeconomicallyactive (57.4%England),with44.5% holdinguptoaLevel3astheir highestqualification(39.9% England)
49.6% 49.0%(England) 50.4% 51.0%(England)
Yousaid....
thinktheCouncilprovidesvalue formoney
48%Nationally,60%Norfolkwide
In2022,weaskedasampleof400residentsaboutourlocal area,councilperceptionsandcouncilpriorities. Theresults wereoverall,verypositive,showingweareperformingvery well compared to other Local Authorities and within a challenginglocalandnationallandscape. Questions also included those asked in the Quarterly NationalLGAResidentSurveyandthosethatwereaskedin NorfolkResidentSurveyconductedin2019forcomparison purposes. Herearetheheadlinesofresidentsviews;
aresatisfiedwiththewaythe Councilrunsthings
64%Nationally,75%Norfolkwide
trusttheCouncil
62%Nationally,68%Norfolkwide
arepositive towardsthe
Councilactingon residentsconcerns
57%Nationally
aresatisfiedwiththelocal area
78%Nationally,88%Norfolk wide
Tohelpourdistrict thrivewehave.......
INVESTED
£750Kintoprojectswhichsupportourlocalhigh streetsandenableour5Markettownsof Dereham,Swaffham,Watton,Thetfordand
Attleboroughandtheirsurroundingareasto thriveaspartofourFutureBrecklandProgramme
SUPPORTED
over45newenterprisesandcreatedmorethan 65jobswithoursuccessfulStartUpProgramme
businessesbouncebackfromtheCOVID Pandemic,byallocating£4.2Moffunding.
HELPED PLANNING
howwe'llhelppeopleinBrecklandtoaccess betterhomesthroughanewStrategicHousing Plan
PROVIDED
atranquilspaceforthe communityandtransformed aderelictpieceoflandby refurbishingtheQueen MothersGardeninDereham.
£1.6MILLION
securedofnationalfundingforlocal projectstoboostlocalskillsand training,reducecarbonemissions andsupportourmostvulnerable residents.
Tohelpourmarket townsthrivewehave......
ENCOURAGED AIDED
economicgrowthinthedistrictby projectmanaginganewprimary substationinSnetterton,following £3.43Mgrantfunding.
footfallinThetfordtosupportlocal businessesbyprovidingfreecinemabythe town’sriverside.
RESTORATION
plansinplacetorestorefourofSwaffham’s historicbuildingswithfundingfromHeritage ActionZone.
Broughtartsandculturetonewaudiences
byhelpingtobringoutsidetheatreto
ThetfordPriory
£1MILLION
securedinnationalfundingtohelp supportruralbusinessesand communitiesoverthenexttwoyears. Thisfundingwillbevitalinhelpingus providenewinfrastructureand supporttohelpgrowourimportant ruraleconomy.
SUPPORTED
LochNeatoninWattonwith fundingtocreateanall-weather pathwaytoimproveaccessibility, allowingvisitorstoenjoythe specialplaceofnaturalbeauty
INVESTIGATING
enhancementstotohelp accessibility,utilisevacantbuildings andtohelpThetfordRailway stationbeawelcomingentrypoint forthetown.
INVESTED
inimprovementstothe infrastructureoftheThetford MarketPlace,improvinglighting andelectricalprovisionfortraders andpublicevents.
Tosupportourlocal environmentwe have...
LAUNCHED
acollectionschemeforbatteriesandsmall electricalitems,tobecomemoresustainable.
SHOWCASED
howwecanreducewastebyworking withschoolchildreninThetfordto recycleandusewasteproductstogrow vegetablesandflowers.
100WASTEOFFENDERS
enforcedagainstforflytippingorlittering
PLANTED
700treesinAttleboroughandWattontomark
HerMajesty’sPlatinumJubileeandhelpedmake Brecklandanevengreenerandbeautifulplace
ENCOURAGED
Developerstoreducetheircarbonfootprintand increasesustainabilitybyadvisingonsolar powerandEVchargingoptionsandadviceto increasebiodiversityforexample,batandbird boxes
INCREASED
protectionofournaturalenvironmentby employingaForestryOfficer.
howwecan–withothers-becomeNetZeroby 2035,byholdinganEnvironmentAwareness MonthincludingaNetZeroConference.
REDUCED
greenertransportoptionsbyawardinga contractfortheinstallationofEVcharging pointsinSwaffhamandWattontowncentres
SHOWCASED FACILITATED SAVED
energybyinstallingnewLEDlightingandpool coversatourleisurecentres.
recyclingcontaminationmeaninglessitemsto landfill.
SUPPORTED
morebusinessesbyprovidingthemwithacosteffectivetradewastesolution,generating incomewhichcanbeploughedbackintoother Councilservices.
TRIALLED
sustainable alternatives tochemicalweed treatments.
REDUCED
ouroutputofCarbonDioxide(C02)emissionsby437
Tonnessince19/20andreducedemissionsbyimproving lightingandotherinfrastructureatourElizabethHouse headquarters.
INVESTED
£850kinLED replacement streetlightsreducing ourcarbonemissions by60.2Tonnes
£100K
distributedto communitiestohelp themprogresstheir 'Green'agenda
Toinspireourlocal communitieswe have...
LAUNCHED
Norfolk'sfirst'mindfulvillage'recognising SwantonMorleyandthefirst'mindfultown'as Thetford. Both communitieswhoputprovision inplacetoenhancethementalhealthoflocal residents,withMindfulTownorVillageaward status.
LINKED residentswithsupportgroupsbyournew SocialPrescribers,easingthepressureonthe NHS
PROMOTED
theimportanceofMentalHealthWell-beingby providingourpartnersinBrecklandwithMental HealthFirstAidtraining.
HELPED
tosupportcommunitywell-beingbytraining over200residentstobecomementalhealth champions.
STRENGTHENED ourpartnershipwithCitizens Advicebyhosting2qualified debtadvisorssupporting residentsmostinneed,toget helpearlytoavoidreaching crisis.
PROVIDED accommodationforourresidentsbyinvesting over£4.6million,providingemergencyhousing foraround100householdsatanyonetime.
ENABLED
communitygroupsandvoluntaryorganisations
tocometogetherandcelebratethePlatinum Jubilee,byallocatingover£12,000ingrants.
CELEBRATED
theJubilee,byilluminatingtheSwaffham EcocityTurbine,makingitthetallestbeaconin
EastAnglialitupinhonourofTheQueen’s PlatinumJubilee.
MADEADIFFERENCE toresident'sliveseveryday byawardingover£120,000 tolocalcommunity projects.
AWARDED
£10,000educationalbursaryto supportlocalstudentsto achievetheirpotential
HELPED
thecommunityrecoverfromthepandemic throughour10-yearFutureBrecklandvision andplan.
SUPPORTED
AIDED
domesticabusesurvivorsbyprovidingtheDaisy programmewith£100,000fundingoverthree years
CONTINUED
toenhancethelivesofourresidentsbyworking withmorethan12NorfolkPartners.
SUPPORTED
ourlocalcommunitieswiththe increasedcostoflivingpressureby introducingalocalfoodstoreanda mobilefoodbus,providingfoodat moreaffordablepric adviceandsupport
BUILT
21highlyefficienthomesinColkirkby BrecklandBridge,ajointventurebetween BrecklandCouncilandprivatesectordevelopers tohelpmeetlocalhousingdemand
PLANNED
toimproveourleisureprovisionsbyincreasing ourlevelofinvestment.
ENABLED
peopletostaylivingintheirhomes,avoiding admissiontocarehomes,throughanewpilot handypersonscheme.
WELCOMED
almost100Ukrainestothedistrict,providing themwithtemporaryhomesandrecruitednativespeakingwelfareofficerstoprovidethebest possiblesupporttorefugees.
Toworksmarterwe have...
KEPT
ourtownsandvillagescleanbycollecting over282,000householdbinsandan averageof733Tonnesofgardenwaste everymonth.
residentsmorechoiceinhowtheypayfor Councilservicesthroughnewon-line forms.
COUNTERED
therisingcostofenergybills,by processingover£5Min£150CouncilTax Rebatepayments.
GIVEN
ENABLED
residentstogetanswerstotheirqueries24/7
thoughournewChatbot,Bobbieandsoon, residentswillalsobeabletogetanswersto queriesthroughAmazonAlexa
SAVED
£425,000throughourefficienciesprogramme thisfinancialyear.
ADVISEDANDSUPPORTED residentswithourcustomercontactservices openinDerehamandThetford
CONNECTED
tomoreofourcommunitythroughincreasing ouruseofsocialmediachannels.
HELPED
ourpeopleprovidebetterserviceswith16staff completingapprenticeshipcourses.
IMPROVED
servicestoresidentsthroughour‘Greatto Greater’sessions,throughusingdatato improveservices.
UPSKILLED
ourMembers,OfficersandPartners,tobetter serveourresidents,bydeliveringbespoke LearningandDevelopmentProgrammes.
INFORMED
ourresidentseffectivelybysharingaregular magazinetoeveryhousehold
BEENRECOGNISED
foroureffortstoofferhighlevelsofsupportto membersoftheArmedForcesandtheirfamilies bybeingawarded'goldstatus'intheArmed ForcesCovenantEmployerRecognition Scheme.
GENERATED rentalincomefromcommercialproperties whichwillexceedourtargetthisyear.
MADE ourwebsitemoreuserfriendlyandaccessible forourcustomers,particularlyforthosewitha disability.
