Corporate Plan 2019 - 2023 Progress Report - April 2021 - March 2022 by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

Corporate Plan 2019 - 2023 | Progress Report April 2021 - March 2022

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Mid and East Antrim Borough Council 1-29 Bridge Street Ballymena BT43 5EJ T: 0300 1245 000 E: enquiries@midandeastantrim.gov.uk W: www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk

www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/corporateplan

ci l un Co

in g o rm Hi gh Pe r f

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10. Statutory Performance Indicators

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High Performing Council

14-15

Good Health and Wellbeing

Learning for Life r fo r

12-13

Good Health & Wellbeing

Learning for Life

Community Safety & Cohesion

The Corporate Plan was developed to align with the Borough’s Community Plan ‘Putting People First’ and we have adopted the same vision:

Mid and East Antrim will be a strong, vibrant, safe & inclusive community, where people work together to improve quality of life for all.

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Community Safety and Cohesion

Sustainable Jobs & Tourism

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Council’s second Corporate Plan was launched in July 2019 and sets the strategic direction for the 2019-2023 period. The Plan will be delivered under six strategic themes as shown in the diagram.

08-09

Our Environment

r fo

06-07

P e r f o rm i n g Co u n ci

Sustainable Jobs and Tourism

04-05

High

02-03

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council was established on 1st April 2015 by the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

2. Mid and East Antrim in Numbers 3. Performance Overview

Introduction

1. Introduction

Contents

Mid and East Antrim will be a strong, vibrant, safe and inclusive community where people work together to improve the quality of life for all.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is committed to reporting on the delivery of the Corporate Plan every six months. This has the following benefits:

The Corporate Plan themes have been aligned to those of the Community Plan. Note that the title of the Community Plan ‘Progress in Education’ theme has been changed to ‘Learning for Life’ to better reflect the nature of the education work carried out within Council. A ‘High Performing Council’ theme has been added to capture the internal work which is performed within Council to drive delivery of our Corporate Plan.

• It provides Elected Members with an opportunity to review the corporate objectives and key performance indicators set within the Corporate Plan. Regular reporting provides assurance that Council’s objectives are being delivered and that Council is working towards the realisation of its vision for the Borough. This ensures that the needs of local communities are being met.

• An internal evaluation allows Council to examine its services, achievements and processes to assess how well it is meeting its stated objectives and to refocus and re-prioritise as necessary.

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2. Mid and East Antrim in Numbers £

Sustainable Jobs & Tourism

Community Safety & Cohesion

£448 the gross all persons median earnings in Mid and East Antrim, compared to £469 across Northern Ireland (2021).

Our Environment

Learning for Life

£57.4m the expenditure of overnight visitors to the borough (2019). £

5,040

recorded in 2021/22 an 8% increase on previous year.

02 |

is the average number of crimes per 1,000 population. This is lower than the Northern Ireland average of 50 (2020/21).

Corporate Performance Report

High Performing Council

286,337 overnight visitor trips made to Mid and East Antrim - accounting for 5% of trips made to Northern Ireland in 2019..

registered businesses in Mid and East Antrim (2021).

6,685 crimes

44.5

Good Health & Wellbeing

Local Nature Reserves (2021).

Destination of School Leavers

78%

of households in the borough concerned for the environment compared to 78% across NI (2019/20).

Higher Education 50.3% Further Education 25% Employment 10% Training 9.2% Unemployment/Unknown 5.5% (2019/20).

56.7% of people in Mid and East Antrim felt that their cultural identity is respected by society (20182020).

80% people who stated their general health was good / very good

20%

people with a long-term health problem / disability that limits their day-to-day activities (2011).

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3. Performance Overview Chart Title Council has continued to provide high standards of service delivery, within a challenging environment. Our arrangements for securing continuous improvement are set out within the Council’s Performance Management Framework which includes our annual Performance Improvement Plan and annual business plans. Within the Corporate Plan, governance arrangements are set out that provide a mechanism for monitoring Council’s performance during the period 2019-2023. To ensure full delivery of the Corporate Plan, 25 corporate objectives have been developed that underpin our six strategic themes. In addition, a suite of 27 key Performance Indicators (KPIs) has been designed to ensure that progress can be continually monitored and

measured on a timely basis, with appropriate action taken, where necessary. Council’s performance management system is used to monitor and report progress against the corporate objectives and KPIs against their associated targets. Performance for the period April 2021 to March 2022 is outlined in the ‘wheel’ on the opposite page. The summary ‘wheel’ captures progress made against the 27 corporate KPIs and the corporate objectives that are defined at a strategic level within Directors’ business plans. In the following sections, these are explored in more detail, within each of the six strategic themes. For each theme, key achievements

Overall summary of performance

from April 2021 to March 2022, have been summarised along with a detailed analysis of the KPIs. This report focusses on significant achievements and does not provide detail on all progress attained between April 2021 and March 2022. More detail on service specific projects is provided in Directorate business plans that are scrutinised at Audit and Scrutiny Committee every 6 months. The results show that the majority of actions and key performance indicators are on track. Of the 133 objectives and indicators, 105 have been achieved or are on track, 20 are delayed but progressing, whilst 8 have not met their specified target.

i We have outlined our progress towards meeting our objectives as follows: Green | Achieved/On track Amber | Delayed but progressing Red | Not achieved/stopped Grey | Not yet due/ Not available

106 targets achieved/on track 20 targets delayed but progressing 7 targets not achieved/stopped 0 targets not yet due 1

The KPIs showing red are as follows:

Sustainable Jobs and Tourism

Community Safety & Cohesion

Good Health and Wellbeing

Learning for Life

High Performing Council

Target of £300,000 investment committed to support repurposing activity for Town Centres.

There have been 69 enquiries received to date resulting in 16 applications. Seven applications were successfully approved, however, one application was withdrawn meaning Council’s current commitment is for six projects totalling £164,130. Seven applications were not funded, as they either did not score highly enough or did not meet the criteria. Two further applications were withdrawn by the applicants prior to assessment. The scheme is still open and further PR activity is planned to encourage applications in order to commit the £300k funding.

Reduce the number of hate crime incidents recorded from 2020/21 figure of 123.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, 160 hate crime incidents were recorded in the Borough. Council continue to work with members of the Policing and Community Safety Partnership to raise awareness of the impact of hate crime.

Ensure absence levels do not exceed 10 days per annum.

During 2021/22 an absence figure of 15.21 days was recorded. This can be attributed to a number of factors, including the effect of COVID-19 both directly and indirectly, and the delays in staff being able to access suitable treatment for ongoing health issues with record waiting lists having a particular impact. Ongoing employee relations matters have also led to higher than average levels of absence in some areas.

Number of days spent on employee training.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, an average of 1.36 days were spent on employee training against a target of 3 days. Due to ongoing restrictions, the vast majority of the training provided was online and delivered remotely. As a result, recorded training time was reduced. Council are transitioning towards a more agile approach to learning and development, which will take the form of a Learning Platform.

King William Pier Complete business case for planned works in 2022/23.

The planned work at King William Pier was not taken forward as the Capital Plan was reprioritised. A review is underway of existing conditions to assess whether further work is necessary.

Ballylumford Harbour The planned work at Ballylumford Harbour was not taken forward as the Capital Plan - Submit business case was reprioritised. Short term remedial works have been carried out by the Facilities for Council approval. Maintenance team.

Statutory audit to have zero ‘Priority 1’ audit points.

One statutory “Priority 1” audit point was received in relation to the percentage of Agency Staff engaged by Council. This was due to a delay in unified Terms & Conditions, which have now been agreed. The transfer of Agency Staff to Council Employees is ongoing.

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Sustainable Jobs & Tourism

Key Performance Indicators Chart Title Performance Summary:

Objectives: What we will do by 2023 1. Grow, support and sustain new and existing businesses through council and other initiatives.

3. Enable entrepreneurs to deliver economic growth through partnership and other supports.

This included participants on our Amplify Business Escalator, NIBSUP, Yes You Can, Enterprising Women, SPARK, Digital Boost, Bid2Win, SPROUT and Fresh Start Over 50s programmes.

5. Create a compelling tourism and economic proposition by developing and investing in our unique heritage and assets.

20 targets achieved/on 1 2 track. 3 3 targets not yet due. 1 target not achieved.

Key achievements

•

Between April 2021 and March 2022, Council supported over 760 local businesses across a range of business support programmes, delivering over 6,400 hours of bespoke one-to-one mentoring with an estimated value of £296,000.

•

Council’s Economic Development team successfully delivered 61 workshops and webinars to over 960 participants. Almost 2,380 young people were engaged with via a range of enterprise, skills and careers activity. Over 40 new tourism experiences were developed across the Borough as a result of £230k of

•

East Antrim Borough. Aimed at maximising opportunities to push the fast-forward button on economic prosperity in the Borough, the website sets out to potential investors the Borough’s compelling proposition as a destination in which to live, work, learn, visit and invest in. It includes information on major investment sites and opportunities, as well as details of wider economic initiatives, such as BuySupplyNI.

funding from the Tourism NI Market Led Recovery Programme. In February 2022, we launched the Hydrogen Training Academy. The Academy is a public-private investment of £700K from the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund, the Department for Communities Covid-Revitalisation Fund and EP UK Investments. Led by Council, it is a first-of-itskind project enabling NI to fully maximise opportunities associated with hydrogen as the emerging leading sustainable energy solution, as well as supporting the development of a dynamic and skilled workforce. Working alongside The Gallaher Trust and the Northern Regional College, we have established a Manufacturing Excellence Academy. The Academy, the first of its kind, will see individuals boost their skills and help secure potential employment with local manufacturing companies, helping to secure the future growth of manufacturing in the borough. The Invest MEA website was launched in May 2021 to help boost investment in the Mid and

•

Council, in partnership with LEDCOM, launched the 50+ Fresh Start Programme. The programme aims to provide support to those aged 50+ who want to explore the opportunities available to them through entrepreneurship and selfemployment. In December 2021, Council signed the Belfast Region City Deal, securing more than £60m of investment for the Borough. Council has three projects under the City Deal: 1. Carrickfergus Regeneration Programme 2. The Gobbins development 3. i4C Innovation & Cleantech centre

Number of jobs promoted through business start-up activity We promoted 109 jobs through the Business Start Up programme between April 2021 and March 2022.

Target

Achieved

200 Jobs created

4. Attract more visitors to stay longer and spend more through the delivery of our tourism strategy.

The must-have ShopMEA app launched in October 2021 and has been downloaded more than 2,750 • times. Funded by the Department for Communities’ COVID-19 Recovery Revitalisation Programme and launched by Council’s Town Centre Recovery Group, the app forms part of the joint strategy for supporting local businesses to grow by providing users with exclusive deals, rewards and event listings from across the Borough.

761 businesses engaged

Between April 2021 and March 2022, we engaged with 761 businesses against a target of 647.

2. Position MEA as a dynamic, outward-looking region which welcomes and supports inward investment.

•

Number of businesses engaged across business support programmes

100 193

140

124

122

85 94

109

16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22

Despite ongoing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, we exceeded our target of 85 for the period April 2021 to March 2022.

Visitors at strategic tourist attractions This indicator counts the number of visitors at The Gobbins, Carrickfergus Castle, Arthur Cottage, Andrew Jackson Cottage and US Rangers Museum.

39,055 ticket sales

We recorded 39,055 visitors between April 2021 and March 2022 against a target of 38,000.

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Our Environment

Key Performance Indicators Chart Title Performance Summary:

Objectives: What we will do by 2023 1. Deliver high quality places where people want to live, work and invest, using the Local Development Plan, regeneration and excellence in leadership.

In 2021/22, we monitored the achievement of the following environmental awards: Green Flags, Seaside Awards, ISO 14001, Blue Flags, Gold Anchor Awards and NI Environmental Benchmarking.

2. Improve and sustainably manage our environment, protecting it for future generations. 3. Encourage people to value our natural environment and built heritage, by enhancing responsible access to it and promoting the benefits it offers for our health and wellbeing. 4. Lead by example and reduce the impact of council services on the environment.

23 targets achieved/on track. 1 2 3 targets delayed but progressing.

•

Back in 2019, Council committed to planting 58,000 trees by 2023 as part of the MEA4Trees initiative. This ambitious target was surpassed within just 28 months, with the 58,000th tree planted at Diamond Jubilee Wood Whitehead on Friday 8 April 2022.

provide a social element and help gardeners save money. •

Council were named as one of Northern Ireland’s most sustainable organisations after being recognised with the Platinum Award at the • Business in the Community Northern Ireland Benchmarking Survey. Council continue to be accredited to ISO 14001:2015 International Environmental Management Standard across all services. This ensures that Council reduces the impact of its services on the environment and improves its performance year on year.

•

Three Little Seed Libraries have been installed at Greenisland, Eden and Larne allotment gardens. Green fingered enthusiasts or newbies alike • can use the libraries to swap packets of seeds that they can then plant or grow in their own gardens. This great initiative helps protect biodiversity, keep locally adapted varieties going,

Council secured funding from the DAERA Environmental Challenge Fund and completed restoration works on site at Keeran Moss in Carrickfergus in partnership with RSPB NI. The restoration works will ensure the peatland is restored and protected so that it can provide a home to many priority species. By signing up to the Glasgow Food and Climate Declaration during COP26, Council has joined local, regional and national governments across the world in the call to tackle the climate and nature emergency through integrated food policies.

Council’s catering department have successfully eliminated the use of Single Use Plastics. •

The new Household Recycling Centre at Sullatober has been officially opened. This will help improve our recycling efficiency by 20%, divert 1,000 tonnes from landfill and will decrease our carbon emissions by 800 tonnes per year.

•

Council were shortlisted in two categories at the Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management. Council’s Climate & Sustainability Manager was recognised with the Local Authority Individual of the Year Award.

•

Council has developed a new Climate and Sustainability Policy, which gives a commitment we will carry out our activities and functions in a manner which avoids any potentially negative environmental impact. Council are now Engaged Members with the Responsible Plastic Management Program, who will help us identify and reduce problem plastics and set up effective management systems.

•

Mid and East Antrim has been awarded the prestigious Fairtrade Borough status by the UK Fairtrade Foundation and Fairtrade Ireland. This includes the three main towns of Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne in recognition of commitment to Fairtrade principles. Council have appointed a Sustainable Food Coordinator to deliver the Action Plan in order to help Council in our bid to becoming a Sustainable Food Place.

13/14

We achieved 5 Green Flag awards in October 2021 at Bashfordsland Wood & Oakfield Glen, Carrickfergus Mill Ponds Shaftesbury Park & Marine Gardens, Diamond Jubilee Wood, Dixon Park and The People’s Park. In June 2021, 3 Seaside Awards at Ballygally, Brown’s Bay and Carnlough were retained. ISO 14001 accreditation was maintained across all services in August 2021. In June 2021, 3 Blue Flag awards at Carrickfergus, Portglenone and Glenarm were retained. The NI Benchmarking Survey was completed in November 2021. Council’s Gold Anchor status at Carrickfergus Marina will be reassessed on completion of the dredging.

Level of external investment secured per annum for regeneration projects

Key achievements •

Major awards secured and maintained

The Pat’s Brae public realm works were completed, for which £280k funding was secured from the Department of Communities. In addition Council have secured over £1m for subsequent public realm schemes at Castle Street Ballymena and Point Street Larne.

£280,000 Completed investment

‘Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful’ Cleanliness Index Scores closer to 100% indicate better performance and 66% is the point at which performance is considered acceptable.

76% score (69% 2021)

Council scored 76% for the period between April 2021 and March 2022, against a target of 66%. This is a 7% improvement on the previously recorded score.

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Community Safety & Cohesion

Key Performance Indicators Chart Title

Performance Summary:

Objectives: What we will do by 2023

The figures are based on annual data published by the PSNI. 2021/22 saw a reduction of 1,363 from the previous year.

1. Encourage good relations by creating vibrant, shared, and cohesive communities within the borough. 2. Improve community safety and confidence to enable people to feel safe and have a sense of belonging to their area.

4. Work with partners to provide support to vulnerable people who need it.

2 targets achieved/on track. 3 1 target delayed1but2progressing. 1 target not achieved.

Key achievements

•

In December 2021, the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim welcomed, as part of a new Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) initiative, a number of Speed Indicator Devices (SID) which were installed across the Borough to help educate drivers about speeding, and to reduce speeding across the Borough. Speed Indicator Devices promote a proactive approach to road safety and target hotspots where speeding is a concern. In response to the crisis in Ukraine, Council began to manage the • Ukrainian Assistance Centre in association with the Department of Finance and a number of other community partners. The centre has been vital in assisting many Ukrainian refugees who are settling into the local area, as well as providing essential support to the host families. The third RAPID (Remove All • Prescription and Illegal Drugs) bin in Mid and East Antrim was successfully launched in the Asda store in Larne. The initiative is aimed at helping to remove prescription and illegal drugs from our streets by providing drug disposal bins. Two other RAPID bins are located in Ballymena Health Centre on the Cushendall Road and • Tesco on the Larne Road, Ballymena. Council’s Grants Team hosted a

number of Grants Information Sessions to advise local community groups, sports clubs and individuals from across the Borough of the various schemes and levels of • funding available in 2022/23. The aim of the grants scheme is to provide financial support through various categories for organisers of events as well as community groups, sports • clubs and arts groups in the borough undertaking projects, which are of benefit to all of the citizens within the council area. The Mid and East Antrim Support Hub is now in its fourth year of operation and continues to provide a vital service to our communities. The multi-agency group focuses on vulnerable individuals across the Borough, with regular sharing of information between the partners in order to develop appropriate support. Council’s Support Hub Vulnerability Navigator continues to support those most vulnerable, signposting them to relevant support services, such as mental health support, drug and alcohol support, Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership, food banks and other services bespoke to the individual requirements. Good Relations Week, co-ordinated by the Community Relations Council, was successfully held in

6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000

The Policing and Community Safety Partnership Working Group continues to meet regularly, with a key focus on mapping anti-social behaviour hotspots and putting direct interventions in place.

3. Build the capacity of local communities to become resilient and self-sustainable.

•

Number of anti-social behaviour incidents

•

September 2021, with a mix of arts, history, music, sport and culturebased events from a diverse range of organisations across the region. Council continues to make significant progress delivering upon both the Good Relations Action Plan and the Policing and Community Safety Partnership Action Plan. As part of Council’s continued efforts to make the Borough more accessible and inclusive for all, we delivered a series of specialised Autism Awareness training sessions. Each session shone a light on autism, working to increase understanding and awareness of the issues impacting those with an autism diagnosis and their families. Particpants were given materials to promote that their staff had received the training and are going the extra mile to assist those with more complex needs. To date, eight training sessions have been successfully delivered to businesses across the Borough. Council’s Christmas Toy Container Project saw 2 tonnes of toys diverted from landfill and donated to local charities as well as being directly gifted to residents in our community.

Number of incidents recorded with a hate crime motivation The figures are based on annual data published by the PSNI.

4,179

3,857

3,745

3,600

5,308

3,945

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

200 150 100 50 0

160

156

167

124

123

160

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

% of people reporting that fear of crime has a minimal impact on their quality of life

83% 2015/16 70% 2016/17 69% 2017/18 74% 2018/19 68% 2019/20

% of people with a sense of belonging to their area

89.2% 2015-17 88.7% 2016-18 93.1% 2017-19 88.7% 2018-20

The figures are based on annual data published by the Department of Justice via the Northern Ireland Safe Community Survey (previously known as the Northern Ireland Crime Survey). Between 2015/16 and 2019/20, the percentage of people in the Borough reporting that fear of crime has a minimal impact on their quality of life has fluctuated, but remains a considerable majority. Council seeks to reduce the impact of fear of crime through supporting the most vulnerable members of the community via partner organisations such as the Support Hub, and Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership. Community safety and cohesion strategies are a high priority and are addressed in collaboration with the PSNI via the Policing and Community Safety Partnership. The figures are based on annual data published by ARK via the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey. The percentage of people in the Borough who reported feeling a sense of belonging to their area in 2018-20 was 88.7%. Although this was a slight decrease on the 2017-19 result, the target of 88% was still achieved. As is our vision, Council are continually working to provide a strong, safe, vibrant and inclusive community for all.

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Learning for life

Key Performance Indicators Chart Title Performance Summary:

Objectives: What we will do by 2023 1. Work in partnership with the private and community sector to develop the skills needed to support sustained economic development in the borough.

3. Develop a joined-up approach to the delivery of education and training programmes in schools and in the wider community.

Number of days per employee spent on training 3 targets achieved/on track. 1 2 1 target not achieved.

Key achievements •

•

In November 2021, Council teamed up with Young Enterprise NI to mark Global Entrepreneurship Week by rolling out online challenges sparking creativity, to influence the next generation of budding business minds. More than 800 primary 6 pupils took part in an exciting online masterclass, highlighting what business is, how to communicate with customers, through to product packaging and branding.

•

The HGV Driver Training Academy was launched to address skills shortages and improve employment opportunities within the borough. Participants undertake training to gain an HGV Category C license and receive employability support. Council are also working with local transport companies to ensure that participants are offered an interview for an appropriate role when they have completed the Academy training.

•

We worked in partnership with Sentinus, the home of STEM, to deliver a Climate Change Educational Programme to 20 primary schools across the Borough. The Programme delivered a mixture of classroom learning and practical activity focusing on climate change.

•

Council have signed a new • Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance cooperation and collaboration with the Northern Regional College over the next 10 years. Led by a newly formed joint Enterprise and Innovation Cooperation Steering Committee, the Council and College will work together to create an enhanced enterprise and innovation ecosystem in the borough. • The “Little Free Library” continues to be successfully rolled out across the borough with five libraries now installed. The scheme is a worldwide phenomenon aimed at inspiring a love of reading, building communities, and sparking creativity • by fostering neighbourhood book exchanges around the world. Council, in collaboration with Northern Regional College and Tourism NI, delivered free Level Two Tour Guide Training to keen residents of Whitehead, Islandmagee, Glenarm and Carnlough. The training was funded by Tourism NI’s COVID Market Led Product Development Programme 2021-22 and aimed to boost tourism across the borough.

171 participants

Between April 2021 and March 2022, Council supported the delivery of a number of employability programmes helping the unemployed and most vulnerable to receive personal and skills development support and assistance to enter the workplace. A total of 171 participants secured employment as a result of employability programmes.

2. Encourage our people to realise their potential through awareness, training and lifelong learning.

4. Enhance opportunities for volunteering, work experience and apprenticeship programmes to develop social and employment skills.

Number of participants securing employment as a result of employability programmes

The Energy Detectives Initiative continues to raise awareness of energy usage and how to avoid waste. Delivered to 150 pupils across four primary schools this very popular partnership project enables pupils to share their learning with their families, which is now more important than ever as households struggle to pay rising energy bills. Council actively promoted the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Carbon Literacy Training to local community groups, schools, Elected Members and Council staff throughout 2021/22. We continue to promote the Eco Schools Education Programme across the Borough, informing schools of the many campaigns currently being delivered, including the Wheelie Big Challenge, the Big Spring Clean, Young Reporter for the Environment, Clean Coast Programme, Adopt a Spot and Tackling Textile Waste. All 76 MEA schools are engaged in the Eco Schools Programme.

Number of apprenticeship/work placement/work experience opportunities delivered by Council

1.36 days

8 placements facilitated

Council accommodated a total of 8 work placement/work experience opportunities. We continue to engage with the Belfast City Deal Apprenticeship Challenge and explore options to formalise our Placement /Internship opportunities.

Number of education and training programmes delivered by Council

25 programmes delivered Between April 2021 and March 2022, Council delivered 25 education and training programmes. These included programmes for businesses and schools as well as autism awareness sessions and slow cooker demonstrations.

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Good Health & Wellbeing

Key Performance Indicators Chart Title Performance Summary:

Objectives: What we will do by 2023 1. Deliver a joined-up approach to improve physical and emotional health and wellbeing. 2. Play our part in enabling people to live longer and healthier lives, reducing health inequalities and social isolation.

14 targets achieved/on track. 1 but2 progressing. 3 3 targets delayed 1 target not achieved.

Key achievements

•

Residents of the Borough continue to benefit from the Chatty Cafe initiative. Chatty Cafés encourage venues to designate a table as a ‘chatty table’ where customers can sit if they are happy to talk to other customers. The scheme, being rolled out by Mid and East Antrim’s Loneliness Network, part-funded by Council and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, aims to tackle loneliness and reduce isolation by creating opportunities to talk and interact. The initiative followed the success of the Chatty Benches scheme, which saw bright yellow benches in public spaces create an opportunity for conversation in the outdoors.

•

In March 2022, Council were successful in their application to become a member of the UK Network of Age-friendly Communities. Council will join the growing movement of communities • across the UK making places good to grow old in, by reducing inequalities and acting in partnership to enable long and healthy lives. Council marked International Day of Persons with Disabilities by delivering a range of sport and physical activity programmes across the Borough. We continue to partner with Live Active NI on the Get Out Get Active programme. This programme supports disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together and is funded by Spirit of • 2012. Several established groups are now up and running throughout the Borough under this initiative, including the Better Connected Over 50s class, Boccia and the Pawsitive Walks & Talks dog walking group. Most recently, a Nordic walking group has been established. Council were proud to celebrate the American Sports Programme touching down in Mid and East Antrim. Almost 200 young people with all abilities and backgrounds from across the Borough were introduced to a range of American

10 5 0

18.32

17.08

14.05

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19

10.64

5.28

15.21

2019/20 2020/21 2021/22

•

sports, including, ‘Jag Tag’, a simplified tag version of American Football created by the Jacksonville Jaguars, rodeo bull riding, basketball and hip-hop dance. In March 2022, Sunnylands and Woodburn Community Development Group, in association with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, hosted their Annual Health Fair. Funded by Areas at Risk, through the Department for Communities, this event aimed to educate people so that they could make positive choices around their own health and wellbeing by engaging in complimentary therapies, arts and crafts, massage, health screenings, relaxation sessions and informative workshops. Community Fridges continue to support local families in need. The fridges are a platform for sharing surplus food within a community to reduce food waste going to landfill. They are not means tested and are open to all. Community Fridges differ from the vital role Food Banks play, but can often be a complementary provision. The MEAqua Swim Academy was successfully rolled out across the Borough, expanding swimming provision by over 100% in the first nine months.

Gap in life expectancy between the most deprived areas in the borough and the borough as a whole

5 Gap

4. Lead by example to ensure that our workplaces are for health as well as wealth.

Council were successful in bidding • for additional funding from the Public Health Agency to source additional heaters for the emergency heater lending service. The rising cost of energy has placed additional demands on vulnerable households and Council noted an increase in the demand for emergency heating. We were able to use the funding to build on the success of the initial • scheme introduced in 2020. Council now have a total of 160 energy efficient heaters available to lend to householders who are left without • heat.

3. Enable older people to be active, respected and supported in their community.

•

Average days absent

Employee attendance

0 2014-16

2015-17

2016-18

2017-19

Male

Female

Since 2014-16 there have only been slight changes in the life expectancy gap for both males and females. The data for 2018-20 has recently been published, but as yet has not been broken down to Local Government District Level.

% of available Grant Support Scheme funding awarded

92%

Council received 321 applications between April 2021 and March 2022, and 92% of the available Grant Support Scheme funding was awarded. Some of the projects that were supported included major events like the ISPS Handa World Invitational and the Antrim Coast Half Marathon. Funding was also awarded to support local community groups in re-opening as COVID-19 restrictions eased and also to support centenary celebrations. www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk

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High Performing Council

Key Performance Indicators

Objectives: What we will do by 2023 1. Take the lead on delivering both the Community Plan and the Local Development Plan, working effectively with our partners.

Our aim is to resolve any complaints received at the earliest point of contact in line with good practice.

Actual

100

0 Informal stage

2. Increase customer satisfaction with our services by being a listening and responsive council.

Formal internal stage

External stage

Between April 2021 and March 2022, Council resolved 90% of complaints informally, exceeding the target of 70%.

3. Be recognised as a leading council, delivering excellent services and facilities through collaborative working, innovation and continuous improvement. 4. Embed our values to ensure that our employees feel supported and motivated to realise their potential.

Average escalation rate of complaints

Target

% resolved

Chart Title Performance Summary:

Net cost of council services per head of population 44 targets achieved/on track. 1 2 3 10 targets delayed but progressing. 3 targets not achieved.

This indicator is reported annually to the Association of Public Sector Excellence.

£301 2020/21 figure

The figure for 2021/22 will be reported to Council when the figures have been audited.

Key achievements •

•

Mid and East Antrim were the first • local authority in Northern Ireland to introduce a Contact Centre System powered by Amazon Connect. The system has been implemented as our customer contact solution for Waste Services. The Waste Helpdesk receives an average 108 calls per day, the LEX bot has addressed almost 14% of all calls. The helpdesk team are answering 60% of calls within 20 seconds. The live chat function receives an average of 153 chats per month and 52% of all chats are • addressed by the automated BOT. Council received silver in the Council of the Year category at the iESE Awards, which celebrate and share the most innovative practice in transforming local public services. The award is presented to councils that are deemed outstanding in terms of transforming their services and creating opportunities. Mid and East Antrim was also the bronze winner of the Community Focus Award for our Community Hub. The team behind MEABC’s innovative COVID Confidence Scheme received the Best Service Team accolade at the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) awards ceremony in September 2021.

•

• Council continues to build on a digital-first approach to communications, ensuring information is circulated to residents and businesses in a timely, effective and efficient manner. Currently, Council has more than 28k Facebook • followers, more than 7k Twitter likes, more than 4k Instagram followers and more than 2.3k LinkedIn connections. On Facebook alone last year, Council reached more than one million people with its posts. Council’s Learning and Development Manager organised a series of training programmes to develop our staff. These included, Management Development Programme for Line Managers, Digital Skills Programme and Charter for Domestic Violence (Platinum). Council successfully produced the second Statement of Progress against ‘Putting People First’, our 15-year Community Plan for the Borough. ‘Putting People First’ was launched in 2017 outlining how Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, alongside a range of partners, would work together to improve the lives of everyone who lives or works here.

Statistics released by the Department for Infrastructure show Mid and East Antrim to have the shortest turnaround time for local planning applications out of all 11 local authorities. In February 2022, it was announced that Councillors in Mid and East Antrim achieved below inflation changes to business and domestic rates next year, aimed at minimising the impact on local ratepayers while delivering significant investment and improvements in the community. Despite the sustained financial impact of the COVID-19 crisis and rising inflation, Council remains committed to growing the local economy by investing in ambitious and innovative projects to drive and sustain the future of the area in key growth sectors such as renewable energy and digital technologies. This vital work is aimed at improving skills, creating jobs and boosting our economy.

Customer Satisfaction In Autumn 2018, Council carried out a comprehensive survey of 775 local householders.

88% residents satisfied

A further Household Survey will be carried out during the summer of 2022. This survey will measure satisfaction levels across the Borough.

Staff satisfaction Council commissioned Investors in People to run an online staff engagement survey in Spring 2018.

Preparations continue for the survey to be carried out during 2022/23.

A Working Group has been established to progress the survey. Terms of reference for the survey are currently being developed in conjunction with Trade Unions. www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk

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Statutory Key Performance Indicators Objective:

In addition to the improvement areas identified by us, the Department for Communities also sets statutory targets for Councils in the functional areas of Planning, Economic Development and Waste. Our arrangements to meet these are through the delivery of our statutory services. They are outlined in our annual business plans, and in our Performance Improvement Plan. We closely monitor our progress against the Statutory Performance Indicators to ensure we are progressing in line with our targets. We submit our results to the Department for Infrastructure, the Department for the Economy and

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Corporate Performance Report

the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) every three months. Reports are then issued comparing the performance of all 11 councils. We publish the results on the Council website every six months at www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/PIP

Indicators

Targets

The average processing time of major planning applications.

Major applications processed within an average of 30 weeks.

29.5 weeks *1

The average processing time of local planning applications.

Local applications processed within an average of 15 weeks.

9.4 weeks*1

The % of enforcement cases concluded within 39 weeks.

70% of all enforcement cases progressed to target conclusion within 39 weeks.

90.6% *1

The number of jobs promoted through business start-up activity.

85 jobs.

109 jobs

The % of household waste collected by district Councils that is sent for recycling.

50% household recycling by 2022.

50% *2

The amount of biodegradable Local Authority Collected Municipal Waste that is landfilled.

16,387 tonnes (2021/22).

10,607 tonnes *2

The amount (tonnage) of Local Authority Collected Municipal Waste arisings.

N/A.

60,448 tonnes *2

Results

Our latest results are summarised on the opposite page.

*¹

Year-end figures are not yet available from the Department for Infrastructure, therefore quarter three figures are reported (April to December 2021).

*²

Year-end figures are not yet available from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, therefore quarter three figures are reported (April to December 2021).