Harrogate Borough Council's Long-term Vision for the Harrogate District

In 2008 the Council published its long-term vision and priorities for the Harrogate District in a single document, called the Harrogate Borough Council Strategic Plan.  The aim of the plan is to explain to residents, partner organisations, staff and visitors what the Council is focusing on and what it is aiming to achieve in the next ten years. The Strategic Plan sets out the vision, goal and priorities of the Council and identifies key actions the Council needs to take inorder to achieve the Vision.

Harrogate Borough Council 10 year Vision

“To make the Harrogate District a better place to live, work and visit” by:-

Conserving its heritage. Enhancing its unique environment. Delivering first-class public services. Enabling everyone to share in its success. Putting into place effective arrangements for better local government to meet the future needs of the District.

The aim of this Vision is to achieve a district by 2018 that has the following features: Social - An inclusive community with equality and accessibility at its heart, providing affordable housing and ensuring that no parts of the District fall within the bottom bands nationally for levels of poverty, health or deprivation. Economic - An economically active and prosperous economy with high levels of employment, sustainable tourism, inward investment and business profitability. Environment - A high quality natural and built environment with conservation and recycling central to protecting our heritage for this and future generations.

Q1	How strongly do you agree or disagree with each of the above features?                                                           Please tick one box for each feature
		Strongly agree		Agree		Neither agree nor disagree		Disagree		Disagree strongly
	Social
	Economic
	Environment

Harrogate Borough Council Corporate Priorities

In looking to deliver its Vision, the Council has identified Seven Priorities.  These form the framework for the next three years to ensure we deliver the Vision for the Harrogate District.

1. Caring for the Environment: enhance and protect the natural and built environment District-wide The Council is proposing to deliver this priority using the following means:- a - reducing the amount of waste generated and increasing the amount recycled b - ensuring that new housing development enhances the environment c - safeguarding the sensitive environments eg the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. d - raising awareness in the local community about the environment and sustainability e - reducing litter, graffiti and dog fouling f - maintaining and, where possible, improving the quality of our public spaces - buildings, parks g - reducing the Council’s carbon footprint.

Q2	Please indicate which you think are the three most important of these means in order of priority   Please ensure you tick only one box for each priority
		a		b		c		d		e		f		g
	1st priority
	2nd priority
	3rd priority

2. Homes for local people:  people have access to housing opportunities throughout the District: The Council is proposing to deliver this priority using the following means:- a - tackling the housing needs of the District b - promoting housing opportunities including decent homes for all c - reducing the level of homelessness

Q3	Please indicate which you think are the most important of these means in order of priority   Please ensure you tick only one box for each priority
		a		b		c
	1st priority
	2nd priority
	3rd priority

3. Traffic and Transport:  a transport network that will provide access to public transport in all areas and provide integrated facilities including car parks. The Council is proposing to deliver this priority using the following means:- a - managing the traffic flows in our towns effectively b - tackling the availability of, and access to, rural transport c - enhancing the District’s access to and from the national transport infrastructure (eg trains, motorways). d - improving car parking across the District e - tackling the low usage of public transport in the Harrogate District f - lobbying for improved transport links between the District and the rest of the City Region (the City region is centered on Leeds and includes Craven, York, Bradford, Leeds, Harrogate, Selby, Calderdale, Wakefield, Kirklees and Barnsley)

Q4	Please indicate which you think are the three most important of these means in order of priority   Please ensure you tick only one box for each priority
		a		b		c		d		e		f
	1st priority
	2nd priority
	3rd priority

4. Safer and Strong Communities:  communities across the District are strong, safe and secure; people feel safer and part of their community. The Council is proposing to deliver this priority using the following means:- a - reducing anti-social behaviour (eg graffiti, vandalism) b - encouraging young people to engage in positive activity (eg sport, leisure) c - reducing the fear of crime (how safe you feel) d - providing opportunities for all our citizens to be involved in decisions that affect them and their communities  (eg District Panel, public meetings) e - working with others to address disadvantage and promote strong, healthy, vibrant communities where people want to live and work (eg tackling poverty, health inequality, discrimination)

Q5	Please indicate which you think are the three most important of these means in order of priority   Please ensure you tick only one box for each priority
		a		b		c		d		e
	1st priority
	2nd priority
	3rd priority

5. Supporting our Local Economy:  a robust and diverse economy that benefits local people and creates employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas and the market towns across the District. The Council is proposing to deliver this priority using the following means:- a - meeting the renaissance needs of our market towns (investing in Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and Patelybridge) b - creating a range of employment opportunities focussing in particular on job creation in our rural areas and market towns c - creating an effective tourism, marketing and visitor management service (tourist information centres) d - capitalising on the District’s reputation for floral excellence e - sustaining the Harrogate International Centre as one of the country’s top international centres and the Region’s conference and exhibition destinations f - playing a full part in the development of the City Region

Q6	Please indicate which you think are the three most important of these means in order of priority   Please ensure you tick only one box for each priority
		a		b		c		d		e		f
	1st priority
	2nd priority
	3rd priority

6.  Delivering First-Class Public Services:  services delivered throughout the District which meet the needs of customers, are accessible and of a high quality. The Council is proposing to deliver this priority using the following means:- a - improving the public’s access to our services (eg face to face, online, telephone) b - strengthening how we care for our customers (eg handling customer questions, complaints) c - responding effectively to civil contingencies and emergency planning (eg flooding, sever weather) d - providing services that are good value for money and valued by local people e - developing our customer-facing services (eg Community office in Masham, local offices)

Q7	Please indicate which you think are the three most important of these means in order of priority   Please ensure you tick only one box for each priority
		a		b		c		d		e
	1st priority
	2nd priority
	3rd priority

7.  Organisational Improvement:  being a good employer and improving our capacity to deliver first-class services and meet the needs of the local community. The Council is proposing to deliver this priority using the following means:- a - providing clear direction and leadership (clear plans, based on local needs) b - improving our performance and efficiency (achieving more service for less costs) c - strengthening how we engage with local people (communication, consultation, involvement) d - improving our capacity to deliver our priorities (training, partnership working)

Q8	Please indicate which you think are the three most important of these means in order of priority                                                       Please ensure you tick only one box for each priority
		a		b		c		d
	1st priority
	2nd priority
	3rd priority

Q9	Do you think that seven Corporate priorities is the right number of Priorities for Harrogate Borough Council to have? Please tick one box
		Yes
		No - Too many
		No - Too few

Q10	If you answered 'too few', what would you add to the list of priorities?I Please specify

Q11	If you answered 'too many', what would you delete from the priorities? Please specify

Harrogate Borough Council's Budget 2009/2010

These questions are seeking your views on Harrogate Borough Council's Budget  for 2009/2010 and proposed Council Tax rise.  We understand that you may wish to make further comment and a space for this purpose is provided at Question 20.

The Council receives funding from 3 main sources:

w   Central Government Grant  w   Council Tax   w Fees and Charges

If one of these sources does not increase annually , for example no Grant increase from Central Government, then increased expenditure, including inflation, must be met from the remaining sources i.e Council Tax and Fees and Charges

In July 2008 the Cabinet agreed the following proposals relating to the Council's budget:-           4 Increase the overall budget by 3.3 per cent to £24.659m           4 Increase fees and charges between 4 per cent and 5 per cent (Calculated rate of inflation)           4 Make efficiency savings of 2 per cent cash

Following the Comprehensive Spending Review, the Central Government Grant the Council will receive for the three years 2008/2009 to 2010/2011 was announced.  For 2009/2010 the Council will receive an increase of 1.7 per cent.  Based on the above budget the Council Tax will increase by 4.2 per cent

The Council is facing a number of cost pressures in particular in relation to concessionary travel where government funding has been insufficient to meet the predicted cost of the new National Concessionary Travel Scheme.  In addition there are considerable pressures on the Council for new spending on Waste Recycling and Waste Collection where the Council is required to meet Government  targets on recycling and compost or face financial penalties.

The Council must decide if it  wishes to invest further in this area and is seeking views on how this might be achieved.  As a guide, a 1% increase in Council Tax produces an additional £130,000 to spend.  However, if the Council increases its Council Tax above 5% it will face financial penalties from the Government.

Q12	Were you aware that of the Council Tax billed in 2008/2009:          4 14.6 per cent is for Harrogate Borough Council to spend.          4 68.1 per cent is for North Yorkshire County Council to spend.          4 13.3 per cent is for North Yorkshire Police Authority to spend.          4 4 per cent is for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to spend.                                                   Please tick one box
		Aware
		Not aware

Q13	If Aware, how did you know? Please specify

Q14	What is your preferred Council Tax rise? Please tick one box
		Less than 4.2 per cent (this will lead to cuts in existing services and/or a further increase in fees and charges)
		4.2 per cent (services will remain broadly as they are)
		4.3 - 4.9 per cent (this will enable the Council to provide a limited response to demands for additional spending)

Q15	Do you agree that additional expenditure should be spent in 2009/2010 in any of the following areas? Please tick one box for each statement.
		Yes		No
	Green Waste Scheme expansion.
	Expand existing Kerbside scheme to include plastic bottles.