Our Achievements

Our Achievements in 2007

We would like to say a big THANK YOU for your continued hard work this year. All of the Council’s achievements were only possible because of your commitment. You will recall that we won the Local Government Chronicle Council of the Year Award. The judges were especially impressed by our regeneration projects, our customer care and value for money services.

Councillor John Faulkner, Leader of the Council
Pat Wilson, Acting Chief Executive.

Here’s just a brief reminder of some of our other achievements in 2007:

What improvements did we make within the Council?

  1. We launched the new PRIDE** values at our first staff conference.
    ** People First, Respect, Innovate, Deliver, Exceed Expectations.
  2. We were listed in the top 10 per cent of 410 councils for value for money by the Audit Commission, and took part in a national study into office efficiency.
  3. We produced a comprehensive handbook for our councillors to help them in their work.
  4. Our new easy to read Annual Report was viewed as an excellent example by the Audit Commission.
  5. We serviced and supported 200 Committee meetings.
  6. We extended our new performance software, Corvu, to five business teams and developed a user guide.
  7. We made efficiency savings by reviewing the pest control and dog warden service.
  8. We organised an intensive Councillor Induction programme, and a very successful open day to demonstrate our services.
  9. We carried out a review of the Corporate Plan to agree priorities for the next few years.
  10. We provided new services under the Gambling Act and new smoke free legislation at no extra cost.

What improvements did we deliver in the Borough?

  1. We ran a successful Free Swimming campaign at our leisure centres during the summer holidays. Over six weeks, 17,104 children attended – 3,006 more than last year.
  2. We ran a successful Business Grants pilot programme to help more than 50 small businesses grow and develop.
  3. We retained the Green Flag award and the Green Heritage Plaque at Pavilion Gardens. Howard Park retained its Green Flag, and Manor Park won its first Green Flag.
  4. We launched the Historic Building Grant Scheme, which gives 75% of costs towards the repair and restoration of commercial properties.
  5. In partnership with Groundwork, we refurbished a number of play areas and improved our parks.
  6. We reduced anti-social behaviour by issuing 18 Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and achieving a 100% non re-offending rate. We also issued three Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and one Parenting Order – contributing towards a 15% reduction in perceptions of anti-social behaviour.
  7. We spent £40,000 making the Borough cleaner, greener and safer through the Going Local scheme.
  8. In partnership with community groups, we won the East Midlands in Bloom competition in Buxton for the second year running, and won the nomination to represent the region in the 2008 finals.
  9. We worked with partners for New Mills and Buxton town centres to be allocated as Designated Public Places – giving the police powers to stop people drinking in these areas.
  10. We successfully bid for £45,000 towards tackling alcohol-related violent crime.
  11. We supported the development of a new artificial turf pitch in Glossopdale, which represents an investment of £650,000.
  12. More than 90 children attained Key Stage 2 for swimming, through our Top-Up swimming scheme.

How did we plan for future improvements?

  1. We launched the Glossopdale Townscape Heritage Initiative, a £2.6 million 5-year partnership with the Heritage Lottery Fund to promote Glossop's mill-town architecture.
  2. We continued to implement our Fit for the Future programme, which is expected to save us £250,000 a year through more flexible working and better IT.
  3. We launched ‘From Special Landscape-to-Landscape Character,’ which sets out the Council’s planning policy to preserve the special character of High Peak. The document won two Royal Town Planning Institute prizes.
  4. We successfully contracted DC Leisure Management to operate the Council's four leisure sites for the next 10 years, securing £1.5m for repairs and maintenance and generating £800,000 to improve the facilities.
  5. We launched a three-year £300,000 funding partnership with English Heritage, to enhance the character of the Higher Buxton, Chapel-en-le-Frith and New Mills Conservation Areas.
  6. We started a thorough review of the Council’s planning policies for shaping the future of High Peak.
  7. We successfully contracted Veolia to operate our refuse and recycling services.

How did we respond to the Government's demands?

  1. We successfully extended the Binnovation scheme to 95% of the Borough. The estimated recycling rate will be above 30%, giving a 10% increase on last year.
  2. We organised the Borough Council and Parish elections in May with over 300 candidates, 80 polling stations, and 300 staff, who also dealt with 10,000 postal votes.
  3. We developed a sustainable energy guide for other Councils to use.
  4. Our Benefits team achieved the highest grade range in all of their key performance measures.
  5. We produced the Corporate Equality and Diversity Plan and a strategy for High Peak. We also produced the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales Equalities Impact Assessment for Leisure Services.
  6. We were recognised as a Community Empowerment Champion for our Area Forums, the Citizens' Panel and local decision-making.
  7. We were judged as performing strongly for our data quality management arrangements – the best possible score.

How did we involve our customers?

  1. We were awarded the Corporate Charter Mark for our Excellent customer service. We are the first Council in the country to achieve this through a single application.
  2. We developed a Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adult Policy, which is to be used as a template by other councils.
  3. We produced a Customer Contact Card for front line employees to issue to customers, so that they can contact the Council easily. This was suggested at the staff conference.
  4. We engaged more than 800 people through the Area Forums with our partners. Topics included older people, Buxton’s development, recycling and regeneration.
  5. We consistently out-performed other Councils in Derbyshire in handling telephone calls and emails.
  6. We improved our engagement with young people in Local Democracy Week by increasing the number and quality of school visits with councillors. More than 1,000 young people were able to influence decision-making and over 9,000 young people visited the Source of the Peak website.
  7. We put the recycling and refuse collection days on the website so that residents can access their collection details by postcode.

Our Recent Achievements

  1. High Peak Borough Council was independently rated Excellent by the Audit Commission.
  2. We have kept your council tax bill low – with just £12 out of every £100* of your council tax going to the High Peak Borough Council, providing outstanding value. (*based on an average council tax payment)
  3. We won a prestigious award in the Rural Areas and the Natural Environment category of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards. Our entry, From special Landscape to Landscape Character, Derbyshire was a category winner, automatically short-listing us for the Silver Jubilee Cup – the highest award for planning in the UK.
  4. We listened to you and set up four Area Forums – Glossopdale, Central Area, Hope Valley and Buxton – jointly with Derbyshire County Council and other partners, to consult you and act on your feedback.
  5. We improved customer services by extending our High Peak Call Centre hours from 8am to 8pm, enabling us to help about 5,000 local residents each week. We also opened three one-stop shop receptions at Buxton, Glossop and Chinley;
  6. Our website is available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we are constantly making it easier for you to find the essential services you need online.
  7. We have invested in the regeneration of the High Peak, attracting £50 million in funding for the Glossop Vision project, the Buxton Crescent and Thermal Spa Project, the University of Derby, the Pavilion Gardens, Buxton Opera House and many more.
  8. Derbyshire Constabulary gave us a national award for safer car parks and linked to use from their 'Park Mark' car parks website (External website**) – recognising the security of High Peak car parks in terms of lighting; general condition of lining, surface repairs, signage, trees and vegetation; tidiness (litter-free, clean toilets, supervision) and how safe people feel when leaving their cars.

**Please note: High Peak Borough Council is not responsible for the content of any external websites