Cheltenham Borough Council Corporate Plan 2023-2027

Introduction

Cheltenham is a world renowned cultural destination and rated one of the best places to live in the UK. Building on our successes, our investments into the Golden Valley Development, a pioneering scheme which will include a national cyber innovation centre. This will aim to cement our position as the cyber capital of the UK and extend Cheltenham’s presence in the global economy as the safest place to do business online. As well providing high-quality and affordable homes and spaces for business and academia, this development will also play a key role in reducing carbon and encouraging biodiversity.

But the scale of our unique ambition is set against a backdrop of global instability, war, high inflation and the recent pandemic. All of these factors mean that our communities are facing real adversity, where being able to feed a family and keep them warm are a real and increasing challenge. As a council we continue to work now and in the months and years ahead alongside our partners such as #FeedCheltenham and Cheltenham Borough Homes to deliver practical support to our residents, businesses and communities.

As we look beyond the difficult financial and economic pressures that we face, we are clear in our future ambition for Cheltenham. We are setting a higher standard for ourselves, and our town, to build a better future for everyone in Cheltenham, ensuring that everyone who lives and works here can equally share the benefits of Cheltenham’s successes.

In this increasingly digital world, our residents are looking for efficient access to council services. We are designing and embedding innovative accessible digital solutions across all our departments, to make doing business with the council easier and quicker. But alongside our digital offer, we will make sure that anyone without a smartphone or access to technology can still find excellent customer service so we support everyone in our borough, regardless of need.

Overall, we believe that building a better future means leaving a legacy of sustainability for future generations. This is the foundation of our ambitions to reduce Cheltenham’s carbon emissions to net zero, but also encompasses building affordable carbon neutral homes

across Cheltenham, conserving and enhancing our green spaces, and securing financial and economic sustainability through the Golden Valley Development. We want our residents and communities to thrive, not just survive, and this means continuing investments in partnerships and services that will augment the long-term financial stability of Cheltenham.

We know that we cannot achieve this vision alone. Combining the strength and resilience of our local partners, residents and businesses, we can forge this bright future for our borough.

Together,

The principles that will guide our priorities

The delivery of our priorities will be based around the following six principles, where we will:

Help all our communities to benefit and prosper from our strong local economy

Work together with everyone in our networks to improve our borough and support our residents to be healthy, our communities to be strong and our businesses to thrive

Be commercially minded to keep costs down and our council financially stable, so we always provide value for money to the taxpayer

Use data and research to drive improvement, listening carefully to our residents, communities and businesses to underpin informed decisions

Ensure the climate emergency agenda is at the forefront and integral to all our decision-making

Be risk aware, rather than a risk averse

Our five key priorities

Key Priority 1

Enhance Cheltenham’s reputation as the cyber capital of the UK

Key Priority 2

Working with residents, communities and businesses to help make Cheltenham net zero by 2030

Key Priority 3

Increasing the number of affordable homes through our £180m housing investment plan

Key Priority 4

Ensuring residents, communities and businesses benefit from Cheltenham’s future growth and prosperity

Key Priority 5

Being a more modern, efficient and financially-sustainable council

Key Priority 1 Enhance Cheltenham’s reputation as the cyber capital of the UK

We will enhance Cheltenham’s reputation as the cyber capital of the UK through the Golden Valley Development - the home of the National Cyber Innovation Centre, which will create jobs, drive business growth and provide more new homes. The Golden Valley Development has a key role in the UK’s mission of making the UK the safest place to live and do online business, as set out in the Government’s National Cyber Strategy 2022.

This will create a vibrant pioneering garden community integrating hi-tech business, residential and leisure uses. At its heart will be the National Cyber Innovation Centre: an Innovation District and the UK home of cyber, digital and creative sectors arising from Cheltenham’s growing international reputation for leadership in cyber innovation.

With a significant development site adjacent to GCHQ, in a highly accessible location with great connectivity, the opportunity exists to create a destination of global significance.

It will require high standards of environmental sustainability integrating exemplar homes as part of a thriving and inclusive campus and garden community, defined by its quality in design, public spaces and approach to connectivity, both digitally and physically.

Goals

9 Work with partners to attract cyber and associated businesses to Cheltenham and build upon our natural strength in this area

9 Ensure the funding, delivery plan and developer are in place to progress and build the development

9 Ensure the development is defined by its exemplar environmental credentials

What we will do to secure Cheltenham’s economic future

9 Build the UK’s national cyber innovation centre as part of the first phase of the innovation district which will support our wider regeneration aspirations for West Cheltenham

9 Through the Golden Valley development, we will increase the supply of new homes by 3,700

9 Work with the developers to ensure an ambitious social value plan is developed and delivered that will ensure our local communities benefit from the investment in the town

9 Continue to expand the local cyber eco-system through the Minster Exchange in the town centre and regenerate the Minster Quarter

9 Work with schools, colleges and universities to support the cyber-tech skills of young people

9 Through Cheltenham Festivals support the DataFace project to help train the next generation of the workforce in the cyber and tech industries

9 Working with the National Cyber Security Centre, Configured Things and Plexal, in testing the use of a small network of smart sensors on Council owned buildings to provide non-personal data to support improved service delivery and customer experience

9 In partnership with Lives of Colour, we will identify ways to develop community connections, community resources and infrastructure to help those moving to Cheltenham to live and work, feel immersed and integrated in the town

How the UK will benefit

The Golden Valley development, which has Ministerial support, will deliver the National Cyber Innovation Centre, a key part of the UK’s Cyber Strategy, supporting our mission to be the safest place in the UK to live and do online business. The development will help foster the growth of a sustainable and internationally important innovation district, focused around cyber-tech, developing pioneering products and services, driving forward the economy and the UK’s goal

superpower.

How success will

"It's great to see the plans for the new West Cheltenham Golden Valley Development. It's such an exciting prospect, not only in benefit of the cyber industry; nurturing and attracting talent in Gloucestershire, but with the high street in mind too. Building new homes and encouraging more people to spend locally can only support retail and our local economy. The development will undoubtedly attract more people into the centre of Cheltenham and we can't wait to welcome them."

“The Golden Valley Development and the Minster Exchange, both of which GFirst LEP has strongly supported, will together make a huge contribution to the future prosperity of Cheltenham and help to ensure that future growth is both inclusive and sustainable. They will also contribute hugely towards making Gloucestershire a ‘magnet’ county for individuals, families and businesses and help to position the county as an exceptional place to live and work in the constantly changing, digitally integrated world we now live in.”

“We will increase our support for innovators and entrepreneurs outside of London and the South East. This includes the Golden Valley campus led by Cheltenham Borough Council dedicated to supporting the growth of cyber-related technology businesses.”

HM Government

Key Priority 2

Working with residents, communities and businesses to help make Cheltenham net zero by 2030

Our Climate Emergency Action Plan: Pathway to Net Zero sets out our aim to achieve the 2030 target by working with residents, communities, businesses, public and voluntary organisations. This will require mitigation through reducing our carbon footprint, and adaptation through improving our infrastructure and achieving a cleaner and greener sustainable environment.

We strongly believe that in order to ask others to make the necessary changes to their organisations and lives, we must be seen to be leading on making these changes ourselves. By seeking to set ever higher standards and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we can position ourselves to offer advice and share best practice, signposting to other leaders along the way, making it easier for others to follow.

Our climate emergency declaration called for devolution of power and money to local councils to expedite further net zero initiatives. We will continue to play a leading role in partnership with others across Gloucestershire to champion and support net zero initiatives. Cheltenham’s new Climate Impact Assessment Tool will make sure that we are appropriately considering climate factors, from biodiversity to air quality, in all of our decisions. The tool will help shape projects which optimise positive impacts on the wellbeing of residents and the environment we all live in.

To support our climate emergency agenda, we will look to implement innovative service improvements to our waste, recycling, street cleansing and grounds maintenance services and deliver a clean, green, sustainable environment for Cheltenham’s residents, communities, businesses and visitors.

Goals

9 Work with others to help make Cheltenham Borough net zero by 2030

9 Make Cheltenham Borough Council net zero by 2030

9 Deliver a modern and fit-for-purpose strategic waste facility that will provide more efficient and environmentally sustainable management of waste and recycling service to better meet the future requirements of the Environment Act 2021

9 Implement improvements to the waste and recycling service to further improve Cheltenham’s environment-focused approach

What we will do to help make Cheltenham clean and green

9 As part of its net zero carbon commitment and strategic asset management plan, the council is reviewing its land holdings, to establish opportunities to support the establishment of publicly-accessible EV charging points across the town. To date, some 40 locations have been analysed and identified as being potentially suitable for such charging points and the council is in discussion with EV charging providers about the arrangements for installing the infrastructure.

9 Work with residents, communities, businesses, public and voluntary sectors, including Gloucestershire County Council, to take forward the actions set out in the ‘Climate Emergency Action Plan: Pathway to Net Zero’

9 Implement changes to continue to reduce fuel use in our waste, recycling, parks and gardens services

9 Lobby Government to ensure local councils have the funding and legislative framework to take forward our net zero ambitions

9 Through our £10m green deal fund, take forward climate emergency investment opportunities that support the net zero agenda and contribute to the financial sustainability of the council

9 Embed our newly-approved Climate Change Supplementary Planning Document in the planning decision making process and deliver biodiversity net gain

9 Implement behaviour change initiatives to reduce waste, increase re-use and recycling

9 Work with local amenity and friends of groups to enhance biodiversity in our public spaces, parks and gardens to further improve Cheltenham’s environment

9 Review our environmental services, in partnership with our service provider Ubico, and the way we commission these services to meet the demands of the future and our climate emergency agenda

9 Reduce energy consumption across council-owned buildings

9 Explore options for a modern and fit-for-purpose strategic waste facility

9 Develop an Ecology and Biodiversity Supplementary Planning Document to further support sustainable development

9 Work with the CheltZero partnership to fund businesses to carry out carbon footprint reporting and develop carbon reduction plans

9 Develop and deliver a town centre hub for safe bicycle parking

9 Work with Planet Cheltenham to develop the ‘Retrofit Street’ project to address fuel poverty including engagement, education, job creation, and training

9 In partnership with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, undertake feasibility for launching two heat networks, which could warm hundreds of homes and businesses in the town

9 Install electricity infrastructure in key locations to remove reliance on generators for events

“Cheltenham Borough Council and Podback recognise that innovation is needed to meet the challenges of the future and our collaboration with Cheltenham, the first authority to sign up to the Podback initiative, demonstrates forward thinking and a real commitment to implementing new initiatives for its residents by launching one of the first kerbside collections of coffee pods.”

“We are delighted to have partnered Cheltenham in the installation of 200 electricity and gas sub-meters, providing the detailed evidence base which the authority will use to drive down energy use across its property portfolio and helping the council to meet its net zero carbon ambitions by 2030.”

Key Priority 3

Increasing the number of affordable homes through our £180m housing investment plan

Working with Cheltenham Borough Homes and other providers, we will continue to increase the number of affordable, carbon net zero homes through our £180m housing investment plan, which will help create more sustainable communities and reduce homelessness.

With this investment we will look to maximise opportunities for wider regeneration and how we can further support the local supply chain. We will focus on sustainable, green investment in both new and existing homes, ensuring we can continue to support tenants and communities and contribute to the wider regeneration of Cheltenham.

We will also make best use of government homelessness and rough sleeper grant funding opportunities to help prevent homelessness and tackle rough sleeping.

Goals

9 Increase the number of new affordable and carbon net zero homes

9 Adopt a ‘fabric-first’ approach to improve energy efficiency of existing council homes

9 Support and enable resilient communities through shared community investment plans with Cheltenham Borough Homes

9 Prevent homelessness and rough sleeping

What we will do to increase the number of affordable homes, increase town centre living and reduce rough sleeping

9 Increase the supply of affordable homes through our £180m housing investment plan where we have already spent £35m delivering 136 homes, with a strong pipeline set to deliver significant numbers of additional affordable homes over the current and following four years

9 Invest in safe, secure and energy-efficient homes, building on the successful investment of £22m in home improvements over the last three years. This investment will continue from 2022-23 with over £10m allocated each year for the next three years for further home and neighbourhood improvements

9 Continue to take a ‘fabric-first’ approach with improvements to existing homes, ensuring they are as energy efficient as possible by improving the insulation before low carbon heating is installed

9 Continue to strengthen our partnership with Cheltenham Borough Homes through a number of improvement initiatives, to ensure we maximise value for money and improve tenant, resident and community outcomes

9 Commission services to reduce homelessness and strengthen pathways so that rough sleeping becomes brief, rare and non-recurring

9 Enable development and regeneration opportunities to support more town centre living

“They helped me out of a very tricky situation following a divorce six years ago, they have given me a home and let me live as if it is my own. They have always been quick to respond if I have had an issue. I am very satisfied.”

Council Tenant

“Daunting as first house on my own but everything’s lovely and the houses are great”

New Council Tenant

Key Priority 4

Ensuring

residents, communities and businesses benefit from Cheltenham’s future growth and prosperity

Cheltenham will see huge investment over the coming years through expansion of the cyber industry, more affordable homes and infrastructure. This presents a once-in-a-generation chance to ensure all of our communities can benefit from sustainable growth in jobs, skills and housing.

We will continue to develop our local networks and partnerships, working to ensure residents, communities and businesses are best placed to take advantage of these opportunities. This will include building on our strengths in cybertech, culture, hospitality, the creative industries and professional services.

We know that some of our residents face barriers that might prevent them from benefitting from this investment. We are committed to working with community organisations and partners to ensure that residents are supported and barriers are removed wherever possible to ensure residents, communities and businesses are best placed to take advantage of these opportunities.

Goals

9 Strengthen our working relationship with Gloucestershire County Council to help improve Cheltenham’s infrastructure, public realm and environment

9 Work with partners to ensure all of our communities benefit from the investment and growth in our town by embedding our approach to social value

9 Identify and take forward regeneration opportunities that enhance Cheltenham as a place to live, work and visit

9 Identify and drive opportunities in all aspects of economic development across Cheltenham at every level, using economic evidence and data to inform our priorities and outcomes

9 Find ways to ensure Council owned buildings, including those subject to conservation and heritage designations, are financially and environmentally sustainable for future generations to enjoy

What we will do to boost the local economy

9 Develop our working relationship with Gloucestershire County Council to support improvements to Cheltenham’s high street

9 Expand Cheltenham’s cyber ecosystem and increase footfall to the high street through the rollout of the Minster Exchange

9 Undertake regeneration within the town centre to increase footfall to the high street and provide more affordable homes

9 Through Marketing Cheltenham, promote the town as a desirable place to live, work, visit, meet, and invest

9 Develop a vision for the town centre to ensure it remains vibrant and an attraction for residents and visitors

9 Through the Culture Board, continue to develop and improve Cheltenham’s cultural offer. Support tourist attractions, cultural venues, and event organisers to provide even more reasons to visit or live in Cheltenham

9 Invest £1.1m from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to support carbonbusting initiatives, skills-boosting schemes in partnership with Gloucestershire College, supporting business growth and a new cycle hub

9 Undertake a residential and commercial regeneration of 232242 High Street, 254 High Street, 8 St Georges Place to increase footfall to the high street and provide more affordable homes and increase town centre living

9 Fund the Gloucestershire College Construction & Skills School to support the development of skills in key sectors for the town

9 Invest in Cheltenham Growth Hub to provide support for existing and start-up businesses and ensure the successful delivery of a comprehensive support programme for businesses looking to start, survive or grow

What we will do to enhance Cheltenham’s cultural and sporting offer

9 Support the Cheltenham Trust’s re-opening of the Wilson Art Gallery and Museum to enhance Cheltenham’s cultural offer through more diverse programming and use of the Council’s collection

9 In partnership with the Cheltenham Trust, Friends of the Wilson, Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and The Wolfson Foundation, support the refurbishment of the museum galleries in the Victorian wing

9 Work with partner organisations to develop a sports strategy for Cheltenham, to improve and further develop sport provision and help ensure more opportunities for external funding in order to improve health and wellbeing opportunities for local people

9 Play an active role in Cheltenham’s Culture Board in developing an action plan to improve social, cultural and business outcomes, ensuring funding is targeted to secure value for money

9 Support the promotion of Cheltenham as a place to do business with a particular focus on inward investment

9 Support for people who are furthest from the labour market with individually tailored advice on how to move into, or closer to, the labour market

9 Continue to build relationships with local, regional and national visitor economy stakeholders to ensure that Cheltenham remains as one of the most popular visitor destinations in the region

9 Review of the Council’s core infrastructure across the town, including toilets and car parks, to ensure sufficient and appropriate provision to support resident and visitor needs.

9 Working with Cheltenham’s heritage organisations, we will look to develop a heritage strategy. This will be a platform to promote these heritage assets, understand the people who value them, enhance the manner in which they can be conserved and to inform their future preservation and enjoyment

What we will do to help our communities

9 Work with partner organisations, such as #FeedCheltenham and Cheltenham Borough Homes, to support our residents and communities with the cost of living crisis

9 Through ‘No Child Left Behind’ continue to raise awareness of issues affecting our children, such as criminal exploitation, period poverty or healthy eating and work with partners across the public, private and voluntary sectors to tackle this

9 With Cheltenham Borough Homes, evaluate options of how we can support the Big Local and Saracens Football Club to take forward the development of a new sustainable community facility in St Peter’s and the Moors

9 Embed social value within our procurement and investment activities including maximising further benefit from the Cheltenham Lottery

9 Work in partnership with the police and other agencies to ensure we continue to have a safe night-time economy

9 Explore opportunities to establish a crowdfunding platform to help support local community initiatives

How success will be measured

9 Number of new businesses started

9 Number of visitors to Cheltenham

9 Retail occupancy rate

9 Retention of Purple Flag status for Cheltenham’s night-time economy

9 Level of social value achieved

9 Increase in Cheltenham Lottery ticket sales to support more local good causes

9 Reduction in levels of ASB Where to find out more: cheltenhamlottery.co.uk

“Through Cynam we are excited to be working with the council to unlock the potential from the Golden Valley project. One area of great interest to us is making sure that no-one gets left behind so will be working with No Child Left Behind to enthuse local school children as well as ensuring that adults also have opportunities to acquire new digital skills so that the whole community can benefit from this exciting investment.”

“Through #FeedCheltenham, we have worked with the council to ensure that our community food pantries and food banks get the support they need to meet needs within our communities working on the idea that we can do much more together than we can apart. The partnership with No Child Left Behind enables us to have a consistent approach for households and those in need across Cheltenham meaning more people can get support and help at a time when they need it most through the network of food support. Working together gives a forum for sharing ideas and working together. It enables #FeedCheltenham to have greater impact and reach more people. I enjoy working with the council and long may the partnership continue.”

Key Priority 5 Being a more modern, efficient and financially-sustainable council

Local councils continue to operate in a challenging financial environment and as part of our recovery from Covid-19 we will continue to identify opportunities to increase income and reduce costs to ensure financial sustainability. This will enable continued investment in front-line services and enhance Cheltenham as a place to live, work and visit.

Advancements in new technologies provide a greater opportunity for residents, communities and businesses to interact with the council. Whilst new digital services present huge opportunities, we will continue to provide efficient services over the telephone and face to face, to ensure we remain accessible, responsive and helpful.

To ensure we can continue to invest in frontline services, we will make more efficient and effective use of our assets, identify income-generating opportunities and optimise investments to ensure community benefit and value for money for the taxpayer.

Goals

9 Make it easier for customers to contact the council and ensure their enquiries are resolved wherever possible at the first point of contact

9 Continue to use our assets for the benefit of our residents, businesses, staff and communities, stimulating a positive environment for inward investment in our place and people

9 Lead the economic recovery of our town and continue to invest in Cheltenham for the benefit of the town, both in terms of sustainable council finances, but also the way we invest both commercially and for regeneration purposes

What we will do to be a more efficient and financially-sustainable council

9 Introduce new digital services to make it easier for our customers to interact with the council 24/7 and 365 days a year. This will free up more time to help those customers most in need

9 Identify development opportunities that will help regeneration and provide a financial return

9 Ensure value for money for the taxpayer by identifying commercial opportunities to increase our net income

9 Develop a car parking strategy that will bring real change in how we travel, how we help our communities and our financial sustainability, as the supply and provision of acceptable, accessible and good quality car parking is important to visitors, residents and

How success will

“CBC is a council with ambition and a focus on the projects to deliver that ambition, and the council has demonstrated the organisational flexibility to respond to the Covid-19 crisis in such a way that many of the external stakeholders were keen to acknowledge positively. The council’s dynamic assessment and review of risk will ensure that community needs continue to be met and front line services delivered.”

Local Government Association

Renewal

“Excellent online use of renewing private hire taxi license. Easy to use. Full instructions which guide you through the process. Would highly recommend it.”

Just some of our partnership organisations

Summary of the 2022 Independent Resident Survey Satisfaction Results

90% of Cheltenham residents are satisfied with their local area as a place to live

68% of residents will choose to walk, cycle or use public transport more instead of using a car in the next few years

81% of residents felt Cheltenham has either got better or not changed much over the last twelve months

61% of residents were satisfied with the range of local shops available

80% of residents felt Cheltenham has a positive future

78% of residents felt Cheltenham has a vibrant culture and is an exciting place to live

72% of residents were satisfied with the cleanliness of streets in their local area

88% of residents were satisfied with the range of events in Cheltenham

81% of residents were satisfied with household collections for recyclables

44% of residents felt they have the opportunity to grow their career in Cheltenham

Satisfaction with how the Council runs things has increased by 4% to 59% broadly in line with the Local Government Association Benchmark

89% of residents would recommend Cheltenham as a place to live

76% of residents felt there was a need for more affordable homes to buy and rent

83% of residents were satisfied with household collection for domestic waste

Satisfaction with safety during the day is 87%

but this drops to 44% after dark

88% of residents were satisfied with the parks and open spaces