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Bexhill Our Place

Better Brighter Bexhill

Operational Plan November 2004Table of Contents:

P Section

1 Context Background and Vision 1Profile / overview 1.1.aSocial life 1.1.b

2 Challenges / The shopping centre

1.2.a

3 Employment 1.2.bTransport links 1.2.c

4 Local governance 1.2.dStatistical portrait / Age 1.3.aEarnings 1.3.b

5 Dependency rate 1.3.c6 Unemployment 1.3.d8 Why was this area chosen /

Economy1.4.a

Vitality of town centre 1.4.b9 Investment in community 1.4.c9 Vision 1.510

Community Involvement/Consultation

2.1.a

11

Ongoing community consultation

2.1.b

13

Focus of the project 3.1.a

Identified issues 3.1.bChallenges 3.1.cPriorities 3.1.d

16

Bexhill Our Place Approach 4.1

18

Business Case (extended logic model)

5.1

20

Governance 6.1

Role of Steering Committee 6.221

Role of Community 6.3

22

Implementation Plan 7.1

Organisations 7.1.a

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Project management 7.1.b23

Timetable 7.1.c

Budget 7.1.d25

Appendix A: Statistical Profile

30

Appendix B: Community Consultation

33

Appendix C: Potential for Community Influenced Spend

37

Appendix D: Cost Benefit Analysis

1. Better Brighter Bexhill: Context, Background and Vision

1.1 Profile of the Better Brighter Bexhill project area

1.1a Overview

The Our Place area covers 2 adjacent wards in Bexhill-on-Sea; Central Ward and Sackville Ward, which fare relatively less well than the surrounding Bexhill wards. The buildings are mostly Victorian or Edwardian; the area boarders the sea.

The wards are mostly residential with Bexhill Town Centre, with a small traditional shopping centre and conservation area, in the middle. The Town Centre is residential with flats above shops and some streets of houses. Many of the large houses are split into flats. There is a large, well utilised park.

The combined population is approximately 10,000 people and older than average with the highest proportion of retirees in the UK (Coastal Communities Oct 2014 NOS). The relatively flat landscape is attractive to those with mobility problems who can access the Town Centre easily. The bus and train services provide facilities for those without cars and the excellent volunteer-run Community Bus reaches those parts of the town not reached by commercial services.

1.1.b Social life

The area includes the De La Warr Pavilion and Bexhill Museum; and one primary and one secondary school. There are several places of worship.

Voluntary sector organisations that are based and active in the area include the Bexhill Foodbank who report an increasing demand on their services (August 2014), RVA, the Citizens Advice Bureau, Bexhill Caring Community, Bexhill Community Bus, Hastings Furniture Service (offering cheap furniture to those on benefits), active in the area are Bexhill Lions

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Club, Rotary Club, Guides, Scouts, Sea-cadets, WI, TWG and the Bexhill Senior Citizens Club. There is a Children’s Centre on the periphery of the project area.

There is no where in the Town Centre which is an information point for residents. The local newspaper office used to fulfil this role but was closed two years ago. There is a CAB and a Tourist Information Point but they do not meet the local social need.

While there is a sixth form college in Bexhill, most post 16 training for employment takes place in Hastings or Eastbourne, e.g. Food Hygiene, First Aid, Manual Handling, training for carers, hospitality.

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Central Ward (left) and Sackville ward (right)

1.2 Levels of deprivation, challenges faced by the area

1.2.a The shopping centre

Bexhill Town Centre is designated a shopping centre in Rother District Council’s Local Plan; there are approximately 300 shop front businesses. At the last survey by Bexhill Town Team in July 2014, there were 49 empty shops, 25 charity shops, 17 shops selling second hand goods, 37 hairdressers, 60 cafes and restaurants. In 2012, traders bid in the competition to become a government Portas Pilot scheme. As part of that bid they produced a video which is available to view here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6ScWZYuUr4 It is important to note that this is 2 years old so the figure for the number of empty shops is now double what it was then. Also, it was a requirement of the competition that the video was less than 3 minutes long and made with no professional help.

According to Bexhill Chamber of Commerce there is now a greater proportion of Charity shops in Bexhill than in any town of comparable size in Sussex, Kent or Surrey.

The whole Town Centre is a secondary retail area with mostly independent traders and low footfall. The few national chains include Iceland, Factory Shop and W H Smiths. There is no large department store. The poor parking facilities deter shoppers. Two miles away there is a retail park, with convenient parking, which along with Hastings and Eastbourne draws shoppers away from Bexhill.

Members of Bexhill Town Team secretly decorated some of the town centre balls in December 2013.

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1.2.b Employment

There are no large private sector employers (i.e. over 100 employees) inside the project area. There is a branch of Sainsbury’s providing some employment on the edge of the Town Centre, the De La Warr Pavilion employs 70 people (mostly part time), Royal Mail employs 77 people (some part time), but the care-related sector dominates employment and staff are low paid. Hastings Direct (insurance call centre) is the major employer across the town. The large number of hairdressers and small cafes in the Town Centre reflects the needs of a predominantly elderly population and provide services at the lower end of the market and low-paid employment.

In E.Sussex, employment is predominantly in services, but highly-paid service industries are under-represented here. In the S. East in general, 19% of people work in the Information & communication, Financial & real estate and Professional sectors combined, compared with just 11% in E Sussex. (ESCC Annual Monitor 2012).

34% of employment in E Sussex in 2010 was in public administration, education and health (ESCC Annual Monitor 2012). For every public sector job there are only 2 private sector jobs. In the most economically successful areas (e.g. Milton Keynes) there could be 5 private sector jobs for every public sector job.

While there is a sixth form college in Bexhill, most post 16 training for employment takes place in Hastings, e.g. Food Hygiene, First Aid, Manual Handling, training for carers, hospitality. There are outlets offering ‘first steps, non-accredited’ courses but there is no evidence of progression from these into accredited courses.

1.2.c Transport Links

Shops, cafes and businesses depend on tourism to boost local revenues but the tourists visit the sea front (which has received much investment in recent years) not the Town Centre which cannot be seen from much of the sea front. Travel by train is convenient for local destinations for those who can afford it, but the journey time to cover the 60 or so miles to Bexhill from London Victoria is 2 hours, i.e. 30 mph (compared to less than half that time in 1948). National Express is much more affordable, but the journey time from Victoria is 4 hours, i.e. about 15 mph. For the time alone spent travelling, it is not worth a day trip.

Bexhill, a town of 40,000 residents is, in common with other coastal towns, at the end of the line. But, Bexhill is not on the end of the line from London; Hastings and Eastbourne are. From Eastbourne the train slowly tootles along the coast for another 20 minutes to reach Bexhill, stopping 4 or 5 times on the way. Combined with the infrequency of trains and the cost of travel, the journey time, whether via Hastings or Eastbourne, is too

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long to attract commuters and visitors from London and the surrounding areas.

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1.2.d Local Governance

Bexhill, with a population of 43,000, is the largest conurbation in the District of Rother (population 90,000). Since the local government reorganisation of the 1970s, Bexhill has been governed directly by Rother District Council, while, in common with many other District Councils, the rural areas (not the larger towns) have the benefit of local Town or Parish Councils. The local councils provide the rural areas with a democratic structure and a local voice. The issue of local governance for Bexhill is to be reviewed by the District Council after the elections in May.

1.3 Brief statistical portrait of the neighbourhood including relevant data on priority issues

1.3.a Age

2011 Census: Coastal Communities published October 28 2014 by National Office for Statistics:20% of the population in coastal communities were aged 65 or over (compared with 16% in England and Wales as a whole).Bexhill had the highest share of population aged 65 or above (32%) among the medium/large coastal communities.

1.3.b Earnings

Earnings across the Rother District are low compared to national figures and to E Sussex. Those living in Rother but working outside earn more, but the difficulties with travel for those living in Bexhill (see Challenges, 1.2.c, above) compared to more northerly parts of Rother and even to other coastal towns mitigates against this.

Earnings for full time employee jobs in Rother

Median (50th percentile)

Rother pay as % of other areas

Great Britain 502.6 84.1South East 528.1 80.0East Sussex 452.2 93.5 Eastbourne 459.8 91.9 Hastings 432.5 97.7 Lewes 479.7 88 Rother 422.6 100 Wealden 440.1 96

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Earnings for full time employees resident in Rother

Median (50th percentile)

Rother pay as % of other areas

Great Britain 503.1 93.5South East 554.4 84.8East Sussex 488.2 96.3 Eastbourne 439.9 106.8 Hastings 418.7 112 Lewes 501.3 93.8 Rother 470.2 100.0 Wealden 570.0 82.4

Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Provisional results 2011.Until recently, the JSA claimant rate was 5.8%. i.e. more than double the national average.

1.3.c Dependency Rate

Low earnings but higher than average dependency rate

A relatively larger than average proportion of the local population is economically inactive. There is an older than average population in Sackville and in Central, until recently, a relatively high proportion of working age people living on benefits or JSA. So the dependency rate is relatively high but the local earnings are low.

Limiting long-term illness in 2011

This table shows the percentage of people that have a limiting long-term illness or disability (including mental health) from 2011 Census. The high rates in Sackville are age related but in Central have a marked downward effect on earning potential.

Type All people

Percentage of

people with long-

term health

problem or disability

Percentage whose

day-to-day activities

are limited a little

Percentage whose day-

to-day activities

limited a lot

Percentage of

people without a long-term

health problem

or disability

Geography

England and Wales

56,075,912 17.9 9.4 8.5 82.1

South East 8,634,750 15.7 8.8 6.9 84.3

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East Sussex 526,671 20.3 11.2 9.2 79.7Rother 90,588 23.4 12.8 10.7 76.6Sackville 4,446 35.2 16.8 18.4 64.8Central 5,586 28.3 15.4 12.9 71.7

1.3.d.Unemployment

Unemployment as measured by the JSA Claimant Count, 2013-2014

The Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) claimant rate is a residence-based proportion, expressing the number of claimants resident in an area as a percentage of the resident working age population. To claim JSA you must be available for and actively seeking work, aged between 18 and state pension age and working less than 16 hours per week on average. Source: 2011 Census, Office for National Statistics.

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Employment and Support Allowance and Incapacity Benefit claimant rate February 2014

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ESA and incapacity benefit claimant rates are double the national average in Central Ward having a downward impact of incapacity on earning potential.

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1.4. Why the particular geographic area was chosen

Economy Vitality Lack of investment Vision

1.4.a Economy

Bexhill Town Centre, a shopping centre, has battled on through the down-turn. First, we have a high level of independent shops with tenacious shop keepers who won’t give in. We have the De La Warr Pavilion raising the profile of the town and being committed to circulating its visitors. There is also free parking, it may not be the most convenient or be easy to find, but it is free.

Then there has been all the effort, put in by the Town Team and partners, to improve the Town Centre and raise standards and circulate the visitors and shoppers: the Town Team’s ‘grot busting’ campaign; Rother DC’s zero tolerance approach to graffiti and fly posting; improvements to public toilets. Many of our retired community are committed to volunteering as evidenced by the Community Bus Service, Bexhill Lions and others.

But what is key to our future, is that the Town Centre is more than just a shopping street. It is a place to live; grow up; meet; work; socialise; engage with art, learning and culture; take part in sports and democracy. The Town Centre cannot be rejuvenated simply by improving the retail offer. If the Town Centre is doing well, then so will the retailers, because they will have the footfall to sell to.

1.4.b Vitality of the town centre

What keeps a town alive is what you can do in it. (The retail element of the Town Centre serves all the people who are brought into it by all these other activities.) Bexhill has a museum close to the Town Centre, the De La Warr Pavilion on the edge providing both culture and entertainment, three dance schools, two gyms, a library, and a park and a few cafes going out of their way to entertain families. These elements have been important in keeping people in touch with the Town Centre and providing some stimulus to the footfall. But, in general, the Town Centre is quiet and closes down very early in the evening.

Today, the gaps in the Town Centre are opportunities for others to move in to. For example, there’s an unmet need for adult learning and training and pre-school learning in Bexhill in the Town Centre.

Bexhill has only a small evening and night time economy. In 2009, the evening and night time economy was worth £66 Billion to the UK being 5 – 10% of earnings in most locations. We can’t afford to continue to work

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part-time in Bexhill Central; closing up in the late afternoon. We could do more to attract evening business. It doesn’t have to be badly managed bars and night clubs; the greater the diversity of evening activity, the less is the likelihood of anti-social behaviour. We could encourage evening activity by applying for the Purple Flag award; and working with the county council to improve the street lighting in Western Rd. Some of our empty retail premises could be re-invented to provide usable spaces for both day and night time activity, including the Knowledge and Information Businesses Sector, and the leisure industry; thus bringing footfall to the remaining shops and cafes and meeting some of the need for education and training.

1.4.c Investment in the community

The area has not seen significant investment in the community or community facilities for many years. Other areas near by, with similar levels of deprivation for example, St. Leonards and Hastings, have received considerable public funding for their communities.

There are opportunities and challenges, and there are local people with skills and knowledge who are willing to volunteer their help. But, there is little money and the crystallisation of these elements into our vision for Bexhill Central and Sackville, requires the input of some resources including a focal point to work from.

The designated area should once again assert its position as the focus for activity in the town through recognition of, and facing up to, the challenges.

1.5 Vision

First we need to break down the barriers that prevent information circulating. A busy, well used information hub, where people come with information to disseminate as well as come to find it; where the networks we have been building up can be combined so that the information goes round - and round again - ensuring that the messages (eventually) get home. Encouraging use of the internet to help reduce the distance between Bexhill and its potential markets and to ease the flow of information within the town.

We aim to encourage the use of the Town Centre as the social, democratic and cultural heart of the area and a focus for visitors as well as being a place to live and grow up. We want to make the town centre a place where people connect and have a sense of belonging. We need to educate some shops and business in family awareness and make cafes, restaurants and shops and public spaces child friendly, dementia friendly and accessible.

Working with the Town Team, RDC and event organisers we aim to increase and improve the offer of high quality visitor events, building on

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the work done in 2013/2014. This will bring visitor income into the businesses, create additional part-time employment, make the area a more interesting and attractive place to live and be a driver for the local authorities to encourage them to look after the public realm.

We should encourage and support events with NVQ accredited training for marshals. We will support the Town Team’s initiative to be a custodian of skills, knowledge and equipment on behalf of the Town Centre. We need to encourage shops and businesses to participate in events by extending opening hours and welcoming visitors. We will encourage groups such as Dementia Action Alliance who are delivering dementia awareness training in Bexhill. The Town Team will continue to work with others to improve the accessibility of the highways.

The De La Warr Pavilion is and has been a beacon and should be encouraged to be more pro active in spreading its offer around the area in various locations and "pop up" venues, capitalising on the inspirational and uplifting nature of its cultural offer.

2. Community involvement undertaken

2.1.a Consultations

This project has been initiated in response to evidence gathered from the wider group of residents and organisations consulted throughout its formation. Information collated from the Bexhill Local Action Plan (59 respondents from Central and 80 respondents from Sackville) in 2010 showed that:

91% identified a need for better skills training 90% highlighted a lack of knowledge of local facilities, amenities and events 83% identified a lack of opportunities for young people 83% want an improvement in town centre ambience 70% want alternative uses for empty shops 70% of young people feel there is not enough for them to do

In 2011 RVA worked with new community leaders in the ward who identified that there was a growing number of migrants moving into the area who found that:

there was little local support available for them and reported they had difficulties in integrating with the indigenous community reported they used social and support facilities in Hastings, Eastbourne or London

The Bexhill Town Team was formed in 2012 (following the Portas Review) and identified the need to:

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Improve the town centre public realm Improve connectivity around the town Improve training and work opportunities

During 2012 Bexhill Central was awarded Community First Funding. The Bexhill Community First Panel, supported by RVA as Panel Partner identified its priorities

to support activities that bring people together and promote community cohesion;

to support community led activities for children and young people to improve the physical environment to support ideas that encourage people in Bexhill Central to be

actively involved in community led projects to reduce isolation amongst the elderly and other vulnerable

members of the community

Underpinning each of the priorities is the acknowledgement of the need to communicate better with local people so they have an increased awareness of what is going on.

March 2013 RVA commissioned a participatory appraisal consultation in Bexhill Central Ward involving 45 people. They expressed:

some people perceive a lack of a sense of community and community leadership;

individual isolation; some community groups are struggling to keep going; some experience of an inability to recruit skilled local volunteers (eg

a carers befriending service); lack of access to computers/skills to use; local events and facilities are not seen as affordable;

The participatory appraisal exercise also asked how those participants felt about their lives:

some people are struggling to cope; don't know or understand what activities, places or support are

available.

2014 Our Place Consultation. Views were sought from groups, individuals, and parents from the local school. The survey was wide ranging and revealed differences particularly between age groups. However some common issues across all demographics emerged. 114 people were surveyed.

63% believe there are people in their neighbourhood who feel isolated.

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88% do not feel adequately consulted about what’s happening in their local community.

When asked this question “What facilities/services would you like to see added in your neighbourhood?” respondents said: a specific place where people can meet for social interaction, access to digital media and learning

Asked if they knew what is happening, what help or what is available in the community, or where to go to get the information 79% of people said “No”.

A very popular idea was a community information hub which held information on all groups, things to do and upcoming events that will be occurring around the town. 2.1.b Ongoing community consultation

As a result of Our Place funding the Community Information hub opened in October 2014. The purpose of the information hub was to begin to address some of the issues identified in previous consultations. Specifically a place where local resident can go to find out what’s available to them locally and how to get involved or find training; find out what is happening in the local community; a focal point for building a sense of community; where volunteer run local services can be based and where local statutory agencies can support to interact meaningfully with the local community.

Users of the hub will be canvassed to: input into the running of the information shop give their views as to what needs to be improved in the area with a

view to submitting funding applications e.g. Heritage Town Scape Fund, Reaching Communities etc

post comments on the Better Brighter Bexhill Blog http://betterbrighterbexhill.blogspot.co.uk/

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Members of the Townswomens Guild on a health walk.

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3 Priorities and issues for the community

3.1.a The focus of the project

The focus of the project is to encourage people living central Bexhill to get more involved, to have opportunities to have more information about what is going on, and to develop local services.

3.1.b How the issues were identified and confirmed with the community

The priority issues were identified by the community through various consultations over the last 3 years and confirmed through the Our Place Consultation in 2014. These issues have remained relatively consistent through the various consultations.

The priority issues will be highlighted in the Our Place funded Better Brighter Bexhill Community Information Hub and discussed with local people as they drop in. These informal conversations will be structured in such a way that the message is upbeat and designed to bring up levels of interest and confidence.

It is planned to attract interest by engaging users with volunteering, training, developing a befriending service, information and support and other issues raised by users.

3.1.c Challenges and priorities

The main challenge is in enabling a community to engage more with external agencies, more frequently and with tangible outcomes that meet their own identified needs. We see that a community that develops the capacity to identify and articulate its own needs and has the skills and capacity to act will be better placed to improve the wellbeing of its residents.

Local, Regional and National Agencies

There has been no investment in the Town Centre of any description for many years and this is in contrast with Bexhill seafront and other nearby towns.

Our Place will be the first opportunity to address the challenges identified earlier.

3.1.d Priorities

Community Information Hub Cultivate the existing volunteering culture to enable people to

participate more in events and services in the neighbourhood.

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Develop a culture of community action. Create and maintain a register of services, clubs and societies

(community assets) and ensure that it is provided to as many residents as possible.

Training and investment in IT and social media

Priority Themes and Activities

The Steering Committee have identified 4 key themes and the activities identified needed to advance those themes:

build community resilience by enabling local people to help themselves by providing a place/space where they can get information, find out what’s available and how to access it, how to get involved, support in developing ideas and encouragement to try new things.

develop a positive sense of community and good neighbourliness by providing opportunities, services, support and training to take part in civil society through local community voluntary action

assist the community develop their voice by providing the skills and know-how to identify need, generate ideas and shape services.

focus and combine funding streams to develop new services that may, through careful planning have additional benefits and outcomes to those intended and ensuring efficient communication and working between groups.

Key Activities

Provide a space/place to act as a focal point for the community. Ensuring people have the information to allow them to get involved, or resources to improve their own or communities’ health and wellbeing.

Facilitate the development of a community action culture and encourage people to take part in events and services in the neighbourhood.

Create opportunities for local people to get involved whether as participants or volunteers, whether these are one off events or longer term initiatives or services. Including the provision of the training and support to volunteers as required.

We will aim to build levels of skill and know-how through informal and formal training based around community action. We anticipate that this will help in personal lives as well as be of benefit to the wider community.

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Create a mechanism or structure that enables local people to have a voice and engage meaningfully with support agencies.

We have identified a need for a way for the community to identify and articulate their needs, concerns and wishes. By providing a mechanism (to be decided by the community) where those ideas and issues can be raised and engaged with we hope to encourage the engagement of individuals with civic life and encourage them to use the creative assets in the community to improve the neighbourhood.

The project will work to secure additional funding to meet local needs. Some of this work has begun around health and social care. It is planned that negotiations could take place with a variety of public agencies around other new service development as well as submitting our own funding bids for specific interventions.

Bexhill Carnival 2013.

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4. The Bexhill Our Place Approach

4.1. Better Brighter Bexhill

Better Brighter Bexhill approach is built on 4 main strategies built on community action:

The creation of a physical and online community information shop to act as both resource, a focal point.

The development of a community voice where local people feel they can input into decision making.

The staging of community events for local people to get to know each other and engender a feeling of community spirit, break down barriers and forge a stronger sense of identity.

The provision of more community services based in the community hub that particularly address the concerns and issues of the community around loneliness, poverty, and jobs

It is planned that as a result of these 4 strategies working together the community may:

Be more engaged in developing services for the community

Articulate its needs and solutions

Be more resilient in the face of the economic and social challenges it faces

Be more cohesive as the demographics of the population change

Increase the sense of well-being among its most vulnerable residents

As a result of this we would anticipate:

The growth in demand on many public services would be slowed and may even reduce for some services.

By having healthier, happier people the demand on local services should change and the call on the most expensive services (e.g. fire, police, ambulance) reduce.

Local People would access more training and possibly work opportunities bringing a net financial and non-financial gain to themselves and the community

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By having a community that is more inclined to do more for itself there will be added benefits that include:

Leveraging volunteer effort to add to public investment to achieve “more bang for the buck”

Provide more services to local people than would be available through public service provision alone.

Provide more tailored services (and therefore more effective) where local people know more about what is required.

Upskill local people to take on more for their community and enable them to have better access to work opportunities for themselves.

How the project will influence local service delivery

We believe it is possible to:

Collect better evidence of need and make the case for additional support for when funding and support opportunities arise

Mobilise the community to do more for itself through training and facilitation

Initiate the development volunteer led local services that target priority issues such as loneliness, access to training, or help with independent living

Assist the community to become more involved in the design of local service delivery and advocate for such services being delivered locally rather than elsewhere.

Community-influenced spend

The project will seek over time to engage fund holders such as local education to support the overall aims of the project – i.e. helping the community help itself. However there are some initial programmes and projects that we are seeking to place under the better Brighter Bexhill umbrella. See Appendix C

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5. Business Case (extended logic model – please see attachment)

(See Appendix D: Logic Model :Cost Benefit Calculations)

Indicative costs and benefits of the Better Brighter Bexhill programme. We have used figures and data available from UK government sources to make assumptions on the value of volunteer hours, the scale of possible savings from increased community activity and volunteer led services and used our own cost bases to estimate support costs associated with the 4 key objectives. The summary is below, the detail in the appendices. Please note these amounts are indicative not absolutes.

Indicative Value / Cost / Benefit

Value of Volunteer TimeProvision of a Community Information ShopIndicative Value of volunteer time: £16,772 paCommunity Action (Events)Indicative Value of volunteer time: £3,620 per yearService Start-Up Example : Good neighbours schemeIndicative Value of volunteer time: £16,296 pa ( 2 schemes = £32,592)Involvement of local people in Identifying Need/ Community VoiceIndicative Value of volunteer time: £3,742

Total Indicative Value of Volunteer time = £56,726 pa

Cost of Unlocking Volunteer TimeProvision of a Community Information ShopEstimated costs to run: up to £15,000 paCommunity ActionEstimated establishment and start-up costs: Up to £22,000 pa for 3 yearsService Start-Up Example : Good neighbours schemeEstimated cost for 1 scheme start-up support £5,000 (2 schemes = £10,000)Involvement of local people in Identifying Need/ Community VoiceEstimated initial set-up costs: £11,000

Total Indicative Cost = £68000 y1 £37,000 thereafter

Other Benefits of unlocking volunteer time Increase in individual earning potential through training

3-9% pa Potential public sector savings of new community led

o services and projects £200,000 pa

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Source Documents for assumptions madehttp://www.nesta.org.uk/sites/default/files/the_economic_value_of_social_action_in_and_alongside_public_services.pdf http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/dft-discovers-cycling-s-benefit-to-cost-ratio-is-off-the-scale/017088https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/215820/dh_129917.pdfhttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/348943/vfm-assessment-of-cycling-grants.pdfhttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/371096/claiming_the_health_dividend.pdf

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6. Governance

6.1 Governance Structure

Better Brighter Bexhill will be steered initially by a small steering committee comprised of key strategic partners. This is a first step towards developing more formal partnership structures. In the first instance it will be comprised of:

Local residents Bexhill Town Team Local Councillors Officers from Rother District Council RVA community support managers

As the initiative develops we would expect this to be enlarged to include other statutory agencies and additional members of the community. To begin with the steering committee will be governed by terms-of-reference (to be drawn up), will select a Chair and will keep notes of meetings convened.

Decisions as to what structure this might evolve into will be taken later as the way forward becomes clearer. This particularly in the light of an ongoing debate now underway in the town as to what new local governance arrangements for communities might be developed. In the meantime RVA will act as the administrative and legal body on behalf of the Better Brighter Bexhill and will provide financial and back office support where needed

6.2 Role of the Steering Committee

Primarily the role of the steering committee is to oversee progress against the 4 main themes of Better Brighter Bexhill.

It will do this by:

Working with other local organisations Helping inform existing initiatives by other service delivery

organisations Identify local priorities for action through close contact with the

community Galvanise the local community to become more involved Work to secure additional resources to achieve progress against

objectives Ensure the voice of the local community is heard at appropriate

decision making bodies

As a developing partnership without a legal structure the Steering Committee will not have a formal oversight or accountable body role.

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Rather it will act as an influencing or facilitating mechanism for projects which will have their own reporting and monitoring systems.RVA, Rother District Council and The Bexhill Town Team each also have specific roles on the committee.

Bexhill Town Team Work with local businesses to support Better Brighter Bexhill Work to link local priorities with local businesses e.g creating work

or training opportunities Encourage participation by businesses in local events and support

for community action Integrate Better Brighter Bexhill with other Town Centre initiatives

that might occur.RVA will:

Provide administrative and back office support where needed Provide clear financial accountability for any funding streams. Act as the legal body for the committee Provide community development support where asked to Work with the community to secure additional resources and

programmes for the area Act as an ambassador to secure dialogue with other agencies Directly deliver services where appropriate ( e.g. volunteering)

RDC will:

Provide technical support and help Work with its officers from different departments to help the

community develop ideas Secure resources for the local community to advance their ideas Link Better Brighter Bexhill to elected members through direct

representation by a councillor on the Steering Committee

6.3 Role of the community

In the first phase (possibly lasting up to 2 years) there will be a need to promote Better Brighter Bexhill, organise community events, activities and training and generally explain what the initiative is about to the community.

We know typically it can take 2 years until “word gets round” about new services in a community and we anticipate that this will be no different. In the meantime local people will be encouraged to make use of the Community Information Hub both to find out what is going on and also to tell us what they think.

Alongside this early promotional and involvement work we anticipate there will be opportunities for new community based services to be developed

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(e.g. Community Neighbours schemes. The initiative will focus on deliverable quick wins in order to generate awareness and confidence.

Longer term, and depending on how the debate on local governance turns out, the community will be invited to have their say either through specific events or through mechanisms such as neighbourhood forums.

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7 Implementation Plan

7.1 Implementation Plan

As the Better Brighter Bexhill approach is a facilitative or influencing process ( as opposed to a delivery body) the implementation plan is very much dependent on other stakeholders to develop community influenced or run projects and services as well as providing support for new volunteers, encouraged by the Better Brighter Bexhill Steering Committee.The approach sees the formation of a steering committee that will review progress on the 4 key strategic objectives of:

a. build community resilience by enabling local people to help themselves by providing a place/space where they can get information

b. develop a positive sense of community and good neighbourliness by providing opportunities, services, support and training to take part in civil society through local community voluntary action

c. assist the community develop a voice by providing the skills and know-how to identify need, generate ideas and shape services.

d. focus and combine funding streams to develop new services that may, through careful planning have additional benefits and outcomes

7.1.a Organisation

The Lead Organisations are the Bexhill Town Team supported by RVA who will support the Steering Committee

7.1.b Project management

The Bexhill Town Team will:

Manage the Community Information Hub Continue to consult with the local community over specific issues Work with statutory partners to secure additional investment in the Town Centre

RVA will continue to support the Bexhill Town Team and BetterBrighter Bexhill with:

Provision of back office functions as required Assistance with finding funding Acting as the legal or accountable body for funding or legal

agreements Work to develop projects under the auspices of Better Brighter

Bexhill to include community events, volunteering, volunteer led services,

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Provide programme management as required by the steering committee

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The Steering Committee Will

Monitor progress against the 4 main Better Brighter Bexhill objectives

Ensure the community is involved at the appropriate times and manner

Encourage wide participation from the community Provide a mechanism to engage with service providers and local

public sector organisations

7.1.c Timetable – Key Milestones Year 1

Jan 31st Applied for funding to keep Community Information Shop running

Jan 15th Start Volunteering Brokerage Service in Community Info Shop

Feb 1st-27th Training volunteers ( training month event)Feb 1st -Apr 30th

Identify volunteers for new community led service ( Good Neighbours)

Mar 31st Begin discussion with local education providers for regular training sessions for local people

Mar 31st Relocation of Community HubApril- June 30th

Health based community activities organised and held

May 31st Launch of first new Good Neighbours SchemeMay 31st Applied for funding for community eventsMay-June 30th First 2 community events heldJune 30th First wider community meeting held to explore local issuesJuly 31st Launch of second new Good Neighbours SchemeAugust 31st 3 Health focussed events led by residentsSeptember 20th

Community event e.g. “village fete”

Nov/Dec 20th Community Xmas activities e.g. Community Choir

7.1.d Budget ( from April 1st 2015)

1. The creation of a physical and online community information shop to act as both a resource and focal point. Estimated cost to run £15,000

Current Funding Phase 3 Our Place, £7KRVA reserve funding £2K

Potential Sources of fundingRother District Council (Bexhill levy) £tbdAwards for All £tbd

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Sussex Community Foundation £tbdBig Lottery - Reaching Communities (applied for)

2. The development of a community “voice” where local people feel they can input into decision making. Estimated costs: £11,000 per year

Potential Sources of fundingRother District Council (Bexhill levy)Big Lottery - Reaching Communities (applied for)RVA training projects (£2k)RVA volunteer support funding (£1k)Volunteer Centre East Sussex ( tbd)

3. Training and community events. Estimated costs: £22,000 per yearPotential Sources of fundingRother District Council (Bexhill levy) £tbdBig Lottery - Reaching Communities (applied for)RVA training projects £2kRVA volunteer support funding £1kLocal business sponsorship £tbd

4. The provision of more community led services

Health based events (funded until June 2015)RVA will use its current funding from Chances4change to align its work (identifying local health assets, encouraging healthy lifestyles initiatives (approx. £10k) Exercise based events (funded until May 2017)RVA will use its current funding to organise sport and physical exercises events under the Getting Rother Active banner in the Better Brighter Bexhill area (approx. £5k) Good Neighbours services (funded until June 2015)RVA will use some of its development time under the Hastings and Rother Building stronger Bridges project to start community friends schemes in the target area (approx. £10K) Volunteers HubRVA will use funding from the Safer in Sussex fund to establish a volunteer run volunteer brokerage service for local people ( £1K)

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Appendix A : Statistical Profile

Overview

Below is a table which shows the age and gender breakdown of Bexhill Central and Sackville with comparisons against the wider area and the whole of England & Wales.

Age All people Percent aged 0-14

Percent aged 15-29

Percent aged 30-44

Percent aged 45-64

Percent aged 65+Gender Geography

All people

England and Wales

56,075,912 17.6 19.9 20.5 25.4 16.4

South East 8,634,750 17.8 18.6 20.4 26.1 17.2

East Sussex 526,671 16.1 15.9 17.2 28.0 22.7

Rother 90,588 14.6 13.3 14.4 29.3 28.4

Central 5,586 13.8 18.8 17.8 25.2 24.5

Sackville 4,446 8.1 11.2 12.7 25.4 42.6

Males

England and Wales

27,573,376 18.4 20.5 20.8 25.6 14.9

South East 4,239,298 18.6 19.2 20.5 26.3 15.5

East Sussex 253,764 17.2 16.8 17.3 28.1 20.5

Rother 43,021 15.6 14.5 14.5 29.4 26.0

Central 2,626 14.8 19.5 20.2 27.0 18.5

Sackville 1,940 8.9 13.2 15.2 28.0 34.6

Females

England and Wales

28,502,536 16.9 19.4 20.3 25.3 18.0

South East 4,395,452 17.0 18.0 20.3 25.9 18.8

East Sussex 272,907 15.1 15.0 17.2 27.9 24.8

Rother 47,567 13.6 12.2 14.3 29.2 30.7

Central 2,960 12.8 18.1 15.6 23.6 29.9

Sackville 2,506 7.4 9.7 10.7 23.4 48.8

Of the 5586 people recorded as living in Bexhill central the majority of the population (49.7%) of residents being over the age of 45 with 24.5% being over the age of 65. But there has been an increase in the number of people under the age of 45 living in the area who need to be taken into account during future developments and the services being offered. The most growth is with those aged between 15-29. Sackville population of is mostly

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made up of people over 65 at nearly 45% (the highest in East Sussex).

Ethnicity All people Percent All White

Percent All Mixed

Percent All Asian or Asian British

Percent All Black or Black British

Percent other ethnic group

Geography

England and Wales 56,075,912 86.0 2.2 7.5 3.3 1.0

South East 8,634,750 90.7 1.9 5.2 1.6 0.6

East Sussex 526,671 96.0 1.4 1.7 0.6 0.3

Rother 90,588 97.1 1.1 1.2 0.3 0.2

Central 5,586 93.3 2.0 3.3 0.8 0.5

Sackville 4,446 95.0 1.4 2.6 0.6 0.4

Household type All households

Percent all one person households

Percent all family households

Percent all other householdsGeography

England and Wales 23,366,044 30.2 61.8 7.9

South East 3,555,463 28.8 63.9 7.4

East Sussex 231,905 32.8 61.2 6.1

Rother 40,877 34.0 60.9 5.1

Central 3,034 53.1 40.7 6.2

Sackville 2,427 52.9 43.5 3.6

Household sizes are small in Rother when compared to the national and regional average. Whilst Central and Sackville has a very low average household size compared to the national average.

This table shows the total number of residents in communal establishments by type and the total number of establishments.

Communal establishment types

Number of communal establishments

All residents in communal establishment

Residents in medical and care establishment

Residents in other establishments

Residents in establishment not stated

Geography

England and Wales 59,032 1,004,799 420,280 572,438 12,081

South East 9,424 188,250 73,907 113,129 1,214

East Sussex 759 11,073 7,448 3,569 56

Rother 158 2,439 1,685 743 11

Central 14 134 119 4 11

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Sackville 17 340 328 12 0

1.1.1. Households in poverty in 2014

This dataset shows the number and percentage of households living in poverty. A household in poverty is one whose income is below 60% of national median household income, which in 2014 was £17,197.

Measure Median household income

Total number of households

Number of households below 60% of national median

Percentage of households below 60% of national medianGeography

England and Wales

28,661 23,955,468 6,951,102 29.0

South East 33,610 3,657,855 857,524 23.4

East Sussex 28,091 237,742 69,973 29.4

Rother 26,332 41,865 13,205 31.5

Sackville 19,135 1,949 865 44.4

Central 20,797 2,614 1,072 41.0

Source: CACI household income estimates, 2014

Child poverty, 2007 – 2011

This dataset shows the number and percentage of children living in low-income families, here described as children in poverty. The Children in Low-Income Families Local Measure is the proportion of children living in families in receipt of out-of-work benefits or in receipt of tax credits with a reported income below 60% of the national median income.

Measure Percentage of children in poverty Total number of children in poverty

Year 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Geography

England 21.6 20.9 21.3 20.6 20.12,397,64

5

2,341,97

5

2,429,30

5

2,367,33

5

2,319,45

0

South East 14.9 14.5 15.4 15.0 14.6264,73

0

260,92

0

280,75

5

275,93

5

270,94

5

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East Sussex 17.7 17.7 18.5 18.0 17.4 18,255 18,275 19,325 18,830 18,230

Rother 17.3 18.2 19.0 18.9 18.2 2,850 3,005 3,170 3,125 2,990

Sackville 14.0 16.5 18.0 20.7 18.8 55 70 80 95 85

Central 25.0 24.2 27.4 29.4 29.0 195 190 240 275 275

Source:HM Revenue & Customs, Children in Children in Low-Income Families Local Measure statistics.

Older people in poverty in 2008

This table shows the number and percentage of older people (aged 60 and over) living in poverty, as a percentage of the total population in that age group. It shows results from the Indices of Deprivation 2010 (ID 2010) on the proportion of older people in East Sussex living on low incomes in 2008. This is given in a supplementary index from the ID 2010 - the Income Deprivation Affecting Older People Index (IDAOPI).

Variable Number of older people in poverty

Population denominator - aged over 60+

Percentage of older people in povertyGeography

East Sussex 21,817 154,965 14.1

Rother 4,201 32,867 12.8

Sackville 343 2,213 15.5

Central 412 1,807 22.8

Limiting long-term illness in 2011

This table shows the percentage of people that have a limiting long-term illness or disability from 2011 Census.

Type All people Percentage of people with long-term health problem or disability

Percentage whose day-to-day activities are limited a little

Percentage whose day-to-day activities limited a lot

Percentage of people without a long-term health problem or disability

Geography

England and Wales

56,075,912 17.9 9.4 8.5 82.1

South East 8,634,750 15.7 8.8 6.9 84.3

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East Sussex 526,671 20.3 11.2 9.2 79.7

Rother 90,588 23.4 12.8 10.7 76.6

Sackville 4,446 35.2 16.8 18.4 64.8

Central 5,586 28.3 15.4 12.9 71.7

Educational attainment in Year 11

This table gives details of the educational attainment levels achieved by Year 11 pupils (usually aged 16) who attend schools maintained by East Sussex County Council. Pupils may not live in the same area as where they go to school and some pupils attending East Sussex schools live outside the county. Data is provided on the results achieved by pupils taking GCSEs and equivalent qualifications (such as NVQs). Most pupils take GCSEs in National Curriculum and vocational subjects at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11), aged 16.

Subject5 or more passes at grades A*-C 5 or more passes at A*-C

(inc Maths and English)

Measure number percentage number percentage

Geography

All areas 4,065 80.2 2,911 57.5

East Sussex 3,940 80.6 2,825 57.8

Rother 672 75.4 497 55.8

Sackville 22 75.9 16 55.2

Central 27 69.2 21 53.8

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Appendix BBexhill Local Action Plan

Information collated from the Bexhill Local Action Plan respondents in 2010 showed that: 91% identified a need for better skills training; 90% highlighted a lack of knowledge of local facilities,

amenities and events; 89% want better protection & community use of green open space 83% identified a lack of opportunities for young people 83% want an improvement in town centre ambience. 70% want alternative uses for empty shops. 70% of young people feel there is not enough for them to do.

New Community Leaders

In 2011 RVA worked with new community leaders in the ward who identified: there were a growing number of migrants moving into the

area who found that there was little local support available for them and

reported they had difficulties in integrating with the indigenous community

reported they used social and support facilities in Hastings, Eastbourne or London.

Bexhill Town Team

The Bexhill Town Team was formed in 2012 (following the Portas Review) and identified the need to: improve the town centre through better urban planning. enable better community involvement, improve local facilities help to enable the community to access better training and

work opportunities.

Community First

During 2012 Bexhill Central was awarded Community First funding. the Bexhill Community First Panel, supported by RVA as Panel Partner identified its priorities as munity over a number of years and chose to support the following priorities:

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to support activities that bring people together and promote community cohesion;

to support community led activities for children and young people

to improve the physical environment to support ideas that encourage people in Bexhill Central to

be actively involved in community led projects to reduce isolation amongst the elderly and other vulnerable

members of the communityUnderpinning each of the priorities is was the acknowledgement of the need to better communicate with local people so they have an increased awareness of what is going on.

Participatory Appraisal

During 2013 further qualitative views on the issues facing Bexhill Central were sought from local forums and in March 2013 RVA commissioned a participatory appraisal consultation with younger people in Bexhill Central Ward. The results have shown there is: a lack of a sense of community and community leadership; individual isolation; community groups that are struggling to keep going; an inability to recruit skilled local volunteers (eg a carers

befriending service); lack of access to computers/skills to use; local events and facilities are not seen as affordable; The participatory appraisal exercise also asked how local residents felt about their lives. The main findings were: people feel isolated; are struggling to cope; don't know or understand what activities, places or support is

available that social & economic issues in this area are deepening and

are not being adequately addressed.

Our Place Consultation

2014 Our Place Consultation. Views were sought from groups, individuals and parents from the local school. The survey was wide ranging and revealed differences particularly between age groups. However some common issues across all demographics emerged.

Do you know your neighbours? Yes: 91% No: 9%

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Do you believe people in your neighbourhood feel isolated? Yes: 63% No: 37%

Do you think your neighbourhood is improving, declining or staying the same? Improving: 18% Declining: 32% Same: 50%

Do you feel adequately consulted about wants happening in your local community? Yes : 12% No: 88%

When asked this question “What facilities/services would you like to see added in your neighbourhood?” a specific place where people can meet for social interaction, access to digital media and learning access to digital media and learning featured strongly

Of the people surveyed on if they knew what is happening what help or what is available in the community or where to go to get the information? 21% of people said “Yes”, and 79% of people said “No”

The places that came out strongly of where they would like to find the information was a community info store which held info on all groups, things to do and upcoming events that will be occurring around the town. This came out as a very popular idea

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Appendix C : Potential for Community Influenced Spend

The creation of a physical and online community base (community information shop) to act as both resource, a focal point

Estimated cost to run

Rent £7-10K per annumUtilities £3k per annumInsurances £1k per annumConsumables £1k per annumSalaries £0 ( run by volunteers)

For approximately £15,000 per year the community will

Have a place to find out what is going on or where to find help ( signposting)

What opportunities there are to volunteer locally and how to get involved

Access training opportunities Provide meeting and training space Have a focal point that is for the local community as opposed

for the whole town, tourists or organisations.

Current Funding

Phase 3 Our Place, £7KRVA reserve funding £2K

Potential Sources of funding

Rother District Council (Bexhill levy) £tbdAwards for All £tbdSussex Community Foundation £tbdBig Lottery - Reaching Communities ( applied for)

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The development of a community voice where local people feel they can input into decision makingCurrently the community has no easily definable voice or single point of contact. Better Brighter Bexhill intends to widen the existing Steering Committee with a view to possibly becoming a more formal structure that could be ( for example) a resident led committee, or similar. However it is the intention of the Steering Committee to canvass local opinion once the project is better established and beginning to become better known. Researched options include the formation of a local community social enterprise, a resident led committee, a not-for-profit company and charity.

Since the start of the project Rother District Council has announced its intention to look at “Parishing” each of the 9 electoral wards. This new and somewhat unexpected announcement would, if implemented cut the Bexhill Our Place area into two. However the announcement has been to commit the local council to only examining the possibility of parishing Bexhill after the 2015 General election and so there are as yet no firm plans or consultations to react to.

In the meantime while theses deliberations happen ( or not happen) the Steering Committee plan to involve local volunteers in researching local need ( and thereby training local people to identify need), convert researched need into ideas for services and solutions and articulate those ideas to relevant fund holders and service providers for support.

In this way we build both better knowledge in the community about what’s needed, what support might be available and how to access it, and how to prioritise as a community., these are all actions that a single community body would be taking and so we see it this a desirable and necessary preparatory work to the formation of a more formal structure.

Estimated costs: £11,000 per year

Attracting volunteers(Community development support 1 year) £5k paTraining volunteers in identifying need (Training) £2k paAssisting volunteers translate need into project ideas(Community development support) £2K pa

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Brokering negotiations with fund holders (Community development support) £2K pa

Equivalent to a part time (0.5 FTE) community development post

Potential Sources of funding

Rother District Council (Bexhill levy)Big Lottery - Reaching Communities ( applied for)RVA training projects (£2k)RVA volunteer support funding (£1k)Volunteer Centre East Sussex ( volunteer support)

Creating a culture of community actionPlanned to hold 12 community events per year. These will range from “drop in” sessions at the community information point to larger events based around physical activity, food, leisure and the local environment. Events can range from being almost free (training provided by third party agencies) to larger community fun day style events which can cost up to £2K.

Estimated costs: £22,000 per year

Attracting volunteers(Community development support 1 year) £5k paTraining volunteers in event management(Training) £5k paBrokering negotiations with fund holders, local businesses etc (Community development support) £2K paRunning costs of events including promotion, rentals, material and resources £10k pa

Equivalent to a part time ( 0.5 FTE) community development post plus £10K required for staging and holding events.

Potential Sources of funding

Rother District Council (Bexhill levy) £tbdBig Lottery - Reaching Communities applied forRVA training projects £2kRVA volunteer support funding £1kLocal business sponsorship £tbd

The provision of more community led services

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Health based events (until June 2015)RVA will use its current funding from Chances4change to align its work (identifying local health assets, encouraging healthy lifestyles initiatives (approx. £10k)

Exercise based events (until May 2017)RVA will use its current funding to organise sport and physical exercises events under the Getting Rother Active banner in the Better Brighter Bexhill area (approx. £5k)

Good Neighbours services (until June 2015)RVA will use some of its development time under the Hastings and Rother Building stronger Bridges project to start community friends schemes in the target area (approx. £10K)

Volunteers HubRVA will use funding from the Safer in Sussex fund to establish a volunteer run volunteer brokerage service for local people ( £1K)

ESFRS Community VolunteersEast Sussex Fire and Rescue will be contacted to extend their Community Volunteers programme to Better Brighter Bexhill which will use volunteers to be involved in publicising local initiatives, such as arson reduction campaigns, firework safety campaigns and road traffic safety events, plus any other activities which promote fire and road safety.

Planned/Possible

Befriending SchemeRVA is working with Age Concern Eastbourne to extend a befriending scheme to Better Brighter Bexhill using local volunteers

Social Prescribing (CCG)RVA is working with the Hastings and Rother Clinical commissioning group to explore the possibility of starting up a Social Prescribing scheme working with local voluntary organisations

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Appendix D : Cost Benefit Analysis Calculations

CBA Provision of a Community Information Shop

Volunteers trained to organise or help run 12 events per year. Volunteers: 8.0 Hours per month: 27.9 £278 x 12 = £3,336

Local steering committee formed meeting monthly Volunteers per month :5.5 Hours per month : 19.3 £367 x 12 = £4,404

Local steering committee Representing local views Volunteers per month :2.4 Hour per month: 8.5 £162 x 12 = £1,944

Mapping local assets, signposting and maintaining info. Volunteers per month: 1.8 Hours per month: 6.4 £53

x12 = £ £656 Physical Information Resource Centre + Online Resource

Database open. Volunteers per month 4.6 Hours per week: 16.1 £134 x 48 = £6,432

Outputs

Volunteer opportunities with knowledge of what is available and help with start-up groups

Integration of the community though events and knowledge Community knows each other and works to support each

other by being able to get involved in local neighbourhood projects

The physical and social environment visibly improves Improved Community Engagement by the local public sector Local community better aware of services / facilities available

and increased take up –thereby lessening strain on public services downstream

Local volunteers gain skills useful for employment and themselves Increased take up of education and training

Indicative Value of Community Information: £16,772 pa

Estimated costs to run: upto £15,000 paRent £7-10K per annumUtilities £3k per annumInsurances £1k per annumConsumables £1k per annumSalaries £0

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CBA Community Action

Organising a community event such as street party Volunteers : 6 per event 4 events per year £458.3 x 4 = £1,833

Getting involved in running local services (e.g. childcare, libraries) on a voluntary basis

Volunteers :1.7 Services:2 £518.9 x 2 = £1,039 Setting up a new service or amenity

Volunteers: 1.3 £748.2 x 1 = £748

Outputs

Improved Community Cohesion ie Community knows each other and works to support each other by being able to get involved in local neighbourhood projects

Decrease in isolation and loneliness Increased sense of involvement Increased sense of community identity Better services and support Local volunteers gain skills useful for employment and

themselves Increased take up of education and training Increased Employment Opportunities through confidence

built and experience gain whilst volunteering (longer term- 3 to 5 years)

The physical and social environment visibly improves

Indicative Value of Community Action : £3,620 per year

Estimated establishment and start-up costs: Upto £22,000 Attracting volunteers(Community development support 1 year) £5k paTraining volunteers in event management(Training) £5k paBrokering negotiations with fund holders, local businesses etc (Community development support)

£2K paRunning costs of events including promotion materials and resources £10k pa

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CBA Service Start-Up Example : Good neighbours scheme

(Based on http://www.nesta.org.uk/sites/default/files/the_economic_value_of_social_action_in_and_alongside_public_services.pdf )

Giving advice. Volunteer Hours per Month: 24.3 =£202.3

Keeping in touch with someone who has difficulty getting out and about Volunteer Hours Per month: 19.7 £163.7 x 12 = £1,964

Transporting or escorting someone (e.g. to a hospital or on an outing) Volunteers Hours Per month: 17.5 -=£145.2

Doing shopping, collecting pension or paying billsl Volunteers Hours Per month 16.0 =£159.4

Babysitting or caring for children Volunteers Hours Per month 15.2 =£126.1

Writing letters or filling in forms Volunteers Hours Per month 12.8 =£127.0

Cooking, cleaning, laundry, gardening or other routine household Volunteers Hours Per month 12.7 =£105.6

Decorating, or doing any kind of home or car repairsVolunteers Hours Per month 7.2 =£59.8

Representing someone (for example talking to a council department or to a doctor)

Volunteers Hours Per month 4.1 £78.5

Sitting with or providing personal care (e.g. washing, dressing) for someone who is sick or frail

Volunteers Hours Per month 3.9 £32.4 Anything else

Volunteers Hours Per month 3.9 £32.4

Monthly total = £1,358.Annual Total = £16,296

Outputs

Increased skills of local people Community cohesion Improved health & Lifestyle – helping people stay at home

longer Decrease In social isolation Local community better aware of services / facilities available

and increased take up –thereby lessening strain on public services downstream

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Community knows each other and works to support each other

Improved Community Engagement by the local public sector – particularly health and social care.

Integration of the community though events and knowledge

Indicative Value of Community Neighbours: £16,296 pa ( 2 schemes = £32,592)Estimated additional costs: £0Already allocated funding from East Sussex County Council

CBA : Involvement of local people in Identifying Need / Voice

As part of the Better Brighter Bexhill project we are seeking to equip people to identify local need, collect and collate evidence, present and articulate that needs and become involved in the possible design of local services to address that need.

Setting up a new service or amenity volunteers : Volunteers: 6.5 Hours: 155 Values £3,742

Indicative Value of Community Involvement : £3,742

Estimated initial set-up costs: £11,000 Attracting volunteers(Community development support 1 year) £5k paTraining volunteers in identifying need (Training) £2k paAssisting volunteers translate need into project ideas(Community development support) £2K paBrokering negotiations with fund holders (Community development support) £2K pa

Total Indicative Value of Better Brighter Bexhill Community Volunteer Activities £56,030 per year

(excludes other voluntary organisations encouraged to expand services, new voluntary organisations, faith based services)

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CBA : Savings to Public Sector (examples)

In 2002 the Department for Culture, Media and Sport estimated that a 10% increase in physical activity in adults would benefit England, both directly and indirectly, by at least £500 million per year and would save approximately 6000 lives. Of this £500 million saving, 17% is attributable to direct health costs. Therefore the direct health saving for a 10% increase in physical activity would be £85 million. Straight line proportional calculation for Bexhill of increasing numbers of people engaged in physical activity 10,000/ 53,00000*85000000 = £95,000 per year saving on frontline services: of which £22,000 per year saving on health 2014 (assuming 3% inflation pa)

Benefit to cost-ratios (BCRs) which accrue from investments in walking and or cycling typically of the magnitude of 6:1

Example of community activities including aligning current community projects) could include:

1. Increased walking and physical Activity ( e.g. obesity)

2. Breaking Isolation and Loneliness3. Keeping Warm4. Encouraging Cycling

Outputs Community cohesion Improved health & Lifestyle Decrease In social isolation Local community better aware of services / facilities available

and increased take up –thereby lessening strain on public services downstream

Community knows each other and works to support each other by being able to get involved in local neighbourhood projects

The physical and social environment visibly improves Local volunteers gain skills useful for employment and

themselves Increased take up of education and training Improved Community Engagement by the local public sector Integration of the community though events and knowledge

Indicative Value of Savings to public purse from one community activity = £95,000.Estimated Additional Costs: £0 – use already identified funding streams

Health based events (until June 2015)

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RVA will use its current funding from Chances4change to align its work (identifying local health assets, encouraging healthy lifestyles initiatives (approx. £10k)

Exercise based events (until May 2017)RVA will use its current funding to organise sport and physical exercises events under the Getting Rother Active banner in the Better Brighter Bexhill area (approx. £5k)

Good Neighbours services (until June 2015)RVA will use some of its development time under the Hastings and Rother Building stronger Bridges project to start community friends schemes in the target area (approx. £10K)

Volunteers HubRVA will use funding from the Safer in Sussex fund to establish a volunteer run volunteer brokerage service for local people ( £1K)

ESFRS Community VolunteersEast Sussex Fire and Rescue will be contacted to extend their Community Volunteers programme to Better Brighter Bexhill which will use volunteers to be involved in publicising local initiatives, such as arson reduction campaigns, firework safety campaigns and road traffic safety events, plus any other activities which promote fire and road safety.

Planned/Possible

Befriending SchemeRVA is working with Age Concern Eastbourne to extend a befriending scheme to Better Brighter Bexhill using local volunteers

Social Prescribing (CCG)RVA is working with the Hastings and Rother Clinical commissioning group to explore the possibility of starting up a Social Prescribing scheme working with local voluntary organisations

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If we assume 3 activities aimed at health and wellbeing we believe there are potential public

purse savings of

£100,000 - 200,000 per year

CBA : Increase in local skills and capacity

Provision of informal and formal training leading to increasing skills and capacity in the community. We will encourage return to learning by adult learners with a view to improving their chances of moving away from benefits and accessing better paid employment. Cross sectoral analysis from the Labour Force Survey and British Cohort Survey shows that vocational qualifications have a long term impact on employment, which increases with time (over a 7 year period) and that vocational qualifications at all levels reduce benefit dependency

The evidence shows that returns to qualifications are sensitive to the occupation in which the individual eventually finds employment. Compared to individuals with no or only lower level qualifications working in the same occupation, individuals with an NVQ Level 2 as their highest qualification obtain statistically significant higher returns in some occupations: namely skilled occupations (8% return); personal services (5%); sales (3%); machine operatives (4%); and elementary occupations (4%). Similarly, certain industries see positive and statistically significant returns to NVQ Level 2 as the highest qualifications: e.g. construction (9% return); public administration, education and health (3%); and other services (7%).

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Application of skills for both community and individual benefit through volunteering opportunities.

Linking with local education providers to provide “second chance” adult learning opportunities

Raising knowledge about what is possible and aspiration amongst young people

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Outputs

Local volunteers gain skills useful for employment and themselves Increased take up of education and training

Increased Employment Opportunities through confidence built and experience gain whilst volunteering (longer term- 3 to 5 years)

Improved Enterprise with steering committee and group start-ups (longer term- 3 to 5 years)

Development of new community services, activities and events

Estimated costs:

Informal training costs covered elsewhere Working to develop programmes with local education

providers for accredited learning

Intended outcomesWhat are you trying to achieve?

Local community better aware of services / facilities available and increased take up –thereby lessening strain on public services downstream

Community knows each other and works to support each other by being able to get involved in local neighbourhood projects

The physical and social environment visibly improves Local volunteers gain skills useful for employment and

themselves Increased take up of education and training Volunteer opportunities with knowledge of what is

available and help with start-up groups. Improved Community Engagement by the local public

sector Increased Employment Opportunities through confidence

built and experience gain whilst volunteering (longer term- 3 to 5 years)

Integration of the community though events and knowledge

Improved Enterprise with steering committee and group start-ups (longer term- 3 to 5 years)

Indicative increase in average wages gained by additional training estimate to be

between 3% & 9% in real terms.