Text Version of the 2010 Conference DVD
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‘The TSP has passionate people that believe they can do more together then alone with a sense of purpose and drive beyond money and targets’.
Government Office North West 2009
“It’s been a great year for Tameside, there have been challenges with the global economic recession and one of the worst winters on record…but local people with the partnership have stood up to the challenge with initiatives like Tameside works first, and we have had some fantastic achievements against the aims local people told us are most important to them…. a supportive, prosperous, learning, attractive, safe and healthy Tameside. This is the story of the Tameside Strategic Partnership working with local people over the last year to make the borough a great place to live, work and visit.”
Audrey Ward Local Resident (don’t need name on screen as Audrey doesn’t appear)
Summer 2009 Chapter
In summer 2009 the global recession presented the borough it’s biggest challenge in the last 20 years. The Partnership and local business fought back with the 14 million pound Tameside Works First scheme to support local companies.
“It’s brilliant, I mean especially with the recession and the times being hard at the moment for a lot of small firms. It’s good for little firms and keeping it within Tameside” - Tony Devlin, Local Contractor.
Residents could also Buy with Confidence after its launch to approve local traders and drive cowboys out of Tameside.
While keeping the economy active, the first ever triathlon was held by partners in Tameside. Over 100 people took part. Events like this will help promote healthy lifestyles and reduce health inequalities in the borough
“The event’s been fantastic; the scenery was absolutely magnificent when we got to the top for the bike ride, you could see for miles and miles, so, yes it was nice to take in”
Colin Drake Triathlon Competitor
“The event means a lot for Tameside, it’s been really successful, we’ve had lots of people taking part; a wide mix of people from different backgrounds and it’s been a fantastic day and we really want to do it again in the future.”
Mark Tweedie Head of Sports Development
Nearly a fifth of adults are participating in sport in Tameside. This follows an extra 3 million pounds investment in the Ken Wards Sports centre Hattersley and 8 million to refurbish Ashton, Copley and Hyde pools.
Ashton’s Primary Care Centre also remains at the heart of the community delivering key health improvement services around smoking and obesity
Tameside’s children and young people are more active and excelling at school like never before. This year saw Tameside pupils above the national level for the first time with a massive 70% achieving 5 or more A star to C GCSEs. We know that learning is vital to a great future for Tameside.
Drop the knifes is an innovative film showcasing the skills Tameside’s Young People learnt outside the classroom through the local Youth Opportunity Fund.
Partnership collaboration is essential to our success, the opening of Park Café last summer was ground breaking social enterprise transforming Hyde Park and the lives of local people with learning disabilities.
“Everybody in the room to me represents a something that they’ve done, whether it’s a small part or quite a big part, and I’d just like to say thank you for your belief and for your support in the project; and for all your help as well”.
Alison Shockledge Project Leader, The Park Cafe
The summer ended on a high with partnerships efforts supporting Tameside residents and boosting the local economy.
Autumn 2009 Chapter
Autumn began by winning the Britain in Bloom large metropolitan borough category for the fifth year in a row. The borough is more attractive then ever before boasting an Environment and heritage award; and fifteen green flags and pennants for our parks and cemeteries. We are also continuing to restore Stamford Park as part of a 4 million pound Heritage Lottery project.
Residents are at the heart of the partnership in trying to improve the environment for future generations. Green champions are soon to be in all Tameside neighbourhoods.
September saw partners sign the 10:10 challenge - pledging to reduce carbon emissions by 10% over the next year. The Cycle to Work scheme is an excellent example of the partnership embracing this challenge.
“I saw an advert on my wage slip for Cycle2Work, so I went online just to find out how to apply and it was really easy. Cycle2Work has been fantastic; you get fit, you help the environment, it’s a really safe and easy way to cycle into work, and I’d recommend it to anyone.”
Frances Cooke Sustainable Commuter
Winter 2009/10 Chapter
Britain experienced one of the coldest winters on record in 2009…the snow was heavy and prolonged, making service delivery difficult and leaving vulnerable residents in need of greater support.
“It is people that you are dealing with, and you don’t want let anybody down; all the people that do use this service, need it for various reasons. You do want to get to these people and make sure that they are ok; a lot of them are on there own, they’ve no family, no neighbours, so at least you’re just checking on them and making sure that they are ok. ”
Sue Homecare Worker
“Well I couldn’t do anything; I’ve only got this arm. I don’t know what I’d do.”
Florence Service user
Crime is still a challenge for all of Greater Manchester, but partnership operations STAND and Snowstorm had a great impact on crime levels with big drops in serious violent crime and acquisitive crime.
“Since operation STAND started, officers were the patrollers, the fire brigade, the neighbourhood officers and the special constables; that are going round the town centre doing the meet and greet, making sure that people don’t get unlicensed taxis, making sure that people go home in groups; so they know where they’re going, they know where they’re getting picked up from; so, all in all it’s improving the night time economy, and the feedback that they’re getting from visitors in the town centre has been excellent. One of the improvements that’s been made is CCTV; I’d say that since all those improvements have been put in place it’s made a big difference.”
PC Tony Lawton Greater Manchester Police
Building Schools for the future funding is helping to transform our high schools as part of our remodelling and rebuilding programme. The programme was one of the first to include Academies and a Voluntary Aided School with Academy sponsors New Charter and Tameside College working closely with the council to develop innovative new buildings.
Personalisation and choice is at the core of our partnership work with adults.
“Comes and helps me to clean my flat; and do little jobs. And then Karen, she comes and she takes me shopping, and does my budgeting, and helps me to sort things out.”
Andrew Personal services user & tenant – Beaumont Place
The winter came to an end with Tameside strategic partnership being awarded a green flag through the national comprehensive area assessment process. Tameside’s green flag is for getting local people involved. It’s a great achievement, where our efforts to engage locals in how to provide the best services were flagged as national best practice.
“I found, on the internet, all about Tameside, and to my absolute amazement I saw we had got a green flag; Tameside had worked so hard, so, the fact that we have a recognition of what has been done has got to make it better for people; because that in itself gives people more confidence to look for ways to improve things. People really need to be looked at with people with opinions, and the only way to get that is to ask them for their opinions. And the work now that all these groups like T3SC, RIQ, Tameside Strategic Partnership; are bringing it all back, getting people to work together, and the community is much, much stronger than it used to be.”
Audrey Ward Resident
Spring 2010 Chapter
The start to Spring saw the launch of Ashton’s metrolink extension. The hard work of the partnership has been long coming in securing this project confirmed by our new Government. The metrolink is set to be complete in 2013 bringing greater prosperity to Tameside.
Tameside was awarded a Local Innovation Award for building Economic Resilience. The Improvement and Development Agency singled out Tameside for helping the local community, safeguarding local jobs and supporting businesses through the recession.
“Talk about investments; secondary schools, 300 million invested; primary schools, 65 million invested; and on top of that, local firms – they’ve given 5.5 million to help build the schools; now you can’t ask for better than that can you?! ”
Building Economic Resilience Event
Although now discontinued nationally the partnership has successfully brought hundreds of new employment opportunities to the borough for out of work 18-24 years through the Future Jobs fund.
“I first found out about the Future Jobs Fund watching television, and it was an interview with Gordon Brown, basically just talking about getting more 18-24 year olds back into work; and at the time I was on the dole, it was just something that I mentioned to my advisor whilst at the Job Centre. The experience I’ve gathered over the six months will stand me in great stead; I’ll be able to improve my CV. I was laid-off when I half way through my qualifications, so I was quite disappointed really never to get it finished, and this whole initiative /opportunity has just given me a chance to get back doing what I want to do, so I’m very thankful really.”.
John Edwards Future Jobs Fund Participant
The partnership has also hosted a successful apprentice fair with over 900 people attending as we strive to get more young people in employment, education or training.
“I do up to five shifts a week in a care home; I’m doing a day a week in college; it has helped and has been a big eye-opener to what I want to do, and it’s given me the experience I need to go on to higher placements.”
Becci Tierney Apprentice
Involving local people is at the heart of the partnership, and June’s culture to build cohesion participatory budgeting event successfully gave £50,000 to local community projects
“It would go towards the Chinese New Year celebrations and we’d have participatory workshops involving local artists, one being Michael here from Northern Tigers with a professional lion.”
Andrea Puttnam Event Participant
“Today just shows me that there are lots of people within the community that want to make this place a better place.”
Shahida Ditta Event Participant
“I think it’s a fantastic day, obviously we will do the event, the grand event, inviting all communities to come together from all backgrounds from across Tameside.”
Ammer Ali Event Participant
The collaborative work to reduce re-offending through Integrated Offender Management highlights the strong partnership working in the borough.
“Integrated Offender Management in Tameside is a real partnership way of working; the achievements for Integrated Offender Management during the last 12 months – we have hit 37.1% reduction in re-offending, and alongside that what we’ve been able to do is to equate that to savings of £638,000. Quite frankly, Integrated Offender Management couldn’t have existed without partnerships having the will, being prepared to put the resources in and to stick with it; this partnership has been extremely brave and it couldn’t work without partners working together.”
Enda Ross IOM Co-ordinator
It’s been a great year for Tameside and we look forward to making next year even better
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2009 CAA green flag for ‘Getting Local People Involved’
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Local Innovation Award for ‘Building Economic Resilience’
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Headlines from the Local Area Agreement
Supportive
98% of vulnerable people were supported to maintain independent lives
Prosperous
16-18 year olds not in education, employment, employment or training continues to fall
Learning
Pupils performed above the national level in English and Maths at key stage 2 level 4
Attractive
Recycling has improved year on year
Safe
1,819 fewer crimes since last year
Healthy
We have narrowed the gap in mortality rates between the most deprived areas and the borough average
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Partnership working in the borough is strong…the Tameside strategic Partnership is highly effective and has a passion for raising aspirations of local people and improving the quality of life
Audit Commission 2009