A to Z Index

Supporting People

Five Year Strategy Draft

Vision and Strategic Objectives

We remain committed to our vision for Supporting People in Bath & North East Somerset, as set out in the shadow strategy. We have made good progress towards realising our vision for vulnerable service users in the area.

Our Vision

We will highlight current inequalities in the provision of Supporting People services and identify unmet needs

We will identify ways in which we can complement related strategic plans and initiatives and make best use of resources.

We will deliver services which prevent homelessness and promote independence.

Strategic Objectives

We continue to work towards achieving our ten strategic objectives, as set out in the shadow strategy. Our overall aim is to focus our resources on preventative services which maintain individuals in settings which best meet their needs and aspirations.

Our strategic objectives continue to be:

Partnership Working
Linking Agendas
Providing Choice
Preventing Homelessness
Inclusive Planning
Community Safety
Crisis Prevention
Tackling Social Exclusion
Involving Users and Carers
Openness and Honesty

Wider Strategic Links - national and local

In addition to considering wider strategic links each authority is also responsible for developing a statement relating to cross authority services. For the purposes of this strategy, the counties that used to be Avon (formerly the “CUBA” group, now known as the West of England or WoE group) have developed a joint statement, about how they intend to work together on cross authority issues (this is covered more fully in the later section on cross authority working). This should be considered in the wider context of the priorities for the South West region in general which are:

Maintaining independence
Preventing homelessness
Re-building lives
Promoting opportunities for independent living

Our local objectives for Supporting People closely reflect broader local and national agendas. During the development of this strategy we have reviewed more than thirty five local strategies, delivery plans and work programmes and in this way we have updated our understanding of our partners’ agendas. By doing this we have gained a clearer understanding of how we can tailor the Supporting People programme to compliment and supplement the delivery of health and social care services locally.

Appendix 5 provides a detailed review of related strategies and plans and sets out clear links with the Supporting People programme.

The Council’s vision for the delivery of services in the area is,

“Making Bath & North East Somerset a better place to live, work and visit”

The Corporate Plan Framework (published and approved in November 2003) sets out the key actions and targets that need to be achieved to enable the Council to realise its Community Strategy, Improvement Priorities, performance and financial objectives.

Improvement Priorities from the Corporate Plan

In November 2003 the Council agreed a set of ten community-focused and organisational improvement priorities. Improvement Priorities are those issues and consequent activities on which the Council decides to focus its energy and resources, in order to ensure that overall Council objectives are achieved.

The Improvement Priorities are:

Increase availability of affordable housing
Promoting the independence of older people
Reducing the fear of crime
Improving the environment for learning
Improving the life chances for disadvantaged teenagers, through improvements to their education, training and support
Improving the quality of public transport, roads and pavements and easing congestion
Reducing landfill
Improving the urban public realm (‘liveability’)
Improve customer satisfaction
Develop a sustainable economy for Bath and North East Somerset

The Supporting People programme will have a direct or indirect impact on the priorities highlighted above.

Priorities from the Housing & Supported Living Service Plan (2004/05)

The Housing & Supported Living Service Plan sets out how, within the Council’s Corporate Plan, and in line with statutory requirements determining service outputs, key service developments will proceed. The Service Vision for Housing & Supported Living Services is,

“Healthy and sustainable homes for all in living communities”

The key Service Developments are:

Adoption of the Affordable Housing Strategy
To progress the re-provisioning programme for older person’s housing and care
Reduce the use of B&B accommodation
Use of void and vacant properties to house homeless residents
Implement Social & Housing Services Workforce Development Plan
Development of the frontline Housing Service
Re-development of reception area