Council Plan
The Council Plan is the council's most important strategic policy document. It sets out SLDC's vision and priorities for the next five years.
The Council Plan is reviewed each year. The 2021 edition was adopted in February. It provides strategic direction for the many projects plans and strategies which underpin all of SLDC's work.
Council plan 2021 to 2026 overview
Our four priorities 2021 to 2026
Performance in achieving our priorities
The plan has been updated to respond to some big changes in South Lakeland. The Covid pandemic has had a major impact on the district's economy and communities and its aftermath will be with us for many years. The council has declared a climate emergency. It has set carbon reduction targets and developed an action plan to meet them. The council has also declared a poverty emergency. Finally, Government proposals for re-organising councils may change the shape of local government in the Morecambe Bay area.
SLDC has a long standing vision of making 'South Lakeland the best place to live work and explore'.
In areas such as housing and communities, the council is working to make South Lakeland a better place to live. Through its work in economic development and culture, the council is making the district a better place to work. Through its work on the environment and health, the council is making the district a better place to explore.
The updated plan identifies four key priorities to achieve that vision:
Working across boundaries, delivering sustainable regional growth across Morecambe Bay
Delivering a balanced community, a South Lakeland for all ages
A fairer South Lakeland, a South Lakeland for everyone
Addressing the climate emergency, a carbon neutral South Lakeland
One big change in the 2021 Plan is closer working with Barrow Borough and Lancaster City councils to build on the positive work on The Bay unitary proposal. This means co-operating on economic development, infrastructure, housing and employment growth as well as skills and knowledge. All of this is vital as our communities emerge from the impact of the pandemic. The three councils are also looking to collaborate on inequality and deprivation, population health and carbon reduction.
The latest Council Plan also gives greater emphasis on sustainability and climate change, and builds in targets for carbon reduction.
Another key change is more emphasis on fairness and reducing disadvantage and inequalities. Work on personal financial resilience needs to be redoubled as many people have been placed under financial stress as never before as a result of the pandemic.
This plan set out how the council's work supports these key Council Plan priorities to ensure South Lakeland continues to be the best place to live, work and explore.
We have four priorities:
Working across boundaries
Delivering sustainable regional growth across Morecambe Bay
Why this is a priority
South Lakeland lies at the heart of the Morecambe Bay Economic Region between our two partner authorities of Lancaster and Barrow.
Together, we are a critical mass with a population of more than 320,000, more than 13,000 businesses, 18,000 advanced manufacturing jobs and two universities, aligned with economic, environmental, cultural and health geographies.
We can use our combined weight to secure the investment, growth and transport infrastructure that will deliver jobs and maintain and enhance quality of life across the whole Bay area.
Our ambition is for a thriving and diverse sub-regional economy with a skilled workforce, a balanced housing market to meet needs, great leisure services to encourage healthy lifestyles and a cultural offer that appeals to residents and visitors alike as well as delivering excellent regulatory services.
Co-operation and collaboration across the Bay also creates opportunities to develop combined approaches to health, carbon reduction and tackling deprivation and inequality.
In December 2020 South Lakeland District, Lancaster City and Barrow Borough submitted a joint proposal to Government to combine as a single unitary authority. Working across boundaries has been an SLDC priority for some years and as a result, there is already a high degree of alignment between South Lakeland's plan and the equivalent plans for Lancaster and Barrow.
Working across boundaries also means working across other related geographies including the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, Cumbria County Council and Local Economic Partnership and the Borderlands programme.
Housing and communities:
ensuring that all three Districts (South Lakeland, Barrow and Lancaster) have up to date Local Plans
intervening to deliver strategic sites
working with partners to deliver critical transport and other infrastructure
attracting new delivery partners
Housing and communities targets:
deliver 320 homes every year across the district
produce draft Local Plan by mid-2022
support delivery of new Swarthmoor roundabout in 2021
Economic development and culture:
working across the Bay to secure investment and high value jobs
attracting funding and delivering critical infrastructure
working with partners to deliver an effective economic response to the COVID crisis
promoting unique value propositions such as cultural, creative and marine industries
Economic development and culture targets:
submit Morecambe Bay Growth bid
complete Master Plan for GSK site in Ulverston by July 2021
economic Development strategy setting out delivery framework and targets to be completed by December 2021
Health and Environment:
supporting our NHS partners in managing the impacts of the COVID pandemic in the area
working with Morecambe Bay CCG to develop a population health approach
Health and Environment targets:
develop Morecambe Bay Population Health Strategy
support Morecambe Bay CCG in managing Covid Pandemic
South Lakeland is at the centre of a Morecambe Bay Economic Region at the cutting-edge of delivering sustainable economic growth in the north of England with the right homes, high value jobs, world class knowledge and exceptional quality of life.
Delivering a balanced community
A South Lakeland for all ages.
Recent population and household projections suggest that the decline in the district population identified in previous years has been arrested and the population is starting to grow again.
Our population is forecast to rise from 105,300 to 110,200 by 2040.
This also means that the number of households increasing from 48,200 to 52,100, around 191 per year.
However, a major concern is that the South Lakeland population is ageing. By 2040, there are projected to be 3,200 fewer people of working age and 8,700 more people over 65.
This is a concern because it means that the local economy needs another 3,200 working age people, or 160 every year, just to stand still and even more if the economy is to develop and grow.
We need to encourage our young people to stay, encourage those who have left and acquired knowledge and skills elsewhere to return, encourage economically active people to come in and encourage our older residents to stay healthy and active.
This means encouraging enterprise and the creation of high value jobs and housing people can afford. It also means ensuring that our digital infrastructure is fit for purpose for our young people, for our workforce to work remotely and for our firms to access talent across the country.
It also means ensuring that our towns and countryside provide the lifestyle including schools, connectivity, leisure, cultural and recreational opportunities to attract young people and the 'wealth creators' that will provide employment.
Our older residents are the backbone of many of our communities and voluntary organisations. Many stay economically active well beyond retirement age. To ensure that they remain active, independent and healthy, we need to ensure that appropriate housing and support is provided, that community support networks grow and that our towns and villages enable independent living and interaction between the generations and encourage continued active lifestyles.
This issue is not confined to South Lakeland. Economic and housing growth across Morecambe Bay, better quality of life in towns and villages across the sub-region and better connectivity between them will ensure that the benefits of sub-regional growth will be felt across all three districts. This is why South Lakeland is adopting a collaborative approach and aligning its strategic thinking with those of its neighbours.
new affordable homes to rent
new extra care and specialised housing for the elderly
a range of housing to attract and retain young people
new models of housing delivery
working to reduce the number of second homes
deliver 477 affordable homes for rent between 2020 and 2025
deliver 588 affordable homes to buy between 2020 and 2025
deliver 300 extra care units between 2020 and 2025
deliver 337 self and custom build dwellings between 2020 and 2025
unlocking development sites and enabling local businesses to grow
understanding the needs of local businesses
encouraging graduate retention and the creation of high value jobs
using culture and the arts to support the unique offer of our towns and countryside
implementation of Kendal Town Centre Strategy including provision of new employment floorspace
commencement of development on 5 allocated employment sites by 2025
delivery of Great Places programme
using our distinct environment to create opportunities for all
working with communities to reduce isolation and loneliness
improving access to citizen driven technology
helping people to be independent
completion of Customer Connect Transition programme
ensure that community interests championed in National Park plans and strategies
ensure that population health strategies make relevant provision for the elderly
ensure that social programmes address loneliness
A more balanced South Lakeland which houses a growing working age population and provides the best possible quality of life for all age groups.
Delivering a fairer South Lakeland
A South Lakeland for everyone.
Compared to many parts of Cumbria and Lancashire, South Lakeland is prosperous with relatively low levels of most types of deprivation.
This, however, masks some significant inequalities. Some of the key facts that illustrate this include:
median house prices across South Lakeland are almost seven times the average annual household income and up to 12 times income in some parts of the district and there are around 4,000 households on the Social Housing Register
7.2% of households in South Lakeland have an annual household income of under £10,000 and 7% of children live in low-income households
13% of households are in fuel poverty – driven both by low incomes and high heating costs in older, less well insulated homes
there is major variation in life expectancy across the district, with men living 3.4 years longer and women living 4 years longer in the least deprived areas than the most deprived areas.
The Covid crisis has exposed vulnerabilities in South Lakeland's local economy. The visitor economy including accommodation, retail, food and drink, transport and visitor attractions has been badly hit.
This in turn has had an impact on the network of services; professional services, catering, building maintenance etc, which supports the visitor economy.
The longer term prognosis is unclear and a lot depends on changing holidaying habits and the balance between increased domestic tourism and reduced international tourism.
The full impact has yet to be felt as a lot of businesses have been in receipt of assistance through various grant regimes and the furlough scheme.
Although still the lowest in Cumbria and well below national and county averages, since the beginning of the pandemic, unemployment in South Lakeland has nearly trebled from 1.1% to 3.1% (November 2020) and the proportion of the working age population has risen from 6.8% to 9.2%.
There is a particular concern that as a result of the pandemic, many people are finding themselves at financial risk, often unexpectedly and suddenly. Many people are encountering the benefits system for the first time and having to budget and manage money carefully. They are having to do this in the context of the physical and mental health impacts of the Covid crisis. There is a need for support.
For all of the above reasons South Lakeland has declared a poverty emergency and is implementing a strategy and action plan to tackle poverty and inequality.
What we are we doing
preventing homelessness supporting and ensuring the safety of vulnerable people
working with landlords to improve standards
bringing empty homes back into use
maximising access to Disabled Facilities Grants
providing energy advice and additional support to households in fuel poverty
maintaining our Council Tax reduction scheme
halve the proportion of households in poverty and eliminate child poverty
implement Homelessness & Rough Sleeping Strategies
reduce the percentage of private sector homes with category 1 hazards to less than 15% by 2025
Supporting people to adapt to changes in technology
Encouraging links between further and higher education, apprentices and businesses
Providing support, advice and affordable premises for new business start-ups
Protecting the vulnerable and helping people out of poverty
distribute grants to aid businesses through the Covid crisis
widen and improve the quality of broadband coverage
advise businesses
deliver new business space in Kendal Town Hall
working with partners to reduce domestic violence, alcohol related crime, substance misuse, child sexual exploitation and antisocial behaviour
commissioning services through the third sector
improving air quality and reducing pollution
working with partners to widen access to low cost energy
complete Kendal Air Quality Management Plan implementation
review the third sector commissioning and the delivery of financial advice and support to vulnerable people
work with partners to safeguard people against exploitation
work with partners to protect people against domestic abuse
A District where everyone has access to the same opportunities, life chances and potential to lead safe, healthy, happy and fulfilled lives.
Addressing the climate emergency
A carbon neutral South Lakeland
Why this is this a priority
Climate change is a major international threat to our future.
South Lakeland is already dealing with the impacts of a changing climate with more frequent and more severe flooding events. As well as these, we can expect hotter, drier summers, rising sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events.
These weather events threaten people's lives, properties and health but also have a longer-term impact on people's physical, emotional and financial livelihoods.
South Lakeland must work with the rest of the world to address our emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change. The International Panel on Climate Change (2018 report) recommends reducing global carbon emissions by 45% by 2030, and becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.
South Lakeland will provide the civic leadership to go further and faster. South Lakeland has an opportunity to lead a new low carbon future, which is beneficial to all giving us a more beautiful, cleaner district, with the growth of green industries, sustainable tourism and residents taking pride in their local area and sustaining the local economy.
In February 2019 SLDC declared a climate emergency, its Council Plan committing the council to "working to achieve a carbon-neutral South Lakeland".
The council's 2019 climate change policy acknowledges that climate change is occurring, that manmade greenhouse gas emissions are a primary cause and that climate change will continue to have far-reaching effects on people and places, the economy, society and environment in the district, across the UK and the world.
The council seeks to maximise the social, economic and environmental benefits which come from combating, and developing resilience to climate change and developing a sustainable economy.
The council's carbon footprint has reduced by 50% since 2010 but the council still emits more than 2,600 tonnes of CO2 per annum. The council has committed to being carbon neutral in its own operations by 2030 and working to achieve a carbon neutral district by 2037.
It has prepared a wide ranging action plan to deliver on these targets and is progressively implementing it.
ensuring that new development is sustainable, energy efficient, flood resilient and enhances biodiversity
working with partners to mitigate risk of major flood incidents
working with partners to deliver energy saving and energy efficiency initiatives
pursuing opportunities to develop renewable energy
enhancing the district's green infrastructure
reduce the percentage of homes in the lowest energy performance certificate (EPC) bands (F and G) from 16.4% to less than 10% by 2025
updated environmental standards for new development to be included in Local Plan
promoting environmental technologies and the green economy
developing town centres which are attractive and accessible for living, working and leisure
reducing the council's own carbon footprint
promoting local businesses and the circular economy
ensuring that business areas are protected from flooding
enabling agile and home working
implementation of Town Centre Strategy
completion of Kendal Flood defences
achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2037
working with Cumbria County Council and other partners to promote and encourage the provision of and access to sustainable public transport across the district
promoting active transport including cycling and walking
enhancing the biodiversity of the district
promoting the waste reduction hierarchy
SLDC to be carbon neutral in its own operations by 2030
South Lakeland to be carbon neutral by 2037
supporting preparation and implementation of Kendal cycling and walking strategy
A more beautiful, quieter and cleaner district leading the way to net zero with more comfortable, warmer and safer homes, cleaner air and water, more wildlife, more trees and more jobs in a thriving sustainable economy and an environmental quality and quality of life that is recognised as the best in England.
Performance in achieving our four key priorities
We use our performance management framework and risk management process to help make sure that we work towards the objectives set out in our Council Plan.
Performance management framework
The Performance Management Framework is about the delivery of our goals. Performance means more than just back office systems, processes, plans and indicators.
Effective performance management is being clear about our purpose. It has a strong emphasis on achieving outcomes. It has robust and effective planning systems, which ensure the allocation of resources follow service demands. Our work is monitored against clear targets and acted upon.
The Risk Management Process outlines how we are managing risks and opportunities.
This process will enable us to identify risks, assess them, identify how we can control them and allocate responsibility to officers.
Risk Management Process (PDF 221KB / 7 pages)
Contact: Customer Services
Email: customer.services@southlakeland.gov.uk
Address: South Lakeland District Council Offices, South Lakeland House, Lowther Street, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4DQ