Key policies which Paul has enacted which have improved the lives of residents and workers across the city of Salford.
Tackling poverty and inequality
£4.8m of missing social security entitlements has been secured for 3,283 Salford people through our free welfare rights and debt advice service
47% reduction in the number of rough sleepers in Salford
The council’s new low cost funeral service helps Salford residents to reduce the costs of arranging a funeral in the city
Salford has been recognised as one of the best local authorities in England by the Money Advice Service for the fair way we collect council tax
13% increase in membership of Salford Credit Union. There are now over 4,000 members
28 accredited real Living Wage employers are now based in Salford, lifting the pay of 1,393 employees
Education and skills
65% of pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and maths for primary level KS2, an improvement on last year’s figure of 61%
75% of young people on council sponsored traineeship programmes have progressed into jobs and apprenticeships
3,891 young people and adults were provided with specialist careers information, advice and guidance
The council, in partnership with the University of Salford introduced a new supported internship programme for young people with special educational needs and disability
120 Salford employers have signed up to the city’s Employment Standards Charter, a 19% increase from last year
Health and social care
As part of the schools’ brushing programme 8,636 children aged two to five are now brushing their teeth with a fluoride toothpaste in Salford schools. Children have also been provided with brushing packs to take home
OFSTED inspectors judged the council’s children’s services as GOOD retaining our previous judgement, the only north west authority to do so
91% of GP practices are rated as good or outstanding
Salford is exceeding the target set for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service wait times. In 99% of cases, the time of referral to the first contact or appointment was within 12 weeks
83.2% of people aged 65 and over were still at home 91 days after discharge from hospital into reablement/rehabilitation services, an increase from 80% in the previous year
Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, the main provider of hospital and community services in the city has again been rated as Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission
Economic development
809 new jobs have been created as a result of regeneration and development
£13m of public sector and £462m of private sector investment has been secured
The council, working alongside our partners, has supported ten investment projects to relocate to Salford. These projects are forecasted to create 809 jobs with the value to the Salford economy estimated to be £40.2m
To get the maximum benefit from the expansion of city centre Salford, the council and University of Salford have developed a masterplan for a world class new city district. The plan was launched at the largest property exhibition in the world in March 2019
We have Six Green Flag awards for parks and open spaces across the city. There were 93 events within our parks and open spaces
Housing
3344 new homes completed
554 older and vulnerable residents have been supported to maintain their homes in a safe, warm and dry condition
The first 20 two and three bedroomed Dérive properties were handed over to tenants. More are now in the pipeline.
272 more affordable homes, one of the best rates in Greater Manchester
342 long term empty properties were brought back into use
525 households were prevented from becoming homeless by helping them stay in their homes or finding new accommodation
Transport
Major highway improvement works for Trafford Road have been developed with Transport for Greater Manchester
12 bids to the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Challenge Fund have been approved to improve walking and cycling routes across the city
Salford is working with other councils in Greater Manchester to develop a Clean Air Plan to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide on roads. Everyone in Greater Manchester will have the chance to have their say and help shape the plan
Construction work for the access junction to the RHS Bridgewater site has been completed. The potential for improved walking and cycling links to the site are also being explored
21% increase in business miles by users of the Co-wheels car club. All miles travelled in the club are driven in low or no emission vehicles and have saved an estimated 1,232 tonnes of carbon
A transparent effective organisation
Council tax collection rose from 90% to 92.17% and business rates collection rose from 91.65% to 95.67% this year. These are our largest increases in collection rates
4000 residents have been through the council’s Digital You programme, gaining the basic skills to boost their knowledge and confidence about using technology
In March 2019, the Local Government Boundary Commission published its final recommendations for new electoral arrangements in Salford. There will be an election for 60 councillors across all 20 wards May 2020
The council’s employer index score with Stonewall has improved from 10.5 in 2018 to 45 in 2019. Stonewall is a charity that champions the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people. The council continues to learn and improve the experiences of LGBT staff and residents
110 new apprenticeships have started across the council. The council launched the Salford Skills for Business Apprenticeship Fund. This new fund is investing in training with organisations to help create more apprenticeships for Salford residents
Social impact
The council published the Social Impact Report to share progress to maximise the benefits from all money invested in the city
£96.6m (59%) of the council’s direct spend is with Salford based suppliers
Using energy saving measures in council buildings helped save over 2,500 tonnes of carbon. That’s 42% less since 2007, exceeding our original target of a 40% cut.
Over 200 people attended our first Spirit of Salford Community Awards. The event was a fantastic opportunity to thank the people who work tirelessly to make our communities great places to live
49% of the council’s wage bill goes to Salford residents
18 council suppliers are accredited as Foundation Living Wage employers, 200% increase from 2017