Self-Assessment Report 2022-23

The information published on this page, and its sub-pages, is also available as a downloadable document.

Foreword

As the Interim Chief Executive of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, I welcome you to our Performance Self-Assessment Report for 2022 to 2023.

This year proved a particularly challenging one, for our citizens and for us as an organisation.

As we worked to recover from the effects of the pandemic, we faced numerous economic shocks, including a cost-of-living crisis, price instability, escalating inflation, low consumer confidence, tightened financial conditions and slower economic growth. We are also facing the immediate challenge of transitioning to a carbon-neutral society.

Maintaining our performance in light of these forces has never been more difficult.

In 2022, we re-focused our priorities and alongside our partners, updated the long-term Community Plan for the Borough. We supported our citizens, particularly those who were increasingly vulnerable to the impact of these various crises, and worked closely with our communities to deliver much needed practical support.

We commissioned a Citizen’s Survey to gain a comprehensive understanding of how our residents viewed us as a Council and the area as a place to live, and developed our Performance Improvement Plan for 2023 to 2024 based on the improvements you wanted to see.

We worked tirelessly to assess our finances and operations to ensure we could strike an affordable rate for the borough, whilst continuing to deliver our vital services effectively.

We want to continue to improve our organisation. We want our employees to be happy and motivated to provide the best service possible for citizens, businesses, and visitors. We must continue to adapt to our changing landscape, to transform our operations for the better. It is up to all of us to support the Council in doing so.

We welcome the opinion of our citizens, businesses, employees, Elected Members, and service users at any time throughout the year. If you have an idea for improvement, we would like to hear from you. Please contact us at performance@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Valerie Watts

Interim Chief Executive

What we are responsible for

We deliver a wide range of services to help improve the quality of life for our citizens, to promote the borough as a place to visit and do business, and to protect and enhance our natural environment.

The services we are responsible for, include:

Animal Welfare and Dog Control
Arts, Culture and Heritage
Bin Collection and Recycling
Building Control
Cemetries
Community Planning
Community Services
Economic Development
Environmental Health
Funding and Investment
Leisure, Recreation and Sport
Licensing
Off Street Car Parking
Parks and Open Spaces
Planning
Public Conveniences
Registration of Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Civil Partnerships
Regional Property Certificates
Tourism

What we are not responsible for

There are some common misconceptions about what we are responsible for, and whilst we do not deliver the services outlined here, your elected representatives can advocate and make representations on your behalf to these organisations, and others.

For enquiries relating to ‘Roads, potholes, footpaths, street lights, bridges, and on-street car parking’:

Contact: Department for infrastructure
Website: Infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For enquiries relating to ‘Water and sewage, including septic tank clearance’:

Contact: Northern Ireland Water
Website: niwater.com

For enquiries relating to ‘Electricity’:

Contact: Northern Ireland Electricity
Website: nie.co.uk

For enquiries relating to ‘Rates’:

Contact: Land and Property Services
Website: nidirect.gov.uk/rates

For enquires relating to ‘Housing’:

Contact: Housing Executive
Website: nihe.gov.uk

For enquiries relating to ‘Penalty Charge Notice issued at off-street car parking’:

Contact: NSL
Website: nidirect.gov.uk/challengeparkingticket

For enquires relating to ‘Flooding’:

Contact: Flooding Incident Line
Telephone: 0300 200 0100 (24-hour)

Executive summary

A summary of our performance is presented below, in line with the requirements of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014, and includes:

(1) Our arrangements to secure continuous improvement.
(2) Our performance in achieving our Improvement Objectives, statutory standards, and self-imposed performance indicators, and
(3) Benchmarking activities undertaken by the Council.

(1) Our arrangements to secure continuous improvement

Strengths:

Our Performance Management Framework links our aims to the work plans of every employee, helping to drive performance and continuous improvement at every level within our organisation.
Our framework is supported by governance procedures that ensure oversight and accountability for all business.
The area of performance is within the remit of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee. This Committee considers internal and external audit, and the monitoring, assessment and review of annual Business Plans, the Performance Improvement Plan, and the Agile Framework.
Our key plans and strategies are informed by listening to our citizens, businesses, community groups, employees, and Elected Members.
The Community Plan for the borough, developed with widespread engagement and consultation, was updated in 2022.
Our Performance Improvement Plan undergoes a public consultation every year, and our Citizens’ Survey 2022 helps us shape our plans based on what our citizens feel is most important for the area.
We use a wide variety of indicators to measure our performance, including those set out within the Performance Improvement Plan, statutory targets, and the self-imposed indicators of our Corporate Plan and annual business plans.
Our electronic performance management system streamlines our planning processes, and supports the setting, approval and validation of objectives, key performance indicators and targets. It allows for more accurate, strategically relevant, timely and visually impactful reporting.
In November 2022, the Northern Ireland Audit Office Local Government Auditor, found the Council had discharged its duties in connection with (1) improvement planning, and (2) publication of improvement information in accordance with section 92 of the Act, and has acted in accordance with the Department for Communities’ guidance sufficiently. We accepted and actioned the ‘Proposal for Improvement’.
We commissioned and implemented recommendations from two internal audits, the first in 2017, the second in 2019/20.

Areas for improvement:

Our Performance Management Framework will be revised in 2023/24 to align with any changes in our performance arrangements.
Two prior year Northern Ireland Audit Office ‘Proposals for Improvement’ remain in progress. We will continue to participate in the Performance Improvement Working Group to progress their implementation.

(2.1) Improvement Objectives

Strengths:

The Performance Improvement Plans for 2022/23 and 2023/24 were both published before the statutory deadline.
The 2022/23 year was particularly challenging, as we felt the impact of various economic crises, and continued to navigate the effects of the global pandemic. Our Improvement Plan focused on meeting the needs of our citizens, while remaining adaptable to our environment.
There were six Improvement Objectives within the Performance improvement Plan for 2022/23. These aligned with all seven Improvement Areas set out in the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.
Each objective was supported by a Project Initiation Document, which outlined the outcomes and indicators used to track progress.
During the year:
- 50% of outcomes and 58% of key performance indicators were achieved or on track.
- 30% of outcomes and 23% of indicators were delayed but progressing.
- 15% of outcomes and 12% of indicators were either not achieved or stopped.
- 5% of outcomes and 7% of indicators were either not due for completion or data was not available at the time of reporting.
Where possible, ongoing, or outstanding indicators from the Performance Improvement Plan 2022/23 were included within the Improvement Objectives for 2023/24.

Areas for improvement:

We will progress the delivery of any ongoing previous years’ Improvement Objectives, and updates will continue within the reporting schedule for the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24, as appropriate.

(2.2) Statutory key performance indicators

Strengths:

Statutory indicators and standards are outlined in our annual business plans, and where possible, within our Improvement Objectives. We also set our own internal targets within these areas to help ensure continuous improvement.
Of the seven statutory standards, we achieved five in 2022/23. Annual data was not available for one indicator, and one standard was not achieved.
We were the top performing council in the region for the number of jobs promoted through business start-up activity, achieving 46% over target. This is our eighth consecutive year exceeding the target and is a similar result to pre-pandemic levels.
We were the top performing council in the region for the average processing time of local planning applications, at 8.6 weeks, one week faster than last year. We were one of three local authorities to meet the standard in 2022/23, with a Northern Ireland average processing time of 19 weeks. We have achieved the standard every year since 2015/16.
Data is available for the first six months of 2022/23 for the percentage of enforcement cases concluded within 39 weeks. We were the top performing council in the region during this period, achieving 91.2% against a target of 70%. We have achieved this standard every year since 2015/16.
We achieved all three targets for waste management.
We have collected more than the minimum 50% household recycling standard for the last six years. In 2022/23, the recycling rate was 51.4%, slightly lower than last year’s result of 51.9%, but aligned with the Northern Ireland Council average of 52%.
In 2022/23, we saw an increase in biodegradable waste collected sent to landfill at 14,599 tonnes, up from 14,528 the previous year, and the third consecutive rise in the borough since 2019/20.
We collected less than the 16,387 tonnes allowance set by the Northern Ireland Landfill Allowance’s Scheme, which remained in place up to 2019/20.
The amount of collected municipal waste arisings fell by over 4% to 73,433 in 2022/23, from 76,689 in 2021/22. We are obligated to collect the amount presented at the kerbside, household recycling centres and commercial waste.

Areas for improvement:

At 47.6 weeks, we were within the top three performing councils in the region for the average processing time of major planning applications. The shortest time was 46.4 weeks, followed closely by 47 weeks. No council met the 30-week standard last year, with an average processing time among the eleven councils of 57.8 weeks. Significant events during the last two years have impacted on planning activity and processing times, including the launch of a new IT planning system.
Until clarity is provided on the statutory waste indicators, moving forward, we will continue to use the Northern Ireland Landfill Allowance’s Scheme 2019/20 allowance as an internal target.

(2.3) Self-imposed key performance indicators

Strengths:

These indicators help track the delivery of our Corporate Plan and annual business plans.
Our successes over the four-year term of our Corporate Plan are highlighted within this report, and a summary provided on how we performed against our 20 corporate indicators.
In 2022/23, 80% of our targets were achieved or on track for delivery, two were delayed but progressing, and two were not achieved. Bi-annual updates are provided to our Senior Management Team and Full Council.
Each department within our organisation creates an annual business plan which aligns with the objectives of our Corporate Plan. Update reports are generated via our performance management system and provided to our Senior Management Team and the Audit and Scrutiny Committee throughout the year.
Of the 140 Directorate level key performance indicators, including corporate plan and statutory indicators:
- 71% were achieved or on track.
- 21% were delayed but progressing.
- 7% were not achieved or stopped.
- 1% was not due or data was not yet available.

Areas for improvement

We will continue to progress the delivery of indicators classed as ‘delayed but progressing’, or ‘not achieved or stopped’, to successful conclusion, as appropriate.

(3) Benchmarking

Strengths:

Benchmarking and best practice learning are important elements within our performance management toolkit.
We have participated in the Association for Public Service Excellence Northern Ireland Benchmarking Project since 2015/16, alongside several other regional councils. As the project develops and stabilises, the data becomes more useful for annual trend analysis and cross-council benchmarking. Data is currently collected for 12 service areas.
For prompt payment performance, at 74%, the percentage of payments made within 10 working days improved for the sixth consecutive year in 2022/23. The Northern Ireland council average is 70%.
Internally, we also make annual comparisons against our Corporate Plan indicators and within our individual service areas to facilitate continuous improvement.

Areas for improvement:

17.94 days were lost per full-time equivalent employee in 2022/23, the highest level recorded since 2016/17. (This figure replaces the previously reported and published figure of 17.21 days).
14.85 days were lost due to long-term absence, and 3.09 days were lost due to short-term absence. The increase is mostly attributed to ‘chest and respiratory’ related absences, delays in accessing medical treatment, and employee relation associated absences.
Absenteeism will remain a focus for the Council.
We are committed to the implementation of actions and recommendations succeeding our staff survey.
For the average percentage of payments made within 30 working days in 2022/23, the Council achieved 87%, a reduction of 8% on the previous year. This was due to the introduction of a new finance system. Additional staff training was provided and resulted in a significant increase in performance.
The Association for Public Service Excellence Northern Ireland Benchmarking Project continues to be reviewed and improved in each financial year, in partnership with other local authorities.
A corporate approach to benchmarking will be developed in line with recommendations from the Local Government Performance Improvement Working Group, and in conjunction with the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Audit Office, through a wider review of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.
We will continue to avail of best practice opportunities.

Closing remarks:

We have worked hard to embed a culture of continuous improvement within our organisation. We know that listening to our stakeholders is fundamental to this goal.

Our staff have worked extremely hard to maintain our standards this year, and we will continue to seek opportunities to do better, and to work more efficiently for the benefit of all.

Duty to Improve

The Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 put in place a framework to support continuous improvement in the delivery of council services.

Under the Act each council has a statutory duty to publish a Performance Improvement Plan by 30 June each year, which sets out one or more improvement objectives, and to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to achieve them. This is known as the Duty to Improve.

For us improvement is not limited to gains in service output or efficiencies. It is about focusing on the issues that are important to our citizens and businesses, helping us achieve our vision of improving the quality of life for all.

The Act specifies that the Council must also publish a Performance Self-Assessment Report by 30 September each year. This report must include:

(1) An assessment of its performance during a financial year:

In discharging its duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement.
In meeting its improvement objectives which are applicable to that year, and
By reference to the statutory performance indicators and self-imposed indicators which are applicable to that year.

(2) An assessment of its performance in exercising its functions during a financial year as compared with:

Its performance in previous financial years, and
So far as is reasonably practicable, the performance during that and previous financial years, of other councils.

You can view our previous Performance Self-Assessment Reports on our website at www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/performance

Arrangements to secure continuous improvement

As a council, we developed a Performance Management Framework to drive performance and continuous improvement within the organisation. The framework links all our corporate planning processes, enabling us to measure and manage performance at every level.

It demonstrates how the strategic objectives from the Community Plan and Corporate Plan flow through to the Performance Improvement Plan, annual business plans and to each employee’s work objectives. Each plan is supported by key performance indicators, both statutory and self-imposed, so that we can continually monitor, review and report on our performance.

The framework is kept under review to support our Duty to Improve and is complimented by our electronic performance management system. A description is provided below.

The Community Plan (2017-2032)	The Community Plan sits at the top of the framework and sets the 15-year vision for the borough. It is led by the Council and was developed in partnership with people and organisations from the borough's public, private and voluntary sectors.
The Corporate Plan	This four-year strategic plan sits below the Community Plan. It shapes our services and drives our annual business planning process to ensure everything we do is aimed at achieving our vision and objectives.
The Performance Improvement Plan	This annual plan sits below the Corporate Plan. It sets our Improvement Objectives for the year ahead and helps meet the aims of the Community Plan and Corporate Plan.
Annual Business Plans	Each service area develops an annual business plan, with objectives and key performance indicators which link directly to the Community Plan and Performance Improvement Plan.
Employee Personal Development Plans	These plans sit at the bottom of the framework and are completed by employees annually. They link work, and learning and development needs, to departmental objectives, the Corporate Plan, and the Community Plan.

Performance audits

External audit - Northern Ireland Audit Office (also referred to as the NIAO)

The Performance Improvement Plan and our arrangements to secure continuous improvement are subject to an annual audit and assessment by the Northern Ireland Audit Office, in accordance with section 93 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 and the Code of Audit Practice for local government bodies.

Subject to the General Duty of Improvement being met, the NIAO issue a Letter of Assurance to both the Council and the Department for Communities.

The most recent audit took place during October and November 2022. The Local Government Auditor certified Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s performance arrangements with an unqualified audit opinion, without modification. The key findings are outlined below.

Improvement planning and publication of improvement information

The Auditor believes the Council has discharged its duties in connection with (1) improvement planning and (2) publication of improvement information in accordance with section 92 of the Act and has acted in accordance with the Department for Communities’ guidance sufficiently.

Improvement assessment

The auditor noted that council continue to operate in a challenging environment with a focus on recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, impacting both on performance and the way in which services are delivered.

This changing landscape and refocusing of priorities impacted their ability to rely on past trends in Council’s performance to assess the likelihood of future compliance with Part 12 of the Act.

In light of this, the auditor was unable to reach an opinion on whether the Council is likely to discharge its duties under Part 12 of the Act, and act in accordance with the Department for Communities’ guidance sufficiently during 2022/23.

An assessment was not conducted to determine whether the Council is likely to comply with the requirements of Part 12 of the Act in subsequent years, but the need for this will be kept under review as arrangements become more fully established.

No recommendations were made under section 95(2) of the Act.

The auditor was not minded to carry out a special inspection under section 95(2) of the Act.

Proposal for Improvement

The Local Government Auditor made one new proposal for improvement, which represents good practice and should assist the Council in meeting its performance improvement responsibilities.

The Council accepted and implemented this proposal.

Further details can be found in Appendix 1, including a status update on some previous proposals for improvement.

Internal audit

A history of internal performance-related audit is summarised in the table below.

Audit 1

In 2017, the Council appointed an independent organisation to undertake an audit of our performance improvement arrangements, and to determine the adequacy and effectiveness of our control framework.

In September 2017, the auditor gave a ‘limited’ assurance rating and proposed 13 recommendations for improvement.

A follow up review in June 2019 determined 12 of these ‘implemented’ and one ‘partially implemented’.

The final recommendation was fulfilled during the 2021/22 year and related to the timing of the business plan approval process.

Audit 2

A second internal audit was conducted during the 2019/20 year and focused on our data collection and validation processes.

The auditor assessed a sample of seven key performance indicators, six from our Corporate Plan and one from our Performance Improvement Plan.

In January 2020, the auditor gave a ‘Satisfactory’ level of assurance and proposed three recommendations for improvement.

These were determined as ‘implemented’ in a follow-up review in April 2021.

Management, reporting, and governance arrangements

The Council’s reporting structures have been designed to ensure proper oversight and accountability for all business, and to provide our Senior Management Team and Elected Members with assurance that our governance arrangements are robust. This helps to ensure transparency, accountability and to further drive continuous improvement.

Our reporting structures are as follows:

The Community Plan	Reports are provided to the Strategic Alliance every six months, the Community Panel every quarter, and the Direct Services Committee, as appropriate.
The Corporate Plan	Reports are provided to the Senior Management Team and Full Council every six months.
The Performance Improvement Plan	This plan is approved by Full Council each year. Updates are provided to the Senior Management Team and the Audit and Scrutiny Committee every quarter, and Project Boards, as appropriate.
The Performance Self-Assessment Report	Reports are provided to the Senior Management Team and Full Council for approval each year.
Directorate Business Plans	Reports are provided to the Senior Management Team every quarter, and the Audit and Scrutiny Committee every six months.

The Audit and Scrutiny Committee

The overall purpose and objective of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee are to ensure that effective arrangements are in place to provide assurances on:

Internal and External Audit
Risk Management
Financial Management
Governance, and
Internal Control.

The Committee provides an oversight to help ensure best practice is complied with to safeguard public funds and to support the aims and objectives of the Corporate Plan.

The key functions the Committee consider in relation to ‘Performance’ are:

Audit

Internal audit
External audit

Scrutiny

The monitoring, assessment, and review of:

Business Plan performance
Performance Improvement Plan quarterly performance
The Agile Framework.

The Committee met seven times during the 2022/23 financial year (in April, June, August, September, October, and December 2022, and in February 2023).

Identifying areas for improvement

Our key plans and strategies are informed by listening to our citizens, businesses, community groups, employees, and Elected Members, as described below:

The Community Plan	The Community Plan was developed with widespread engagement and consultation. A review in 2022 led to the streamlining of its key outcomes and the introduction of new cross-cutting priorities.
The Corporate Plan	In place to 2023, this plan aligns with the vision, themes and priorities of the Community Plan.
The Performance Improvement Plan	This plan undergoes a public consultation every year to ensure our stakeholders have an opportunity to contribute.
Citizens Survey	This survey, commissioned in 2022, gave us a thorough understanding of the views of our citizens and helped us shape our plans based on what they felt was most important for the borough.

Continuous Improvement

We are committed to continuously improving our services and welcome your comments or suggestions for improvement at any time throughout the year.

Please get in touch by emailing performance@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Measuring our performance

We monitor and measure our performance against:

The Performance Improvement Plan
Statutory indicators and targets, and
Self-imposed indicators and targets.

A brief explanation of how we do this is provided in the table below.

The Performance Improvement Plan for 2022/23

This plan focused on meeting the needs of our citizens and adapting to our constantly changing operating environment.

It did not detail every improvement we intended to make but focused on some key areas identified for improvement through community and corporate planning processes, stakeholder engagement, and research analysis.

Our six Improvement Objectives were:

Growing the economy and creating jobs.
Supporting the historic conservation of Carrickfergus, contributing to the sustainability of the local economy.
Supporting Mid and East Antrim citizens’ health and wellbeing by providing quality, inclusive play and recreation facilities, and promoting safe and responsible outdoor recreation.
Improving infrastructure to encourage electric vehicle uptake in the Borough to reduce emissions and protect the environment for future generations.
Creating an Autism Friendly Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.
Improving customer engagement and service delivery by enhancing the Council’s use of information technology.

The objectives aligned with the seven Improvement Areas set out in the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014, of:

Strategic effectiveness
Service quality
Service availability
Fairness
Sustainability
Efficiency
Innovation

Statutory key performance indicators

The Department for Communities also set statutory indicators and targets for councils in the areas of Planning, Economic Development, and Waste Management.

These indicators are outlined within our annual business plans, and where possible, within our Improvement Objectives.

We provide regular updates to regional bodies, who issue reports showing comparisons between all eleven regional councils.

We also set our own internal targets within these areas. These are laid out within our annual business plans to help ensure continuous improvement.

Self-imposed performance indicators

We use a wide range of indicators to track the delivery of our Corporate Plan and business plans throughout the year.

Performance Improvement Plan for 2022 to 2023

This section of the report evaluates our performance against our six Improvement Objectives.

To do this we use a series of outcomes and indicators, which are set out within a Project Initiation Document. The outcomes are statements of what we wanted to achieve for our citizens. The indicators are how we measured success.

Of a total of 20 outcomes:

50% were achieved or considered on track.
30% were delayed but progressing.
15% were not achieved or stopped.
5% were not due or not available.

Of a total of 26 indicators:

58% were achieved or considered on track.
23% were delayed but progressing.
12% were not achieved or stopped.
7% were not due or not available.

Some of the key achievements from this year’s Performance Improvement Plan, include:

327 people took part in employability programmes. Of these, 225 gained qualifications, 60 progressed to employment or self-employment, and 21 into further education.
124 jobs were promoted through the Go for It Programme.
We were the top performing council in Northern Ireland for the average processing time of local planning applications.
We replaced four play parks.
Eight buildings of historical and architectural interest were restored in Carrickfergus.
We delivered seven autism awareness programmes.
130 people took part in four outdoor safety training courses.
We secured 12 fast electric vehicle chargers for the borough.

Improvement Objective 1: Growing the economy and creating jobs.

Why we did this:

Investment to grow the economy, create jobs and attract tourists was identified as one of the most important forms of investment for the Council. (Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Household Survey, 2018).

Improving skills, employability, and job prospects ranked the second most important thing that needed to be improved to make your area a good place to live. (Source: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Household Survey, 2018).

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increase in the number of job claimants in the region; a trend observed across almost all council regions in Northern Ireland. In December 2021, figures remained 25% higher than January 2020. (Source: Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency).

Between 2019 to 2021, over 2,410 jobs were lost in Mid and East Antrim. (Source: NISRA Confirmed Redundancy Trend Tables, published February 2022).

Who was responsible: The Director of Development.

What you see:

Outcome 1:

A series of pre-employment programmes to upskill and enable residents to access employment opportunities that provide a progressive career pathway.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

12 programmes were delivered, including:

The Hydrogen Academy
Transport 2 and Transport 3
Get into Childminding
Access All Areas
Rise Women Returners
Community Led Skills
Get into Retail
Health and Social Care
Restaurant Academy cohort 1
Manufacturing Academy cohort 1
The Female Manufacturing Academy

Outcome 2:

The promotion of new jobs in the Borough by successfully delivering the Go for It Programme.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

The programme was successfully delivered, with 207 business plans created, and 124 jobs promoted (46% over the statutory target of 85).

Outcome 3:

An effective and efficient Planning Service to maximise economic development.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

Annual data has been published for two of three statutory planning indicators, one of which we achieved.

For the third indicator, mid-year data has been published. During which time we achieved the standard.

How we measured progress:

Indicator 1:

7 employability programmes or academies delivered by March 2023.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

12 programmes were delivered.

Indicator 2:

120 participants engaged.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

327 participants engaged across the 12 programmes, as follows:

The Hydrogen Academy (114 participants)

Transport cohorts 2 and 3 (45 participants)

Childminding (15 participants)

Access All Areas (23 participants)

RISE Women Returners (21 participants)

Community Led Skills (50 participants)

Get into Retail (10 participants)

Health and Social Care (23 participants)

Restaurant Academy cohort 1 (9 participants)

Manufacturing Academy cohort 1 (12 participants)

Female Manufacturing (5 participants)

Indicator 3:

120 qualifications achieved.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

225 qualifications were secured, as follows:

The Hydrogen Academy (105)
Transport (18)
Childminding (45)
Access All Areas (6)
Community Skills (25)
Manufacturing (8)
Female Manufacturing (18)

Indicator 4:

10 participants progressing to Further Education.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

21 participants progressed to further education, as follows:

The Health and Social Care Academy (11)
Transport (7)
Female Manufacturing (2)
Manufacturing (1)

Indicator 5:

60 participants gaining employment or self- employment.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

60 participants gained employment, as follows:

The Transport Academy (19)
Childminding (15)
Access All Areas (6)
RISE Women Returners (9)
Community Skills (5)
Health and Social Care (2)
Manufacturing (2)
Female Manufacturing (2)

Indicator 6:

85 jobs promoted through the Go for It Programme by March 2023.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

124 jobs were promoted.

(The statutory target of 85, applicable in May 2022, did not increase to 111 as was expected during the 2022/23 year).

Indicator 7:

Major Planning applications processed within an average of 30 weeks by March 2023.

Status:

Not achieved.

How did we do this year?

Our average processing time was 47.6 weeks. No council in Northern Ireland met the standard in 2022/23.

Indicator 8:

Local Planning applications processed within an average of 15 weeks by March 2023.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

Our average processing time was 8.6 weeks. We were the top performing council in the region for this indicator in 2022/23.

Indicator 9:

70% of planning enforcement cases concluded within 39 weeks by March 2023.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

The most recent data available is for the period April to September 2022. We achieved a result of 91.2%.

Improvement Objective 2: Supporting the historic conservation of Carrickfergus contributing to the sustainability of the local economy

Why we did this:

Carrickfergus Castle is a key landmark and popular visitor attraction.

Significant factory closures, changes in buying habits and proximity to Belfast have led to a decline in Carrickfergus’ traditional town centre economy.

Who was responsible: The Director of Operations.

What you see:

Outcome 1:

Up to 10 buildings of historical and architectural interest restored (including eight existing awarded schemes), through the Townscape Heritage Initiative, with Council and Heritage Lottery grant assistance, by 31 March 2023.

(The delivery timescale was updated on funder approval to extend the scheme to 31 March 2023).

Status:

Delayed but progressing.

How did we do this year?

Eight buildings of historical and architectural interest were restored by 31 December 2022. A further two are due to complete by 30 September 2023.

This outcome and relevant key performance indicators continue within the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24 Improvement Objectives.

Outcome 2:

The local community will have a better understanding of built heritage.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

A varied education programme was delivered throughout the project’s lifetime, including an ‘Education Pack’, with accompanying resources, which can be downloaded for free from our website. The pack is aimed at enhancing awareness of the town’s history, examining how it has changed, and why.

Outcome 3:

Increased inward investment and local employment opportunities related both directly and indirectly to heritage and tourism growth.

(Prior key performance indicators relating to increased town centre footfall and lower vacancy levels were removed. These targets were no longer deemed achievable by March 2023, in light of current economic trends and the on-going impact of the COVID-19 pandemic).

Status:

Not available.

How did we do this year?

The square footage of floor space restored or converted for use will be established upon project completion in September 2023.

How we measured progress:

Indicator 1:

Up to 2 new grants awarded by 31 July 2022.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

Two new grants were awarded by July 2022.

Indicator 2:

A total of 10 buildings of historical and architectural interest restored by 31 March 2023:

Status:

Delayed but progressing.

How did we do this year?

Eight buildings were restored by 31 March 2023.

Indicator 3:

An Education Programme completed by 31 March 2023.

Status:

Delayed but progressing.

How did we do this year?

Whilst largely complete, a final booklet will be developed, and a closing event scheduled by 30 October 2023.

Indicator 4:

Increased floor space for retail, commercial or residential use by 31 March 2023.

Status:

Data is not yet available.

How did we do this year?

Floor space will be established upon completion of the programme.

Improvement Objective 3: Supporting Mid and East Antrim citizens’ health and wellbeing by providing quality, inclusive play and recreation facilities, and promoting safe and responsible outdoor recreation.

Why we did this:

The need for play is evidenced through the Play Strategy and Play Investment Framework for Mid and East Antrim. We are committed to invest in fixed play in the Borough, and to make play provision more inclusive.

Our Outdoor Recreation Strategy sets out how the Borough's rich landscape provides excellent opportunities to enhance the health and wellbeing of our residents and visitors. This was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. With more and more people engaging in outdoor recreation on our waters and hillsides, it is important that these activities are enjoyed safely.

Who was responsible: The Director of Community

What you see:

Outcome 1:

The delivery of 4 replacement Play Parks across the Borough.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

Two replacement play parks officially opened to the public in June 2023, and another two completed in July 2023.

This outcome and relevant key performance indicators continue within the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24 Improvement Objectives.

Outcome 2:

3 new or upgraded Multi-Use Games Areas or kick-about areas.

Status:

Delayed but progressing.

How did we do this year?

It is anticipated that all three areas will now complete between March and June 2024.This outcome and relevant key performance indicators also continue within the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24 Improvement Objectives.

Outcome 3:

A programme of training and development opportunities for people to take part in safe and sustainable outdoor recreation.

Status:

Achieved.

How did we do this year?

Four courses were delivered by 31 March 2023, as follows:

Rescue Emergency Care 2 (delivered in May 2022, with 12 participants).

Stand-Up Paddle Boarding and Kayak Safety (delivered by Sport NI in July 2022, with 37 participants).

Water Awareness Workshops (delivered by Brendan Prince from the Above Water charity in June 2022, with 75 pupils from two local primary schools).

Hill and Moorland Walk Leader training (delivered in January 2023, to 6 participants).

The Lowland Walk Leader course, scheduled for March 2023, was postponed due to low participation numbers. This outcome was included as a key performance indicator within the Performance improvement Plan 2023/24 Improvement Objectives, with the final course Get Wet Stay Safe completing in May 2023.

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