Why is Calderdale on track to become the best borough in the North?

That’s according to the Council’s annual performance review report, which will be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting on Monday 11 June.

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According to the report, it’s thanks to good progress over the last 12 months on priority areas that make a difference to local people, including:

A reduction of over 50 per cent in the time between a child becoming looked after and moving in with an adoptive family.

A 13 per cent increase in the take-up of two-year-old early education funding over the last two years, placing Calderdale 20th in the country.

An increase in Superfast Broadband coverage to 93.6 per cent, and more Calderdale residents having basic digital skills (77 per cent of adults).

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A three per cent reduction in people aged over 65 receiving long-term social care, with improvements in choice and independence for our more vulnerable residents.

One-third less waste being sent to landfill in 2017/18 than the year before.

Coun Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, Performance and Business Change, said: “Our overall ambition is to be the best borough in the North, and everything we do is based on our priorities to reduce inequalities, create a sustainable future and grow the economy.

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“We’re delighted that Calderdale is now ranked 5th out of 20 northern boroughs – up two places from last year. This means we’re performing well on key actions that have the biggest impact on local people’s lives. We know there are also areas for improvement, and we’ll continue to strive to get better. Priorities for 2018/19 include stepping up action on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour and developing the Northgate site to provide a brand new sixth form college in Halifax town centre. We will continue to build our Vision 2024 to make Calderdale a place where people want to live, work and visit.”

The annual report measures the Council’s performance against 78 key indicators, showing how it is doing against its own targets and compared to other councils. Information on how the Council is performing is available all year round on Calderdale Data Works.

The report will be discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Monday 11 June at Halifax Town Hall from 6pm.

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