Introduction from the Leader and Managing Director of the Council
Welcome to our Council Plan which sets out our vision for Hartlepool in 2030 and the priorities that we will be focussing on over the next 5 years.
As a Council we deliver a wide range of services everyday including:
People
- Supporting older people and adults with disabilities, sensory loss or mental health needs to live independent fulfilled lives.
- Providing housing advice and supporting those who are rough sleeping, homeless or at risk of homelessness.
- Supporting education, early years and children with special educational needs.
- Keeping children safe and families together.
- Working with communities to support health and wellbeing.
- Supporting unpaid carers.
- Responding to concerns about anti-social behaviour and community safety.
Place
- Maintaining our local roads and transport infrastructure, parks and open spaces.
- Collecting bins and providing recycling services.
- Supporting culture, museums and visitors.
- Delivering capital projects to regenerate the Borough.
- Providing cemeteries and crematorium facilities.
- Delivering sport and leisure activities and venues.
- Providing Community Hubs and library services.
Potential
- Encouraging economic development and growth of businesses.
- Delivering learning and skills opportunities.
- Supporting residents into employment.
We aim to ensure that we deliver services which meet the needs of our community now and improve Hartlepool for future generations.
Our plan has been formed around the views of residents who engaged with The Big Conversation at the end of 2023, as well as the manifesto upon which we were elected.
Despite the challenges from over a decade of cuts forced onto us by the previous national government, alongside increasing levels of need for some of the most vulnerable in our community, we are optimistic and hopeful about the future. We continue to lobby our MP for a fairer funding system which recognises the levels of need that we have here in Hartlepool.
Since May 2024 we have listened to resident's views and abolished the booking system for the waste disposal site. We've worked hard to increase opportunities for members of the public to engage with the council by changing half of all meetings to after 5pm, inviting members of the Parish councils to sit on committees, and we've cut councillor's Special Responsibility Allowances.
We're making great progress on the Highlight Leisure Centre, implementing a Landlord Licensing scheme and bringing some of our looked after children back into the care of the council.
We are proud of our achievements so far, and despite the challenges, remain optimistic about the future for our Borough.
This plan sets out what else we need to deliver over the next few years and we have confidence we will deliver.
Cllr Brenda Harrison Leader of the Council
Denise McGuckin Managing Director