The Draft Vision for Hillfields

… in ten years time…..

1.     The Place and its Image

Hillfields will be a desirable and positive place to live and to work in; a place that people value and where they are prepared to invest their time, energy and money. People will see Hillfields as “the village community in the heart of the city”. It will be a positive area where people can develop and where educational, cultural and spiritual needs are met. Hillfields will play a key role in the city as a centre of educational excellence, employment and as a safe home for new communities in this country. The overall image of the area will be lively, exciting and friendly. Local people will “own” their own area, be proud of it and protective towards it. Hillfields’ image of itself will be shared by people outside.

Hillfields will be an example to be followed in other parts of the city and in other cities. It will demonstrate that people from many different cultures can live together harmoniously and boldly face the challenges of the future. They can play the central role in decisions about their own future and can control their area’s destiny. The talents of the local community will be seen to be the most valuable resource of the area.

2.     Housing

Housing in Hillfields will be fit for the 21^st Century. It will be sustainable and offer choice and meet local needs. Properties will be maintained and managed to a high standard with tenants fully involved in decision making. The Hillfields Flats will become a national example of the regeneration of high rise living.

·        Housing in Hillfields will be modernised and improved so that it is fit for the 21^st century.  This means accommodation will be :

Ø      Safe and secure

Ø      Affordable

Ø      Economic to run (low energy costs)

·        Housing in Hillfields will be sustainable.  This means that there will be few empty or abandoned properties, and people will choose to live and stay, in Hillfields.  The rate of turnover in the housing association sector will have reduced.

·        Hillfields will provide choice: a range of housing provision from different types of housing and different types of tenure: owner occupation, renting and part-rent, part-buy options will be available.

·        New and redeveloped housing will be built to meet local needs in consultation with local people.  Houses will be built with gardens, flats will of a high quality with good services. The limited green space in Hillfields will be retained wherever possible.

·        Tenants and Residents and their organisations will be actively involved in establishing and monitoring customer service standards and will be consulted on any new housing policies introduced in the area.

·        All landlords and letting agencies will maintain properties in the area to a high standard. Private landlords will be encouraged to join the accreditation scheme.  There will be monitoring systems to ensure that this happens.

·        The Hillfields Flats will be established as national examples of the regeneration of high rise living: 

Ø      Whitefriars North and tenants will be working together to improve and maintain a high quality living environment.

Ø      There will have been major improvements to the exterior and interior of the flat blocks

Ø      A new lettings approach will have been introduced for the flats to suit the requirements of the various social groups who live in the flats

3.     Jobs, Training and Business

The level of unemployment in Hillfields will be much closer to the city average. There will be full access for Hillfields people into jobs and good quality relevant training opportunities both within the area and outside. Parents with children will have access to high quality affordable childcare to enable them to take advantage of work and training opportunities. There will be support for people who wish to develop ideas. There will have been a revival in the local economy with local businesses thriving and employing local staff.

·        There will be ongoing and effective support for new small business enterprise.

·        A wide range of commercial and social business will be established and serviced by existing business in the area.

·        The area will be effectively marketed

·        Big business will actively support local community initiatives in Hillfields.

4.     Children & Young People

Children & Young People from all Cultures and backgrounds will be recognised as valued members of the community.  As such, their rights should be respected and their views/opinions sought as a matter of course.  They will be benefiting from their entitlement to the highest possible quality of Service and Provision -  be it in relation to Childcare, Education, Leisure, Training, Housing and/or Health.  There will be a common commitment to promoting children & young people's well-being and to facilitating their personal and social development.  All agencies concerned should, by then, be practiced at working together - in conjunction with children & young people themselves - to improve the services they provide.  As a result, a community-based infrastructure should have evolved that more effectively meets the needs of Hillfields' children & young people at every age and stage.

·        Hillfields will by then have become a safe and secure community-living environment; affording all children and young people good housing and access to stimulating public space - free from the likelihood of accident, crime, intimidation or abuse.

 ·        A broad-based and inclusive education will be available to all children & young people from the years 0 to 18 and beyond. It should comprise opportunities for both 'formal' and 'informal' learning across a range of key settings (e.g school, community and home); and should necessarily include adequate 'edu-care' provision for all under fives.

 ·        There will be an accessible network of community-based facilities and support projects; offering children & young people a diverse range of 'age-related' social, learning and leisure activities. (e.g. 'Youth/Childrens Work)

 ·        All children and young people will be benefiting from high quality Health- education & care; including access to integrated services specifically designed to be parent and/or young person 'friendly'.

 ·        There will be a range of recognised processes and structures that encourage and enable children & young people to have an 'authentic say' (along side adults) in the on-going development of their community and services. This will also have led to improved community relations across all age groups.

5.     The Community

There will be good relationships within the community, based on equality, mutual respect, tolerance and understanding. There will be recognition of the needs and talents of all groups, including refugees and asylum seekers, black people, women, children and young people, disabled people, unemployed people, single parents and elderly people.

Cultural life will be rich, live and vital. It will celebrate the multi-cultural nature of the area. Hillfields people will join with all the individual communities to celebrate their own identity. The opportunities available will attract people from all over the city.

·        Systems will be in place to enable people to exchange their skills with the whole community.

·        There will be extensive opportunities for volunteering within the community

·        People from all geographical areas of Hillfields will be involved in their area and what happens there.

·        Older people are more involved in sharing their skills and experience in the community

Asylum seekers

·        Effective support systems will be in place for both asylum seekers and the community so that effective relationships can be established

·        Extensive help and support will be provided by the schools in the area, enabling everyone to play their maximum part in the life of the community

·        Everyone in the community will have access to information about the process of asylum seeking and the issues in the countries from which people have had to flee - this information will explode the myths and deconstruct the rumours about asylum seeking.

·        There will be opportunities for the community to learn from Asylum seekers and systems will be in place to enable asylum seekers to make their skills available to the whole community

Students

·        Students will become integrated into the life of the community. They will feel able to use their skills in the community interest and community organisations will establish working links with the Student organisations.

Culture and Leisure

·        Hillfields people will have access to a wide range of artistic, cultural, recreational and social activities and facilities.

·        The heritage of the area and its community will be celebrated through a wide range of events and activities.

·        Leisure and cultural provision will be more joined up with local partners and statutory agencies listening to and meeting the needs of local residents.

6.     Health

The Vision of health for Hillfields is of improvements in health and wellbeing. Hillfields will be a healthier place to live in, life expectancy for both men and women will have improved and there will be fewer people dying before they are 65 years old. There will also be a reduction in the number of years people experience ill health.

·        Life expectancy in Hillfields for both men and women will be closer to the citywide and national average.

·        There will be a reduction in the amount of ill-health and an increase in the well-being of all people in Hillfields

·        People in Hillfields will have higher expectations of their health and there are greater long-term good health opportunities.

·        Appropriate healthcare will be accessible to all, including socially excluded groups

·        People of Hillfields will be consulted more about the services provided to them around health and health improvement, and services will reflect community identified needs.

7.     Environment

Our environment affects us all. The environment provides for many of our needs and almost everything we do has an effect on the environment. Everybody will value a high quality environment.

Everybody in Hillfields will be able to enjoy a clean, green, safe, pleasant and balanced environment now and in the future. Hillfields will be seen by the local community and other people to be a leader in terms of environmental quality.

Local people will openly express their ideas, views and opinions about environment issues. Those providing services will take what people say into account. Local people and service providers will work individually or in partnership as appropriate to improve the environment.

The Outdoors

·        There will be adequate amount and diversity of public open space, including parks and other green areas. Hillfields will have more green spaces allocated to community use by:

Ø      Making new green spaces.

Ø      Maximising the utility of existing parks and neighbourhood greens.

·        Priority will be given to those neighbourhoods in greatest need (i.e. with least access to green space).

·        The resident community will be actively involved in managing, caring for and decisions on the use of publicly accessible space and public rights of way. Publicly accessible space and public rights of way will be accessible for everybody.

·        The parks will be safe both physically and environmentally for everybody. There will be a varied ongoing programme of activities to suit the needs of a diverse community and to encourage constructive use of parks.

·        The whole of Hillfields will be clean & tidy. There will be no litter, graffiti or vandalism. People will dispose of rubbish, including large items, safely and easily. Fly tipping will not be tolerated. All areas will be well maintained.

·        There will be a high level of community involvement in deciding how land is used.

Image

·        Hillfields will be a place that people will be proud to live in and others will want to visit. Entrances into and views of Hillfields will create a positive impression and attract people into the area.

·        There will be community engagement of the public arts to improve the environment, create positive perceptions, build confidence and allow for individual and group self-expression.

Sustainability

·        The environment will reflect the diverse community and meet the needs of all now and in the future. This means that activities must be sustainable and work towards:

Ø      Minimising pollution.

Ø      Minimising waste and resource use.

Ø      Minimising energy and water use.

Ø      Minimising transport impacts.

Ø      Protecting and enhancing biodiversity.

Ø      Protecting and enhancing the human and natural heritage of Hillfields.

Ø      Creating environments that are conducive to good health, safety and local pride.

·        Environmental education will be made available and promoted within Hillfields.

Buildings

·        All buildings will be visually attractive so that they compliment and enhance the environment.

·        Hillfields will be the first area of Coventry to convert existing and build new environmentally friendly housing for sale and for rent.

·        All homes and buildings with public access will be built with full access for people with disabilities.

Transport & Mobility

·        Everybody will be able to get to where they want to go with ease and in safety.

·        Sustainable transport will be encouraged and supported throughout Hillfields.

·        Transport service providers will offer a high quality and accessible service that picks ups and sets down people where they want to be.

·        Cycling and walking will be encouraged as sustainable and non-polluting transport options. There will be adequate routes and facilities to make cycling a safe and practical option.

8.     Crime and Safety

Safety will have improved considerably following the introduction of successful initiatives aimed at tackling crime and the fear of crime. People will feel as safe in Hillfields as anywhere else in the city and will be able to take safety for granted.

·        All young people will be educated in personal safety

·        All children will take part in drugs education projects through their schools and youth organisations and drug advice and rehabilitation programmes will be available for those people who require this service.

·        Positive intervention happens with all young offenders in Hillfields

·        All young people will have a desire to be good citizens and strive to make a positive impact on the area they live.

·        All residents are responsible for the area in which they live

·        Older people feel safe in the area and at home

·        Crime levels in Hillfields will be at an all time low

·        The negative impact of prostitution on the area will be reduced and kerb crawling will have been eliminated in the area.

·        There will be no dealing or use of drugs in the area. Steps will have been taken to reclaim open spaces, currently used by dealers and users, for safe community use.

·        All houses are property marked and secure

·        All new housing developments in Hillfields are built to the “Secured by Design” standard, and existing to an adequate standard.

·        People will not live in the fear of crime

·        Hillfields will not suffer from anti social behaviour

·        All parks in Hillfields will be used daily by local residents

·        All residents in Hillfields live together in harmony.

9.     Planning and Delivery

The community will have a significant say in the strategic planning processes of Hillfields and the monitoring of service delivery and new developments.

There will be excellent communication and collaboration between agencies working for people in Hillfields. High value will be placed upon the involvement and support of voluntary organisations. There will be an ongoing commitment of all service providers to working in partnership with the local community and local people will be fully involved in all the agencies providing services in the area.

Draft 5 - Revised 17/1/02  Download this page as a Word document.