Achievements in meeting our priorities for 2011/12

• Southend Swimming & Diving Centre won the regional award in the Best Technical Innovation category of the National Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Building Excellence Award 2011.
• The Centre was used by UK and Greek teams prior to the diving world cup in February and the British team will be using the Centre as a pre-Olympic games training venue.  By March Southend's diving programme had become the second largest in the country.
• Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre (SLTC) has been accepted for inclusion in the official London 2012 Olympic Games Pre-Games Training Camp Guide for the Olympic sports of Athletics, Badminton and Basketball and the Paralympic sports of Boccia, Goalball, Sitting Volleyball, Wheelchair Fencing and Wheelchair Tennis.
• A full range of sporting activities was delivered across the town as part of Southend's Olympic legacy, including fencing, archery, boccia, disability sport, sport makers and other free taster sessions.
• The Athletics track at SLTC was refurbished, bringing it up to international competition standard 
• The Adizone, based in Shoebury Park, became the first in the country to be granted the Inspire Mark, the badge of the London 2012 Inspire Programme
• Works to the newly refurbished Priory museum have progressed, with the Visitors Centre opening in June 2012 and a 'Sponsor a paver' in the Priory Path campaign, raising £15,000 towards its refurbishment.
• Refurbishment and re-display of Southchurch Hall was completed - re-opening in May 2011. 
• A series of events through the museums service, was held, including 'Living with EKCO' - the year's major exhibition. A cohort of volunteers has been recruited to enable the continued running of the Cliff Lift and provide support to the borough's museums and libraries.
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) was installed across the entire branch library network - enabling customers to serve themselves. 
• Southend Libraries feature as an exemplar library service on the RNIB 'Readingsight' website 
• Southend Library staff delivered talks to 775 residents, and 162 people took part in a free guided 'Discovery Tour' of the Central Library, making library services more accessible by providing opportunities for local residents and community groups to 're-discover' their library service.

Aim: Healthy

Corporate Priority 6: Continue to improve outcomes for vulnerable children

• The Council's Adoption Team was named as Children's Services Team of the Year, and Ellie Hal-Fead won the Practice Teacher of the Year award at the national 2011 Social Worker of the Year Awards.
• Southend's Youth Offending Service has been rated the best in the country for preventing youngsters from re-offending.   Since a triage system was launched in April 2009, where young offenders work with the service instead of being prosecuted, only 63 of the 700 under-18s dealt with, have re-offended.
• School exam results were the best ever with all secondary schools performing above the minimum target.
• Early years children eligible for free school meals in Key Stage 1 performed better - narrowing the gap between them and their peers
• Absence levels reduced in primary and secondary schools (Primary from 5.3 - 5.1% and Secondary from 6.9 - 6.4%).
• There were no permanent exclusions from primary or special schools.
• There are now no schools in Ofsted special measures, reducing from three at the start of the year - following hard work from the schools, governors and parents and leadership and support from the Council.
• More children are having needs met at an earlier (preventative) stage through the Common Assessment Framework and intervention from the Child & Family Early Intervention Team.
• The Improving Learning Together strategy was launched, setting out the Framework through which support and intervention will be provided for vulnerable and under-performing schools and challenge for all schools will be provided.
• Better value for money and reduced costs were achieved in the home to school transport service.
• The trading services offer to schools was revised, with take up increased and new business relationship with academies established.
• Southend Adult Community College exceeded its national benchmarks.
• The Council's Voice and Influence programme has effectively engaged children and young people, developing stronger links with schools and enabling greater representation on Southend Youth Council.
• 89% of early years provision was rated as 'good' or 'outstanding'.
• 90% of school admissions are now completed on-line and 131 families (211 children) have checked and confirmed their eligibility for free school meals through the new online service.
• The New Belfairs School was completed and opened and the rebuild of Hinguar Primary School has proceeded.
• All eligible pupils were offered a primary school place.
• The number of looked after children reduced to 241 (down from 300 in 2007).
• The number of children subject to a child protection plan is, down by 43 from 2010/11.
• The number of first time entrants to the youth justice system is down by six from 2010/11.
• The year end figure for 16-19 year olds who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) is 5.3% - a significant achievement given the economic downturn. 

Aim: Prosperous

Corporate Priority 7: Enhance the prosperity of Southend and its residents

• The Council's Better Southend Project, comprising the City Beach, Victoria Gateway, Cuckoo Corner and Progress Road schemes, was honoured by the Royal Town Planning Institute.  Awarding a prize for the Public Realm category, the judges said of the project: "Sound leadership, good project management and collaborative working between planners, civil engineers and others has delivered these schemes on time, within budget and offering excellent value for money."
• Following the approval for the expansion of London Southend Airport the Stobart Group has invested millions of pounds in an extension to the runway, new radar system, flight control tower, terminal and rail station with a hotel underway, creating significant numbers of jobs.
• Southend Visitor Information Centre received a special award, being recognised as the best in the county. The Centre, based at Southend Pier, won the coveted title of Tourist Information Centre of the Year.
• Building of the new state-of-the art £27m 'The Forum Southend-on-Sea' has commenced.  The four-storey building, due to be completed in August 2013, will provide a new public and academic library to replace the existing Central Library, as well as a new teaching facility for the College and new University research and learning facilities.  The Forum will provide a new home for the Focal Point Gallery as well as a new café, lecture theatre and large screen to show cultural and sporting events.
• The restored North Road Chapel has become an inspiring community venue, managed by Southend Association of Voluntary Services (SAVS) for and on behalf of the community and supporting projects such as the intergenerational Shared Spaces Project to explore the past through historical research of the cemetery.
• The Council supported new and young local businesses by funding Networking-on-Sea, a forum which takes place twice a month and averages 35 attendees. 
• The Council informed and engaged with local businesses through quarterly Southend Business Partnership briefings in a new format with registrations averaging 80. 
• The Council, in conjunction with Business Link East, held a public sector procurement workshop preparing businesses, social enterprises and charities to tender for public sector contracts.