Urban Vision Annual Report: 2011
June 2011
Urban Vision
Emerson House
Albert Street
Eccles
Salford M30 OTE
0161 779 4800
www.urbanvision.org.uk
Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Architectural Design & Surveying Services [ZUVA]
2
1.1 Services
2
1.2 Challenges
4
1.3 Added Value
4
Surveying & Building Services [ZUVB]
5
2.1 Services
5
2.2 Challenges
6
2.3 Added Value
6
Property Services [ZUVE]
7
3.1 Services
7
3.2 Challenges
9
3.3 Added Value
9
Infrastructure [ZUVI]
10
4.1 Services
10
4.2 Challenges
12
4.3 Added Value
12
Regulatory Services [ZUVR]
13
5.1 Services
13
5.2 Challenges
14
5.3 Added Value
14
Highway Services [ZUVW]
16
6.1 Services
16
6.2 Challenges
17
Business Strategy & Development [ZUVX]
18
7.1 Services
18
7.2 Added Value
19
Annual Report
2011
1
1.
Architectural Design & Surveying Services [ZUVA]
Associate Director: Steve Gogarty
1.1
Services
Urban Vision’s design section is embodied with a wide range of highly skilled services, delivering a coordinated and
integrated approach to urban design. A full design service is on offer, including architectural, landscape and interior
design teams who work on both new build and refurbishment schemes to private and public sector clients. The teams
comprise in total 59 staff with a mixture of Salford Secondees and Capita staff.
Disciplines within this service area include:

Architectural Design

BREEAM Assessments

Conservation Area appraisals

Interior Design

Landscape Design

Master Planning

Project Management

Quantity Surveying / Cost Control

Site Supervision

Structures


Urban Design and Design Advice
Whole Life Costing
In addition to individual architectural and landscape projects across housing, commercial, education and leisure
sectors, the team’s work includes major urban regeneration projects, listed building restoration, interior design and
strategic open space planning. Examples of projects include community focused developments, sports facilities,
private sector residential developments, commercial offices and social leisure developments.
Services also extend beyond the built environment to encompass master planning and regeneration through Urban
Vision’s Urban Designers, who use the very latest design technologies to create and connect beautiful places through
green and walkable streets with vibrant urban centres, open spaces, historic buildings and waterways.
Sustainable design is a keystone in Urban Vision’s business vision; a philosophy whole-heartedly embraced across
the design division. This not only applies to the environmental impact of new buildings, but also to the holisticallyconsidered sustainable benefits that strong urban design can bring to communities.
The team takes an open-minded, innovative and aspiring approach to the work it undertakes. The result is, from a
design, presentation technique and implementation perspective, involvement in a diverse range of projects at the very
cutting edge of the built environment industry.
Architectural design has been involved in a number of major projects throughout 2010/2011, including:
 Willow Tree Primary School (Salford City Council): The two form entry primary school delivers 21st century
transformational learning to the local community. Direct links between the internal and external spaces benefit
the children’s learning experience while natural play is the focus of the external design, including walk in sand
Annual Report
2011
2
pits, large boulders, water play and timber equipment. Pupils are given the opportunity to enjoy varied habitats
and resources within the school grounds such as the wetland habitat, kitchen garden, park area and woodland
seating areas. The project also features beautiful wall coverings, deep pile carpets and ergonomically
designed furniture.

Eccles Carnegie Library (Salford City Council): Built on a slum clearance site in the town centre, the library
first opened on the 19th October 1907. Funded by famed philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and designed by
architect Edward Potts, the library went on to gain Grade II listed status before undergoing a major
programme of refurbishment and redevelopment. A team from Urban Vision spent a number of years
designing the redevelopment of the library to reflect its importance to Eccles and the local community.

Chapel Street (Salford City Council): Created and revitalised green walkways and spaces adjacent to the
Chapel Street corridor, including Bexley Square, and the walkways and gardens to the west of the historic
Salford Cathedral. Urban Vision provided Landscape Design, Engineering Design, Street Lighting and Clerk of
Works services on the scheme which forms part of ‘The Green and Walkable Street’ programme that aims to
bridge the gap between the smaller, neighbourhood environmental improvements being undertaken with local
communities, and the large-scale public realm and infrastructure projects in the area such as Chapel Street,
Greengate and Quays Gateway. The vision for Chapel Street, which is one of the most important projects in
Central Salford, is to create a unique destination at the heart of the city region by revitalising the historic core
of the city, linking the University of Salford to a new Corporate Centre around Salford Central station.

LA New Build (Salford City Council): Designs were unveiled for the first Local Authority new build houses to
be built in Salford for nearly 30 years. A team from Capita Symonds’ working in partnership with Salford City
Council, designed the new homes, which will see 101 new houses built across ten sites in Salford,
Manchester. The £13m scheme was successfully awarded HCA funding in October 2009. The houses utilise
off site fabrication techniques to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes level 4 with increased energy
performance using renewable energy technologies such as solar water heaters. The homes have good space
provision, achieving Lifetime Homes standards, with in curtilage car parking and shared open spaces.

Ordsall Hall (Salford City Council): Completion of the design and supervision of the external works to the
listed building.

Hameldon Community College (Building Schools Future): As part of the Building School for the Future
(BSF) programme, Capita Symonds was commissioned with the design of the new build 21st Century College
in Burnley. The new 8300sqm school facilities accommodate 770 students and are divided into three floors,
providing modern rooms for both students and teachers throughout. Capita worked closely with the college
giving students the opportunity to contribute to the designing of the new building. Project reached completion
in 2010.

Penrhos Primary School (Powys County Council): Sketch scheme design for new primary school.
Urban Vision received the following awards in 2010/2011:
 Salford Good Design Awards ‘Best Building, Public Sector’ awarded for Willow Tree Primary School
(November 2010)
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2011
3

Salford Good Design Awards ‘The Joe Martin Conservation Award’ commended for Eccles Carnegie Library

(November 2010)
BCSE Best of British Schools Awards 2011, shortlisted for the ‘Excellence in teaching and learning’ award for
Willow Tree Primary School – final decision 22nd June 2011.

BCSE Best of British Schools Awards 2011, shortlisted for the ‘Excellence in the provision of Dining or
Outdoor Play Facilities’ award for Willow Tree Primary School – final decision 22nd June 2011.
1.2
Challenges
The change in government in 2010 and the consequential change in policies and funding streams proved difficult last
year, and still acts as a challenge for the year ahead.
1.3
Added Value
The following information has been identified as additional work carried out by Urban Vision and is recorded on the
“added value register”.
Project
Description
Value
Salford Design Awards
Judging
£1,000
CPMG
Attendance at meetings
£10,000
Housing Monitoring
Housing Monitoring
£1,300
Children Services Monitoring
Children Services Monitoring
£1,050
NDC Monitoring
NDC Monitoring
£10,000
Eccles Town Hall Refurbishment
Working with Councillor Lancaster to refurbish the Eccles Town Hall
£21,000
Total
Annual Report
£44,350
2011
4
2.
Surveying & Building Services [ZUVB]
Associate Director: Steve Gogarty
2.1
Services
The Surveying and Building Services team (comprising of 37 staff) are responsible for managing all aspects of
building design, building surveying, mechanical and electrical service maintenance, ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ services
management and responsive repairs on behalf of clients.
Services include:

Building Surveying and Maintenance

Mechanical & Electrical Engineering

CDM Coordinators
Compliance with health and safety, as well as statutory obligations, is carried out through asbestos management,
legionella conformity, equipment safety checks, fire risk assessments and fire alarm installations and testing.
Building Surveyors also carry out management of refurbished / development schemes and consultancy services to a
wide range of building types.
Building Service Engineering solutions are provided from detail design, on site commissioning and handover to postoccupation support and monitoring across a range of sectors. Consultancy advice and specialised sustainability
support is also provided to a wide range of sectors, offering cost effective and low carbon design solutions within the
built environment. Building Service Engineers possess a wealth of experience across a wide range of industry sectors
including education, healthcare, commercial, retail, infrastructure, industrial and rail.
CDM Co-ordinators provide services to internal and external clients on a wide range of projects that require
notification to the Health and Safety Executive.
Surveying and Building Services has been involved in a number of projects throughout 2010/2011, including:

Fleetwood Nautical College Refurbishment / Blackpool and The Fylde College: Refurbishment of the
main college teaching building and associated student accommodation in Fleetwood.

Rochdale BSF (Carillion plc): Redevelopment of 12 secondary schools and colleges including new build,
refurbishment, PFI and D&B.

Southport Cultural Centre (Sefton Council): Refurbishment of 3 No. Grade II listed public buildings
including Arts Centre, Library and Performance venue.

Lightoaks Primary School: Provision of new kitchen and dining area to replace dilapidated ones.

Larkhills Phase 1 Adaptation: First phase to convert one form entry to a two form entry school.

Burrows House Refurbishment: Provision of office and showroom space for disabled living.
Annual Report
2011
5
2.2
Challenges
Reductions in government spending resulted in a reduction in capital projects.
2.3
Added Value
The following information has been identified as additional work carried out by Urban Vision and is recorded on the
“added value register”.
Project
Description
Value
Support for Education
The team undertake strategic support, school feasibility support and
£30,000
revenue project support for Education. UV receive £60k in management
fee, however this fee only contributes towards 60/70% of the work that UV
undertake in this area.
Corporate Building Work
The surveyors are responsible for managing the back log of repairs for the
£9,000
corporate stock and UV is paid a fee of 6% for this work. The normal fee for
this type of support would be 11/13%, therefore this represents added
value to the Council.
CCTV Management
Danny Hoy has project managed two CCTV installations this year and
£1,200
these would normally attract a fee of 11%. The schemes were the Quays
Gateway and The Valley CCTV schemes. The total contact value was
£70k.
Project Realise
The maintenance cost for project realise database is £2.5k per year and
£2,100
half of this system is used for Council purposes and is not covered by a
management fee.
Responsive repairs to City West
Surveying work procuring contractors to carry out works including pre and
Housing Trust Shops
post inspections and meetings.
Dilapidation and Condition Surveys
Premise have only undertook this work whilst under UV, previously this
£15,000
£15,000
used to be out sourced. Although we have been successful of obtaining
fees from SCC some directorates assume this service is included in the
management fee.
Total
Annual Report
£72,300
2011
6
3.
Property Services [ZUVE]
Directors: Peter Openshaw, Richard Wynne
3.1
Services
The Property Services team within ZUVE provide a comprehensive range of Property Services to Salford City Council
and around 35 other clients. The team comprises of 51 staff with a mixture of Salford Secondees and Capita staff. The
team has 19 Chartered Surveyors
The team is broadly organised around four service areas:

Property Management

Regeneration

Asset & Housing Group

Facilities Management
The Property Management team manage the Councils substantial and diverse commercial estate producing around
£3.8 Million in annual rental income to the City Council. Surveyors Fees collected through this service are passed
through to the City Council
The Regeneration team are heavily involved in all the major Regeneration projects throughout the City including
projects in Kersal and Charlestown, Ordsall, Higher and Lower Broughton, Langworthy and Seedley, Pendleton,
Chapel Street, Pendleton , Greengate, Town Centres and the west of the City.
Urban Vision provides a full Land and Property Acquisition and Disposal service on behalf of the Council. The major
focus of acquisition work over recent years has been individual residential properties acquired under the Housing
Market Renewal Fund, however, we have also been involved in larger acquisition projects such as Greengate bus
station, Crescent Police station, Chapel Street acquisitions, Regent Trading Estate to name a few.
We also acquire properties under Compulsory Purchase powers and manage the CPO process from referencing
through to representing the Council at Public Inquiry. Compensation claims are processed for disturbance, Home
Loss, Basic Loss, business Extinguishment etc.
We manage the disposal of surplus Council assets from assisting in the option appraisal process through to
completion of sales. Advice is given on the appropriate method of disposal including formal and informal tender,
auction and private treaty.
In addition, work has been undertaken on behalf of Local Planning Authorities where development appraisals
submitted by developers are analysed and assessed when planning contribution payments in relation to affordable
housing provision or provision of other facilities are being challenged for viability reasons.
Advice is also given to the Council in respect of general property and valuation matters.
A team of highly experienced staff maintain the Council’s land & property ownership records that form the basis of the
asset register. This database includes details of the classification of assets in accordance with International Financial
Reporting Standards (IFRS) and associated CIPFA guidance. The team work in conjunction with the City Council’s
accountants and service based Directorate teams to update the records in relation to acquisitions, disposals and
Annual Report
2011
7
enhancement of assets. The database links with a GIS system to capture asset boundaries and allow geographic area
based searches/reports to be provided as required.
The City Council has a portfolio of some 1,800 assets with a total asset value of around £500 million. In addition to a 5
yearly revaluation programme, there is a need to consider revaluations of properties that have changed classification,
been subject to investment or some other change e.g. part sold. We also undertake an annual valuation of the
Council's Housing Stock. In accordance with the RICS Valuation Standards & IFRS, an annual impairment review is
undertaken to ensure that the total asset value reported in the Council's annual accounts represents the 'fair value' of
the whole portfolio. The Council's annual accounts are subject to review by the Audit Commission and we support the
audit process as necessary.
Valuations of Council housing are undertaken in connection with tenant's Right to Buy Applications. This enables a
formal offer letter to be issued by Property Services which must be issued within a statutorily prescribed period.
Following acceptance of the offer, instructions are issued to the Council's legal team and we support them to deal with
any queries or issues that arise from the conveyancing process. Details of completed sales are then held within the
land & property ownership records.
Asset Review work is carried out which overlaps with other teams at Urban Vision, for example City West garage &
asset review.
The Facilities Management team manages public buildings on behalf of Salford City Council. They also design and
implement facilities management procedures and monitoring regimes such as door access systems, intruder alarms
and response, CCTV systems and key holding services. The FM team also oversee the Quaywatch operation.
Property Services achieved the following throughout 2010/2011:

Acquisition of land and property under the HMRF programme across various central Salford regeneration
initiatives. In excess of £60million of Housing Market Renewal funds has been committed over the last 5 years
with in excess of £80Million when other projects are taken into account.

Disposals:
-
Kinglsea (former Registry Office), Barton Road, Swinton - £300,000 (April 2011)
-
2 Mayfield Avenue, Salford - £330,000 (November 2010)
-
Brunswick House, Salford - £315,000 (August 2010)
-
Tesco site, Pendleton Way, Salford - £16million (March 2011)

Closure of Minerva House.- saving £400K per annum to Council.

The identification of substantial further rationalisation works around core sites and satellite accommodation

Right to Buy offer letters issued within prescribed timescales - 100% success rate
In 2010/2011 Richard Wynne was involved with the following organisations:

National Regeneration Liaison Officer for the Association of Chief Estates Surveyors

External Examiner to the School of the Built Environment at the University of Salford

Director of Higher Broughton (GP) Ltd
Annual Report
2011
8
3.2
Challenges
Producing savings for the Council through property asset management and rationalisation has proven to be
challenging over the past year, although we have risen to the task with the outputs we have delivered. We have done
this whilst reducing staffing to assist with the councils need to make.
The current economic climate and market conditions mean that the market will remain challenging moving forward
particularly around securing high levels of capital receipts and ensuring rental income is maintained. Void levels are
too high within some areas of the commercial estate and we will seek to address this moving forward but market
conditions are impacting significantly on our ability to retain tenants and securing new tenants
The ongoing office rationalisation activity within the Council could see a number of surplus assets coming to the
market. The current climate makes it challenging to achieve quick disposals and therefore there is a risk that the
Council will continue to incur revenue and security costs whilst property lies vacant awaiting sale or reuse.
Loss of Housing Market Renewal Funding will lead to reduced acquisition activity and could potentially slow the
progress of regeneration schemes.
The reduction of grant funding from the HCA has had a similar effect with affordable housing schemes where we may
no longer receive land values for such projects on Council owned land.
3.3
Added Value
The following information has been identified as additional work carried out by Urban Vision and is recorded on the
“added value register”.
Project
Description
Value
Managing Travellers
UV deal with about 20 evictions a year and the added time for notifying
£10,000
everyone now and the consequence of time taken to answer queries
related to that notification we believe would be about an extra 3 hours work
per eviction, which at £50 an hour comes to £3,000 pa.
Valuer’s Registration Scheme
6 No. members of staff are required to be registered with the Valuer’s
£7,700
Registration Scheme
Total
Annual Report
£17,700
2011
9
4.
Infrastructure [ZUVI]
Director Engineering: Steven Lee
Technical Director: Richard Goodwin
Associate Director: Dave Dean
4.1
Services
Although primarily involved in the design and maintenance covering all aspects of highways, bridges and structures,
the Infrastructures team deliver other diverse civil engineering design works, such as the removal and maintenance of
dock side cranes, sculptures and the structural design of public artwork. The team comprises of around 78 staff.
Services include:

Infrastructure Design

Geo-Environmental

Highway Maintenance

Traffic and Transportation

Parking Services

Casualty Reduction Group

Highway Strategy

Network Management

Lighting Design
Network condition and the rising level of claims for trips and falls has been a major concern for the City Council since
the late 1990’s. When Urban Vision was formed 2005, it successfully delivered a Highways Investment Programme of
footway reconstruction to address trips and falls, reducing the Council’s exposure to third-party claims.
After the footway Investment Programme, there remained, at the start of 2010, a backlog of £30 million of carriageway
repairs and £7 million of footway repairs. Depreciation is currently running at around £4 million per year for
carriageways and £1.7 million for footways. Working in the traditional way will never fully recover the network so an
alternative methodology has been devised called Network Recovery.
Urban Vision conducts surveys and, using engineering skill, grades all the City’s roads by condition as
Red/Amber/Yellow/Green. Red denotes needing significant repairs and green requiring no attention. A vision was
created to arrest the deterioration; repair the backlog of defects and put the roads in a condition of steady-state. The
Network Recovery Plan was devised to deliver the vision. The Recovery Plan has been planned over three years,
with Year One completed in March 2011.
Infrastructure has been involved in a number of major projects throughout 2010/2011, including:
 Broadway Link Road (Peel Ltd): Design of 40m span semi integral bridge over a private rail facility, with
reinforced earth approach embankments supported on Vibro concrete columns.

Metrolink Phase 3A (Greater Manchester Transport Executive): Technical Approval Authority and inspection
role; acting for the client.
Annual Report
2011
10

Manchester Road / Cleggs Lane junction reconstruction: Combination of structural maintenance scheme
and improvements to pedestrian facilities. Scheme carried out in close liaison with community committee.

Quays Loop Road reconstruction: Replacement of failed block paving with high quality red surface course
treatment enhancing the public realm to coincide with the opening of Media City.

Moss Lane reconstruction: Reconstruction of failed, unserviceable access road. Project has incorporated
innovative new high strength materials enabling construction thicknesses to be reduced, saving materials and
cost.
In addition Urban Vision worked closely with AGMA to:

Develop the GMRAPS to upgrade the Urban Vision noticing system.

Deliver the inspection and coring service for statutory undertakers’ works across Greater Manchester.
During 2010/11 Urban Vision:

Resurfaced 205 streets amounting to 7 per cent of the highway network

Reduced the repair backlog by £11 million at a cost of £4,072,000

Improved the National Indicators – which we are still keeping – by 5 per cent

Implemented a full Section 58 Defence against third-party claims. This significant development will enable the
City to refute a much higher proportion of such claims, reducing the amount paid out further from the current
level of approximately £2 million.
Statutory Undertakers dug up the City’s highways and footways 11,971 times during 2010/11. Every one of these
excavations is a threat to the integrity of the City’s highway, if they are not correctly repaired. Additionally, they are a
continuing source of disruption and congestion. Urban Vision has, therefore:

Implemented a statutory noticing system on all highway activities, to effectively regulate the timing and
duration of works carried out by the Statutory Undertakers. It is policed by inspection by Urban Vision

Visited every reinstated hole and inspected it. Defects have been reported to the statutory undertaker
concerned and Urban Vision has made the statutory undertaker carry out the repairs at their own cost

Intrusively tested every reinstatement by coring, which passed visual inspection. Again the statutory
undertakers have been made to repair the defects found at their own cost

Similarly, intrusively tested by coring every older, statutory-takers’ repair, which is out of the guarantee period
of two years. Many latent defects have been discovered and the statutory undertakers made to pay for the
necessary repairs

Provided the City Council with an net income, after all expenses were paid, of £192,833, from the inspection
and coring service.
Our collision investigation staff are fully trained to RoSPA standards and are members of the Institute of Highways and
Transportation, and carry out regular engagement with the community.
A member of staff was also accredited Member of the Society of Road Safety Auditors, ensuring continued
improvement and best practice developed.
Annual Report
2011
11
4.2
Challenges
Over the past year the following challenges were experienced:

Working on a backlog of £37m worth of repairs.

Winter of 2009/2010 left Salford’s roads in poor condition. The aging bitumen in so many surfaces resulted in
over 11,000 potholes. Urban Vision responded by introducing innovative patching techniques to effectively
repair all the potholes and the patch many areas that were about to turn into potholes. These techniques
were; Jet Patching; Infra-Red Patching and the use of Specialist Products. Conventional Patching was used
mechanisation extensively, with Hot Materials being laid. Sustaining progress through the extreme winter of
2010/11 has also been a key challenge.

Loss of capital programme is affecting workload, cuts to staff levels also resulting in a sudden loss of
experience which needs to be redeveloped to sustain the service level.
4.3
Added Value
The following information has been identified as additional work carried out by Urban Vision and is recorded on the
“added value register”.
Project
Description
Value
Asset Management Records
Maintaining asset management records beyond the requirements of the
£1,250
Highways Act.
Supporting Salix
Attending meetings.
£5,200
Call Centre Scripts
Assisting the Call Centre to develop scripts.
Website Review
Website for review – reviews all web pages and update/improve as
£3,000
appropriate. New content to ease the FOI requirements.
Flood Forum
Attending Meetings
£268
Climate Change
Attending Workshop
£718
Manage the Highways Devolved
Attend community committees and sub groups and administer the
£99
Budget
highways devolved budget (2 man days per week every week). This
arrangement was not in place before UV was created.
Glendinning School
Abortive design work
£696
Total
Annual Report
£10,900
2011
12
5.
Regulatory Services [ZUVR]
Director: Dave Jolly
Associate Director: Martin Hodgson
5.1
Services
Sustainable development is a core principle within the work for Regulatory Services: creating and developing
communities where people want to live and enjoy their surroundings. The teams comprise of 56 staff with a mixture of
Salford Secondees and Capita staff.
Services include:

Development Management

Building Control

Planning Policy Team

Planning Consultancy
Specialist Development Management and Policy Planning support is provided to both public and private sector clients.
We also provide bespoke responses for public and private sector clients on consultations that emerge from
government departments.
Our unique public sector practical experience of the operation of full Development Management services provide a
good grasp and understanding of the issues and the effects the delivery of Development Management has upon the
client and their customers. We can provide tailored responses to meet the needs of both public and private sector
clients, who are facing a particular set of individual circumstances.
In addition, we have a network of contacts within the public sector who we can debate such matters with, which
enhances our awareness and enables us to provide a full and considered response with roots in best practice.
For the Council this year, 1,104 total applications were determined, of which 90.13% were delegated to officers.
Regulatory Services has been involved in a number of major projects throughout the current year, including:
 Moorside Primary School: Outline application with all matters reserved for the erection of a 1,350 place
secondary school, 420 place primary school, 60 place nursery and community facilities with associated
parking, access and landscaping.

Wainhomes Developments Ltd: Outline application including means of access and layout for a
comprehensive redevelopment comprising of demolition of existing buildings (285 dwellings), site remediation
and preparation, construction of up to 626 dwellings (537 houses/bungalows and 89 apartments/flats), an
extension to St Sebastian’s community centre (up to 300sqm), a retail unit (93sqm) (Class A1), public open
space (3.88 hectares), access/highway infrastructure works, public realm works, landscaping, improvements
to Jubilee Bridge and associated works.

Salford Community Stadium: Full application for an erection of a 20,000 capacity community stadium with
associated integrated facilities including offices, players facilities, hospitality, concessions and community,
executive and media rooms to be constructed in 3 phases, two outdoor sports pitches, community changing
facility and access off Liverpool road together with associated car parking and landscaping. Outline
Annual Report
2011
13
application with all matters reserved for free standing 21,367 square meters of non-food bulk retrial
development.

Broadway Industrial Estate: Demolition of former Salford Central URC building and erection of a 1150 place
secondary school and sixth form with associated parking, landscaping and creation of vehicular access.

West One Tesco Store: Demolition of existing school and church and construction of new supermarket
(12,802sqm gross) together with petrol station, car parking facilities, servicing area, landscaping and access.
Planning permission granted in May 2011 after Public Inquiry and Secretary of State Consideration.

Irlam Gas Explosion: Building Control influential in assessing the structural damage to property following the
gas explosion and assisting residents throughout the process.

Media City: Building Control works in relation to “fit outs” and commissioning.
Development Services also successfully introduced pre app charging in April/may 2010 adding some £25,000 of
income. This bespoke service gives certainty to developers and applicants and gives them guidance on what a
submission should encompass and an initial view on the acceptability of the scheme or the challenges it may face.
Excellent work was undertaken on improving untidy sites and buildings (including empty properties) through use of
S215 powers in Central Salford; Irlam, Cadishead and the Liverpool Road corridor.
Development Control also handled an application for the registration of land as a town/village green under the
Common Act 2006, which was the first in Salford.
5.2
Challenges
2010 was a very difficult year for Planning and Building Control which was seriously affected by the sudden reduction
in business brought about by public spending cuts. This combined with the recession and reduction in the volume of
planning work, meant Urban Vision had to respond quickly and reduce the size of the planning team.
Building Control faced a challenge to maintain their share of the market of stiff competition from approved inspectors
5.3
Added Value
The following information has been identified as additional work carried out by Urban Vision and is recorded on the
“added value register”.
Project
Description
Value
Pre-application Service
Introduction of pre-application charging. Research and compilation of
£464
Report to Lead Member. Roll out charging regime including forms and
advice note and communicate changes.
Make changes to Uniform,
including the creation of a significant number of letter and other document
templates to make the process more efficient. Update Web Site. New
income stream for SCC.
Annual Report
2011
14
Amendments to UNIFORM
Non-material amendments – introduce new application types and templates
£6,000
to manage these within Uniform
Amendments to UNIFORM
Amend all decision notice templates to reflect legislative changes relating
£1,500
to fast track appeals where there is an associated enforcement matter.
Attend Meetings
Operation meetings with Spatial, Economic Development, Environmental
£1,500
Agency, GMP, GMAU, GMGU, User Panel, majors meeting, member
briefings. Other meetings that we service include DECOG, ENFOG,
partnership meetings, complaints panel.
Launch of the National e-
Launch of the national e-Consultation Hub and training for all key
consultation Hub
consultees
Improvements to Iclipse
Iclipse document scanning improvements. Revised scanning references to
£9,840
£1,500
ensure descriptions are clear for consultees and the public when using
Public Access
Website Review
Website for review – review all web pages and update/improve as
£6,000
appropriate. Recent changes to introduce self help.
Planning Validation Checklist
Planning Validation Checklist – update following new guidance released in
£1,200
April 2010
Salford Community Stadium
Salford Community Stadium-Matt Lamb has undertaken work as part of
£4,500
project team ahead of pre application and submission stages. i.e. non
regulatory
Building Control-change of Fee
Building Control- Major overhaul of building regulation fees for 1st October
Structure
go live date. Paul Newton reviewed all fee scales, with sense checking with
£6,000
LABC-updates to web site etc
Provision of Client Information
Monthly Volume, Fees, Performance Information produced in report -real
£4,500
time information for the client
Additional Responsibilities
Part B (fire safety), F (ventilation) , G (sanitary facilities and water supplies)
£2,400
J (combustion/heating), L (energy conservation). Additional responsibilities
to discharge on behalf of SCC and adding to the end product-safety and
environmental improvement.
Additional Responsibilities
CLG-more competent persons scheme-self certification work-LA have to
£40,000
record the information
Salford Design Review
Attended 2 site visits to judged the shortlisted entries and attended a
£4,000
session to assign winners and score the submissions.
NeT-TOPIC-European Project
European project sponsored by Councillor Antrobus-Show cases Salford in
£10,000
Europe. Ed Southwood, Matt Mollart and Jonny Pennick are involved. UV
receive 70% back, thus 30% is added value.
Total
Annual Report
£99,404
2011
15
6.
Highway Services [ZUVW]
Associate Director: Alan Sorah
6.1
Services
Under the management of Urban Vision, Galliford Try provides high quality highway services in Salford. Works include
carriageway improvement schemes, drainage works, machine laid surfacing works, routine maintenance works, street
lighting and winter maintenance. The Highway Services team comprises of 80 staff with a mixture of Salford
Secondees and Galiford Try.
This year Highway Services have been focused on revenue works to clear the backlog of work that has been created
by a continual underfunding of the revenue account. Highway Services have completed a significant number of
potholes/minor maintenance items this year, as shown in the table below.
Work Type
Total Number of Repairs
Blacktop Repairs
9,525
Drainage Repairs
66
Footway & Kerb Repairs
7,171
Ironwork Repairs
585
Other General Repairs
440
TOTAL
17,787
In conjunction the Asset Team are keen to establish the section 58 defence that relies on two elements, regular
inspection and repair of the highways in Salford. To this end, additional funding from the Highway Investment
Programme (HIP) is being made available for repairs, to firstly clear the backlog and then maintain repairs being
completed within 28 days from being raised by the inspection process.
Highway Services has been involved in a number of major projects throughout the current year, including:
 Salford’s Urban Regeneration Company (URC) works have been won and are being delivered by Urban
Vision with a total value of £3.5M.
In addition, Highway Services has:

Put S58 Defence plans in place from March 2011.

Introduced Exactrak for gully cleaning, providing accurate inventory information, real time reports on cleansing
and gully defects enabling a more efficient approach to maintenance and repairs.

Improved H&S throughout Urban Vision; 1,395,066 hours RIDDOR free achieved and a 12 months calendar
year RIDDOR free.

Implemented GeoWorks to improve the recording and maintenance of the street lighting inventory to lead to
energy savings.
Annual Report
2011
16
6.2
Challenges
The following challenges were experienced:

Vehicle fleet for Construction Services is currently under procurement for replacement.

The effects of the cuts to SCC budgets as our key client are the main risk and challenges ahead.

Improvements are being achieved in the balancing of resources and expenditure throughout the year. This
remains a key challenge to ensure the optimum efficiency is delivered by the Urban Vision process.
Annual Report
2011
17
7.
Business Strategy & Development [ZUVX]
7.1
Services
Delivering support services to both internal and external clients, the Business Strategy and Development team carries
out consultancy work within a number of different specialist areas.
Services include:

Health & Safety Management and reporting

Performance Management and reporting

Environmental Management

Business Quality

Business Development

Finance

Integrated Services Team

IT

Marketing and Communications

Organisational Development
The Business Quality Team ensures continuous improvement of the business, facilitating process and quality,
environmental and health and safety initiatives across Urban Vision through internal and external audit programmes
and management of the Integrated Management System. Complaints, client satisfaction and KPI performance are
recorded and reported to monitor the entire business. Two projects funded by the European Regional Development
Fund are also managed and delivered.
Most recently in May and June 2011, Urban Vision maintained its certification for the Safety, Health, Environmental
and Quality (SHEQ) Management systems in operation in accordance with British Standards OHSAS18001:2007 /
OHSAS18001:2007 / ISO9001:2008 respectively.
Organisational Development is responsible for implementing a wide range of procedures and initiatives to support the
recruitment, development and wellbeing of all employees throughout the organisation. We strive to assist all staff
within Urban Vision to develop the knowledge and skills required to gain reward and recognition, enjoy career
progression and achieve job satisfaction.
Organic sales growth is supported by the Business Development team who manage and co-ordinate Pre-Qualification
Questionnaires and Tender submissions, as well as maintaining a database of useful collateral for bidding. Support is
provided across the business and focused to ensure output targets and business plans are met.
In August 2010 the Integrated Services Team was formed which offers a central support function across the business
in more efficient and process driven working practices. The integrated Service Team administer the appraisals
system and ensure that all staff have an annual and six monthly appraisal. The appraisal interview provides an
opportunity for a two way discussion around performance and training needs. The IST team have provided a
consistent approach to appraisals and have the responsibility for ensuring that appraisals do take place. This is to the
benefit of Salford staff. Urban Vision have developed a generic appraisal system for all staff.
Annual Report
2011
18
Urban Vision is also responsible form raising revenue through sponsorship of the Highways. We delivered an
additional £11,870 in 2010/2011 compared with last year (£349,982.83) despite the economic climate.
7.2
Added Value
Project
Description
Value
Council Liaison Officers
8 staff within Urban Vision act as Councillor Liason officers at a cost of
£3,600
£1000 per officer
Health, Safety & the Environment
Richard Preston supports the Council's Re-thinking Construction framework
£1,500
from a H&S perspective. Richard produces the monthly safety health &
environment report for the Council. The report outlines all the accident
statistics from the partner contractors including near miss reports. Richard
is now required to collect and analyse information relating to the
contractors energy and water consumption. (1.5 days per month).
Production of Leaflets to Support
The marketing team produce highway and planning information for Council
Members
Members. Members bulletin, Reactive Highways work, programmed
£5,000
highways work and the planning decision leaflets.
Reception Support – Social Services
Adult commissioning-Eccles integrated care team are based at Emerson
£1,000
House, Urban Vision agreed to deal with their face to face enquiries and
deliveries. The saving is accommodation and staff cost.
Albert Park Pitch Maintenance
Agreement to sponsor the annual pitch maintenance agreement at Albert
£500
Park (BAG)
Property Repairs System
Jonathan Till has spent time this year developing phase 2 of the day to day
£2,400
property repairs system. This system manages the maintenance orders
raised to partner contractors. Phase 2 involved adding a customer
satisfaction survey to the database and providing a reporting mechanism
for KPI's in relation to contractor performance
Statutory Compliance
Above and beyond the scope of the service - A centralised system has
£250
been developed to insure that all corporate and school buildings are
secure. (Southampton incident)
Governance Arrangement
Operational performance meeting-reporting legislation, budget monitoring ,
£20,000
creating service charters and annual work plans.
IMS/Process Improvement
In 2005 we were certified to ISO 9001, now have ISO 14001 &
£500
OHSAS18001, massive compliance issue by taking risk e.g Health &
Safety. Environmental work now needs to be undertaken. Legal and other
legislation monitoring. H&S for the Depot.
Cost of Certification
BSI auditor costs to hold ISO certification 12 days @ £750.
£2,000
Investing In People
Urban Vision has achieved IIP status, in line with the Council strategy Cost
£35,000
£1200 pa plus Jonathan Till's time.
Freedom of Information
Post 2005-Managing FOI requests on behalf of the Council for services
£5,000
delivered on behalf of the Council.
Complaints
More proactive management of the complaints system, complaints officer
£1,008
has been appointed (Mandy Cordina).
Wellbeing Initiatives For Staff
UV have developed a welfare policy to support former Council staff, this
£5,000
involves the provision of fruit, tea, coffee milk etc.
Annual Report
2011
19
The Broughton Trust
Supporting the Adult Learners event
£300
Sponsorship on the Highway
Creating a new framework contract for bill board advertising including the
£9,800
PQQ, tender docs and arranging to meet the contractors.
Total
Annual Report
£92,858
2011
20