CANDIDATE BRIEFING PACK - Director of Highways and Transport Prepared for Cheshire West and Cheshire Council - Penna
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CANDIDATE BRIEFING PACK
Director of Highways and Transport
Prepared for Cheshire West and Cheshire Council
March 2021
FIND | EXCITE | SECURE
© Penna 2020 - Confidential 1
Contents 1. Borough Profile 2. Advertisement 3. Job Description 4. How to Apply © Penna 2020 - Confidential 2
Borough Profile: Story of the Borough
September 2019
Context
This profile provides a short statistical overview of the people and places in our Borough. More
information, including ward profiles and residents’ views, can be found on Cheshire West and
Chester’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment webpages: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/jsna
Contents
Introduction …………………………………………………………………. Page 2
Key messages …………………………………………………………….… Page 2
About people
Local population ……………………………………………………. Page 3
Inequality and deprivation …………………………………………. Page 4
Education ………………………….………………………………... Page 4
Skills and employment …………………………………………….. Page 5
Health and wellbeing - Adults ….…………………………………. Page 5
Health and wellbeing – Children …………………………………. Page 6
About places
Satisfaction with the local area …………………………………… Page 7
Housing ……………………………………………………………... Page 7
Business and the economy ……………………………………….. Page 8
Environment ………………………………………………………… Page 9
Transport and connectivity ………………………………………… Page 9
Crime ……………………………………………………………….... Page 10
References ………………………………………………………………….. Page 11
1
Introduction to Cheshire West and Chester Cheshire West and Chester Council was created in 2009 following a review of local government. The Local Authority covers approximately 350 square miles and is the fourth largest unitary authority in the North West. The Borough includes the historic city of Chester and the industrial and market towns of Ellesmere Port, Frodsham, Helsby, Malpas, Neston, Northwich and Winsford; as well as a patchwork of rural villages. Around 340,500 people live in Cheshire West and about a third live in rural areas. Key messages The population is forecast to increase by about 10% to 367,000 by 2035. Older age groups will see the biggest increase, with the number of residents aged 65 plus expected to increase by 46% and the numbers of people aged 85 and over forecast to more than double. Quality of life is generally good for many people across the Borough, with lower levels of deprivation, higher incomes and generally good health. However, there are pockets of significant disadvantage, where residents experience poorer health outcomes, living conditions, educational attainment and economic prospects. 2
About people
Local population
• Cheshire West and Chester’s population is increasing. The 2018 mid-year population
estimate is 340,500. This is 11,100 higher than in 20081.
• The current estimated population includes:
o 61,000 children aged 0-15
o 206,500 people of working age (16-64)
o 72,900 older people aged 65 and above.
• Between mid-year 2017 and 2018:
o There were around 3,400 live births2 in Cheshire West and Chester and 3,400
deaths2.
o Around 18,900 people moved in to Cheshire West and Chester and 16,400 moved
out2.
INFOGRAPHIC SHOWING POPULATION STATISTICS FOR CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER
3• The population is forecast to increase by around 10% to almost 367,000 by 20353.
• The greatest increase will be in the number of residents aged 65 plus which is expected to
increase by 46% to over 100,000 by 2035. The number of people aged 85 and over is
forecast to more than double to almost 20,0003.
• At the time of the last Census in 20114, 5% of the population (17,600) were Black and
Minority Ethnic residents.
Inequality and deprivation
• In 2018/19, West Cheshire Foodbank provided 9,651 three day emergency food parcels to
local people. 3,552 of the recipients were children5.
• In 2016, 12.7% (7,300) of children aged under 16 were living in poverty, compared to 17.0%
nationally. However, at a very local level some small neighbourhood areas record rates of
child poverty of at least 35%6.
• 11.3% of households in the borough are living in fuel poverty7.
• Cheshire West and Chester has been identified as a coldspot for youth social mobility and
ranks among the worst 10% of local authorities8.
• Cheshire West and Chester ranks 183rd out of 317 local authorities in England in terms of
deprivation (Using the rank of average rank measure)9.
• 16 neighbourhoods rank in the 10% most deprived in England. Around 24,000 residents live
in these areas. This is an increase from 14 neighbourhood areas ranked in the most
deprived decile in 20159.
• Two neighbourhoods are ranked in the 2% most deprived in England. One in Lache ward
and one in Winsford Over and Verdin ward. Around 2,900 residents live in these areas of
Cheshire West and Chester9.
Education
• In 2018, 71.8% of five year olds achieved a good level of development, similar to the
England average of 71.5%10.
• At key stage two, 64% of pupils achieved the expected standard or above in reading, writing
and maths, similar to the England average of 65% (2019 provisional)11.
• In 2018, the average attainment 8 score per pupil was 46.4, higher than the England
average of 44.5. Progress 8 scores show that pupils in Cheshire West and Chester scored
0.11 points below the average progression for England 12.
• 13.4% of primary school pupils and 11.8% of secondary school pupils are eligible for and
claiming free school meals (2019)13.
• Almost one in six (8,472) pupils have a special educational need (2019) Of these, 1,703
(20%) have a Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).14.
• Children facing disadvantage perform significantly worse than their peers including looked
after children, children in need, those eligible for free school meals and those with a special
educational need15.
4Skills and Employment
• In Cheshire West and Chester, nearly 1 in 13 of the working age population (aged 16-64)
have no qualifications (7.3% in Cheshire West and Chester, 7.6% in England). 43.8% have a
level four qualification or above (degree or equivalent), higher than the England rate of
38.3%16.
• In 2019, the percentage of young people aged 16-17 who are not in education, employment
or training (NEET) or not known is 2.7% (170 young people). This is lower than the national
average of 5.5%17.
• The current employment rate is 75.6% (April 2018 – March 2019) this represents around
155,900 residents aged 16 to 64 and is the same as the England rate of 75.6%16.
• More than a fifth (22.7%) of residents in employment work part time16.
• The industries with the highest number of employees include retail (20,000 employees),
health (19,000), professional, scientific and technical (18,000) and manufacturing (15,000)18.
• The manufacturing industry makes up 22.3% of gross value added (GVA) in Cheshire West
and Chester19.
• Unemployment has fallen to 3.7% (April 2018- March 2019), below the national rate of 4.1%,
and down from a peak of 7.3% in April 2011-March 201216.
• The 2018 median gross weekly earnings for residents in full time employment are £562.20,
lower than the England median of £574.9020.
Health and Wellbeing – Adults
• The 2011 Census4 found that 81.6% of people were in very good or good health.
• Life expectancy at birth for men is 79.9 years, just above the national average of 79.6 years.
For women, it is 82.8 years compared to the England average of 83.1 years (2015-17)21.
• People in Cheshire West and Chester can expect to spend a higher proportion of their lives
in good health than the England average and fewer years spent in poor health. The number
of years spent in “not good” health is 13 years for men compared to 16.2 years for England,
and 17.7 years for women compared to 19.3 years for England21.
• Those living in more deprived areas have significantly lower life expectancy. The inequality
gap in life expectancy at birth is widest for men at 10.4 years. The gap for women is 9.1
years (2015-17)21.
• Cancer and heart disease are the key diseases that contribute to inequalities for both men
and women. Coronary heart disease (CHD) deaths make the biggest difference for men and
lung cancer for women22.
• Smoking levels have fallen markedly in recent decades and are below the England average;
however 13.8% of Cheshire West and Chester’s adults are smokers23. 78% of residents feel
stop smoking initiatives are well promoted locally24.
• Around one in five adults are not physically active; 19.7% compared to 22.2% in England25.
68% of residents feel keeping active initiatives are well promoted in the area24.
5• 63.5% of adults are estimated to be overweight or obese (62.0% in England)26. Two thirds of
residents (64%) feel that healthy weight initiatives are well promoted24.
• In Cheshire West and Chester, 29% of residents drink at levels that could harm their health,
similar to the England average27. 72% of residents feel that responsible drinking initiatives
are well promoted24.
• Around 1,300 people aged 18 and over have a moderate or severe learning disability28.
• 10 small neighbourhood areas in Cheshire West and Chester are predicted to have amongst
the highest levels of loneliness for older people in England and Wales29.
• The number of people with dementia in Cheshire West and Chester is forecast to increase
from around 4,900 in 2015 to around 8,700 in 203530.
• At the time of the 2011 Census4, 11.3% (37,121) of people said they provided more than
one hour unpaid care per week, with around 8,500 providing more than 50 hours per week.
• One in six adults aged 16 and over in England report experiencing symptoms of a common
mental health disorder31. This is over 46,000 adults in Cheshire West and Chester.
• Using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being scale, the mental well-being score for
residents has improved slightly from 25.4 in 2011 to 26 in 201724.
• Locally, 88.2% of adults with a learning disability live in their own home, or with their family32.
This is in line with the North West average and above the national average (77.2%).
• Cheshire West and Chester council provided Adult Social Care services to 6,791 people
aged 18 and over from 1 April 2017 – 31 March 2018. 2,057 people between the ages of 18
– 64 and for a further 4,734 who were aged 65 or over33.
• Cheshire West and Chester supported approximately 4,085 adults in 2017/18 to manage
their own support as much as they wish, so that they are in control of what, how and when
support is delivered to match their needs34.
Health and Wellbeing – Children
• In 2018/19, 41.5% of babies in Cheshire West and Chester were either fully or partially
breastfed at their six to eight week check35. This is an increase from 40.1% in 2017/18 but
remains significantly lower than the England average (46.2% in 2018/19).
• One in five children (19.8%) in their school reception year are overweight or obese, this is
significantly better than the England average of 22.4%36.
• One in three (31.9%) children aged 10-11 (year six) are overweight or obese, this is
significantly better than the England average of 34.3%37.
• An estimated 13.1% of 0-24 year olds have a mental health disorder. The most common
mental health problems among children and young people are conduct disorder, emotional
disorders (anxiety and depression) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)/
hyperkinetic disorders38.
• An estimated 2,080 young people in Cheshire West and Chester deliberately injured
themselves on 6,550 separate occasions in 201539.
6• Hospital admission rates for both mental health conditions and self-harm were significantly
higher for children and young people in Cheshire West and Chester compared to the
England average in 2017/18 40.
• Within Cheshire West and Chester, there are around 2,300 children of our 0-17 population
who are considered ‘Children in Need’ and receiving services from Children’s Social Care.
Rates are in line with the national average, with 341.1 per every 10,000 children in the
borough being defined a Child in Need, against the England rate of 341.0 15.
• Of Cheshire West and Chester’s Children in Need, 215 children were on a Child Protection
Plan and 496 children were within the Local Authority’s care (2017/18) 15.
• Cheshire West and Chester has committed to embed common early help assessments
across all local public agencies, so as to provide a more joined up and consistent approach
to agencies. 795 TAFs (Team around the Family) were opened by partner agencies during
2017/18, including 88 by Health and 678 by Schools. A further 595 children were opened to
TAF by the Local Authority’s Early Help and Prevention Service in the same period 41.
• Around a quarter of all contacts into Children’s Social Care and Early Help are for the reason
of domestic abuse42. This reflects the strong commitment to the model by Police, domestic
abuse and adult professionals.
About places
Satisfaction with the local area
• In the 2017 Residents Survey, 84% of local people were satisfied with their local area as a
place to live24, this is in line with the Community Survey 2011 figures.
• 18% of residents felt their local area had improved in the last three years, a rise from 16% in
2011. This figure rose to 23% for residents of Northwich and Winsford24. [Note in 2011 the
question was based on previous two years rather than three years].
• The top three issues cited by residents as presenting a problem that affects their quality of
life are knowing what services are available to them (50%), knowing what benefits they are
entitled to (45%) and being able to get to the GP (38%)24.
• In a 2017 business survey, 69% of businesses cited ‘overall attractiveness of the area’ in
their top three benefits of being located where they are in Cheshire West and Chester 43.
Housing
• In 2017, there were 157,920 dwellings in Cheshire West and Chester and an estimated
145,700 households. 85% of dwellings are privately owned44.
• Almost a third of households (30%) are single person households45.
• The average property price in the borough at July 2019 is £210,023, an increase of almost
£7,000 in the 12 month period. This is lower than the average UK property price of
£232,71046.
7• The average monthly rent for a ‘room’ in the private rental market is £390 compared to £411
in England47.
• At 1 April 2018 there were 6,204 applicants registered on our housing waiting list, showing
the extent of local demand for social rented housing48.
• At October 2018, there were 4,413 empty homes in the borough, 1,630 of which had been
empty for more than six months49. The Council aims to bring 900 empty homes back into
use by 202150.
• Over the eight years from 2010-2018, on average around 1,400 new homes a year were
built, with 28% being affordable housing (390 units per annum)51.
• At least 1,100 new homes will be built each year until 203051.
• The borough’s housing stock is in relatively good condition; 80% of the borough’s private
homes meet the decent homes standard, compared to 75% of all private dwellings in
England. However, rates of disrepair are above the national average and are increasing,
13% of homes in the borough fail the repair requirement of the Decent Homes Standard
compared to 5.5% nationally52.
• 22% of all private sector households (26,200 households) are classed as vulnerable
households and a quarter of vulnerable households (7,300 households) live in non-decent
homes52.
• Highest levels of non-decency are in rural wards, pre 1919 housing stock, converted flats,
and the private rented sector52.
• 94% of residents believe their home meets their needs and those of their family24.
Business and the economy
• There are around 14,060 businesses53 that employ around 177,700 people in Cheshire West
and Chester16.
• In 2017 there were 1,705 business start-ups53.
• The level of gross value added (GVA) in Cheshire West is £10,092 million54.
• Around a third of residents don’t know what impact Brexit will have on themselves (30%) or
their local area (35%). 21% feel that it will have a positive impact on themselves and 18% on
the local area. 33% feel that ‘Brexit’ will have a negative impact on both. The remaining
residents feel there will be no impact either on themselves (16%) or the local area (14%)24.
• A greater proportion of residents (53%) feel they are benefitting from regeneration across
Cheshire West and Chester than in their local area (45%)24.
• Over half of residents (52%) believe that the local economy has stayed the same over the
last three years24.
• In 2017, 25% of Cheshire West businesses said they had increased the size of their
workforce in the past 12 months, compared to 17% 201143. 48% of businesses had
vacancies in the past 12 months, 19% were ‘hard to fill’43.
8Environment
• There is 433 kilograms of residual household waste per household in Cheshire West and
Chester compared to 543 kilograms in England55.
• 58.25% of household waste is sent for reuse, recycling or composting compared to 43.21%
in England55.
• The Council’s 2018-19 performance measures around ‘cleaner streets’ show that
performance on fly-tipping is improving and is better than target. Performance on
maintaining clean neighbourhoods has declined both in terms of litter and detritus and
grounds maintenance56.
• Borough wide CO2 emissions for 2017-18 were 39.85% lower than they were in 1990, when
6,658 kilo tonnes of CO2 was produced. However, this reflects a small increase on 2016-
1757.
• In 2014-15 Cheshire West and Chester Council was responsible for emitting 45,543 tonnes
of CO2. By 2017-18 this had fallen to 33,405 tonnes of CO258.
• Household waste collection and the disposal of non-recyclable household waste contributes
39.5% of the Council’s carbon emissions59.
• Industrial and commercial activities are the main producer of CO2 emissions, releasing
62.9% of the borough’s total. In the rest of England, industrial and commercial activities only
account for around 38% of carbon dioxide60.
Transport and connectivity
• Superfast broadband has been rolled out across the borough with 95.3% of premises able to
access broadband with speeds greater than 30 Mbps56.
• 95% of businesses in Cheshire West say they had access to the Internet in 2017, with 50%
having access to superfast Broadband43.
• 81% of households have at least one car or van (74% in England and Wales)4.
• 74% of our employed residents travel to work by car (63% in England and Wales)4.
• At the time of the 2011 Census4, around 51,000 people travelled into the Borough to work
and 52,800 travelled out. Commuting resulted in a population decrease of 1,800 in Cheshire
West and Chester. The highest inflow of workers was from Flintshire and the highest out
flow travelled to Cheshire East.
• 16% of residents say that transport issues prevent them from participating in activities more
often24.
• 1% of ‘A’ roads should have been considered for maintenance in 2017/18 (this is lower than
the 3% for England as a whole)61.
• During 2015-17, there were 417 people killed or seriously injured on the roads, a rate of 41.4
per 100,000 which is similar to the England average of 40.8 per 100,00062.
• In the 2017 Resident’s Survey24, the condition of local roads was seen as one of the most
important factors in making somewhere a good place to live but reported the lowest
9satisfaction score. The Council’s 2018-19 performance measures however shows that the
targets set for the condition of all types of road in Cheshire West and Chester are being
achieved56.
• 64% of residents are satisfied with the accessibility of buses for wheelchairs and
pushchairs. The biggest cause of dissatisfaction around bus services is the cost of fares,
with 39% dissatisfied with this in their local area24.
Crime
• The total number of recorded crimes (excluding fraud) recorded in Cheshire West and
Chester is 28,935 in 2018-1963.
• In Cheshire West and Chester in 2018-19, the most common offence was a public order
offence, violence without injury, violence with injury and criminal damage and arson63.
• Between 2017-18 and 2018-19 the largest increase in number of offences is for stalking and
harassment, violence without injury and robbery. The greatest decreases are for drug
offences, burglary and domestic burglary and bicycle theft63.
• Improved Resident Survey24 results were recorded in 2017 regarding crime and anti-social
behaviour. The 2017 survey found 94% felt safe in the daytime, and 61% at night, an
increase from the 2011 Community Survey.
10References 1 ONS mid-year population estimates, Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0 2 2018 mid-year estimates (components of population change for local authorities in the UK, mid-2018), Office for National Statistics licensed under the Local Government Licence v.3.0 3 2015 based population forecasts, Insight and Intelligence, Cheshire West and Chester Council 4 2011 Census, Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0 5 New end of year statistics, 29th April 2019, West Cheshire Foodbank 6 Personal tax credits: children in low-income families local measure: 2016 snapshot at 31 August 2016 7 Sub regional fuel poverty 2018 (2016 data), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. 8 State of the nation 2017, Social Mobility Commission, 28 November 2017. 9 Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. 10 Early years foundation stage profile results 2017 to 2018, Department for Education 11 National curriculum assessments key stage 2 2019 provisional, Department for Education 12 Statistics - GCSEs key stage four, Department for Education 2018 LA tables 13 Schools, pupils and their characteristics January 2019, Department for Education Table 4c 14 Special educational needs in England January 2019, Department for Education LA tables Tables 12 and 13 15 Local Authority Interactive Tool, accessed September 2019, Department for Education 16 Annual population Survey (APS) (Apr 2018-Mar 2019). Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. 17 16 to 17 year olds recorded in education and training and NEET by local authority 2019, (average of Dec 18, Jan 19 and Feb 19), Department of Education. 18 Workplace based employment by industry (SIC 2007), 2017, Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES), Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. 19 Regional Gross Value Added (Income Approach) by industry (2017) ,Office of National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. 20 ONS annual survey of hours and earnings - resident analysis ONS Crown Copyright Reserved [from Nomis on 24 September 2019] 21 Public Health Outcomes Framework 2019, Public Health England 22 Mortality and Life Expectancy JSNA, November 2017, Cheshire West and Chester Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 23 Smoking prevalence in adults (APS) – current smokers (2018), Local Tobacco Control Profiles, Public Health England 24 Your Voice Matters Residents Survey 2017, Insight and Intelligence, Cheshire West and Chester Council 11
25 Percentage of physically inactive adults, 2017/18, Public Health Outcomes Framework, Public Health England 26 Percentage of adults aged 18+classified as overweight or obese (current method), 2017/18, Public Health Outcomes Framework, Public Health England 27 Local Alcohol Consumption Survey, 2015, Public Health England 28 Learning disability (2019) - Projecting Adult Needs and Service Information, Oxford Brookes University and Institute of Public Care 29 Predictions of loneliness for older people, Cheshire West and Chester JSNA (sourced from Davidson, S, Rossall, P (2015). Evidence Review: Loneliness in Later Life, Age UK.) 30 2015-based Dementia forecasts, Insight and Intelligence, Cheshire West and Chester Council 31 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, NHS Digital 32 Measures from the adult social care outcomes framework, England 2017-18; ASCOF 1G. 33 Adult social care activity and finance report: England 2017-18; tables LTS001a and STS001 34 Adult social care activity and finance report: England 2017-18; table LTS001a 35 Breastfeeding data 2018/19, Insight and Intelligence, Cheshire West and Chester Council 36 Child excess weight in 4-5 year olds, National Child Measurement Programme - England, 2017/18 [NS], NHS digital 37 Child excess weight in 10-11 year olds, National Child Measurement Programme - England, 2017/18 [NS], NHS digital 38 Children and young people’s mental health (2016), Cheshire West and Chester Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 39 Self-Injury JSNA (2016), Cheshire West and Chesters Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 40 Child and maternal health profile, accessed September 2019 , Public Health England 41 Team Around the Family, July 2018, Insight and Intelligence, Cheshire West and Chester Council 42 Contacts into children’s Social Care and Early Help, March 2018, Insight and Intelligence, Cheshire West and Chester Council 43 Cheshire Business Survey 2017, Cheshire West and Chester, Cheshire East and BMG Research 44 Table 100: Dwelling stock: Number of Dwellings by Tenure and district, England; 2018, HCLG. 45 Households (2018) 2016-based Household Projections, HCLG. 46 UK House Price Index, July 2019, Land Registry 47 Private rental market summary statistics: April 2018 to March 2019, Valuation Office Agency 48 Numbers of households on local authorities' housing waiting lists – Table 600, 2018, DCLG 49 All vacant dwellings by local authority district – Table 615, October 2017, DCLG 50 Cheshire West and Chester Empty Homes Strategy 2016-2021 51 Local Plan Annual Monitoring Report, 2018, Cheshire West and Chester Council 52 Home Assistance Policy 2014/2018, Strategic Housing and Commissioning, Cheshire West and Chester Council 53 Business demography (2017) and UK business counts (2018) from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 12
54 Regional gross value added (balanced approach) (GVA, 2017), Office for National Statistics (ONS) licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. 55 LG Inform 2017-18 council performance benchmarks 56 2018-19 Year-End Review of Council Plan Performance, Cheshire West and Chester Council 57 2018-19 Mid-Year Review of Council Plan Performance, Cheshire West and Chester Council 58 CW&C Greenhouse Gas Emissions Annual Report 2017-18 59 CW&C carbon management plan 2016-2020 60 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, UK local authority and regional carbon dioxide emissions national statistics: 2005 to 2017 61 Table RDC0120, Department for Transport Statistics, licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0 62 Road accidents and safety statistics, Department for Transport (taken from Public Health Outcomes Framework) 63 Crime in England & Wales, year ending March 2019 - Community Safety Partnership tables. Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. 13
Accessing Cheshire West and Chester Council
information and services.
Council information is also available in audio, braille,
large print or other formats. If you would like a copy
in a different format, in another language or require
a BSL interpreter, please email us at:
equalities@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 123 8 123
Textphone: 18001 01606 275757
Email: equalities@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
Web: www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
If you would like further information about this report or other JSNA products,
please contact Insight and Intelligence
Email: research@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
Access JSNA products online www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/jsnaAdvertisement Director of Highways and Transport Salary and benefits package circa. £100k Cheshire West and Chester Council is the North West’s fourth largest unitary authority, covering more than 350 square miles with a population of more than 340,000 residents. We are a diverse Borough, encompassing the internationally important historic city of Chester, the industrial powerhouse of Ellesmere Port, the growing mid-Cheshire Towns of Northwich and Winsford, and a patchwork of market towns and rural villages. We are an ambitious council with a clear forward plan and a strong commitment to talking climate change, securing investment in a truly inclusive economy, addressing health inequalities and deprivation, and enabling our residents, businesses and partners to play their part in shaping the future. Our transport strategy has a key role to play in delivering prosperity and better outcomes both locally and strategically, creating a well-connected and accessible borough. Our highways and transport networks represent the council’s largest physical asset and with a road network of approximately 2,300 kilometres (including 3 Roman Roads), the City Walls in Chester and numerous public rights of way we’re re-aligning how our infrastructure plays its part in our case for change. A step change in public transport and active travel are essential to our plans for recovery. We now require an exceptional leader to help reshape our services to meet the challenges ahead. You will be able to demonstrate a mix of strategic and delivery focussed transport experience to build credibility quickly and gain the trust of Members, key stakeholders and staff. You will be able to guide and manage a broad and experienced team through authentic and transparent leadership linked to our core values. In addition, we’re also bringing our existing outsourced maintenance operations contract for the borough's road network in house from October 2022. You will be responsible for developing a sustainable and best in class service along with a range of high-profile programmes to improve the lives of our residents, communities and stakeholders. You will possess an excellent understanding of the context in which local authorities operate having worked within or alongside a public service organisation. This is an exciting new role and it’s a great time to come and join our Council and team who are committed that we will all play our part in building greener, fairer and stronger communities. To find out more about this exciting opportunity please visit https://execroles.penna.com or for an informal and confidential discussion contact our recruitment partners at Penna: Andrew Barton 07922 386 432 or Pete John 07701 305617. Closing Date: Wednesday 21st April 2021 © Penna 2020 - Confidential 3
Job Description
CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCIL
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: Director of Highways and Transport
REPORTS TO: Deputy Chief Executive (Economy, Environment and Communities)
GRADE: DIR
OVERALL JOB PURPOSE:
Lead, manage and develop the activities and functions of the Council’s Highways and Transport
Directorate to provide the highest possible standards, whilst ensuring the service leads the way on
innovation and transformation. Provide strategic leadership for the effective, efficient, sustainable, and
safe delivery of services for the people of Cheshire West and Chester, and the wider community in
accordance with Council policies and resources, legislative requirements, and best practice.
Specifically, this includes:
• Leading the development and implementation of transport strategy and policy for the borough,
including working with communities on local area-based initiatives and engaging with strategic
partners at sub regional, regional, and national level to maximise investment in the Borough
• Leading all functions related to the maintenance, management and enhancement of the highway
and transport network and its related assets and infrastructure, managing both direct internal
services and the commissioning of external providers
• Leading the Council’s Transport Operations including public and community transport and fleet
management to enhance sustainable mobility and access for all members of the community
• Ensuring that the Council’s vehicle fleet is fit for purpose complying with all legal, financial,
regulatory, and contractual requirements, and contributing towards the council’s objectives for
carbon reduction.
• Playing a key role in supporting the Council, its partners, residents, and other stakeholders to
achieve key objectives, including tackling climate change, facilitating an inclusive economy,
tackling poverty, and empowering communities.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1 Provide senior leadership by communicating the vision, objectives, outcomes and values of
the Council and your Directorate. Inspire others to deliver agreed objectives whilst promoting
a culture of collaborative working between officers, members, and external partners to
ensure that the service responds effectively to the needs of local communities and
stakeholders.
2 Develop, implement, and review the Council’s policies and strategic plans to ensure that
services are provided in accordance with Council objectives, priorities, and statutory
responsibilities.
3 Manage and lead the activities of the Council’s Highways and Transport services in
accordance with agreed standards and within allocated resources to ensure that the
obligations and interests of the Council are protected, and the political and management
interface operates effectively.
© Penna 2020 - Confidential 44 Recruit, manage, motivate and develop staff, prioritising their health, safety and wellbeing at
work, and providing them with support to realise their full potential.
5 Manage all service budgets to ensure that targets for savings and income generation are met,
resources are well monitored and controlled, and are deployed to the best possible effect to
secure value for money.
6 Develop customer focused culture and practice, ensuring the highest standards of customer
satisfaction both internally and within the community
7 Inform, support and advise Members of the Council so that they can perform their executive,
scrutiny and representational responsibilities based upon robust, and independent evidence and
advice.
8 Provide support to the Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive (including as a member of the
Senior Leadership Team, Directorate Management Team and officer Governance Boards) in
developing strategies and operational management standards that enable the achievement of the
Council’s priorities.
9 Represent the Council at Local, National, and Regional levels in dealings with government bodies,
local authorities, agencies, the local community, the private sector, academic institutions and any
other appropriate organisation in order to promote and protect the interests and priorities of the
Council.
10 Provide professional guidance and technical expertise on all Transport and other infrastructure
related issues when required
11 Plan, review and manage operational activities in accordance with Health & Safety, technical and
professional requirements, Council Policies and procedures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of
service users, staff and contractors and to minimise risk to the Council.
12 To undertake any other duties and responsibilities commensurate with the grade.
NOTE
This role is a hybrid flexible worker and this means that the role will be office based but depending on
business requirements will work flexibly from home and other locations across the Council. Many
services and customers span across the Borough and therefore you may be required to work at any
location in Cheshire West and Chester.
© Penna 2020 - Confidential 5CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCIL
PERSON SPECIFICATION
JOB TITLE: Director of Highways and Transport
Essential Desirable
Qualifications Degree level qualification Chartered Status or equivalent in
relevant discipline
Evidence of continuous professional
development Formal management qualification
or demonstrable experience
Completion of a structured
management development
programme
Work Experience / A proven track record of successful
Job Skills leadership at a senior management
level, ideally in a Highways and
Transport field, motivating and
managing people teams
A proven track record of leading in the
formulation and delivery of objectives
Strong budget management
Proven success in the generation and
management of innovation and change
A track record of effective partnership
working with a range of stakeholders
Significant experience of interpreting
quantitative and qualitative data and
link to strategic planning
Detailed knowledge of relevant policies,
strategies, latest developments, market
trends and service delivery models and
the way in which they can be utilised.
Communication Highly developed networking,
Skills advocacy, written, oral and
presentation skills to a range of
stakeholders and audiences
Excellent presentation, communication
and interpersonal skills including strong
report writing.
The ability to writes and explains
complex issues clearly and simply.
© Penna 2020 - Confidential 6Ability to persuade and negotiate at all
levels and across different agencies,
services and groups.
Personal Qualities Ability to cope with ambiguity,
uncertainty, pressure and work under
public scrutiny
Ability to empower, motivate and
develop staff, creating a positive,
inclusive culture
Ability to apply innovative thinking and
judgement to initiate and support
change
Personal resilience and the ability to
manage competing priorities in a high-
pressure environment
Other Requirements Commitment to achieving value for
money, service excellence and equality
in employment and service delivery
Ability to reach locations across the
Borough
© Penna 2020 - Confidential 7How to Apply
This guidance contains important information to help with your application:
• Please apply by submitting a CV and Covering Letter (no more than four sides of A4 in length per
document aligned to the person specification). Please also include your contact details.
• Please ensure all gaps in employment and education history are fully explained on your CV; we
may wish to verify this information during the recruitment process.
• Please provide the details of two referees. Note that we will only approach referees for
candidates proceeding to final selection and only with your permission. Please clearly indicate
whether we can approach each referee before the selection date.
• Please ensure that you address the key requirements as set out in the person specification.
These competencies will be used as part of the assessment process.
• Please complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form when you upload your details. We
are keen to ensure that all our jobs are accessible to all members of the community and use this
data to monitor our progress in doing this.
• Please return your application by the closing date – no applications will be accepted once the
long listing process has begun.
• Following long listing, you will be contacted directly by a Penna consultant to update you on the
status of your application.
The following timetable sets out the key dates in the recruitment process:
Date Activity
Closing Date Wednesday 21st April 2021
Shortlist Meeting w/c 26th April 2021 (TBC)
Assessment Centre and Final Panel w/c 3rd / w/c 10th May 2021
Interviews
To apply for this role, please click the link below:
https://execroles.penna.com
For further information or confidential discussion, please contact our recruitment partners at Penna:
Andrew Barton 07922 386 432 or Pete John 07701 305617.
© Penna 2020 - Confidential 8You can also read
