Our 20 commitments
Our 20 commitments are divided into 4 key areas: economy, environment, health and family.
Economy
We have 5 commitments for the economy.
Good jobs
We will work hard to address the impacts of the Covid pandemic on unemployment by supporting business recovery and building a stronger economy for the future, enabling people to build the skills they need to be part of it, and working alongside Essex businesses to help reduce barriers to employment for disadvantaged groups.
Infrastructure
We will deliver and maintain high quality infrastructure to improve opportunities for people living in Essex as well as supporting a growing economy and the delivery of new homes and communities by investing in the region of £1 billion by the end of this council.
Future growth and investment
We will help grow existing businesses and the economic sectors of the future in Essex, including the arts, and secure high levels of new investment by working with partners to promote the county, by creating the conditions for growth and by maximising the impact of public sector spend within the county.
Green growth
We will develop Essex as a centre for innovation, supporting new technologies and business models to enable our economy to transition to net zero and secure green jobs for the future by ensuring we have the right local skills and drawing in investment opportunities.
Levelling up the economy
We will work to level up the economy by addressing the drivers of socioeconomic inequality (including income, education, employment, health and housing), based on the foundation of good jobs and a higher skilled and healthier workforce.
Environment
We have 5 commitments for the environment.
Net zero
We will work across the council and the county to hit our net zero targets, by ensuring that the council significantly reduces its carbon footprint, whilst also supporting an acceleration in the progress towards sustainable housing and energy, and active and alternative forms of travel across the county.
Transport and built environment
We will deliver a step change in sustainable travel across the county, by growing passenger transport and active travel, and will ensure we support the move towards net zero, climate resilient developments, including our new garden communities, by delivering sustainable, healthy neighbourhoods for the future.
Minimise waste
We will minimise the impact on the environment by supporting residents and businesses to reduce waste and increase the amounts recycled, and by working with others to deliver a more circular economy whereby we better protect our natural resources though the efficient and ongoing reuse of materials.
Green communities
We will work with communities and businesses, providing advice and support to enable and empower local action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build climate resilience.
Levelling up the environment
We will help all our communities to enjoy a high-quality environment, by making them more resilient against flooding, heat stress and water shortages, by enhancing our county’s green infrastructure and by reducing air pollution.
Health
We have 5 commitments for promoting health, care and wellbeing for all the parts of our population who need our support.
Health lifestyles
We will aim to increase the proportion of people able to live healthy lifestyles by embedding a community-first approach, by helping people to overcome social isolation, mental ill health and substance misuse, and by helping people to live fit and active lifestyles.
Promoting independence
We will work with key partners and the adult safeguarding board to help individuals to live free from abuse and neglect and will enable residents to live independently by assisting them to access suitable accommodation, supporting access to employment and meaningful activities, and enabling independence at home through reablement, care technology, and market shaping to ensure strong domiciliary support, and investment in housing.
Place-based working
We will deliver better care that meets the needs of residents by joining up care and support with local partners in a place, including with district councils, health partners and the local voluntary and community sector.
Carers
We will help those carers of all ages whose caring duties are impacting most on their wellbeing by achieving a step change in the advice, guidance and support we provide to support wellbeing and independence, and by targeting it at those who need it most.
Levelling up health
We will seek to reduce health inequalities by bringing together partners and communities to address the socio-economic drivers that underpin poor health outcomes, such as poor housing, poverty, economic insecurity and low skills.
Family
We have 5 commitments for children and families.
Education outcomes
We will achieve educational excellence and high standards for all children and young people as we recover from the pandemic, by working in partnership with early years providers, schools, colleges and universities, by building greater coherence across the system and by engaging businesses, communities and the arts sector in supporting education outcomes.
Family resilience and stability
We will work to strengthen family resilience and stability, as part of thriving communities, by embedding an approach that tackles the drivers of family instability and provide support to low income, vulnerable and working families.
Safety
We will continue to improve the safety of Essex residents, including children and young people, by sustaining our nationally recognised approach to early intervention, safeguarding and neglect, addressing domestic abuse, child criminal and sexual exploitation, and peer on peer violence and abuse. We will continue close working with our partners to help make our communities safer and address key issues such as violence and vulnerability, and safety for women and girls.
Outcomes for vulnerable children
We will work to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups including Children in Care, Care Leavers, Children with SEND and children from BAME communities, by working with children, young people and partners across the system.
Levelling up outcomes for families
We will work to address inequalities affecting children and families by focusing on recovery from the pandemic, tackling family poverty, mental health support, emotional wellbeing and healthy, active and productive lifestyles, and making sure that we engage hard to reach groups.