Reviews from the Year 2006-2007
Student Impact
Canterbury is well known for the quality of its education establishments, and benefits from the presence of a vibrant education sector. Less well known is that it also has one of the highest ratios of students to residents in the country. With two universities and a Higher Education institution hosting in total around 25,000 students, the council is concerned about the impact that students have on our local communities.
The review tries to identify the cultural and economic impact our Higher Education sector has on this district as a whole. The review takes in evidence from residents and students, landlords and letting agents, all the institutions concerned, and has also consulted Dr Darren Smith – a leading expert on ‘studentification’. Dr Smith is leading a national study on students in the community.
*Along with Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Brighton, and Loughborough, Canterbury has been selected for a national case study.
Student Impact Review. [pdf document]
Student Impact - Appendix 1 [pdf document]
Student Impact - Appendix 2 [pdf document]
Student Impact - Appendix 3 [pdf document]
Westgate Towers Review
The protection of the Westgate Towers has become the centre of a public debate, with regular column inches in the Canterbury Gazette dedicated to it. The Council also takes an interest in the future of the Westgate Towers as it contributes to Canterbury’s cultural identity.
The review looks into the current use of the Westgate Towers, and how the flow of traffic impacts upon this, and considers a range of options for the future of the Westgate Towers and how this impacts on the local area.
Westgate Towers Report [pdf document]
City Centre Development Review
This review is concerned that development in the city centre may produce a conflict between the needs of current and future residents, and the council’s aim to create a diverse cultural offering and a vibrant late night economy. The review will encompass the current procedures for integrating different types of development in the city, and see what influence the council can exert to achieve the best balance between the two contrasting priorities. In undertaking this review the council will consult with a variety of sources in the community:
- Ward councillors
- Relevant officers
- Local societies
- Other relevant stakeholders, for example:
- City Centre Management
- Trade Associations
The end result will be a report that provides us with guidelines that operate within the local, regional and national guidelines, while achieving the desired balance between residential and cultural developments.
City Centre Development Review [pdf document]
Rural Sustainability
What does the future hold for our rural areas? Is the quality of life in rural villages as good as it could be? How can we ensure that people living in local villages have access to essential services and economic opportunities?
These are the principal questions that the Rural Sustainability panel is looking at. We want to ensure that the council is doing all it can to guarantee a prosperous and secure future of our rural areas.
Rural Sustainability Review [pdf document]
Increasing public involvement
We want to increase public involvement in the scrutiny function during the coming year. There are several ways in which the public can become involved.
They are:
- By proposing a topic for a scrutiny review either by contacting their councillor or contacting the Scrutiny team on 01227 862 332.
- By attending Overview and Scrutiny committee meetings – details of upcoming meetings are available on the council website www.canterbury.gov.uk or by contacting the Committee section on 01227 862 006 or 01227 862 005.
- By making their views known on scrutiny review topics. The upcoming reviews are described above – if you would like to contribute your views please contact the Scrutiny team on 01227 862 332.
