Issue - meetings

The Performance & Programme Manager introduced the report and explained that it was a performance management report that showed performance against an approved set of Council measures. The reporting of performance to the two Policy Committees was explained and Members were asked to examine the responses given by these two committees and assure themselves that the appropriate level of challenge was being made to the information contained within the report.

A Member highlighted that the report indicated that training would be offered on performance management and sought clarification on when this would occur. In response it was confirmed that Officers were working to provide comprehensive training to Members based on the process and delivery and the role of the individual committees. In addition volunteers would also be needed to help create a working group to review those measures and targets.

In relation to long term sickness absence, a Member asked whether this needed to be considered by the committee or at another meeting. Confirmation was given that the Joint Staff Consultative Committee regularly received a sickness absence update and issues could be raised by Members through that forum.

A Member referred to the information on markets in the district and that there were some issues to be addressed and that it could be put on the work programme. In response it was advised it was already included and an updated report would be presented to the Prosperous Communities Committee where issues could be raised.

Discussion returned to the issue of absence figures and a Member asked if there were issues in any particular departments. It was reiterated that the Joint Staff Consultative Committee looked at the issue in detail and the Chairman reminded Members that the committee could invite the Chair of that particular committee to attend and answer questions if required.

A Member referred to certain exceptions to key performance indicators and one of those was homelessness and asked why it was excluded. In response it was explained that key performance indicators were things that were within the control of the Council and this meant that targets were assigned to them. In respect of other issues, statistics were published.

In respect of customer satisfaction there had been a drop in performance and it was asked if this was being looked at. Officers agreed to look at the issue and report back to Members on performance and give a bit more narrative and context. The Governance and Audit Committee also received reports from the Customer Experience Officer, and data from the voice of the customer report was also shared.

RESOLVED that the Committee had examined the responses given to the report by the Corporate Policy and Resources and the Prosperous Communities Committees and had assured themselves that the appropriate level of challenge had been made by those committees to the information contained in the report.