Agenda item

Members gave consideration to a report which assessed the performance of the Council’s services and key projects through agreed performance measures.  A revised set of measures was appended to the report for approval.  Members were asked to review performance and recommend areas where improvements should be made, having regard to any remedial measures already included within the report.

The report summary was structured to highlight those areas that were performing above expectations, those areas where there was a risk to either performance or delivery and those areas where further work was required to either improve the quality of the information provided to Members or where work was already underway to address poor performance.

Areas described as performing well included: The Budget, Building Control and Local Land Charges.

Those areas described as risks included: Enforcement; Food Safety (Regulatory Team), Gainsborough Markets and Homelessness.

Future work would be undertaken regarding the measurement of customer satisfaction.

Further information was given on each of the above. 

Debate ensued and Members asked a number of questions of Officers particularly in respect of the homelessness service, seeking clarity as to the factors which were driving the increase and how demand and emergency need was been managed.

In responding Officers confirmed that the number of rough sleepers across the District remained low, with the target being zero. The increase in demand related to an increase in those individuals and families who were finding themselves in difficulty and seeking support from the Council.  A number of factors driving this increase were changes to Welfare Reform and reduced access to other services such as metal health.  There was also a shortage of appropriate accommodation, particularly for young people and large families.  Officers had worked closely with Acis to reduce the length of time between a person being allocated permanent accommodation and actually moving from temporary accommodation, this was helping to alleviate the pressure on temporary accommodation.

Unfortunately the Authority did on occasion have to use Bed and Breakfast establishments as temporary accommodation, this was never the preferred option.  It was stressed that Members would be advised when such establishments had been used, as this was now a performance measure.

A member also expressed dissatisfaction at the market’s performance and the continued delay of the options paper for this service, despite the poor performance.

Officers were accepting of these views but gave assurance that all of those issues that had been previously raised when first debating the options paper, that had not been accepted, had been thoroughly worked through.  This had taken considerable time and it was important that the paper was fit for purpose.  A number of operational changes previously proposed had not been implemented in their entirety, as this had not been possible in light of the fact that the paper had previously been rejected.  The Options paper would be represented for consideration at the Committee’s September meeting.

Concern was also expressed that the Food Inspection target had not been met.  Members acknowledged that this was an important service, with serious implications if it was not running effectively.

In responding Officers acknowledged Members concerns and advised that this was the first quarter that the service appeared to be at risk of poor performance, however a review of the service was planned for early August to ensure the service remained effective.

On that basis it was:-

RESOLVED that: -

(a)     the new measures proposed, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report, be approved; and

(b)     having critically appraised the performance of services and key projects, and having had regard to the remedial measures suggested in the report, and the information provided in response to Member questions, no further action be requested at this stage.