Agenda item

Minutes:

Members gave consideration to a report which assessed the performance of the Council’s services and key projects through agreed performance measures.    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, and those areas where there was a risk to either performance or delivery.

 

Areas described as performing well included:

 

·         Local Land Charges: sustained improvements now being shown

·         Cost of waste collection per head of population

·         Income from trade waste

·         Trinity Arts: audience figures, cost per user and surplus generated

·         Management of assets: void rates.

·         Complaints

 

Those areas described as risks included:

 

·         Homelessness

·         Enforcement

·         Benefits Service  - the cost per live claim

·         Street Cleaning Income

·         The award of grants

 

Further information was given on each of the above particularly of the work undertaken in respect of complaints, homelessness and enforcement.

 

Debate ensued and the report and general direction of travel was welcomed.

 

With regard to Revenues and Benefits, Members made reference to the recently approved Council Tax Support Policy and the phased introduction of Universal Credit across the District which, for a period, would result in two systems being in operation at a single time, and sought indication as to whether this posed any risks.

 

In response Officers advised, from a Homelessness perspective, an impact was already being seen.  Again this was a national trend, however assurance was offered that this was being monitored closely and responded to accordingly. Furthermore the Challenge and Improvement Committee had, at their most recent meeting, received a full briefing on the situation within the Homelessness Service and the action plans which were in place to mitigate and address the challenges the service currently faced.

 

In respect of complaints, in response to a Member’s question, Officers confirmed that more in depth data was being collected, in order that trends and patterns could be identified, both in terms of services and common themes, offering examples. This was within the role of the new Customer Experience Officer.  It was further noted that a report of this nature and detail was submitted annually to the Governance and Audit Committee.

 

The performance and continued success and development of the Trinity Arts Centre was again praised. Congratulations were also paid to the Land Charges Team and Waste Collection Teams.

 

It was clarified that the air testing, referred to on page 32 of the report, related to an additional service offered by the Building Control department, in respect of a dwellings efficiency  Air Testing in terms of air quality within the environment, was a function undertaken by the Environmental Protection Team.  The District Council did have some responsibilities in regard to this, along with a number of other agencies, and testing did take place across the District, queries and concerns in respect of this should be directed to the Environmental Protection Team in the first instance.  

 

It was confirmed that the newly installed CCTV cameras at Hemswell Cliff had assisted in monitoring 16 incidents during October, November and December.  This was a relatively new installation and it was intended to provide usage statics on this going forward.

 

Following much discussion it was: -

 

RESOLVED that 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 formal action be requested at this stage, however the suggestions made throughout the debate be considered.

 

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