Agenda item

(CSP: P&S, MEC, SLE1, P&S1, MEC1)

Purpose: To consider the Overview and Scrutiny Management Commission's response to the Executive following the requests to investigate areas of poor performance in the 2016/17 Q4 and 2017/18 Q1 Key Accountable Performance Reports.

Resolved that the Executive notes the responses of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Commission.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·      the item has been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Commission, or has been the subject of a review undertaken by another body within the preceding six months.

·      Report is to note only

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda item 6) which provided the Overview and Scrutiny Management Commission’s (OSMC’s) response to the Executive following the request to investigate areas of poor performance in the 2016/17 Q4 and 2017/18 Q1 Key Accountable Performance Reports. Specifically, the collection of Council Tax and Business Rates, the timeliness of reviews for long term Adult Social Care (ASC) clients and decision making on benefit claims, provision of more affordable housing, and preventing homelessness.

Councillor Emma Webster, Chairman of the OSMC, gave thanks for the opportunity of presenting this report. The monitoring of the Council’s performance had long been a significant aspect of the OSMC’s Work Programme and the OSMC welcomed the request to review these particular areas of poor performance.

The OSMC’s focus had been to assess the progress that had been made in these areas in the period since the exception reports were considered by the Executive. The OSMC had been pleased to note positive progress made to improve performance, in particular for vulnerable residents of the District.

A detailed discussion was held to help understand the actions being taken to improve the timeliness of decisions on benefit claims. The opportunity was also taken as part of this debate to seek to understand the impact that Universal Credit could have on both residents and the Council’s services.

The frequency with which bed and breakfast (B&B) facilities were used to house homeless people in the district was a consideration. The 36 instances where this had proved necessary was significantly lower than neighbouring authorities and Members commended the work of Officers in taking all possible actions to avoid a greater use of this emergency accommodation. The fact that the Council had recently taken the step of becoming a Registered Provider was also felt to be positive in that it would help to minimise the use of emergency B&B provision.

Improvements had been made to the timeliness for conducting reviews for long term ASC clients. Greater efficiencies were being sought by the service and this included the potential to conduct reviews, in suitable instances, over the telephone. Members sought and received assurances that these reviews were sufficiently robust and face to face reviews conducted when appropriate. The ability to identify more efficient ways of conducting work was seen as positive for both residents and the Council.

Another particular area for improvement was with the collection of Council Tax and Business Rates.

Councillor Webster stated that while it had been reassuring to note these improvements, the OSMC would continue to monitor performance in these and other areas at every meeting.

Some specific actions had also been identified by the OSMC and these would also be monitored over time. These included how the funding obtained from backdated Council Tax and Business Rates collection would be budgeted for, the number of affordable housing units that had been lost due to viability challenges by developers, identification of the geographical areas in which affordable homes were being built to help identify gaps in provision and a request made of the Head of Development and Planning to explore the potential to reduce the deadline for commencing developments from three to two years.

Councillor Graham Bridgman welcomed the receipt of this report which was an important element of the OSMC’s role.

Councillor Hilary Cole was present at the OSMC meeting in October as areas of her Portfolio were some of those subject to scrutiny. She thanked Members for their in depth questions and challenge. Officers would act on and report back on the action points identified.

Councillor Alan Macro was pleased that the use of B&B was minimal in comparison to other areas, however the issue remained even if the number of residents affected was relatively small. Councillor Webster agreed that the Council needed to continue to take all possible steps to limit the use of B&B and, where this step did become necessary, to carefully select the location of such placements.

In terms of planning commencements, Councillor Macro pointed out that while developments did commence the issue was around the time taken for completions. In response, Councillor Webster felt that the commencement date could become the trigger for payments/contributions to be made by developers.

RESOLVED that the responses of the OSMC be noted.

Other options considered: n/a