Agenda item

To scrutinise Q1 outturns against the Key Accountable Measures contained in the 2018/19 Council Performance Framework and consider topics for more detailed investigation.

The Commission considered a report (Agenda Item 10) concerning quarter one, key accountable performance for 2018/19.

Catalin Bogos drew the Commission’s attention to the scorecard on page 81 and confirmed that most areas were on target. There had been some delays on key projects. Although red on some areas Safeguarding Children and Adults were achieving some very good results.

The measure of the six Adult Social Care (ASC) provider services inspections’ outcomes, showed that one nursing home (Birchwood) recently transferred to the Council’s responsibility and had been rated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as ‘inadequate’. Catalin Bogos added that the CQC had since re-inspected the Care Home and rated it as ‘requires improvement’ but were not able to raise the rating beyond this due to the previous rating of ‘inadequate’. The care home was a priority for improvement and an action plan was in place.

Good performance had continued in quarter one relating to children’s social care core business. Exception reports had been provided for areas where performance was below that expected.

Regarding Adult Social Care, the percentage of long term clients receiving an annual review was one percent below target, due to a number of vacancies within the team. Action was being taken on this and detail was included within the exception report.

Regarding Planning and Housing, Catalin Bogos reported that there was an exception report included regarding the timeliness of planning applications. Corporate Board had taken the decision to increase the targets for planning application determination, to reflect the national average for processing times. Otherwise Catalin Bogos confirmed that performance in this area for quarter one was relatively indifferent. 

Councillor Laszlo Zverko noted that staff turnover was at a rate of 14% and queried how this compared to other areas. Catalin Bogos reported that LG Inform provided some information on national averages and gave a figure of 14%. Councillor Zverko asked how this compared to the past five years and Catalin Bogos confirmed that staff turnover had increased from about 11/12%. Private sector information suggested that staff turnover in the sector was at about 15%.

Councillor Lee Dillon noted within the planning applications exception report that the target had changed. He queried if the language had remained the same regarding the 13 week period and Catalin Bogos confirmed that it had. Councillor Dillon noted that there had been a 24% drop in planning applications however, the target was still not being met. Nick Carter commented that this was likely to be because there were a large number of vacancies within the service that were proving difficult to fill. Councillor Dillon asked if there was a strategy in place for filling the vacancies and requested that a written response be provided by Gary Lugg on the issue.

Councillor Webster referred to the submission of the new Local Plan and Minerals and Waste Local Plan page 112 and stated that when target dates were changed, it would be helpful if explanations were included in the ‘comment’ column. Catalin Bogos concurred and commented that this had not been included by omission. 

RESOLVED that:

1)    A written response be provided by Gary Lugg regarding the strategy in place to fill vacancies within the planning service.

2)    The Commission noted the Key Accountable Performance Report for Quarter One.