Agenda item

Purpose: To receive an update on actions following the previous Commission meeting.

The Commission received an update on actions from the previous meeting and raised the following comments:

Paragraph 2.2: Councillor Vickers asked when the Housing Allocations Policy would be completed. David Lowe responded that it was currently progressing through the Executive Cycle and agreed to ensure that the Forward Plan reflected its progress.

Paragraph 2.5: Councillor Jeff Brooks requested a target date for the availability of the annual road condition survey.

Paragraph 2.7: Councillor Brooks asked whether the statistics relating to numbers of library visits was reflective of national trends.

Paragraph 2.8: Councillor Jeff Beck requested further clarification of the numbers of empty homes being brought back into use, asking in particular whether the figures shown were cumulative, and what reason could be given for the significant increase in 2012/13. Councillor David Rendel believed that a more relevant figure would be the net figure as it would represent those brought back into use and those subsequently left empty.

Paragraph 2.9: Councillor Vickers asked when information would be available relating to the practices of other local authorities in making performance information available for scrutiny.

Paragraph 2.10: Jason Teal introduced a report setting out how the Commission could be involved in the process of appraising and assuring the Council’s key accountable measures and associated targets. Councillor Rendel suggested that the Commission should have a greater and more proactive role in the setting of the targets at an early stage of the strategic planning cycle so that their views and suggestions could be incorporated into service delivery plans as they were developed and refined.. Councillor Boeck disagreed, likening the role of scrutiny to auditors, who would not suggest what should be measured, but might have an opinion as to the suitability of the measures put in place. Councillor Webster agreed that it was not the role of the Commission to formulate the measures and framework, but to ensure what was produced was appropriate. Councillor Vickers explained that he would prefer to be involved at an earlier stage unless he could be assured that targets were being set prior to the end of the year. Jason Teal confirmed that the service delivery planning process started over the summer and that substantive measures and activities were agreed towards the end of quarter four for the following year. Notional targets may be provided as part of this process, but these would only be confirmed and approved once previous year end outturns were available. The Commission were content with the proposed approach as set out in the report. Councillors Webster and Webb volunteered themselves for inclusion on the sub group. A representative from the Liberal Democrats would be nominated at a future date.

Paragraph 2.11: Councillor Vickers asked whether the Chief Executive had decided whether to write to Shelter to set out the concerns of the Commission in relation to the Mystery Shopper exercise undertaken on the Housing Service in 2012. Nick Carter responded that he did not feel it would be appropriate to communicate from his position as Chief Executive as it would disproportionately elevate the level of concern. Nick Carter added that a meeting had been held with Shelter following the exercise where many of the Commission’s concerns had been raised, but that some of the issues had arisen as a result of the commissioning process and not through Shelter’s actions. Councillor Vickers enquired as to when the Homelessness Policy would be concluded. The Chairman reminded the Commission that the review had formed part of the consultation process, and that the completion of the policy would occur in due course. Nick Carter confirmed that the policy was currently progressing through the Executive Cycle.

Resolved that:

·        David Lowe would ensure that the progress of the Housing Allocations Policy was correctly reflected in the Council’s Forward Plan;

·        The Head of Highways to provide a date by which the annual road survey would be available;

·        Jason Teal to provide information to clarify whether the reduction in the numbers of library visits was reflective of national trends;

·        The Head of Housing to clarify whether the figures provided for the number of empty homes brought back into use was cumulative, and what reason could be given for the significant increase in 2012/13;

·        The Head of Housing to provide information to illustrate the net number of empty homes brought back into use;

Jason Teal to provide information as to the practices of other local authorities in making performance information available for scrutiny;