Agenda item

(CPP1-3/CPT1-16)

Purpose: To report Q3 performance against each of the outcomes identified in the 2010/11 Council Plan and to report remedial action that is or has been taken, where achievement will not be met.

Resolved that:

(1)              the performance against each of the outcomes identified in the 2010/11 Council Plan be noted;

(2)       the remedial action taken, where achievements will not be met by the end of the municipal year, be noted and approved.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 8 April 2011, then it will be implemented.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 11) concerning Quarter 3 performance against each of the outcomes identified in the 2010/11 Council Plan and to report on any remedial action that will be or has been taken, where achievement would not be met.

Councillor Graham Jones moved the report in the absence of the Portfolio Holder. The local authority had set stretched targets and 78% of those reported were on track to be successfully achieved. In setting particularly stretched targets to improve the outcomes for local residents it was inevitable that there would be some which would not be achieved. However, when a target was not met, robust actions were taken to mitigate any adverse consequences.

Councillor Jones referred to page 126 of the report and the indicator in respect of working in partnership to reduce house burglaries by 9%. The Q3 results indicated that although there had been a reduction in burglary (6.8%) it was not enough to achieve the target of 9% reduction against the 2007/08 baseline by year end. However, when compared to the previous year burglary had reduced by 22.7% with only 437 reported crimes for 2010/11 compared to 565 for the same period the previous year.

Councillor David Betts confirmed that the indicator (NI 168), in respect of maintaining the continuing improvement in the condition of the district’s roads by ensuring that no more than 5% of the principal road network was in need of repair, would be achieved by year end.

Councillor Hilary Cole referred to page 137 of the agenda and reported that recycling and composting targets were being met. The environmental events aimed at improving ‘green education’ to bring about change had been extremely successful. However, the indicator for the installation of ‘voltage optimisation’ technology in five Council buildings would be reported as “red” as the cost/benefit advice on this project had been flawed and consequently 4 out of the 5 projects would possibly not proceed.

Councillor Alan Law referred to the indicators in respect of High Quality Planning on page 139 of the report and a large number were reporting as “green”. Over 50 empty homes in the district had been returned to use. The third Local Transport Plan had been adopted on time unlike a number of neighbouring authorities. The number of upheld planning appeals remained below the national average. A large number of the “red” indicators were as a result of the recession and the financial downturn. However, the number of planning applications were now up to the pre-recession levels. The amount of new affordable housing provision had reduced as a consequence of the recession as the number of new homes being built had slowed down. In respect of Planning performance due to the reduced number of applications being submitted recruitment had been frozen and now that applications were once again at pre-recession levels emergency measures had had to be introduced to deal with the volume of work.

Councillor Pamela Bale reported on progress with the Vibrant Villages theme. The indicator in respect of Parish Plan Surgeries was reporting as “red” as one of the surgeries had had to be cancelled as no issues were raised. As the sessions were demand led this had resulted in the target of 4 not being achieved.

Councillor Barbara Alexander reported that all targets would be achieved under Successful Schools and Learning apart from one. This was the indicator for the increase to 57 of the number of primary schools where 55% or more pupils scored Level 4 or above in English and Maths at the end of Key Stage 2. The boycotting of KS2 SATs had impacted on this measure due to the fact that not all schools had taken part. Councillor Alexander also referred to the Exception Report on page 128 of the agenda in relation to the promotion of Sustainable Schools. This target had not been achieved due to resource pressures. An external resource had been seconded from Brookfields Special School to continue working with schools to encourage sustainable practice.

Councillor Joe Mooney referred to the indicator under the Promoting Independence theme to further increase the numbers of known carers and carers who were supported to 2,000. Councillor Mooney anticipated that a number in the region of 1750 to 1800 would be achieved. The reduction in grant funding to carers would reduce capacity to provide carers services and there were a large number of secondments, vacancies and back-fill issues within Community Care which meant that resources were limited. Carers were certainly valued as it was recognised that the Service would not be able to function without them.

Councillor Gordon Lundie confirmed that performance within Children’s Services remained strong in protecting vulnerable people. The indicator for the provision of Family Group Conferences for 75 families was reporting as “amber”. This was in fact a good news story as it meant that the requirement for Family Group Conferences for high risk referrals had reduced as a result of the early intervention work which had been put in place.

Councillor David Betts reported that although the Council would not be organising a Jobsfair this year it would be supporting through the Skills and Enterprise Partnership in the early Summer.

Councillor Tony Vickers referred to the indicator under the Affordable Housing theme to prevent 450 people from becoming homeless through early intervention. He was surprised that there were no specific actions recommended to bring this indicator back on target and he hoped that the targets for the coming year would be more realistic. Councillor Alan Law responded that 86% of the target had been achieved. However, the indicator was currently measuring prevention but Councillor Law felt that it would be better to have a success ratio rather than setting an absolute target. Three homeless families had been presented to the Council in February of which one was not eligible, one had been fixed up with accommodation and one was still being processed.

Councillor Alan Macro said that it would be useful to know the number of primary schools who had achieved 55% of pupils scoring Level 4 or above in English and Maths at the end of Key Stage 2. Councillor Barbara Alexander confirmed that she would let Councillor Macro have that information outside of the meeting.

Councillor Royce Longton felt that the ethos of sustainability would become ingrained if children were educated in that area at a young age. This was obviously a low priority as the Administration had cut the post that dealt with this area of work and no other arrangements appeared to be in place. Councillor Longton queried what arrangements had been made for the forthcoming year. Councillor Barbara Alexander confirmed that no-one had been reappointed into that post but support was being received and would be encouraged to continue to do so.

Councillor David Rendel raised concerns about the level of complacency from the Administration. Last year the number of reds had doubled between Quarter 2 and Quarter 3 and the same was likely to happen this year. Councillor also queried why the measure/activity for the completion of an enhancement scheme for the High Street in Thatcham had been removed. If it had been retained as a priority then this indicator would have been met. Councillor Graham Jones responded that since the targets had been set there had been a shift in Government policy which had resulted in a number of in-year spending cuts. As a result a number of activities/measures identified in the Council Plan had had to be cut and the target had therefore been removed from the performance report. 80% of targets were likely to be met by year end and Councillor Jones advised that it was the policy of the Administration to set challenging targets. In doing so there was a likelihood that not all of those targets would be achieved. In respect of schools there would be some challenges in the future as they were expected to pick up more of the work themselves but they continued to meet those challenges in a positive way.

Councillor Gabrielle McGarvey expressed her concerns that only 4 work placements through the Pathways to Employment services had been achieved out of a target of 25 and it was queried whether additional resource could be put into the service to lead by example. Councillor Alan Law advised that the Pathways to Employment service was no longer available. However, he felt that the indicator should not be reporting as red as 27 placements had been achieved this year – 12 by the Mental Health Team and 15 in the Adult Disability Team.

RESOLVED that the performance against each of the outcomes identified in the 2010/11 Council Plan be noted and the remedial action being taken, where achievements would not be met by the end of the municipal year, should also be noted and approved.

Reason for the decision: The Council Plan sets out the purpose and ambition of West Berkshire Council. It defines the Council’s main focus of activities and the measures of performance against which it will assess itself.

Monitoring and managing performance within each of these main areas of work is key in making sure the Council delivers what it has set out to achieve - and where this has not happened, in ensuring that appropriate action is taken to mitigate the impact of the target not being met.

Other options considered: Not to report progress against the Council’s stated aims and ambitions.