Agenda item

Purpose: To  consider the Quarter 2 Performance Report.

Sean Murphy presented the Quarter 2 2021/22 Performance Report (Agenda Item 9). It was structured to provide updates on cross-cutting issues around finance, HR / staffing, ICT, property, etc, then moved onto a team-by-team narrative, before providing an update on Covid activity. He noted that there had been recent changes to Covid restrictions, which were not reflected in the report, and this would involve additional work with event organisers and venues, as well as contact tracing. In addition to the narrative and examples of activities undertaken, the report also included a list of licensing hearings and legal actions.

Moira Fraser confirmed that the Service Director was in the process of reviewing measures of volume and performance indicators and a report would be brought to the Committee in March.

Sean Murphy concluded by highlighting the communications summary, which included some examples produced by the service, and details of website usage, which was receiving up to 6,000 visits per month.

The Chairman noted that the Plan B measures included Covid passes for certain venues and asked if this would result in significant additional work for the service. Sean Murphy confirmed that the regulations had only just been published and work was underway to identify affected venues and events. He noted that thresholds included 4,000 people standing, but some events were dynamic with throughput of people, which made it difficult to determine if a venue reached this threshold. Also, clubs and other venues may be affected if they had a dancefloor that was open beyond a certain time. He stated that the PPP would have enforcement responsibilities for the new restrictions.

Councillor Graham Bridgman indicated that he had been closely involved in the Covid response and that Sean Murphy had kept the Local Outbreak Board updated on the work of the PPP.  He recognised the massive additional work that the service had been required to undertake in response to the pandemic. He noted that the report’s recommendations included consideration of actions of areas of improvement, and asked what these were. Sean Murphy thanked Councillor Bridgman and commended the work of the team as a whole. He invited Members to highlight any actions that they felt to be missing or areas where more focus was needed.

Councillor Rick Jones thanked the service for their work. He had been impressed by the newsletters and had passed these onto residents. These had helped to make the service more visible to residents and feedback had been very positive. Sean Murphy indicated that there had been investment in communications and there was a lead officer for community engagement. He stressed the importance of communicating what the service did, and of getting intelligence from members of the public about what was concerning them.

Moira Fraser highlighted that the service was working with parish councils to explain to them about the work of the PPP.

The Chairman also expressed his thanks to officers who had stepped up activity in response to the pandemic, and proposed to amend the report’s recommendation such that the PPP be formally commended for the work that they had done.

Councillor Bridgman proposed that no further improvements were needed so the second recommendation should not apply.

The Committee RESOLVED to:

·         Note the 2021/22 Q2 performance for the Public Protection Service.

·         Note the role the Public Protection Service are playing across the Councils with respect to Covid-19 response.

·         Commend the staff of the Public Protection Partnership for work that they have undertaken during the Covid-19 pandemic.