Agenda item

Purpose: to provide assurance that the core business and council priorities for improvement measures in the Council Strategy 2019-2023 are being managed effectively.

Resolved that Executive note the progress made in delivering the Council Strategy Delivery Plan 2019-2023, a maintained strong performance for the core business areas, good results for the majority of the measures relating to the council’s priorities for improvement, and remedial actions taken where performance was below target.

This decision is not subject to call in as:

·      Report is to note only

therefore it will be implemented immediately.

Councillor Marino introduced and proposed the report (Agenda Item 10), which sought to provide assurance that the core business and Council priorities for improvement measures in the Council Strategy 2019-2023 were being managed effectively. Councillor Marino commended all officers for their hard and tireless work.

The report highlighted a number of improvement achievements as well as successes in the delivery of core business services. In cases where performance had fallen below the expected level, information was presented on the remedial action taken and the impact of that action.

Councillor Stewart acknowledged that Adult Social Care had not managed to achieve a 100% success rate in relation to CQC inspections which had been a big disappointment to the team. Councillor Stewart commented that the team had worked hard at Birchwood nursing home to address the concerns that had been highlighted. Councillor Stewart reported that the rise in adult safeguarding enquiries had been as a direct result of the Birchwood nursing home findings. 

Councillor Stewart commended the hard work of the financial assessments team that had worked tirelessly, resulting with only two assessments short of 100% completion.

Councillor Steve Ardagh-Walter noted that in relation to litter, Covid had initially had an impact by forcing a shift in resources from street care to household waste collection. Whilst it was being rectified, Councillor Ardagh-Walter admitted that rates were still not back to expected levels, but was confident that they would be in the near future.

Further, Councillor Ardagh-Walter acknowledged that recycling rates were slightly lower than expected, but suggested that the forthcoming food waste collection service, which was due to start at the end of October, would significantly drive the figures up within two years.

Councillor Ardagh-Walter noted that fly tipping had risen during the pandemic but was now starting to reduce to pre-pandemic numbers. He reported that resources had been added to the fly-tipping enforcement team with the hope that the numbers would reduce further soon.

Councillor Richard Somner acknowledged that there were a number of red RAG rated items within his own Portfolio. He reported that in relation to the Highways department, a number of projects were still suffering from the effects of the pandemic but Councillor Somner re-assured Members and residents that projects had only been delayed and not cancelled.

Councillor Somner reported that he was working with senior executives to look at the structure of the Planning department and how it worked with its customer base, and was hoping for improvements in the near future.

Councillor Brooks commented that the actions lacked updates and current target dates. Councillor Marino acknowledged the comment and agreed to review with officers.

Councillor Vickers commented that the target for repair of ‘A’ roads seemed quite demanding (page 146). Councillor Somner commented that it was a local target for the area to get into the top 25% nationally and agreed that it was a stringent target.

Councillor Vickers voiced concern over the financial implications update in relation to adopting a Rights of Way Improvement Plan (page 147), that noted ‘the eventuality that the project cannot be completed’. Councillor Somner felt that such an outcome would be highly unlikely and did not currently envisage not completing the scheme.

Councillor Vickers queried whether housing benefit claim targets had been reviewed, given the rise in the cost of living and the potential increase in number of claims.

Councillor Mackinnon replied that the target had been challenging, and only just missed. He noted that there had been a 500% increase in grant applications and payments in the previous quarter, and whilst noting the rising cost of living, hoped that performance against the target would improve as applications reduced.

Councillor Vickers queried the remedial target detailed on page 156 that stated that the performance target would be achieved ‘going forward’. 

Councillor Somner reported that a date could not currently be provided but that work was ongoing and he was happy to discuss the matter further with Councillor Vickers at future meetings of the Planning Advisory Group.

Councillor Vickers queried the reason for ongoing delays to the provision of cycle routes (page 162). Jon Winstanley reported that delays were due to lengthy negotiations with private landowners.

Councillor Pattenden commented that in relation to the ‘percentage of Children in Care where the child has been visited in the past 6 weeks’ exception report, the remedial action that the figure was ‘expected to gradually return to normal’ did not seem particularly ambitious.

Councillor Boeck agreed that the point was well made, but that the service was focusing on the issue and the figure was improving, having increased to 91% the previous month. Councillor Boeck stated that children were not at risk by the target not being achieved.

Councillor Pattenden queried the exception reports detailed on pages 157 and 158, observing that both sets of figures appeared to be getting worse rather than improving.

In relation to the report detailed on page 158, Councillor Boeck reported that there was a process problem and that the figures reflected the manner in which the reporting was done rather than the number of children affected.

RESOLVED that: Executive note the progress made in delivering the Council Strategy Delivery Plan 2019-2023, a maintained strong performance for the core business areas, good results for the majority of the measures relating to the Council’s priorities for improvement, and remedial actions taken where performance was below target.