Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Head of People, Performance & Partnerships containing details of the Council’s performance against its priority objectives.

Received and noted a report by the Head of People, Performance and Partnerships which reviewed the Council's performance against the targets within the Corporate Plan - "Growing Success". 

The Cabinet received and noted a report by the Head of People, Performance and Partnerships (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which reviewed the Council's performance against the targets within the Corporate Plan - "Growing Success".  The report which included data and narrative on the achievement against targets for each of the Council’s priority objectives had been considered also by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel’s whose comments where relayed to the Cabinet. Members were advised that progress in the achievement of the Plan continues to be monitored by a Working Group jointly appointed by the Overview and Scrutiny Panels.

To consider a report by the Head of People, Performance and Partnerships containing details of the Council’s performance against its priority objectives.

With the aid of a report by the Head of People, Performance and Partnerships (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel reviewed the Council’s performance against the targets within the Corporate Plan “Growing Success” that fell within its remit.  In focussing on the targets that had not been achieved, the Panel noted that income from hospitality at leisure centres continued to decline.  As a result Members endorsed a suggestion by the Corporate Plan Working Group that as Huntingdon Leisure Centre had seen an increase of 15% in this area, similar techniques to those used at Huntingdon should be implemented at the other leisure centres.

The Panel was informed that the percentage of bids which had successfully attracted external funding had significantly exceeded the target of 60%. However, the target for producing an External Funding Strategy had only been partially met owing to the redeployment of officer resources to work on a major funding bid.  Members discussed amending the target on obtaining external funding in order effectively to monitor performance in this respect, but it was considered to be preferable to retain the original target.

The Panel was further informed that in future monitoring reports would provide links to the Local Area Agreement indicators.

RESOLVED

  that the contents of the report be noted.

To consider a report by the Head of People, Performance and Partnerships containing details of the Council’s performance against its priority objectives.

(Councillor A Hansard, Executive Councillor for Resources and Policy was in attendance for this Item). 

The Executive Councillor for Resources and Policy introduced a report by the Head of People, Performance and Partnerships (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) on the performance of the authority against the priority objectives for environmental well-being identified in ‘Growing Success’, the Council's Corporate Plan.  The report had already been presented to a recent meeting of the Corporate Plan Working Group which comprised the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the Overview and Scrutiny Panels.

In noting that all of the well-being targets had been met or exceeded the Panel questioned whether targets were sufficiently stretching.  Having regard to the absence in the report of performance measures for the current year, the Panel requested a report to its next meeting on how performance targets were set against achievement of corporate plan objectives. 

RESOLVED

  that the report be endorsed for submission to the Cabinet.

To consider a report by the Head of People, Performance and Partnerships containing details of the Council’s performance against its priority objectives.

20 Minutes.

(Councillor A Hansard, Executive Councillor for Resources and Policy, was in attendance for this Item).

The Panel considered a report by the Head of People, Performance and Partnerships (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) containing details of the Council's performance against its priority objectives in the quarter to 31st March 2009. Having endorsed the comments of the Corporate Plan Working Group, the Panel concurred with a suggestion that the Working Group should receive information on all of the Community and Council aims where targets were not being achieved.

The Panel discussed trends in demand for housing services within the District. Members noted that the number of households living in temporary accommodation was close to achieving its target, with 61 households reported as living in temporary accommodation. It also was noted that there had been a significant increase in the number of households that had been prevented from becoming homeless. Comment was made on the fact that economic conditions had required a level performance considerably above the target for this indicator and that, under the present circumstances, the use of temporary accommodation was preferable to an increase in homelessness in the District. Furthermore, the Panel was advised that the Government had created a national performance target, which required housing authorities to work towards reducing the number of households living in temporary accommodation by April 2010 to 45 households. This target was reported as being achievable by the Council.

The Panel questioned the performance reported under the key measure relating to affordable housing on qualifying sites. Members were advised that the variation in the performance levels recorded was attributable to the decline in the demand for private housing, which had promoted the construction of affordable housing. Having expressed their overall satisfaction with the levels of performance achieved in the year to date, the Panel

RESOLVED

  (a)  that the report be endorsed for submission to the Cabinet; and

  (b)  that the Cabinet be formally notified of the Panel's views on the contents of the report by the Head of People, Performance and Partnerships.