Issue - meetings

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

Noted the Council's performance against the targets within the Corporate Plan.  The report included data and narrative on the achievement against targets for each of the Council's priority objectives.

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.  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 Panels whose comments were relayed to the Cabinet.

Executive Councillors were acquainted also with plans to revise and streamline the Council’s performance management procedure in the light of changes to local priorities, circumstances and national inspection regimes.

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

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 the priority objectives in the Panel’s remit in the quarter to 31^st March 2010.

Following a request by the Corporate Plan Working Group for clarification of the objective to maximise business and income opportunities, Members were informed that the Burgess Hall was £20k up on target and £30k up on the previous year while hospitality income had dropped by £65k because the former represented events income but the latter related only to bars and catering income. Information on the role of the Bars and Catering Manager at St Ivo also was provided.

During discussion on the financial performance of the bars and catering service, reference was made to the need to ensure that monitoring of the Leisure Centres’ overall financial performance was undertaken following the dissolution of the Leisure Centre Management Committees. In that context further information was requested on the measures being taken to improve the performance of the Leisure Centres bars and catering functions, how the Leisure Forum monitored the Leisure Centres’ financial performance, the role of the Executive Councillor for Leisure and Law, Property and Governance in the monitoring process and the terms of employment of Leisure Centre employees.

In respect of the objective relating to the retention of employees, comment was made that the target of 10% for staff turnover was too high and that a figure in the order of 7% would be more appropriate. However, the Panel recognised that an actual figure of 2.23% represented a satisfactory level of performance. Members also requested further information on the seven bids in the current year which had not been successful in attracting external funding to establish whether there were common reasons why bids had failed.

RESOLVED

that further reports be submitted on:

Ø  the financial performance of and future plans for the Leisure Centres Hospitality Service;

Ø  the savings that had been achieved following the dissolution of the Leisure Centres Management Committees and individual Leisure Centre’s overall financial performance and monitoring arrangements,

Ø  and the Leisure Centres’ employment structure.

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

The Panel considered 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.  Having received the comments of the Corporate Plan Working Group, the Panel noted that the target for the key measure relating to the tonnes of Co2 saved from year one carbon management projects had not been achieved. Members were advised that this could be attributed to the fact that not all of the Leisure Centres had installed new combined heat and power systems as originally planned.  At present, only the Huntingdon Centre had the system installed and a decision had been made to review the system before rolling it out to the other Leisure Centres. 

Having had their attention drawn to the failure to reduce the amount of power consumed over the past year because the server virtualisation project had slipped, Members questioned the need for the engagement of an external adviser to assist with the procurement of a virtualisation solution.  The Panel was assured that the Corporate Plan Working Group would closely monitor the usage of external consultants due to the associated cost implications. 

Members also requested details as to the amount of Co2 saved through the move into the Council's new headquarters.

RESOLVED

  that the Cabinet be recommended to note the content of the report by the Head of People, Performance and Partnerships.

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.

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 31^st March 2010. Members endorsed for submission to the Cabinet the comments of the Corporate Plan Working Group, particularly with regard to the objectives where targets had not been achieved.

Members received clarification on a number of matters raised by the Corporate Plan Working Group relating to the methodology used to calculate admissions to the Burgess Hall, the achievement of targets that contributed to the objective “to promote healthy lifestyle choices” and the types of temporary accommodation used to prevent people from becoming homeless.