Issue - meetings

To present progress against draft Key Actions and Corporate Indicators listed in the Council’s Corporate Plan 2018/22 for the period 1st July to 30th September 2018 and on current projects being undertaken.

(Executive Councillors: Councillor J A Gray and D M Tysoe).

Cabinet

Noted the progress made against draft Key Actions and Corporate Indicators in the Corporate Plan and current projects as summarised in Appendix A and detailed in Appendices B and C of the submitted report.

Noted the Council’s financial performance at the end of September as detailed in Appendix D and the register of reviews of Commercial Investment Strategy propositions (Appendix E).

The Cabinet considered a report (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) on progress against the Key Activities and Corporate Indicators listed in the Council’s Corporate Plan for 2018/22 for the period 1st July to 30th September 2018. The report also incorporated progress on current projects being undertaken at the Council and financial performance information at the end of September 2018.

With regard to those performance indicators where targets had been missed by more than the defined variance, the Executive Councillor for Digital and Customer reiterated the need to see further improvements in the reduction of unavoidable contact between Customer Services and the departments for which they provided services.

In terms of Council projects which were currently in the delivery stage, the Executive Councillor for Partnership and Well-Being was pleased to report that work had commenced on the conversion of the synthetic pitch at the St Neots Leisure Centre, which meant that progress was now on track.

Having noted the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance and Growth) and that these had received comprehensive responses at the meeting on 6th November 2018, it was

RESOLVED

a)  that progress made against Key Activities and Corporate Indicators in the Corporate Plan and current projects, as summarised in Appendix A and detailed in Appendices be noted; and

b)  that the Council’s financial performance at the end of September, as detailed in section 4 and in Appendix D and the register of reviews of Commercial Investment Strategy propositions at Appendix E be noted.

The Panel are to consider the Integrated Performance Report 2018/19, Quarter 2.

With the aid of a report by the Corporate Team Manager and Finance Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Integrated Performance Report 2018/19 Quarter 2 was presented to the Panel.

The Policy, Performance and Transformation (Scrutiny) Manager highlighted the key points from the performance section of the report. This included fewer red rated performance indicators as those relating to grounds maintenance and street cleansing, which were rated red in Quarter 1, have since improved.

It was clarified, following a query, that the bulk of complaints received by Operations are now business as usual complaints and not as a result of the waste round reconfiguration. Members were informed that a detailed report on complaints was presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Customers and Partnerships) at their meeting in October 2018.

A question was raised in regards to the high turnover of staff in Customer Services and the reasons for it. In response, the Panel was informed that the main reason why the percentage of calls answered by the Call Centre remains below target is not because of high turnover per se but because of a short notice period and the amount of time it takes to train new Customer Services Advisors. It was noted that a more detailed report on Customer Service Performance was to be presented to Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Customers and Partnerships) at their meeting on 8th November 2018.

In response to a Member asking for progress on the projects rated Red, the Panel was informed that the RAG Status is linked to the anticipated completion date. The issue is that for the projects listed there have been optimistic completion dates set. In addition, it was noted that the projects have experienced significant historical delays due to matters outside the Council’s direct control.

Furthermore, regarding the 3C ICT projects, the Council’s elements are rated green but the projects overall are rated red. The reason they appear in the report is because the Council has overall responsibility for the management of the projects.

Moving onto the finance section of the report a Member asked about the savings arising from the Human Resources and apprentice staff costs. The Panel was informed that the savings achieved are as a result of half of the apprentices now being employed in alternative permanent posts within the Council, therefore meaning that they are no longer being paid from the dedicated apprentice budget.

Discussion ensued regarding the £362k overspend on the Leisure and Health revenue budget. It was noted that the overspend represents a 190% variance on the budgeted position. The Executive Councillor for Partnerships and Well-Being and the Head of Leisure and Health were in attendance to explain that the budget position is because the service is not projected to make as much income as anticipated, particularly through the Burgess Hall.

Recruitment was discussed and Members were informed that there has been a particular issue with Development as nationally there is a shortage of planners which affects  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34