Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:  That Councillor G Wareham be appointed as Chairman of the Corporate Performance Panel for the Municipal Year 2016/2017.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor P Beal be appointed Vice Chairman of the Corporate Performance Panel for the Municipal Year 2016/2017.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Lord Howard and Debbie Gates, Executive Director.

To approve the minutes of the Resources and Performance Panel meeting held on 22 March 2016.  The membership of the Corporate Performance Panel comprises largely the same as the Resources and Performance Panel.

The minutes from the Resources and Performance held on 22 March 2016 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is disclosed.

These declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

None.

To consider any business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chairman proposes to accept as urgent under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.

None.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chairman of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before the meeting commences.  Any Member attending the meeting under Standing Order 34 will only be permitted to speak on those items which have been previously notified to the Chairman.

Councillor P Hodson – CPP12.

Councillor I Devereux – Deputy Cabinet Member.

None.

None.

None.

The Personnel Services Manager drew the Panel’s attention to page 21, CE3 Number of unintentional priority homeless acceptances and explained that the column – 2016/16 Target should read 110.

The Chairman thanked the Personnel Manager for the report and invited questions and comments from the Panel.

The Personnel Services Manager responded to questions from the Panel, a summary of which is set out below.

In response to questions regarding the percentage of indicators which had not met target increasing to 32%, the Personnel Services Manager explained that the targets were set at the beginning of each year which were realistic and achievable.  The targets were agreed with Management Team and the Portfolio Holder.  Targets were monitored and the indicators could be changed and reviewed on an annual basis.

Following comments regarding paragraph 3.4, the Personnel Services Manager explained that some targets were for monitoring purposes only and therefore no target had been set.

In response to questions regarding Indicator CE3 – Number of unintentional priority homeless acceptances, the Chief Executive explained there had been increased demand on the Borough Council’s services this year, particularly in relation to an increase in the number of domestic violence cases.  The Borough Council was managing the process in order to minimise and avoid where possible the use of bed and breakfast accommodation as it proved expensive and had an impact on families.

Following questions on the impact of capital receipts during the forthcoming year, the Chief Executive explained that the Council’s Capital Programme was not dependant on Capital Receipts to fund the allocated projects, but added that the Property Services Manager was confident that the expected sales not completed during 2015/2016 would be captured in 2016/2017.

In response to a question regarding indicator EP4 Premises rated 3 or above in accordance with the food hygiene rating system and period before a re-inspection was undertaken, Councillor Anota explained he believed a premises was re-assessed every 3 years.  The Personnel Manager undertook to check the information and email a response direct to the Panel.

Following a comment that comparable figures were not available from other Councils in order that the Borough Council could benchmark against, Councillor Daubney stated that the Borough Council did benchmark against other similar Councils but there were variances regarding population etc. He added that other Council’s performance targets were public documents and information could be obtained from that Council’s website.

In response to the reasons why there was an increase in those people presenting themselves as homeless to the Borough Council, the Chief Executive advised that it was often more than one reason and it was difficult therefore to determine the underlying cause.  A report would be presented to a future meeting of the Panel.

RESOLVED:  The Panel reviewed and note the Corporate Performance Monitoring Report – Full Year 2015/2016 and agreed the actions outlined the Action Report.

The Personnel Manager presented the report circulated with the Agenda and explained that Members should note that key actions which were completed prior to Q3 had been removed from the report and were contained in a separate archive report – Completed Key Actions report 2011-2015.  Any outcomes indicated as now completed on the Q4 report would be removed from the monitoring report and added to the new Completed Key Actions report 2016-2020.

The Panel was informed that, in total, the Corporate Business Plan had 52 ongoing key actions which the Council was working on and that the chart at section 2.3 highlighted the number of key actions which underpin each corporate priority.

The Chairman thanked the Personnel Manager for the report and invited questions and comments from the Panel.

In response to questions regarding the grounds maintenance and maintaining levels of service delivery that met the needs of the community, the Chief Executive explained that a revised grass cutting regime was now in progress which would be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis.  A report would be presented to the Panel at the October meeting.

Following comments and questions on Devolution, the Chief Executive reminded the Panel that Pre-Council briefings had been held in order to keep Members up to date.  A Cabinet report was currently being drafted and would be presented to Cabinet on 29 June 2016.  The Chief Executive explained that all other Councils in Norfolk and Suffolk would be presenting a report to their respective Councils to move the proposal to the next stage if that was the wish of those Councils.  The Chief Executive provided background information on the Norfolk and Suffolk proposal and work being undertaken with Cambridge and Peterborough.  A draft Scheme of Governance was currently being circulated for agreement.  It was highlighted that timescales were right and implementation was April 2017.

In response to questions regarding pop up shops, the Chief Executive explained that negotiations were in place with the Vancouver Quarter Manager and feedback received was that the use of pop up shops had been successful.

Following comments on the King’s Lynn Enterprise Centre, the Portfolio Holder for Performance reported that a number of businesses were already occupying space in KLIC and the official opening would take place on Tuesday 14 June 2016 at 10.00 am and all Councillors were invited to attend.

In response to questions regarding supporting a programme of Learning Catalysts to help drive up the skills levels of local people, the Personnel Services Manager explained that the Borough Council worked closely with other providers.

RESOLVED:  The Panel reviewed and noted the Q4 2015/2016 Corporate Business Plan Monitoring report.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor P Hodson be appointed the Borough Council’s representative on the Hunstanton Sailing Club Committee and progress reports would be received by the Panel on a six monthly basis.

To consider the draft Work Programme.

The Chief Executive reminded the Panel that the Work Programme was in draft and that any Member could put forward suggestions for consideration to be discussed at future Panel meetings.  However, he reminded the Panel that an Opposition Member could automatically request one item to be considered at each Panel meeting.

RESOLVED:  The Panel noted the Work Programme for 2016/2017.

To note that the next meeting of the Corporate Performance Panel will take place on Monday 18 July 2016 at 6 pm in the Committee Suite, King’s Court, Chapel Street, King’s Lynn.

The Chief Executive advised that a special Corporate Performance Panel meeting may be required depending on the outcome of the Devolution discussions to take place on 15 June 2016. 

The next scheduled  meeting of the Panel would be held on Monday 18 July 2016.