Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED:  Councillor P Beal be appointed Vice-Chairman for the meeting.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor H Humphrey.

To approve the minutes from the Corporate Performance Panel held on 30 August 2017.

RESOLVED: The minutes from the Corporate Performance Panel held on 30 August 2017 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Matters Arising

·         Presentation on Homes in Multiple Occupation – Councillor Morrison referred to the photographs at pages 21 to 30 illustrating the issues when inspecting HMOs and expressed concern at the state of the properties and asked what action the Council would take.  The Chairman, Councillor Wareham suggested that an officer be invited to attend a future meeting of the Panel to give more detailed information.  The Leader, Councillor Long reminded the Panel that operational issues relating to HMOs were in the remit of the Environmental and Community Panel and suggested that the Corporate Performance Panel be asked to place this item on their work programme.  The Leader undertook to attend the Environment and Community Panel on 10 October 2017 to request that the Panel consider this as item of urgent business to be placed on the Panel’s work programme.

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 discussed.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

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

There was no urgent business.

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.

There were no Members present under Standing Order 34.

There was no Chairman’s correspondence.

In presenting the report, the Chief Operating Officer explained that discussion had taken place to access a Government initiative “Refit” aimed at helping public bodies to deliver energy saving projects cheaply and efficiently.

Members were advised that the Refit programme was an OJEC compliant tender produced by HM Treasury and the Local Government Association (LGA) which was accessible to public bodies.

It was noted that local Partnerships, also a joint venture of HM Treasury and LGA and were commissioned to assist public organisations to deliver Refit projects.

The contract provided a framework of 16 contractors who could deliver projects under the terms of the scheme.

The Chief Operating Officer highlighted that initial discussions had identified that in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk a Phase project based on the sites in Appendix A could deliver savings of £112,000 for an investment of £1,000,000.

The Panel was informed that to procure a tailed energy project for the Council delivering the savings above an initial budget of £70,000 was required.  The fee to be paid on a phased basis throughout the procurement as detailed in section 3.1.

In conclusion, the Chief Operating Officer explained that once a contractor had been appointed through the contract and had produced an investment Grade Proposal detailing the investment/payback guaranteed for each site a further Cabinet report would be produced for authorities to proceed with projects.

The Chairman, Councillor Wareham asked how the project would be monitored.   In response, the Leader explained why he was the Leader Member and suggested that as there were financial savings to be achieved, the Corporate Performance Panel monitor and evaluate the project.  The Chief Operating Officer explained that the onus was on the selected contractor to deliver the savings or payback guaranteed.

In response to questions, the Leader explained that the Refit proposal was an LGA/ Treasury initiative and the project provided the Council with an opportunity to consider all the Council’s buildings under one contract instead of on an ad hoc basis.  He explained that it was necessary to make the capital investment in order to achieve savings year on year.

Following further questions and comments, the Chief Operating Officer advised that the contract provided a framework of 16 contractors who could deliver projects under the terms of the scheme.    The Chief Operating Officer provided an overview of the benefits of the scheme and informed Members that a significant number of public bodies including local authorities had signed up to the initiative.  It was explained that the selected contractor could make suggestions to bring equipment etc up to date in order to achieve savings in future years.

In response to questions as to why the Council maintained and updated buildings operated by Alive Management, the Leader explained that Alive Management operated the buildings owned by the Borough Council and that the buildings had been included in the contract to make them as efficient as possible and therefore generating a saving to the Council.

Councillor Moriarty asked if the decision was within  ...  view the full minutes text for item CP39

The Policy, Performance and Personnel Manager reminded the Panel that the corporate performance monitoring report was in place to monitor progress against agreed performance indicators for the year.  It was explained that the report contained information on the corporate performance monitoring undertaken during Q1 2017/18.

Members were informed that 2 performance indicators for 2017/18 had been agreed by Portfolio Holders and Executive Directors as the key performance measures for the year; they cover all Directorates.  It was noted that the monitoring report highlighted specific performance issues; where indicators had not met agreed targets they were drawn out into an Action Report, which provided additional detail on what actions were being taken to correct performance that had a variance to target.

The Policy, Performance and Personnel Manager advised that the Q1 2017/18 monitoring report showed that 52% of targets had been met, and performance had improved against target for 14 indicators.

Councillor Moriarty drew the Panel’s attention to EP3d - % of decisions on applications for non-major development that have been overturned at appeal, measured against total number of non-major applications determined and commented that the target of 10% be amended.  In response, the Policy, Performance and Personnel Manager advised that this was a standard indicator target across local authorities and was specific to the Borough Council.  However, the suggestion of additional information be available could be discussed with the Portfolio Holder to record those applications which were refused, what percentage then went to appeal and the outcome of the appeal.

RESOLVED:  The Panel:

1)            Reviewed the Performance Monitoring Report.

2)            Agreed the actions outlined in the Action Report.

3)            A discussion be held with the Portfolio Holder to record and provide information on planning applications refused, what percentage then went to appeal and the outcome of the appeal.

The Panel received a Powerpoint presentation which provided an update from the previous meeting from the Policy, Performance and Personnel Manager (a copy of which is attached to the minutes).

Councillor Moriarty asked if there would be any changes to the Equality Impact Assessment form as a result of the update of the Equalities Policy.  In response, the Policy, Performance and Personnel Manager advised that once the Policy had been adopted by Council, a development implementation plan would be produced which would look at the EIA process and that the form may require amendment.

The Panel received the report which was produced on an annual basis for the period 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017 and set out the breakdown of MP Enquiries, Corporate and Ombudsman complaints.

It was noted that the Ombudsman Annual Report 2016/17 was attached at Appendix A for information.  The Executive Director, Central and Community Services explained that 8 complaints had been received, 1 was upheld (relating to a planning issue), the complaint went to the Ombudsman and was awarded compensation of £100 which was the total awarded in compensation by the Ombudsman in 2016/2017.

RESOLVED:  The Panel noted the Complaints Annual Report.

The Executive Director, Central and Community Services explained that at a sifting meeting, the Vice-Chairman had asked if there was a formal process for recording compliments received by the Council and that it would be useful for the Panel to be provided with an overview of the compliments received.

The Executive Director, Central and Community Services advised that there was no formal process, but that compliments received were published in Internal Affairs and the majority related to external facing services and gave an example of weddings at the Town Hall.  It was highlighted that not all compliments were reported.  For the period January 2017 to August 2017, 49 compliments had been received.

To note the Committee’s Work Programme for 2017/2018.

Councillor Moriarty commented that at the last meeting of the Panel he had suggested that King’s Lynn Innovation Centre (KLIC) and the Pontoons be considered at a future meeting.  Following the last Panel meeting, the Chief Executive had confirmed that it was within the remit of the Panel to undertake post implementation monitoring.

RESOLVED:  KLIC and Pontoons be scheduled for a future meeting of the Panel.

To note that the date of the next meeting of the Corporate Performance Panel will take place on Monday 13 November 2017 at 6 pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the Corporate Performance Panel will take place on Monday 13 November 2017 at 6 pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.