Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Sayers.

To approve the minutes from the Corporate Performance Panel held on 26 February 2024.

RESOLVED: The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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 was none.

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 none.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chair of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before a decision on that item is taken.

There was none.

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Councillor Nash asked the Chair if he had received his email dated 27^th February 2024.  The Chair acknowledged receipt of the email and explained that he would liaise with Councillor Nash outside of the meeting.

There were no call-ins to consider.

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The Monitoring Officer presented the report which provided information on Service Level Agreements (SLA’s).  A copy of the briefing note had been included in the Agenda. 

The Monitoring Officer explained that a list of Community Grants and Financial Assistant Grants were published annually on the website under the Transparency Scheme and agreed to circulate the list to the Panel.

The Chair thanked the Monitoring Officer for the report and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

The Portfolio Holder for People and Communities, Councillor Rust explained that work was ongoing to put together a composite list of SLA’s which could be reviewed.

Councillor Long asked if Memorandums of Understanding would also be included in the SLA list.  The Monitoring Officer agreed to look and see if it was appropriate for them to be included in the ongoing work.

Councillor Blunt commented that it would be very useful to have a composite list of all SLA’s.  The Monitoring Officer explained that a work stream was ongoing to centralise and prepare a Corporate list of SLA’s.

In response to a question from Councillor Lintern, it was explained that Internal Drainage Boards would not be included in the list as the Council’s connection to them was service based.

In response to a question from Councillor Ryves it was explained that there would usually be liability provisions within SLA’s and any claims would be investigated dependent on the individual circumstances.  SLA’s should set out detail of the terms and frequency of payments.

The Portfolio Holder for People and Communities, Councillor Rust, explained to Councillor Ryves that the ongoing work would provide the opportunity to review SLA’s to ensure that they were still relevant.

The Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Development, Councillor Moriarty welcomed this report and the work that was ongoing to provide clarity of the SLA’s in place.

The Chair commented that the work to pull together a composite list of SLA’s was important and asked for reassurance that any review of SLA’s would be based on need, rather than financial savings and reducing costs as there were many organisations that provided important services within the Borough and relied on Council funding.

The Monitoring Officer reminded Members that details of the Financial Assistance Grants awarded were published as a Delegated Decision and therefore subject to call-in.

In response to a question from Councillor Ryves regarding the Night Shelter, the Portfolio Holder for People and Communities explained that the SLA had not been signed as the current service did not enable the Council to fulfil its homelessness obligations.  It was noted that the Night Shelter did receive a Council Tax discretionary relief grant.

RESOLVED: The Briefing Note was noted by the Panel.

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The Assistant Director and Community Health and Wellbeing Manager presented the report which provided detail on the operation of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme in West Norfolk.  A briefing report was included in the Agenda.  It was highlighted that presently funding was in place to support provision up to March 2025.

The Chair thanked officers for the report and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

Councillor Colwell commended this important service and hoped that it would continue as statistics showed that it was still well used and provided a wide range of services.

In response to a question from Councillor Ryves, it was explained that there was a separate scheme in place to support Afghan nationals which required the Council to provide housing.  This had been provided under the Local Authority Housing Fund, although take up was low, but the benefit was that additional homes were available if required and they could also be used as temporary accommodation.

The Chair, Councillor Dark explained that Norfolk County Council had looked at the provision for Afghan nationals in the County and there was more provision in place for them in the areas surrounding Norwich, so the service had been focussed on that area.

The Chief Executive reminded the Panel that the Hanseatic Union was in place to support all those fleeing from conflict.

The Chair commended the ongoing work in this area and was proud of the service provided, the speed in which it had been set up and the positive impact it had made.  He felt it was important that the service was based in Kings Court.

In response to a question regarding ongoing funding, the Assistant Director explained that funding was currently in place up until March 2025.  If Government funding was to cease after this date it would be a matter for the Council to consider.

The Chair, on behalf of the Panel, thanked all those involved in the scheme.

RESOLVED: The update was noted.

Members are invited to provide specific questions in advance in order that a full response may be provided at the meeting.

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The Corporate Performance Manager presented the Cabinet Report which provided an update on progress against the Council’s Corporate Strategy and key performance indicators.  The report included information on progress up to 31 December 2023.  Information was provided on actions that were on target and those that required attention, as set out in the report.

The Chair thanked the Corporate Performance Manager for the report and invited questions and comments from the Panel, as summarised below.

Councillor Long referred to indicator 2.4 relating to solar power generated across Council sites and it was clarified that this was the amount of energy generated, not surplus, and levels would be affected by the seasons.

Councillor Colwell referred to indicator 2.10 relating to mixed recycling and commented that levels were disappointing, but he was aware that work was ongoing to promote the importance of recycling and food waste.  He explained that a recent report to the Environment and Community Panel had provided information on changing habits and the impact of Covid on recycling levels.  He also felt that the Council did offer a good service, including small appliances and battery collections.

Councillor Dark raised concern about joint working with the Environment Agency and Anglian Water on flood protection and referred to the Shingle Ridge at Snettisham.  He was concerned that Snettisham Parish Council and major land owners had not been involved in the work.  It was explained that the technical report from consultants was awaited.  Once this had been received a meeting of the Wash East Coast Management Strategy Stakeholders Forum would take place and the technical report would be presented to the Environment and Community Panel at their meeting in June 2024.  The technical report would help determine future policy and action required.

Councillor de Whalley agreed to liaise with officers and provide the Panel with detail of the progress on the Wash East Coast Management Strategy and the awaited technical report.

Councillor Long referred to the Car Parking Strategy and the Corporate Governance Manager explained that work was ongoing to link the strategy with the forthcoming Economic Strategy and Transport Strategy.  An update was currently scheduled to be presented to the Regeneration and Development Panel at their meeting in June 2024.

Councillor Nash referred to indicator 2.10 which provided a target of tonnage of recycling collected.  He commented that it would be more useful to have a percentage target so that it could be compared to the overall amount of waste collected by the Council.  The Corporate Governance Manager explained that the target would have been set by the relevant Assistant Director and Portfolio Holder, but agreed that including the amount of black bin waste collected would be useful to provide an overall view of how much waste was collected overall, which could be broken down into percentages and she agreed to raise this with the relevant officers and update the Panel as required.

Councillor Devulapalli commented that, in relation  ...  view the full minutes text for item CP148

The Panel are invited to submit questions to Democratic Services in advance of the meeting.

No questions had been submitted in advance of the meeting.

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Councillor Dickinson requested that the review of Outside Bodies Cabinet Report be added to the Panel’s Work Programme.

The Vice Chair, Councillor Osborne requested that the Redundancy Scheme Cabinet Report be added to the Panel’s Work Programme.

RESOLVED: The Cabinet Forward Decisions List was noted.

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It was noted that the Companies Business Plans were due to be considered by the Shareholder Committee at their meeting in June.

The Chair commented that he would liaise with the other Panel Chairs to determine which Panel this item should be considered by, or if a Joint Panel meeting should be arranged.

RESOLVED: The Shareholder Committee Forward Plan was noted.

To note the Panel’s Work Programme for 2024/2025.

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In response to a question from Councillor Lintern, the Monitoring Officer explained that the first meeting of the Constitution Informal Working Group had been arranged for May.  The Working Group would create a schedule of work and then a report would be scheduled on the Work Programme to come back to the Corporate Performance Panel later on in the year.

Councillor Nash asked about the Taxi Testing Contract Informal Working Group and the Senior Democratic Services Officer agreed to arrange a meeting.

RESOLVED: The Panel noted the Work Programme for 2024/2025.

To note that the date of the next meeting of the Corporate Performance Panel will take place on 29 May 2024 at 4.30 pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, King’s Lynn.

The next meeting of the Panel was scheduled to take place on 29^th May 2024 at 4.30pm in the Town Hall, King’s Lynn.