Agenda item

The Panel are invited to review and note the Council’s Q1 2015/2016 Performance Monitoring Report and agree the actions outlined within the Action Report.

In presenting the report, the Personnel Services Manager explained that this was the first quarterly report for 2015/2016.

Members were asked to note that, in response to a request from Members of the Panel in July 2015, the Council’s Monthly Budget Monitoring Report, which detailed financial performance monitoring, was now being published on Insite alongside the Corporate Performance Monitoring report.

The Panel’s attention was drawn to section 3.2 of the report which provided details of the 10 new/revised performance indicators which had been added and would be monitored from Q1 2015/16.  It was highlighted that performance indicator CC10 had been added as a new target following a request from the Panel in July 2015.

The Personnel Manager advised that the performance for 35% of the indicators had improved during Q1 2015/2016, which had increased compared to Q1 2014/2015.  The 18 indicators reported under ‘Other’ Q1 2015/2016 would decrease throughout the year as figures for the previous year would become available for comparison purposes.

Members were advised that the opportunity had also been taken to review the performance indicators by Portfolio and by Directorate and the relevant tables were provided at section 4.4 of the report.

The Personnel Services Manager referred to the Action Report on page 12 and explained that fewer indicators had been identified that required further action.

The Panel noted that the full Action Report was available on pages 13 to 17 of the Agenda.

In response to questions from Councillor Devereux regarding indicators to record performance against budget to ensure that the Council was on track, the Chairman, Councillor Humphrey advised that the Monthly Budget Monitoring Report was circulated to all Members and contained financial information.  Councillor Devereux further commented that a set of KPI’s were required to ensure that the Borough Council ran a successful operation.

The Assistant Director advised that the Monthly Budget Monitoring Report had a percentage of such financial indicators and gave examples of capital spend to date and the present revenue variances.  She added that previously the reports had been separate, but had now been placed alongside the quarterly performance monitoring report on Insite.  The Assistant Director explained that officers could look at indicators in the Monthly Budget Monitoring Report if the Panel so wished.

Councillor Devereux added that it would be useful to have the following key financial indicators:

·         Revenue.

·         Cashflow.

·         Capital Spending.

The Chairman, Councillor Humphrey advised that the above indicators were available in the Monthly Budget Monitoring Report, but not presented in the way required.  The Assistant Director undertook to look at the key performance indicators and how they could be presented in future.

The Chairman, Councillor Humphrey referred to Performance Indicator CO3 - % of rent achievable on industrial estates and commented that it had only missed the target marginally and that it had been given a red flag.

Councillor Blunt asked if the missed target could be identified by an amber clour to show where an indicator had only marginally missed its target.  In response, the Chairman, Councillor Humphrey added that he had asked the same question previously and the response had been that an indicator had either met or not met its target.  In response to the comments made by the Chairman and Councillor Blunt, the Personnel Services Manager advised that the information could be presented with an amber coloured symbol, but that the Panel would need to agree.

In response to questions and comments from Councillor Blunt regarding Performance Indicator CE2:  Percentage of long term empty homes in the Borough as a percentage of overall dwellings, the Chief Executive explained that the Borough Council had progressed this indicator as far as realistically possible in the context of the current policy.  He provided the Panel with an overview of the Council’s current policy and added that the Council wrote to owners on an annual basis where properties had been empty for two years, it was noted that generally in some cases this did trigger action.  The Chief Executive advised that there were a significant number of long term empty homes and that Members could be provided with a summary when the Performance Monitoring Report was next presented to the Panel.

The Chief Executive informed the Panel that the Borough Council had put together a scheme with Freebridge Community Housing to bring back empty homes into use and this had resulted in a good take up.

In response to questions from Councillor Devereux regarding empty homes and income from rates, the Chairman, Councillor Humphrey explained that long term empty properties were penalised by council tax payments, but highlighted that the Council’s aim was to bring as many empty properties as possible back into use.

In response to questions from the Chairman, Councillor Humphrey regarding performance indicator CC6:  % of Careline alarms installed within 10 days of enquiry and whether the new database would improve the target, the Personnel Manager advised that she did not have the information to hand.  The Chief Executive explained that the new database would not make a difference to the performance levels, but that the changes implemented to the process would improve performance levels.

In response to questions from Councillor Hodson, the Chief Executive explained that if the Council took a more proactive stance it was likely that further results would be obtained, but it was dependent on Member’s objectives.

The Deputy Leader commented that housing was a complex issue and there was a balance to be achieved as well as reducing the number of empty homes and added that there was a fundamental democratic right to enjoy your property.  The Deputy Leader stated that it would not, however, be incorrect to revisit the Council’s current policy.  The Panel noted that the Council did currently promote residential units above retail shops.  The Deputy Leader outlined the importance of continually monitoring the performance indicators and welcomed feedback from Members how they wished the information to be presented.

The Assistant Director advised that the Monthly Budget Monitoring Report included information on the level of rates recovery.

RESOLVED:  The Panel reviewed and noted the Council’s Q1 2015/2016 Performance Monitoring Report and agree the actions outlined within the Action Report.