Agenda item

The Personnel Services Manager explained that the report contained information on the corporate performance monitoring undertaken during Q3 2015/2016.

Members were reminded that the indicators monitored were reported in full on the Performance Monitoring Q3 report.  The report included a summary of the performance levels achieved for the ‘status’ and ‘trend’ categories.  It was hoped therefore that this provided Members with a useful ‘snapshot’ at the start of the report.

The Personnel Manager explained that at the meeting held on 24 November 2015, the Panel requested additional performance figures to be incorporated into the Action Report to highlight any trends.  To address the request an additional column had been added to display the quarterly figure as a ‘snapshot’, as well as the cumulative performance for year to date.

Following a query arising from the Q2 2015/16 report, the Panel made a request to compare the number of long term vacant dwellings for the Norfolk District Councils.  The graph at section 3.1 of the report showed a breakdown of the number of long term vacant dwellings from 2004 to 2014.   It was noted that a benchmarking exercise had also been undertaken by Performance and Efficiency to gather the Q2 2015/16 vacant dwellings data for the Norfolk authorities.

The Panel’s attention was drawn to the following sections of the report:

·         Change to 2015/16 target figure for Indicator EP1a – Percentage of appeals lost against total number of major applications determined over a two year rolling period.

·         Key points from the Q3 2015/16 Monitoring Report.

·         CE11 – Supplier invoices paid within 30 days.  Due to continued focus on this indicator the wording at section 5.3 had been provided by the Group Accountant.

·         Overview of performance by Portfolio.

·         Overall Conclusion.

·         Appendix 1:  Action Report Q2 2015-16.

·         Appendix 2.

The Panel was invited to ask questions/comment, a summary of which is set out below.

Councillor Wareham referred to page 9, indicator EP1a – Percentage of appeals lost against total number of major applications determined over a two year rolling period and asked why no charts or figures had been provided.  In response, the Personnel Services Manager explained that this indicator had been included for information to keep Members updated as to the changes which would be applied in future reports received by the Panel.  The Chairman, Councillor Humphrey referred Councillor Wareham to page 18 which provided information on the planning applications and gave an indication on how Appeals had impacted/not impacted upon the Council.

The Chairman, Councillor Humphrey commented that he welcomed the additional columns which had been included to enable Members to identify any trend and gave examples of indicators CC6, CC7 and EP1b.

In response to comments made by Councillor Morrison regarding indicator CE4:  Affordable housing units built as a % of the total number of new build dwellings completed in the Borough, the target being 15% as opposed to 20%, the Chief Executive explained that although 20% was the level normally requested the amount of affordable housing required was not set at 20% throughout the Borough.  He added that the figure was lower in King’s Lynn than the remainder of the Borough.  The Panel was informed that in 2014/2015 grants were available from the Homes and Community Agency to fund affordable housing.  However, this funding had now ceased and the Borough Council would rely on contributions from Section 106 Agreements.  The Chief Executive outlined the requirement affordable housing in rural and urban areas.  If an element of affordable housing was not viable in a development a money contribution would be made which would be used at the Borough Council’s discretion.

In response to questions from the Chairman, Councillor Humphrey regarding indicator CE16 - % of Council Tax collected against target, the Assistant Director explained that the Council was on track to meet the target.  She explained that the summons had been sent out slightly later than previously and so had skewed the figures.  Members were informed that the details would be included in the Budget Monitoring Report.

RESOLVED:  The Panel noted the Council’s Q3 2015/16 Performance Monitoring Report and agreed the actions outlined within the Action Report.