Agenda item

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The Corporate Performance Officer presented the report which updated on progress against the Council’s Corporate Strategy and key performance indicators up to the period 31^st December 2024.  Information was provided on the actions which had been completed and the indicators for which ratings had changed.

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

In response to a question from Councillor Osborne, the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Biodiversity, Councillor de Whalley explained the Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan was a living document and updated as required.  He added that he was aware of some changes which were in hand and confirmed he would come back with more detail.

The Chair, Councillor Long commented that the changes and revisions would need to go to the Environment and Community Panel (E&C) for consideration and asked the Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Biodiversity, Councillor de Whalley to ensure the Chair of E&C was made aware of when this would be presented to their Panel. 

In response to comments from Councillor Collingham, the Corporate Performance Officer confirmed the KPI’s would be thoroughly reviewed once after the full year report had been produced and was aware that waste packaging was becoming a lot lighter and therefore it was not getting the weight which they were wanting.

Members of the Senior Leadership Team were present at the meeting to provide detail on their indicators which were currently not meeting target, and the Chair invited each Assistant Director to present their update.

The Assistant Director for Regeneration, Housing and Place provided the following update in relation to the indicators which were not meeting target:

-       Review options in relation to the Hunstanton Masterplan and key council assets (amber).  It was explained work had not started on a Hunstanton Masterplan. Factors such as the Covid Pandemic and other inward investment priorities such as the Towns Fund, has prevented it from progressing but highlighted the Hunstanton work remained important.  The Assistant Director advised there was ambition for a King’s Lynn and Hunstanton masterplan but guidance and a steer from members and the Senior Leadership Team would be required.

-       Develop the Car Parking Strategy, produce a draft and adopt the strategy in 2024-2025 (amber).  The Assistant Director explained this was a complex piece of work and added the delay did not represent that they were giving this less priority.  The Assistant Director confirmed there was a strategy and were drawing out of it some key principles which would be raised at the Transport Informal Working Group meeting on 4^th March 2025 and then presented to the Regeneration and Development Panel meeting on 11^th March 2025.  The Assistant Director explained the reasons for the delay was due to the work being complicated and numerous changes in staffing.

-       No. of new homes built through the Council's Major Housing Programme (red).  It was explained this target would be caught up in the next quarter and was high priority.

-       No. of new Affordable Homes delivered by the Major Housing Programme (red).  It was explained this target would be caught up in the next quarter and was high priority.

The Assistant Director for Operations and Commercial provided the following update:

-       Develop and commence implementation of an investment strategy for property assets owned by the council for income generation (amber).  It was explained there had been acute staffing issues over the last year with a number of staff and Executive Directors leaving and lengthy sickness absence.  The Assistant Director explained that a temporary member of staff had started last week who would be carrying out general estates work and confirmed another member of staff would be joining next week on a temporary basis.  The Assistant Director was not convinced that the target would not change from amber to red.

The Assistant Director for Environment and Planning provided the following update:

-       Review CIL governance arrangements (amber).  It was explained the target had dropped to amber to allow another round of CIL funding to take place in January 2025 and in doing so that meant the governance review had been delayed.  He added the Planning Advisory Service would be helping the Council with the CIL governance review.

In response to a question from Councillor Blunt, the Assistant Director confirmed that the CIL Governance Review was on the Forward Decisions List for a Cabinet meeting in June and would be considered by the appropriate Panel beforehand for their input.

In relation to Councillor Osborne’s early question relating to the Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, it was explained that the priorities and action plan were currently being reviewed and the latest carbon audit data had been added which would be reviewed at the Climate Change Informal Working Group on 24^th March 2025 and would be likely published early summer.

The Chair, Councillor Long asked those Assistant Directors who were not present at the meeting to attend a future Corporate Performance Panel meeting to provide updates on their targets.

RESOLVED: That the Corporate Performance Panel support the recommendations to Cabinet, as set out below.

CABINET RECOMMENDATION: That Cabinet reviews the Performance Management Report and comments on the delivery against the Corporate Strategy.