Agenda item

O&S.40/22

The lead Executive Member for Service Delivery provided the Committee with a report which gave a high-level overview of performance across the Council.

During the ensuing discussion, the following points were raised:-

(a)      There was Committee support expressed for the new format of the report, although it was recognised that further Key Performance Indicators were still to be added to the evolving template;

(b)      Disappointment was expressed that the figures contained within the report related to Quarter 2 (ending 30 September 2022) and not those for Quarter 3, which would have provided a more current review of the Council’s performance.

In taking this point a step further, an additional Recommendation was PROPOSED, SECONDED and when put to the vote declared CARRIED that:

‘the Calendar of Meetings for 2023/24 is drafted to ensure that the timing of Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings is reflective of the Quarterly Performance Monitoring Cycle.’

(c)       It was noted that the number of Planning Enforcement Cases that were live at the end of the reporting Quarter had exceeded the prescribed target, but this had been due to increased demand and the formation of a new team, which was still being embedded at that time;

(d)      A Member sought information on the Council process for answering Freedom Of Information (FOI) requests and further requested information on the number of complaints received by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) pertaining to FOI requests.  The Member further requested that this information be added to the Performance Report template as a standing item.  In reply, the lead Executive Member advised that she would arrange for the Monitoring Officer to supply information regarding the number and outcome of complaints received by the ICO outside of the meeting and that consideration would be given as to whether or not this information should form a substantive part of future Performance reports;

(e)      Some concerns were raised over the poor performance against the target for answering calls relating to Revenue and Benefit queries. In reply, officers confirmed that measures were already being undertaken to improve performance and that members of the public had a range of ways to contact the team other than by telephone which might prove more effective for them;

(f)        There was a lengthy debate regarding the performance of the Council’s Planning service and concern that the Performance Indicators did not reflect the actual position as certain information was not included in the dataset, including the size of caseload per Planning Officer and the impact this had had on the performance of the Service. There was acknowledgement that overall performance was improving but that there were still areas of concern.

It was then:

RESOLVED

1.         That the new suite of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), present performance and proposals for improvement where detailed, be noted,

2.         That it be noted that the further KPIs, presently under development, would be provided at the next six-monthly update; and

3.         That the Calendar of Meetings for 2023/24 be drafted to ensure that the timing of Overview & Scrutiny Committee meetings be reflective of the Quarterly Performance Monitoring Cycle