Agenda item

This report provides an update of the Council’s performance, containing:

·         The end of year corporate performance report, with respect to the 2023-2024 Annual Plan objectives, key performance indicators, corporate risks and annual governance statement actions (Appendix 1); and

·         A progress report on the Four-Year Plan, which highlights key achievements between April 2020 and March 2024 (Appendix 2).

The Committee received a report providing an update of the Council’s performance, containing:

The end of year corporate performance report, with respect to the 2023-2024 Annual Plan objectives, key performance indicators, corporate risks and annual governance statement actions (Appendix 1); and

A progress report on the Four-Year Plan, which highlights key achievements between April 2020 and March 2024 (Appendix 2).

The following matters were considered:

a)            Icon Key. A Member asked if the icons used on page 102 and 103 of the full report pack could be explained and a key included for reference. The Business Assurance Manager responded to explain the icons are a RAG status and confirmed that an icon key will be present in future iterations of the report.

b)            Waste sent for recycling. A Member of the Committee asked what the status is for the waste sent for recycling annual metric. The Business Assurance Manager directed the Committee to page 108 of the full report pack and explained that there isn’t usually a big change from the previous three quarters, as shown in the graph. The Business Assurance Manager informed the Committee that the September Committee Report will include the Q4 data.

c)            Private Rented Housing. A Member of the Committee asked what proactive private rented housing inspections involve and how properties are identified. The Business Assurance Manager informed the Member that the query would be referred to the relevant Head of Service and an answer provided.

d)            Car Park Revenue. A Member of the Committee queried the Car Park Revenue being below the revenue target in a Strategy & Resources Committee report but meeting the revenue target in the Audit & Scrutiny Committee report. The Chief Finance Officer explained that the KPI compares the current years income with the previous year’s income, so the 2023/24 income is an improvement on the 2022/23 income, however it is still behind the budgeted target, which is what was set out in Strategy & Resources Committee report.

e)            Town Hall Site. A Member of the Committee asked for an update on the status of the Town Hall Site proposal options. The Business Assurance Manager informed the Member that they would take this update request to the relevant Head of Service. 

f)             RAG ratings. The Chair asked the Committee if they would like to see a change in how the information in Appendix 1 is presented and invited Members to provide feedback after the meeting. A Member asked why the approach to some risks, where the number is higher, is tolerate rather than treat. The Business Assurance Manager explained to the Committee that some high risks can be tolerated because there is little further action the Council can take to further mitigate them, whereas the approach with treat, is that there are still mitigating actions that the Council are working on to bring the risk down.

g)            Carbon Emissions. A Member of the Committee raised that the report references fleet emissions, but not building emissions, when carbon reduction in buildings is the number one source of emissions in the Council’s climate change action plan.

h)            Wells Road. A Member of the Committee asked if there were any way residents could find out further information or updates on the Wells Road Bridge. The Chair told Members that if there are areas, they wish to see more commentary on, then they can be raised at the meeting and that will be actioned.  The Interim Director of Corporate Services informed the Committee that the Wells Road Bridge risk had been discussed at a meeting with policy chairs where it was decided that due to the improvements in the road, this risk could now be removed.

i)             Complaints. A Member of the Committee asked who the Council’s accountable person for complaints is. The Interim Director of Corporate Servicesinformed the Committee that he is the Head of Service for Customer Services, and the Council also has a complaints officer, who is part of the Customer Service Team, and a complaints manager.The Member raised that they understood that the accountable person for complaints must be a Councillor. The Interim Director of Corporate Services noted the comment and agreed to look into this matter further. 

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)      Note and comment on the corporate performance report (Appendix 1), including those targets which have not been achieved, and

(2)      Note and comment on the Four-Year Plan progress report (Appendix 2).