Agenda item

Report of Assistant Director of Finance.

Purpose of report

To report to the committee the council’s performance position at the end of Quarter 2 2025-26.

Recommendations

The Overview and Scrutiny resolves:

1.1         To consider and note the contents of the council’s performance Quarter 2 report.

Resolved   

(1)       That having given due consideration, the Council’s Performance Monitoring Report Quarter 2 2025 - 2026 performance be noted, and no comments be submitted for Executive consideration.

The Committee considered a report from the Assistant Director – Finance that detailed the council’s performance position at the end of quarter 2 2025-2026.

In introducing the report, the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services advised that the Council was performing well against its quarter 2 objectives, with 89% of measures on target or within tolerance.

Out of the 36 total measures 4 reported red, 13 were amber and 19 were green. On the annual delivery plan there were 18 milestones to deliver in quarter 2, 8 of which had been achieved or were within the agreed tolerance, and 10 slightly behind target.

Members were also advised that of the 11 targeted corporate key performance indicators, 5 achieved their Q2 target or reported within the agreed tolerance, and 2 reported slightly behind target, and 4 were red.

In response to a question regarding indicator BP1.2.10, % of major planning applications overturned at appeal, and what work the Executive were doing to address the Council’s high percentage of appeals, the Assistant Director Planning reminded the Committee of the spotlight scrutiny working group that had met at the start of the calendar year. A full response was due for consideration by the Executive shortly and would then be reported to this Committee. Members were also reminded that the Planning Advisory Service had reviewed the council’s decision making in May and a report had been received in August. The report would be published in due course. 

The Assistant Director Planning also explained to Members that work was due to commence to rectify how the data within the performance report was presented regarding % of major applications overturned at appeal, due to complications regarding the reporting periods. Performance of planning applications was monitored nationally over a two financial year period, with an additional 9 months added to allow for appeal decisions to come through. This meant that the Council was currently being monitored for the periods April 2023 to March 2025, April 2024 to March 2026, and April 2025 to March 2027. Officers were discussing how best to present the information to accurately reflect the performance over the national monitoring period. 

In response to a question regarding paragraph 4.4.1 - average time to process new Housing Benefit claims and Council Tax Reduction applications, and how many applications exceeded the 18 day maximum, the Assistant Director of Finance agreed to  circulate a detailed response after the meeting., Members were advised that officers monitored claims on a monthly basis, and any that were over and above the 18 day maximum were investigated to understand what had caused the delays.

In response to a further question regarding paragraph 4.4.1 - agreements for lease for two new lettings at Castle Quay, and how many units remain unoccupied, the Assistant Director of Finance explained that they did not currently have those figures to hand and that officers would follow up with a written response to members.

In response to a question regarding BP1.2.05, % of Homelessness cases successfully prevented, indicator reporting as red, and what measures were in place to improve this measure, the Interim Executive Director Neighbourhood Services explained that the council reported 50% of successful preventions against a target of 60%.  The Interim Executive Director Neighbourhood Services agreed to provide further written detail after the meeting regarding the number of residents that had been taken on as part of the Council’s statutory homelessness duty during the quarter.

In response to a question regarding paragraph 4.3.3 - Net Additional Housing Completions to meet Cherwell needs, and what percentage of the housing yet to be delivered comprised of affordable housing, and whether priority could be given to the delivery of affordable housing, the Assistant Director Planning explained that as the Council was half way through its reporting period and as the data had yet to be reconciled they were not able to comment on the current amount of affordable housing completions.

In response to a question regarding housing delivery and the Council’s 5 year housing supply and what steps were being taken to ensure that housing completions were achieved, the Assistant Director Planning explained that the Council’s delivery figures reflected national trends and the health of the housing market. The Assistant Director Planning reassured the Committee that there were currently 11,000 homes with planning permission, which indicated the issue was with building the homes rather than land being released for development. The Council had a Housing Delivery Action Plan and a new Local Plan that was due for examination, and both would help alleviate the pressures on housing delivery in the district.

Resolved   

(1)       That having given due consideration, the Council’s Performance Monitoring Report Quarter 2 2025 - 2026 performance be noted, and no comments be submitted for Executive consideration.