Issue - meetings

Report of Head of Transformation

Purpose of report

The purpose of this report is to present the Council’s performance for the period 01 July 2014 – 30 September 2014 as measured through the Performance Management Framework.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1         Note the many achievements referred to in paragraph 3.1.

1.2         Identify any performance related matters for review or consideration in future reports identified in paragraph 3.2.

1.3         Consider any feedback from the 25 November meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee during which it considered the quarter two performance report.

Resolved

(1)          That the following many achievements be noted:

Cherwell: A District of Opportunity

·         Promote inward investment and support appropriate economic growth within the district is reporting as Green. New marketing material for Local Plan sites is due to be prepared. Existing marketing material maintained on Cherwell Investment Partnership's (CHIP) website - www.cherwell-m40.co.uk. News stories added and e-newsletters sent to all businesses on the database every month.  Development of a self-search database of available commercial property also available through website.  Distribution of leaflets to promote the Velocity business grants to Cherwell businesses together with an information day for businesses held at Bodicote in June.

·         Develop a whole Council ‘Better Business’ approach to support new and existing businesses is reporting as Green. Progress continues to embed the Regulatory code.  Briefing sessions for regulatory staff took place in November. The draft Enforcement Policy has been approved by Executive and is out for consultation.  Work continues with the Economic Development Team to improve support to businesses.  A successful first workshop resulted in a number of innovative ideas including a checklist for pop-up shops to enable them to "get it right" first time.  Economic Development and Environmental Health officers are now meeting through SEMLEP to develop this initiative further.  This will include exploring the Better Business for All Initiative across the SEMLEP region and implementation in Cherwell.

Safe, Green and Clean

·      Customer satisfaction with Household Recycling services is reporting as Green; this has increased by 5% to a satisfaction rate of 88%. Food and garden waste collection and dry recycling have both increased as reported through the annual satisfaction survey. Our Waste Collection service has recorded customer satisfaction at 82% which is the highest level achieved to date.

·      Number of All Domestic Burglary incidents reported is reporting as Green*. Burglary has continued to fall over the year as against last year. Burglary initiatives and communication packages have lifted community awareness. However the most likely positive effect has been the lack of cross border offending.  YTD: 86 incidents reported against target of 105 - reduction on same period 13/14 of 20.4%.

Thriving Communities

·      Processing of major applications within 13 weeks is reporting as Green*. A figure of 95% has been achieved this quarter. This figure represents sustained and significant progress, compared with historic performance.

·      Processing of minor applications within 8 weeks is reporting as Amber, an improvement from last quarter. Performance this quarter is below target but this does not represent a long term trend and is expected to recover by the end of quarter three. Year to date performance is 73.88%. The figure for October was 75%.

Sound Budgets and Customer Focussed Council

·      Increase our use of social media to communicate with residents and local businesses is reporting as Green. Facebook and Twitter are now an integral part of the communications function.  A wide range of service areas are using the social media channels to promote their messages and generate sales, with a limited budget.  In the last quarter the Communications Team were announced  ...  view the full decision text for item 85

The Head of Transformation submitted a report which presented the Council’s performance for the period 01 July 2014 – 30 September 2014 as measured through the Performance Management Framework.

In introducing the report, the Lead Member for Banbury Developments, Performance and Communications reported that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at their meeting of 25 November 2014 at which it had referred to the “red” rating for the number of fly tip enforcement cases be noted.

The Lead Member for Clean and Green explained that the number of fly tipping incidents had decreased and that there were around five prosecutions of big cases every year.

Resolved

(1)          That the following many achievements be noted:

Cherwell: A District of Opportunity

·         Promote inward investment and support appropriate economic growth within the district is reporting as Green. New marketing material for Local Plan sites is due to be prepared. Existing marketing material maintained on Cherwell Investment Partnership's (CHIP) website - www.cherwell-m40.co.uk. News stories added and e-newsletters sent to all businesses on the database every month.  Development of a self-search database of available commercial property also available through website.  Distribution of leaflets to promote the Velocity business grants to Cherwell businesses together with an information day for businesses held at Bodicote in June.

·         Develop a whole Council ‘Better Business’ approach to support new and existing businesses is reporting as Green. Progress continues to embed the Regulatory code.  Briefing sessions for regulatory staff took place in November. The draft Enforcement Policy has been approved by Executive and is out for consultation.  Work continues with the Economic Development Team to improve support to businesses.  A successful first workshop resulted in a number of innovative ideas including a checklist for pop-up shops to enable them to "get it right" first time.  Economic Development and Environmental Health officers are now meeting through SEMLEP to develop this initiative further.  This will include exploring the Better Business for All Initiative across the SEMLEP region and implementation in Cherwell.

Safe, Green and Clean

·      Customer satisfaction with Household Recycling services is reporting as Green; this has increased by 5% to a satisfaction rate of 88%. Food and garden waste collection and dry recycling have both increased as reported through the annual satisfaction survey. Our Waste Collection service has recorded customer satisfaction at 82% which is the highest level achieved to date.

·      Number of All Domestic Burglary incidents reported is reporting as Green*. Burglary has continued to fall over the year as against last year. Burglary initiatives and communication packages have lifted community awareness. However the most likely positive effect has been the lack of cross border offending.  YTD: 86 incidents reported against target of 105 - reduction on same period 13/14 of 20.4%.

Thriving Communities

·      Processing of major applications within 13 weeks is reporting as Green*. A figure of 95% has been achieved this quarter. This figure represents sustained and significant progress, compared with historic performance.

·      Processing of minor applications within 8 weeks is reporting as Amber, an improvement from last quarter. Performance  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85