Agenda item

Report of the Director of Resources and Interim Corporate Performance Manager

Summary

This report covers the Council’s performance for the period 1 April to 30 June 2012 as measured through the Performance Management Framework.

Recommendations

The Executive is recommended:

(1)               To note the many achievements referred to in paragraph 1.3.

(2)               To request that officers report in the second quarter on the items identified in paragraph 1.4 where performance was below target or there are emerging issues or risks.

(3)               To agree the responses identified to issues raised in the end of year performance report in paragraph 2.1 or to request additional action or information.

(4)               To identify any further performance or risk related matters for review or consideration in future reports.

Approved, with the addition of the further recommendation that ‘That a review take place of all indicators and the frequency of reporting and that this process includes the lead member meeting with their Heads of Service to consider whether indicators should be reported quarterly, half yearly, annually or no longer measured’.

The Director of Resources and the Interim Corporate Performance Manager submitted a report which covered the Council’s performance for the period 1 April to 30 June 2012 as measured through the Performance Management Framework.

In introducing the report, the Lead Member for Performance Management and Improvement explained that the report showed a full summary of the performance for the first quarter which indicated a satisfactory progress at 93.7%.  There was only one red which was on the public perception of street cleanliness for the annual customer satisfaction survey results were due in September/October. Executive was assured that overall standards had not fallen and the results would give an independent third party view.

Members commented that there was considerable repetition of statistics which did not change every quarter and agreed that a review should take place by all Lead Members with their Head of Service to decide which indicators the report should focus on in each quarter.

Resolved

(1)               That the following achievements be noted:

Cherwell: A District of Opportunity

·        Actions are on-going to promote apprenticeships and other routes to work and education. In June, 6 regular Job Clubs were held: 2 in Banbury, 3 in Bicester and 1 in Kidlington. 4  'Career & Opportunity Gateway' Job Clubs were held at the Mill Cottage on Wednesdays.  4 additional Job Club workshops were introduced in June, on Thursdays at the Mill Cottage.  This brings the total number of job clubs for Q1 to 25. A successful Job Fair (to allow job seekers to meet employers) was also held in Banbury in April.

·        Progress is currently on track for the delivery of 100 affordable homes in the District and current risks to delivery are being managed, in particular, further assessments are being made of the contribution the South West Bicester development can make by year end. The schemes at Dashwood Road School in Banbury and Bryan House in Bicester are due to complete by early September with official scheme openings happening later that month. 31 homes delivered in Quarter 1 against target of 27.

·        Key strategic sites for the provision of new commercial and leisure facilities in Banbury have been clearly identified and initial consideration has been given to potential development strategy through some initial soft market testing. Sites also form on-going process of completing necessary Supplementary Planning Documents and master planning, running alongside the production and publication of the Core Strategy. These sites are being project managed at present through the Banbury Development Group.

·        Bicester Town Centre continues to progress well. A name for the Centre is urgently required to progress marketing of the units. Minor changes now required to entrance/layout of the new Cinema due to new operator but these can be accommodated by the contractor.

A Cleaner Greener Cherwell

·        Very wet first three months have made garden waste tonnages fluctuate wildly with some weeks low tonnages & some very heavy tonnages. Some Environment Agency changes regarding street sweepings may reduce recycling rates by 1% in the future.

·        The Annual customer satisfaction survey results due in September/October. Overall standards haven't fallen - entered in Clean Britain awards - results due September 2012 which should give an independent third party view. The Neighbourhood Blitz programme in Banbury continues successfully.

·        The Cocoon scheme has secured additional external funding to provide free cavity wall insulation in all cases and free loft insulation in some cases. The Council has been helping to fund the discount on both types of insulation and, in response to the changes in the Cocoon scheme, has been able to revise the way its contribution is used so that all home owners and private landlords in Cherwell can get insulation free. New leaflets have been produced and promotion is on-going.

·        The legal agreement and planning permission have been issued and the developers have appointed contractors and are in the process of clearing conditions and obligation requirements to enable a start on site of the Eco-Bicester houses project this year.

A Safe, Healthy and Thriving Cherwell 

·        Dates were agreed in May for the initial sign up to the Best Bar None Scheme by participating premises and date agreed for completion (November 2012). Although there has been some slippage against target for sign up with potential participants in June, the project is expected to be brought back on track in July/August.

·        On-going effective Partnership working through Cherwell Community Safety Partnership (CCSP), Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) and voluntary sector. Joint Agency Tasking & Co-ordination group (JATAC) working with Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) Hub in identifying individuals and information sharing for future interventions.

·        Earthworks at South West Bicester Sports pitches have been delayed by wet weather but still expect to seed and plant the area from September.

·        Preferred bidder for the replacement community hospital in Bicester on the existing site announced by the Primary Care Trust (PCT). Planning application submitted. On-going dialogue between the PCT and Strategic Health Authorities (SHA) to progress the project[n1] 

An Accessible, Value for Money Council

·        Savings of c £600,000 of the £800,000 secured and plans are in place to address the remainder.

·        Customer survey commissioned, we will have a challenge to bring up satisfaction rates in the current economic climate so there is some risk associated with this performance objective.

·        The website improvement project is undertaking final checks with the stakeholders before making it available to the public. Time scales beginning in Quarter 2.

(2)               That officers be requested to report in the second quarter on the following items where performance was below target or there are emerging issues or risks.

Corporate Scorecard – Customer Feedback

Telephone call response rates – Target was reduced to 1min from 1min10 (last year’s target) following significant improvements in response times.  Appointments moving contact from Face to Face to Phones and a 5 week backlog of Benefit processing work has generated increased customer contact, this combined with reduced staffing has resulted in an increase in response times during the first quarter. A significant increased number of calls received, 3000 on this time last year.

(3)               That the responses to issues raised in the end of year performance report be noted.

(4)               That a review take place of all indicators and the frequency of reporting and that this process includes the lead member meeting with their Heads of Service to consider whether indicators should be reported quarterly, half yearly, annually or no longer measured’.

Reasons

This report presents the Council’s performance against its corporate scorecard for the first quarter of 2012/13. It includes an overview of successes, areas for improvement and emerging issues to be considered. 

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