Agenda item

This report sets out the Q2 performance outturn for the Corporate Plan and Service Delivery Plan performance indicators for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020.

The Cabinet

            RESOLVED – That

(1)  The Council’s Q2 performance against the targets for the Corporate Plan indicators as set out in this report and Appendix A be noted;

(2)     The Council’s Q2 performance against the targets for the Service Delivery Plan indicators as set out in this report and Appendix B be noted; and

(3)    The minutes from Overview Select Committee on 1 December 2020 and associated comments and queries be noted.

           The Chairman presented this item as the Leader of the Council and outlined that the Corporate Plan formed a series of targets that were measurable and, ideally, in the control of the Council.  These were the Corporate Plan indicators. Service targets (Service Delivery Plan indicators – SDP’s) were positioned beneath these corporate priorities to provide more detail about how services were performing.  Performance of these indicators was reported to the Corporate Management Team every quarter and to the Overview Select Committee and Cabinet every six months and at year end.  

           Further to a request made by the Overview Select Committee at its meeting held on 1 December 2020, the Quarter 2 data from 2019/20 had been provided in the attached Appendix A and Appendix B to give comparable data with the same point at the previous year (Q2).

           The Chairman then invited the Group Head of Policy to provide a further overview of the report.  It was explained that there were eleven Corporate Plan indicators and that six of these were measured at Quarter 2. A full commentary for each indicator had been set out within Appendix A. A summary was then provided on the performance of these targets which is set out below:

·       Not achieving target – these were CP3, CP7 and CP11).  The Overview Select Committee (on 1 December 2020) requested additional information for CP3 (not just % information) on the Council Tax Collected.  This had been provided in Appendix A.  The Director of Services would be monitoring these targets.

·       Achieving target – these were CP6, CP8 and CP10.  

           Turning to the Service Delivery Plan Indicators, the Group Head of Policy explained that there were twenty-three Service Delivery Plan (SDP) indicators and that thirteen were measured at Quarter 2.  A full commentary for each indicator had been set out within Appendix B.  A summary was then provided on the performance of these targets which is set out below:

·         Not achieving target – were indicators (SDP17 and SDP18).  These would be monitored by the Director of Services.  Overview Select Committee (on 1 December 2020) requested additional information for SDP17 (not just % information) on Housing Benefit overpayments recovered.  This has been provided in Appendix B.

·           Behind Target – were indicators (SDP4 and SDP5) and it was highlighted that these were only just behind target and were both indicators that the Council could not directly control.

·           Achieving target – were indicators (SDP10, SDP16 and SDP22). SDP10 would be monitored by the Corporate Management Team and SDP16 would be monitored by the Director of Services.

·           Over-Achieving target – were indicators (SDP1, SDP2, SDP3, SDP9, SDP12 and SDP19).  

In discussing the report, the following comments were made.  Congratulations were passed on to the Council’s staff in relation to Corporate Plan Indicators CP6 and 8 as it was recognised that to be able to continue to process Housing and Council Tax Benefit Claims in 2.8 days less than the target stipulated during the Pandemic and with all staff working from home was a real achievement. Similarly, praise was given in relation to the number of new council homes purchased which were on track for the 36 completions which would take place during this month.

Reference was made to the three targets that were not achieving and it was felt that this was completely understandable during the Pandemic.  For CP11 [Household Waste sent for Recycling] it was acknowledged that this was a very ambitious target which would most likely be met when the Food Waste Trial was introduced. 

Looking at SDP 9 [Licence Applications Determined within Statutory or Service Time Limits] congratulations were passed onto the Licensing Team for achieving and improving the target compared to last year’s figures and considering the pressures placed on the team due to Covid-19. There had been much discussion on SDP5 [Occupied Retail Units in Bognor Regis] at the Overview Select Committee. It had to be accepted that numbers would reduce further but it equally important for Councillors to realise the Council’s position was comparatively good compared to the vacancy rates of similar sized Towns in other Local Authorities.  

The Cabinet

RESOLVED – That

(1)          The Council’s Quarter 2 performance against the targets for the Corporate Plan indicators as set out in the report and Appendix A be noted;

(2)          The Council’s Quarter 2 performance against the targets for the Service Delivery Plan indicators as set out in this report and Appendix B be noted; and

(3)          The minutes from the meeting of the Overview Select Committee on 1 December 2020 and associated comments and queries be noted.

The Cabinet confirmed its decision as per Decision Notice C/048/11012021, a copy of which is attached to the signed copy of the Minutes.

The Chairman then made an announcement confirming that he had consulted with the Chief Executive and the Group Head of Corporate Support and could confirm that the Council had decided to provide another three month rent holiday for its business tenants as had been the case at the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Hard pressed in addition to bus grants from cent gov huge help we can do extra little but by giving a rent holiday.