Agenda item

Pat Jukes, Corporate Policy Business Manager:

a)    presented the report summarising the operational performance position for Quarter 2 of the financial year 2017/18 (July to September 2017)

b)    advised that regular monitoring of the Council’s operational performance was a key component of the Local Performance Management Framework, this report covered key service performance measures identified by Members and CMT as of strategic importance.

c)    detailed the key headlines from the four corporate measures:

·         Sickness – split by long and short term

·         Corporate complaints including Ombudsman rulings

·         Employee FTE headcount, vacancies and turnover

·         Staff appraisals completed

d)    referred to Appendix A which detailed all measures by individual directorate grouping with annual and quarterly measures split separately

e)    invited members’ questions and comments

Question – After appraisals had taken place, what was done regarding training needs, goals and targets?

Answer – Managers sent a copy of the appraisal to HR for assessment. There was a section on the appraisal form which specified areas for development, 1:1’s or online training courses that could be undertaken.

Question – What were the reasons for long term sickness?

Answer – Mainly stress/depression. It was broken down between personal, work and other (not stipulated) as referred to on page 51 of the report.

Question – Why was there a reduction in time by 12% for the revenues team to process changes?

Answer – There had been an increase in outstanding changes for Revenues (i.e. mainly in respect of Council Tax and Business Rates) due to a temporary reduction in resources on that team and time spent developing e-forms which should result in future improvements. Housing Benefit changes had been processed quicker than at the end of Quarter 2 2016/17.  Resources were allocated within the service as to fluctuations in demands, wherever possible.

There had been more Council Tax Support claims coming through, and resources required for Universal Credit was having an impact. 

Question – Why was there a drop of 3,000 in the electoral role?

Answer – The canvas started in July which had an impact on the number of people on the electoral register. It was a lot quicker to remove somebody from the register than to add somebody on. The Q2 figures were put together at the beginning of the canvas so they would differ in Q3.

Question: Would the Council have too many car parking spaces available now the new multi-storey car park has recently opened?

Response: There were no concerns at the moment.  Overall parking use is expected to grow as the city grows

Question: Was the Rogue Landlord scheme created to seek out illegal immigrants or to check properties for standard of living?

Response: The Rogue Landlord Scheme was funded by the Migration Impact Fund.  The strand of fund that the Council have bid to was specifically around tackling rogue landlords and therefore checking properties for safety and standards and taking action to improve those where necessary.  The project does not seek to identify or refer illegal immigrants.

RESOLVED that:

1.    The content of the report and comments made by members be noted.

2.    The report be referred to Executive to ensure relevant portfolio holders placed a local focus on those highlighted areas showing deteriorating performance.