Agenda item

Pat Jukes, Corporate Policy Business Manager:

a)    presented a summary of the operational performance position for quarter two of the financial year 2018/19 (from July 2018 to September 2018) to Performance Scrutiny Committee

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)    outlined 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)    explained that there was slightly less demand in Customer Services during quarter two compared to the last quarter with 677 less face to face enquiries and 2,053 less calls answered (mainly due to a reduction in Revenues and Benefits calls).

e)    highlighted that the overall sickness data as at the end of September was 1.93 days per FTE (excl. apprentices). This was 0.97 days less compared to quarter one and brings the cumulative total of sick days to 4.83 days which was 1.51 days less than last year and the lowest Q2 average in the last 6 years

f)     further highlighted key performance areas in Chief Executive’s:

·         The number of new starters on the apprenticeship programme had decreased to nine in Q2 this year from 18 in Q2 last year

·         The number of face to face enquiries had decreased to 4,873 from 12,123 in Q2 last year

·         The number of telephone enquiries answered had decreased again to 27,342 from 34,327 in Q2 last year

·         The number of users logged into the self-service system had increased again to 7,298 from 6,059 in quarter two last year

·         The average time taken to answer a call in customer services had increased by 36 seconds compared to Q2 last year, now reporting at 96 seconds which was below its lower target of 50 seconds

·         The in year collection rate for Council Tax was 52.80%, 0.37% lower than the figure of 53.17% reported in Q2 last year, but on target

·         The in year collection rate for Business Rates had decreased this quarter to 60.57% from 61.13% in Q2 last year. It was however above its target of 58.69%. 

·         The level of outstanding customer changes in the Revenues team had increased to 749 in Q2 this year, from 624 in Q2 last year

·         The average (YTD) days to process new housing benefit claims was below its target of 24 days with a figure of 28.16 days.

·         The number of Housing Benefits/ Council Tax support customers awaiting assessment had increased from 810 in quarter two last year to 1,491 in quarter two this year

·         The percentage of risk-based quality checks made where Benefit entitlement was correct had decreased from 87.50% in quarter one to 84% in quarter two, also below its target of 91.50%.

g)    Further highlighted key performance areas in Directorate for Communities and Environment

·         The total number of CCTV incidents handled by operators had increased by 877 since Q1, now reporting at 4,068.

·         The total number of users at our health and recreation facilities had increased by 38,487 since Q2 last year, now reporting at 247,762

·         The overall percentage utilisation of all car parks had decreased from 68% in Q2 last year to 45% in Q2 this year, which was below its 60% target

·         The number of off-street charged car parking spaces had increased from 2,241 in Q2 last year to 3,621 in Q2 this year.

·         The satisfaction of complainants relating to how the complaint was handled was below its target of 87.50% with a figure of 80.30%.

·         The percentage of official FH&S controls completed had decreased by 8.4% since Q1, now reporting at 81.60% - below the target of 97%.

·         Non-Major and Major Planning applications determined within government targets were above target at 95.05% and 98.04% respectively.        

·         % satisfaction with the standard of service by Birchwood Leisure Centre had improved to 87.71% from 78.85% last year

h)    Further highlighted key performance areas in Directorate for Housing and Regeneration

·         The rent collected as a proportion of rent owed had surpassed its target of 96.50% with a figure of 98.19%

·         The current tenant arrears as a percentage of the annual rent debit was above its target of 3.50% with a figure of 2.95% (low is good)

·         The number of Homelessness applications progressed within the Housing team had increased from Q2 last year by 241, now at 368.

·         The percentage of reactive repairs completed within target time was above its target of 97.50% with a figure of 99.36%

Question: Members asked for a breakdown of why calls were taking longer and whether MyInfo was a piece of software created by the City of Lincoln Council.

Response: MyInfo was provided by CIVICA and was mainly used by Revenues and Benefits as a portal whereby customers could access data etc. There had been no complaints regarding call times so this wasn’t effecting our customers. Some calls were taken and then transferred to departments which would be included in the call time. A piece of software was available that showed which area the call was for to see where the bigger volumes occurred. This would help identify where online forms were needed the most. Pat Jukes agreed to source information and circulate to members if possible.

Comment: Members congratulated Martin Walmsley and his team for their IRRV Performance Award 2018.

RESOLVED that:

a)    The report be noted

b)    Pat Jukes to source information regarding the breakdown of calls to Performance Scrutiny Members