Agenda item

To provide the Executive with a summary of the operational performance position for quarter three of the financial year 2019/20.

Decision

That the Executive:

(1)       Notes the content of the report.

(2)       Requests that relevant Portfolio Holders ensure management has a local focus on those highlighted areas showing deteriorating performance.

None.

The following updates regarding each of the Council’s Directorates were reported, as follows:

·         Chief Executive’s Directorate – 11 strategic measures were above their target, 5 strategic measures were below their target, 1 was acceptable and 3 volumetric. Whilst some measures negatively changed in direction, the majority of these measures still remained above or within target;

·         Communities and Environment Directorate – 12 strategic measures were above their target, 2 strategic measures were below their target, 7 were acceptable and 8 volumetric. Whilst thirteen measures negatively changed in direction, most of these measures still remained above or within target;

·         Housing and Investment Directorate – 7 strategic measures were above their target, 3 strategic measures were below target, 4 were acceptable and 5 were volumetric. Whilst six targeted measures negatively changed in direction, eight saw a move in a positive direction.

With regard to sickness performance, the overall sickness data as at the end of quarter three was 7.75 days per full time equivalent post, excluding apprentices. This was only slightly higher than the 7.28 days per full time equivalent post in quarter three of 2018/19. During quarter three, the long term sickness per full time equivalent stood at 4.29 days, slightly higher than the 4.14 days in quarter three in 2018/19, with short term sickness standing at 3.45 days.

In quarter three 104 complaints, five less than quarter one, were received by the Council. The cumulative average time across all directorates to respond to formal complaints was 6.9 days and was 6.8 days in quarter three alone. In quarter three the Council had one Local Government Ombudsman case decided, which was not upheld.

There had been a number of achievements during quarter one as follows:

·         awarded as the ‘Best Innovative Environmental Health Solution’ for the City of Lincoln Council’s multi-agency approach to tackling Anti-Social Behaviour;

·         Shortlisted alongside Aaron Services for the H&V News Awards Collaboration of the Year;

·         one of the Council’s Apprentices had been shortlisted for the Lincolnshire Public Service Apprentice of the Year Awards 2019.

In presenting the report it was noted that the percentage of planning applications determined was one of the best rates in the country at 98%, which in turn had a significant impact on the local economy.

Further work was taking place to address call waiting times which at the moment were averaging at one minute, twenty seconds and was below target. One of the reasons for this was that calls taken by the Customer Services Team were complex due to the increased vulnerability of some of the Council’s customers. It was important, therefore, that customers’ calls were fully resolved therefore adding to the length of calls. Members agreed, in comparison to other organisation’s call centres, that a waiting time of one minute twenty seconds actually represented a very good service. It was noted that further consideration be given to a less ambitious target regarding call waiting times.

It was also reported that the performance of housing voids still provided some challenges but an action plan had been put in place to address this. Despite not meeting locally set targets, however, performance of voids for Council properties was still in the upper quartile compared to other authorities. One of the priorities in respect of voids was making sure that they were of an acceptable standard before making them available for tenants, which in some cases did take longer than the targeted turnaround time. Members agreed that this was justified as it would lead to better outcomes for residents. Consideration would be given to the target for void properties, taking into account outcomes as opposed to timescales.

Councillor Ric Metcalfe thanked officers for all of the hard work they were doing.