Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Gray and from Councillor Harrod (Councillor Greene substituting).

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2016(PSC3) and to receive information arising from them.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2016 was approved and signed as a correct record.

1000

Chief Policy Officer, Maggie Scott, will present a paper outlining the Council’s performance for the second quarter of 2015/16. Director for Environment & Economy, Sue Scane will be present to allow for a focused performance discussion on key areas of concern.

Performance Scrutiny Committee is RECOMMENDED to note and discuss the performance reported in the dashboards and to make any comments necessary for escalation to Cabinet.

The Committee considered a paper outlining the Council’s performance for the third quarter of 2015/16. Director for Environment & Economy, Sue Scane attended, together with Mark Kemp, Deputy Director, Commercial, Graham Shaw, Deputy Director – OCS and Dale Stevens, Insurance Manager, Environment & Economy to allow for a focused performance discussion on key areas of concern.

Environment & Economy

There was lengthy discussion of the performance figures with the following matters highlighted:

1)        The Committee recognised the staff resourcing issues within Environment & Economy and considered its implications across a broad range of services and projects including responding to traffic issues (where demand continued to grow), supported transport, Oxfordshire Together and property, design and construction. The Chairman advised that there would be a future focussed session on property issues.

2)        There was detailed consideration of the position in relation to potholes, which members identified as a major concern of local residents across the County. In noting that 100% of potholes described as critical for safety had been dealt with members queried the definition and highlighted local concerns. There was a disconnect between targets and public expectation. The Committee also considered detailed information on related insurance claims.

3)        The Committee noted achievements including responses to District Council planning applications which were being dealt with ahead of target; a number of projects had been completed and work on the Strategic Economic Plan in partnership with the LEP.

4)        In response to comments the Committee heard that progress was being made in achieving capital receipts.

5)        There was discussion over concerns with S106 funding and Members raised individual issues. The Chairman hoped issues could be raised outside the meeting and at locality meetings. There was a wider aspect to the way that S106 agreements were being developed and concerns over the lack of local plans that the Committee agreed that this included in the work programme for an in depth look. Councillor Carter commented that this was a significant issue for the Council as a whole and that Scrutiny could act as a catalyst for a very useful discussion.

6)        The Committee noted the poor figures in relation to wood recycling. They were advised of the fall in the market, that there was no expectation that it would pick up and that other forms of recycling were also suffering with more material being rejected as contaminated.

7)        Members generally commended the success of Frideswide Square but highlighted a number of issues around signage; pedestrian routes and the damage to kerbing and discolouration of surfaces. Sue Scane thanked Members for their comments and explained that in any project of this size there was an audit process that would happen once the scheme had bedded in to see if any tweaks were needed.

During discussion of the other areas the following points were made together with a number of specific requests for additional information and/or further consideration.

Adult Social Care

Members flagged up continuing problems with delays in reablement which impacted on the delivery of the delayed transfer of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22/16