Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Deputy Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2017/101

Contact: Ian Dyson, Assistant Chief Finance Officer (Assurance) Tel: 07393 001250

Report by Assistant Chief Finance Officer (Assurance) (CA10).

This paper provides details of performance for quarter two 2017-18 for the Cabinet to consider. The report is required so that the Cabinet can monitor the performance of the Council in key service areas and be assured that progress is being made to improve areas where performance is below the expected level.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)         note the performance set out in this report;

(b)         note the ongoing work to improve business management and performance reporting.

Recommendations agreed.

Cabinet considered a report that gave details of performance for quarter two 2017-18. The report is required so that the Cabinet can monitor the performance of the Council in key service areas and be assured that progress is being made to improve areas where performance is below the expected level.

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Chairman of Performance Scrutiny Committee, drew attention to the following issues raised by members of the Committee when they had considered the information at their meeting on 4 January 2018:

·         The Committee would be looking into statistics around gulley cleaning.

·         The Committee had sought clarification around the information provided around opiate use. It was not clear from the report that the high figure was good news as it indicated those people who had been clean for six months.

·         The level of the school reserve was questioned given the reducing number of Council maintained schools.

·         The Committee would be undertaking a deep dive review of school recycling.

·         Councillor Carter would be following up on concerns the Committee had around unseen young carers.

Councillor Brighouse commented that she thought the work of the Committee was valuable as it allowed wider engagement with councillors.

Councillor Judith Heathcoat, Deputy Leader of the Council, introduced the contents of the report and drew attention to paragraph 8 of the report setting out activity to improve business management. She commented that all areas of concern highlighted by the report were being worked on and that generally dashboards showed movement in the right direction.

During discussion Cabinet:

·         highlighted the need for a greater clarity on what could be recycled, noted that there was currently a consultation on recycling and welcomed views.  A Cabinet Member added that he would like to see all districts operating the same scheme.

·         queried whether, given the large number of gulleys across the County, high risk areas were being targeted and whether work was being done with district council colleagues who cleared detritus from the roads.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)                      note the performance set out in this report; and

(b)                      note the ongoing work to improve business management and performance reporting.