Issue - meetings

The Corporate Performance Report provides an analysis of the Council’s performance for the first quarter of 2023-24. The report, set out at Annexe 1,is being presented to each of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees for comment and any recommendations they may wish to make to the Executive.

Areas for the Committee to consider are on pages 36 to 61 (Pages 52 - 77 of the agenda pack).

18.1     Jenny Sturgess, Policy and Performance Officer, introduced the Corporate Performance Report and explained the committee’s remit. The Committee was advised that the report was primarily owned by the Executive but that members were encouraged to consider the report and highlight areas that may need further investigation. It was noted that the financial figures related to the end of Q4.

18.2     Cllr Munro commended the improvement in the number of planning applications decided within the statutory timeframe and asked about the source of the measured improvement. Claire Upton-Brown, Executive Head of Planning Development, noted that it was standard practice for the team to use all of the time available, and that several third-party organisations were sometimes the source of delays due to staffing levels and other issues.

18.3     Cllr Robini requested a copy of the Fairground Car Park mixed-use feasibility study; the Executive Head of Planning Development reassured Cllr Long that training on Community Infrastructure Levy and Business Improvement Districts had been arranged for the coming months.

18.4     In response to a query about food waste, Executive Head of Environmental Services Chris Wheeler replied that local authorities were still awaiting the National Waste Strategy from government but are working with the Surrey Environment Partnership to minimise waste, and that is was usual to see an increase in amounts of waste after Christmas.

18.5     In agreement with Cllrs Hesse and Keen, The Chair asked officers to work on communication to residents around reducing food waste; and to investigate the viability of composting domestic food waste.