Agenda item

The Corporate Performance Report, set out at Annexe 1, provides an analysis of the Council’s performance for the third quarter of 2021-22. The report is being presented to each of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees for comment and any recommendations they may wish to make to senior management or the Executive.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Overview & Scrutiny Committee:

1) considers the performance of the service areas under its remit as set out in

Annexe 1 to this report and makes any recommendations to senior management or the Executive, as appropriate

A copy of the Corporate Performance Report for quarter 3 of 2021/22 was circulated with the agenda. Members were invited to comment on each service area in turn and raise any queries.

Commercial Services

Members asked about Welfare activities – When does this start and will it include social prescribing? Officers advised that this should be in place by Q4 of this year. It will include social prescribing.

Members were please to see the works being carried out in Farnham Park and asked how many complaints/compliments had been received. This was taken away to be responded to.

Environmental and Regulatory Services

Officers were asked if the emergency planning officers NBOSH course still on schedule to be completed by 31 March and were advised it is on course for completion by the set date.

A member highlighted that there have been a lot of missed food waste bins in Cranleigh East and enquired if there was a reason for this? Officers advised this was due to staff shortages there have been a lot of temporary staff who are not familiar with the areas and have had issues, especially in rural areas.

Brightwells delays – Members asked for an update. It was explained that the delay was due to shortages of materials. Completion was due by end of the year.

Car Parking charges – Members asked how many complaints or comments had been received and was advised there had not been a significant number of complaints made and all queries had been dealt with in a timely manner.

Housing Operations

No queries were raised on this section and Members congratulated the team on their performance this quarter.

Housing Development and Communities

Members requested that ward councillors are included in consultations on applications.

Members noted that there had been a increase in homelessness and the report had highlighted a lack of resources. Officers advised that this lack of resourcing had been addressed through government funding.

Members asked how the Thriving Communities funding aligned with the old SLA’s.

It was highlighted this was a different mechanism which a previous task and finish group set up by the old Communities O&S committee had carried out work on and made recommendations to the Executive.

Planning and Economic Development

It was commented that the 5 year housing supply member briefing had been cancelled due to sickness and officers were asked for an update. Officers reported that Waverley still have not enough development to meet the 5 year housing supply but are working on how to rectify this. The issue is not around applications being approved but is with the developers delivering on their builds.  Officers also highlighted that there was a possible need to review LPP1 also.

Members felt that discharging conditions seemed to drag along and suggested that officers should be proactive and push developers to deliver rather than just sitting back and waiting.

Officers were asked for an update on Woolmead and were advised that officers were talking to the developers about starting works. They also advised that the estates team had also been talking to Berkley Homes.

It was noted that the report showed a significant increase in applications.  Members felt it would be useful to have sight of the numbers of applications submitted.  The report had also highlighted that there had been two expensive judicial reviews in December. Members requested the details of the expense in costs and officer time. Officers were also asked if a risk assessment had been carried out on the Public Review and if so where could it be found?

Officers agreed to take the above questions back and get a response.

Recommendation

It is recommended that the Executive consider and respond to the comments made by the Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee.