Agenda item

The Corporate Performance Report provides an analysis of the Council’s performance for the second quarter of 2022-23. 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.

The covering reports sets out proposals for amendments to Planning Services indicators.

The Services O&S committee need to consider pages 96-121 of the agenda pack (30-55 of the report).

Louise Norie advised the committee that a revised copy of the Communities section had been supplied at the meeting.

Environment

Richard Homewood gave a brief overview of the headlines from his section. Members were pleased at the emergency response to the flooding at Haslemere.

Members raised concern regarding the number of food hygiene warnings being issued but were informed this was because things had slipped during Covid with checks not being undertaken but it had been noted that upon reinspection the issues had more often than not been addressed.

It was highlighted that the table of complaint types received by the Environmental Protection Team was a useful indication of workload but not very informative on how many resulted in action etc.

Members also asked about KPI’s E4a and 4b which showed a large number of bins being missed. They were advised that this number was due to a glitch in the Biffa software and that the crews knew which had or had not been collected.

Planning

Members were advised that the first five KPI’s show a dip due to the backlog but that this had now been addressed and the next quarter should show a significant improvement.

Following on from the reintroduction of Pre-app advice KPI P6 would be removed from next quarter and two new KPI’s would be introduced to better show the performance of the redesigned pre-application service offering a tiered system of Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum with differing delivery date options ranging from 21 days to 42 day  .

Members requested that KPI’s P1 and P4 be scrutinised at the next meeting to ensure they are showing improvement.

Members discussed the issues with indicator P7 and felt that developers should be questioned in the public arena on their commencements especially if they are coming forward with applications for new developments and have not commenced on previous ones in an adequate timeframe.

Action - In light of the declining number of requests for extensions of time for planning applications and the relaunch of the pre-application service, delete the KPIs P123(a), P153(a) and P151(a) and include proposed replacements P6 and P6a.

Communities

Officers were asked if there are any issues arising with the end of the 6 month requirement for sponsorship and how we are dealing with this going forward. The Strategic Director (Community Wellbeing) advised that Community Services would respond to this offline.

It was noted that 2/3rds of the Household Support Fund was for funding of people of pensionable age. Members asked what constitutes ‘pensionable age’? It was highlighted this meant anyone in receipt of their state pension.

Members discussed the attendance figures to Leisure centres post Covid. It was noted that attendance was still only ¾ of pre Covid.  They asked if we were likely to get back to the pre Covid figures?  Officers advised this was difficult to predict.

Action:

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee:

·       considered the performance of the service areas under its remit as set out in Annexe 1 to the report and asks the Joint Management Team and/or the Executive, to note their comments and recommendations

·       In light of declining number of the declining number of requests and and the relaunch of the pre-application service, endorses the proposals put forward by officers with regards changes to the corporate performance indicators for Development Management; the deletion of P123(a), P153(a) and P151(a) and the inclusion of proposed replacements P6 and P6a.

·       The Executive Head of Community Services to circulate an update on the situation with Homes for Ukraine and support for Ukrainian refugees in Waverley.