Report from the Assistant Chief Executive.
Recommendations:
That Cabinet:
1.
Note the
overall position in relation to the Year Ahead Delivery Plan
activities.
2.
Note the Quarter 2 data for the Council Plan
performance measures.
3. Note that a progress report covering the remainder of the year will be presented to Cabinet in July 2025.
Minutes:
Consideration was given to the report which was the first monitoring report for the Year Ahead Delivery Plan 2024-25 and Council Plan. The first progress report for 2024-25 was attached at Appendix 1 to the report and included performance measures for Quarter 2 (July to September 2024) whilst Year Ahead Delivery Plan actions had been updated to reflect progress up to 19 December 2024.
The Quarter 2 (mid-year) progress report (Appendix 1) included a high-level overview overall and was then presented by Council Plan theme, with each thematic section including achievements and challenges, Year Ahead Delivery Plan trackers and performance scorecards. The report also included wider information, key facts and intelligence, specific case studies and a timeline of key achievements/activities to demonstrate activity during the first half of the year.
As of 19 December 2024, the activities within the Year Ahead Delivery Plan were rated as follows:
· 25% (25) complete
· 59% (59) were on track to be delivered by original target date
· 9% (9) were delayed by less than 3 months
· 7% (7) would not be met within 3 months of original target date.
For the mid-year report covering Quarter 2, the status of the performance
measures and direction of travel for each was set as follows:
· Performance was on or above target – 33 measures (49%)
· Currently performance was not at expected levels. Confidence that the target would be achieved by year-end – 5 measures (7%)
· Performance was not currently on target. High risk that year-end target would not be achieved – 19 measures (28%)
· Target could not be assessed this quarter. (i.e. Annual measure or awaiting publication of data) – 6 measures (9%)
· Information measure targets not applicable. (i.e. Volume / Demand measures where ‘good’ is neither high or low) – 5 measures (7%)
During the meeting, each Cabinet Member gave a verbal report on progress within their portfolio:
Social Inclusion and Neighbourhood Working – Councillor Sheppard stated that 25 ward plans had been produced and published, informed by local communities. Food vouchers worth £1.586 million had been provided to children eligible for free school meals, for the school holidays through to October half term 2024. 71 new volunteering opportunities had been created in the first two quarters against an annual target of 80. Other highlights included the restoration of Waterloo Kiln; Clifton Park, Greasbrough Park, Rother Valley Country Park, and Thrybergh Country Park achieving the Green Flag status and Natural England Accreditation being awarded to Rother Valley; Thrybergh; and Ulley Country Parks. The Section 19 Storm Babet report had been published and distributed to those affected. Finally, Councillor Sheppard stated that the Children’s Capital of Culture year-long festival was underway with the “Otherham” Winter Light festival to take place from 24 – 26 January 2025.
Finance and Safe & Clean Communities – Councillor Alam highlighted the work ongoing to Deliver improvements in response to the Employee Opinion Survey 2023 results. The sickness absence performance measure missed its target but had improved in the period to the end of September 2024. Additional support continued to be provided to managers including absence management clinics and appropriate absence data and information. Initiatives to increase the cleanliness of the borough were continuing, with additional cleansing in and outside of Rotherham Town Centre. Councillor Alam also noted that, during Quarter 1 and Quarter 2, there were 34 effective enforcement actions against fly tipping and 2,445 effective enforcement actions for other environmental crime. This was the highest number recorded
to date. Work was ongoing alongside partners to ensure that Rotherham was a safe, inclusive and welcoming place for local people. This included responding effectively to community safety issues such as anti-social behaviour and hate crime.
Housing – Councillor Allen referenced the Tenant Satisfaction Measures considered earlier on the agenda. The work done to reduce homelessness was highlighted. A homelessness improvement plan was in place, focused on prevention and temporary accommodation. This included expansion of the Council’s temporary accommodation portfolio to meet demand and reduce hotel usage. 14 additional temporary accommodation homes had been completed so far and as of end Quarter 2, 161 households were in temporary accommodation (both temporary accommodation and hotels), which was a reduction on the previous two quarters. Over 630 homes had been delivered as part of the Council’s Housing Delivery Programme. Councillor Allen also highlighted the work done across South Yorkshire on homelessness and development partnerships.
Children and Young People – Councillor Cusworth explained that in November 2024, Rotherham’s services for children and young people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) had received the highest rating. The procurement process for the Baby Packs scheme to support families with essential items was complete. Work had also been focussed on increasing the number of families registered with a Family Hub so that children, young people and their families had somewhere to go when they needed help, advice or support. As at the end of Quarter 2, 75% of families with a child up to six months old had registered. The latest available data for the proportion of two-year-olds taking up an early education place indicated that 83.6% had taken up a place in the 2023/24 academic year. Although this was below the Council Plan target of 85%, performance remained positive when compared to the latest published benchmark data (74.8% national and 77.9% statistical neighbour averages). Councillor Cusworth also explained that the Council continued to provide new residential homes, so more Children in Care and young people in Rotherham could stay in the borough and remain safe from harm. Other highlights included the provision of additional school places for children with SEND at schools across the borough; the launch of the Children’s Capital of Culture 2025 and the delivery of universal youth work sessions.
Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy – Councillor Taylor highlighted the opening of the Forge Island site. The hotel had opened in July 2024 and the cinema in September 2024. A case study on this was included at page 97 of Appendix 1. After a significant tenant for the food and drink units fell away,
negotiations had taken place with alternative operators and were in advanced stages with the most likely timescale for opening, following operator fit-outs, being Spring 2025. The development of Forge Island had been a Council-wide endeavour, spanning ten years of collaborative work, to revitalise Forge Island into a family-friendly destination. Delivered with the Council’s partner, Muse, Forge Island was a key development in the Town Centre Masterplan. Councillor Taylor also highlighted that the structural repair of the Centenary Way viaduct achieved practical completion in November 2024, nine weeks ahead of its originally scheduled completion date.
Adult Care and Health – Councillor Baker-Rogers highlighted the New All Age Autism Strategy that had been agreed in February 2024. The Strategy set out the vision for all autistic people living and working in Rotherham to have the same opportunities as anyone else to live rewarding and fulfilling lives, whatever their age. 75% of Care Homes had now signed up as Infection Prevention and Control Champions. Mental health enablement services had
launched in May 2024 and the New Learning Disabilities Strategy, which
sets out Rotherham’s aspirations for people with a learning disability, was
formally launched April 2024. Construction of the Castle View Day Service
and new homes at Canklow had started with ‘spade in the ground’ events in
September and October 2024.
The report was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board (OSMB), who advised that the recommendations be supported.
Resolved:
That
Cabinet:
1.
Note the overall position in relation to the Year Ahead Delivery
Plan activities.
2.
Note the Quarter 2 data for the Council Plan performance
measures.
3. Note that a progress report covering the remainder of the year will be presented to Cabinet in July 2025.
Supporting documents: