Agenda item

Sarah McCall, Contracting Officer, presented the submitted report which summarised RBT’s performance against contractual measures and key service delivery issues for February, 2011, across the areas of Customer Access, Human Resources and Payroll, ICT, Procurement and Revenues and Benefits.

Key points for this period included:-

Customer Access

-              All performance targets achieved

-              Slight improvement in the performance of the 2010 Rotherham Repairs Services resulting in reduction in call volumes to acceptable levels.  Co-location of Willmot Dixon staff was now less of a problem as they were able to respond to telephone calls from the contact centre

-              Welfare Rights and Money Advice Service was actively participating in the review of advice delivered in Rotherham

-              Additional resources had been moved into the Registration Service from the Contact Centre and the Service Development Team due to high volumes of long term sickness

-              No complaints were received

Human Resources and Payroll

-              All performance targets achieved

-              Issues in relation to Internet Explorer version 8 and Yourself access

-              Aston Comprehensive School had confirmed that they would continue to buy back services from the HRP Service after they had achieved Academy status

-              EDS Facilities Services were exploring the possibility of transferring their weekly paid workforce to monthly payment

ICT

-              All performance targets achieved

-              RMBC and RBT had reached agreement on the proposal for the ICT fit-out of Riverside House and the migration of the data centre from Civic

-              EDRMS Programme Manager now in post

-              Planning for ICT support during the May elections was well advanced

-              No complaints received

Procurement

-              All performance targets achieved

-              Former BVP18 achieved 93.24%. 

Revenues and Benefits

-              Council Tax Collection Rate 94.9% at the end of February, 2011, 0.9% lower than the same point in 2009/10. 

-              The target for 2010/11 continued to be a Council Tax Collection Rate which placed Rotherham in the upper performance quartile for Metropolitan District Councils with a minimum collection level of 97.0% regardless of quartile position

-              There had been 3,726 Council Tax Liability Orders referred to the bailiff up to the end of February, none of which were classed as a vulnerable case

-              Average number of days taken to action a Council Tax Change of Circumstance was 6.76 days.  This was better than the performance level which the service aimed to achieve i.e. 14 days

-              NNDR collection rate was 96.71% at the end of February, 2011, 0.78% behind the  same point in 2009/10

-              The NNDR collection figure had been adjusted to incorporate the affect of the NNDR Deferral Scheme.  The year end target remained a collection rate which placed Rotherham in the upper performance quartile for Metropolitan District Councils with a maximum collection level of 98.5% regardless of quartile position

-              374 Business Rates Liability Orders had been referred to the bailiff in the current financial year up to the end of February, 2011

-              The number of cases under NNDR Deferral Scheme currently stood at 184 allowing for a deferral of £395,173

-              No complaints were received

Discussion took place on the report with the following issues highlighted/raised:-

o             The efficiencies and savings that could be accrued by transferring weekly paid workforce to monthly

o             Three month exercise at Doncaster Borough Council exploring the possibilities of shared services

o             BVP18’s outturn position was 94.89%.  Although not meeting its stretched target of 96%, it had improved from 2009/10

o             The year end figure for Council Tax Collection was 97.4% which was a fantastic achievement and an improvement on last year’s performance of 97.1%.

o             The NNDR outturn position was 98.4%, a very good performance and 0.1% higher than 2009/10

Resolved:- (1)  That RBT’s performance against contractual measures and key service delivery issues for February, 2011, be noted.

(2)  That discussions take place with the Assistant Chief Executive Human Resources with regard to the number of employees still paid on a weekly basis with the outcome thereof reported to the next meeting.

(3)  That future reports include information on Riverside House.