Agenda item

Damien Wilson, Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment, presented a performance report for the Services provided by the Regeneration and Environment Directorate.

Performance information for the 3^rd quarter of the 2016/17 year was currently being collated by the Performance and Quality Unit.  The current status of performance for the Service at the end of the 2^nd quarter (April-September 2016) was as follows:-

-          4 Indicators were off target (red)

-          22 Indicators were on target (green)

-          2 Indicators were (amber) off target but progress towards achieving the target was satisfactory

-          12 measures were reported annually and information would be available at the end of quarter 4

The Directorate plan was currently under review to meet the 1^st April deadline which would also reflect some of the Performance Indicators as well as some new Indicators. 

Discussion ensued with the following issues raised/clarified:-

-          The blue rating on the performance scorecard referred to no performance information being available or that it was an annual Indicator.

-          The missed bin collection rate was well under target and did not include the collection of recyclates.  The recyclates collection vehicles had been out of date for some time and were being explored for the green waste collection.  There were cost implications but a business case was being prepared.

-          Further information would be sought with regard to the percentage of municipal waste landfilled.

-          Whilst Rotherham probably had the most stringent taxi licencing policy in the country, it could not impose it on anyone else or stop people from licensing their taxis elsewhere and operating under a sub-contract arrangement with an existing Rotherham taxi operator.  The message was to ask for a Rotherham registered taxi so you would know that the driver had been subject to the rigorous policy.  If customers continued to ask for a Rotherham taxi hopefully there would be no trade for those that came from outside Rotherham and flouted the rules. 

-          In terms of enforcement, those drivers that had not complied with the BTEC requirement due to an issue that they could rectify, their licence could be suspended and re-issued once complete.  If it involved something that the driver could not rectify e.g. historic behaviour the licence would not be re-issued/granted. 

-          There was data for each individual library across the Borough which could be supplied to Members.  Consideration was being given to a more central town centre location for the main library. 

-          Acknowledgement that the town centre had migrated with the move of Tesco from the Forge Island site.  Footfall data was analysed on a quarterly basis using the same fixed points and giving consistency in how it was gathered.  If the cameras were moved to take account of the new town centre it would be a new baseline and take a period of time to enable comparisons to be made. 

-          Request for a breakdown of actual anti-social behaviour incidents including figures rather than percentages. 

-          The Police crime recording measures had completely changed with a lot more recorded than previously.

-          Rotherham was the third best performing local authority in the country with regard to planning applications.

-          Key sites were already monitored by cameras some of which were battery operated.  Currently there were a limited number of cameras but there would be investment if they proved their worth.  Flytipping formed part of the broader enforcement activity with a general enforcement target.  That was then broken down to look at what was done in Enforcement. 

-          Further analysis required with regard to the levels of street cleanliness measure.

-          There was action (including financial penalties) the Authority could take with regard to utility companies when highways were not reinstated to an acceptable condition after conducting works. 

-          It was critical to develop alternative income streams if there were non-statutory activities the Authority wanted to maintain in the future.  Grounds Maintenance and Street Cleansing staff had been challenged to sell the services of the Authority and spot any opportunities.    When a contract was lost it should be challenged as to why. 

-          The current target for Grounds Maintenance contacts was 719, 286 for Q2 and 73 in Q3.  An understanding of the nature of the contacts was required as some may be compliments/requests for service opposed to complaints. 

-          Recruitment was underway for the post of Street Scene Manager.

-          Work was underway in gathering data on the number of people resident in the town centre.   

-          There was data available through the Safer Roads hub with regard to people killed or seriously injured in road traffic accidents.  The data indicated where the priority areas, however, in the South Yorkshire context, Rotherham was not particularly high by comparison.

Resolved:-  (1) That the report be noted.

(2)  That the quarter performance be submitted to the Select Commission once it had been considered by Cabinet.