Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

Cabinet Member:     Councillor Alam

Commissioner:         Ney (in advisory role)

Recommendations:-

1.    That the overall position and direction of travel in relation to performance be noted.

2.    That those measures which have not progressed in accordance with the target set and the actions required to improve performance, including future performance clinics, be discussed

3.    That the performance reporting timetable for 2017/18 be noted.

Consideration was given to the report which confirmed how the Council Plan represented the core document that underpinned the Council’s overall vision, setting out headline priorities, indicators and measures that would demonstrate its delivery. Alongside it sat the Council’s Performance Management Framework which explained to all Council staff how robust performance monitoring and management arrangements were required to ensure effective implementation. 

To ensure that the delivery of actions and their impact was assessed, formal quarterly performance reports were required to be submitted to the public Cabinet and Commissioners’ Decision-Making meeting, with an opportunity for pre-Scrutiny consideration in line with new governance arrangements.  This report was the fourth and final report in the 2017/18 reporting cycle covering quarter 4 (1st January 2018 to 31st March 2018). 

The Performance Report and Performance Dashboard/Scorecard (Appendices A and B) provided an analysis of the Council’s current performance against 14 key delivery outcomes and 72 measures. 

This report was based on the current position of available data, along with an overview of progress on key projects and activities which also contributed towards the delivery of the Council Plan.   

At the end of the fourth and final quarter (January to March 2018) 25 measures had either met or had exceeded the target set in the Council Plan.  This represented 43.9% of the total number of indicators where data was available or where targets have been set. The direction of travel was positive for 32 (49.2%) of the indicators measured in this quarter. The Priority area with the highest proportion of targets met was Priority 4 (Extending Opportunity and Prosperity).

Cabinet Members provided an update in accordance with current performance for service areas:-

Councillor Beck, Cabinet Member for Housing, confirmed the measure relating to number of new homes delivered during the year had seen an increase of 10% from the previous year with the delivery of 479 homes, which was 162 properties below target.  There were a couple of external factors why this measure had not been met, but it was hoped with the approval of the Rotherham Local Plan developers would be more confident in bringing sites forward.  A new indicator would be introduced next year that would more specifically measure and report the number of new homes delivery that were as a result of direct Council intervention.

In terms of Measure 4.B2 property standards were continuing to improve and all housing stock owned and rented to tenants by the Council now met minimum standards of decency.

87% properties eligible to register under the Selective Licensing Scheme have registered and 90% of these properties have been inspected to test landlord compliance.  94.2% of these properties are compliant with the standards set for private landlords renting accommodation in the Borough.

Councillor Roche, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, confirmed the data for 2.A1(a) and (b) was of concern and whilst it had seen some improvement, this was still outside the local comparators top quartile.  A new provider was now in place and work would take place with them to improve services.

For Adults 8 of the 9 measures had seen improvements when compared to the previous year.  Targets have not been achieved for 5 of the indicators, but the direction of travel was positive.  2.B1 and 2.B2 had achieved their targets and had improved performance on previous quarters.

2.B8 had not met its performance target of 351 with only 315 admissions.

Councillor Watson, Deputy Leader, reported on the Families for Change cohort and how the increase in demand was affecting the targets for the Children in Need rate, reduction in the number of children subject to a Child Protection Plan and the reduction in the number of Looked after Children.

Improved performance in Early Years was pleasing in line with the national average.  There had been a dip in NEETS which was 0.3% below target.  Services were working hard to improve performance.’

Councillor Hoddinott, Cabinet Member for Waste, Roads and Community Safety, reported the positive outcome of the measures relating to 3.B4 number of missed bin collections and 3.B5 recycling.  There was a need to ensure this continued when the new waste management changes came into operation.

In terms of roads, measure 3.B1 (a) and (b) percentage of principal and non-principal roads in need of repair, the latest information confirmed the Council currently had 2% and 5% of the adopted highway that were in need of repair.  Unfortunately, in terms of 3B1 (c) the Council’s unclassified roads were currently not in as good condition as the national average.  This had been recognised and the Council was at the start of the second year of a 3 year award of investment to address the deterioration of the unclassified road network.

This quarter had again been affected by system changes by South Yorkshire Police to gather the statistics to form the basis of the Council’s measures in tackling anti-social behaviour, hate crime and domestic abuse.

The Licensing Service continued to progress towards 100% compliance in all 4 components of the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy.

Effective enforcement action had been taken where evidence was found and had resulted in 42 fly-tipping prosecutions and 6,673 fixed penalty notices being issued in the Council’s efforts to combat fly tipping and other environmental crime.

Councillor Allen, Cabinet Member for Cleaner Greener Communities, confirmed more than 3.2 million visits had taken place during the baseline year for 2017/18.

21 complaints have been received in Quarter 4 bringing the cumulative figure 9 above the target for the year of 75.  Although the target had not been achieved there was a very small margin for change with the number of operations undertaken by the services.

Councillor Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy, confirmed the total number of businesses in the Borough had risen by 420 over the year.

Rotherham was also narrowing the gap to the UK average on the rate of the work age population economically active in the Borough.

Rotherham’s Planning Service also continued to determine 100% of the applications received within the specified periods.

Business Centres continued to perform well with average occupancy figures of 90%.

The Leader himself highlighted that whilst efforts to reduce the use of agency staff would continue, this had reduced by 18%. The Workforce Management Board would continue to challenge and scrutinise the use of agency workers across the organisation and expenditure was expected to fall further in next 12 months.

In terms of sickness absence, performance had improved from 10.97 to 10.26 days this meeting the target of 10.3 days.  Performance was also at 93% against a 95% target for the completion of PDR’s.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the overall position and direction of travel in relation to performance be noted.

(2)  That those measures which have not progressed in accordance with the target set and the actions required to improve performance, including future performance clinics, be discussed

(3)  That the performance reporting timetable for 2018/19 be noted.