Agenda and minutes

(a)          This meeting is to be webcast;

(b)        Members are reminded of the need to activate their microphones before speaking; and

(c)        the Chairman will read the following announcement:

“I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live to the Internet and will be capable of subsequent repeated viewing, with copies of the recording being made available for those that request it.

By being present at this meeting, it is likely that the recording cameras will capture your image and this will result in your image becoming part of the broadcast.

You should be aware that this may infringe your human and data protection rights. If you have any concerns then please speak to the Webcasting Officer.

Please could I also remind Members to activate their microphones before speaking.”

The Chairman reminded everyone present that the meeting would be broadcast live to the Internet and that the Council had adopted a protocol for the webcasting of its meetings.

(Director of Governance) To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

The Committee noted that Councillor S Kane would substitute for Councillor C Whitbread for this meeting.

(Director of Governance) To declare interests in any item on this agenda.

There were no declarations of interest pursuant to the Council’s Code of Member Conduct.

To confirm the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on 24 January 2019 (previously circulated at Cabinet 7 February 2019).

A copy of the minutes can be found here.

            Resolved:

That the minutes from the meeting held on 24 January 2019 be signed and read as a correct record by the Chairman.

(Interim Transformation Manager) To consider the attached report.

The Senior Project Manager, M Chwiedz presented a report regarding the outturn position for Quarter 4 - 2018/19, in relation to the achievements of the Corporate Plan for 2018-2023.

The Corporate Plan 2018-2023 was the authority’s key strategic planning document, which laid out the journey the Council would take to transform the organisation to be ‘Ready for the Future’. The plan linked the key external drivers influencing Council services, with a set of corporate aims and objectives, grouped under three corporate ambitions.

A Corporate Specification for each year (previously called the Key Action Plan) detailed how the Corporate Plan was being delivered through operational objectives, with these in turn linked to annual service business plans.

The success of the Corporate Plan was assessed through the achievement of a set of benefits, each measured through one or more performance indicator, focussed on what the Council achieved for customers. The Leadership Team, Cabinet and the scrutiny committees had overview and scrutiny roles to drive improvement in performance and ensure corrective action was taken where necessary. The reporting format had changed for year 2, which would demonstrated in the next report.

The Senior Project Officer updated members on the following performance indicators;

M 5.1.1 Adoption of the Local Plan – The examination of the plan was underway with the hearings and adoption of the plan due this summer.

M 10.6 Adoption of a Commercial (Estates) Strategy – This had been adopted at the Cabinet meeting on 13 June 2019.

The Committee enquired whether the commentary on M1.3 Number of Independent Living Homes in the district , was to do with a planning application in Waltham Abbey. The Planning Services Portfolio Holder advised that this was, although it had been delayed as it had only been through pre-application planning and required further work.

The Committee enquired when would the Burton Road units mention in M4.3 Number of new residential properties built or acquired by the Council be fully occupied. The Housing and Property Services advised that there had been delays because of the fire damage and water connections, although all the units would be occupied by the end of June 2019.

The Committee commented that M4.1 Number of businesses who joined the ‘Buy with confidence’ scheme should be removed as it had not progressed any further and appeared not be to commercially viable. The Interim Transformation Manager advised that this performance indicator had been removed for year 2. Members requested that the one business who had joined, should also be refunded which was supported by the Community and Partnership Services Portfolio Holder.

RESOLVED:

(1)          That the outturn position for Quarter 4 2018/19, in relation to the achievement of the Corporate Plan for 2018-2023 be noted; and

(2)          That arrangements be made to refund the one business signed up to the ‘Buy with confidence’ scheme.

(Interim Transformation Manager) To consider the attached report.

The Interim Transformation Manager informed the Committee that the Corporate Plan Action Plan provided the mechanism for reporting the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and key programmes of work, which highlighted the Council overall performance against the Corporate Objectives.

The Year 2 Action Plan had been streamlined to enable an improved focus on how the Corporate Objectives had been met. It reduced the number of KPIs from 47 to 13 and key corporate programmes of work to 11. The reporting format had also been revised to provide a more concise presentation of information and greater clarity on performance. This would be reported as a KPI or a corporate work programme. The KPIs would continue to have defined targets that would be reported quarterly, if they were ‘below target’ or ‘required attention’ with a narrative relating to the performance and corrective action being taken and the corporate programmes would be ranked with a Red, Amber or Green (RAG) rating.

The Interim Transformation Manager advised that the ‘Improved customer first point resolution’ KPI had not reached the target of 45% and currently was 38.7%. Also, the ‘Households accepted as being unintentionally homeless and in priority need’ KPI had been maintained.

The Committee commented that the target for ‘Improved customer first point resolution’ had been set too high as the baseline figures had not achieved more than 35.70% over the year.

The Committee advised that the comments and narrative needed to be clearer, as it was not apparent how the KPI’s were being measured and what the percentage figures represented. The Committee suggested that an electronic link could be inserted into the document with detailed explanations on how the KPI’s were being measured and what the targets were, which would enable the performance reports to be clearer for all members and that this information be included in every report as a link.

            RESOLVED:

(1)  That the narrative and comments be amended and include electronic links with further information on the KPI’s on each performance report;

(2)  That the KPIs and RAG rated programmes for 2019/20 be agreed.

Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, requires that the permission of the Chairman be obtained, after prior notice to the Chief Executive, before urgent business not specified in the agenda (including a supplementary agenda of which the statutory period of notice has been given) may be transacted.

It was noted that there was no other urgent business for consideration by the Committee.