Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive.

The Committee considered a report of the Assistant Chief Executive which presented progress against the Council’s corporate basket of indicators, Council Plan and service plan actions, and reported upon other performance issues for the second quarter of the 2015/2016 financial year, covering the period July to September 2015 (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Corporate Scrutiny and Performance Manager highlighted key achievements in the quarter. Performance in respect of the payment of invoices exceeded the 92% target in the quarter and for nine of the last ten successive months. Other key achievements included that 99% of customers were seen at Customer Access Points within the 15 minute target, call handling and council tax collection had improved, and for the first time the target for employee appraisals had been met.

The quarter had seen slippage in processing of housing benefit and council tax reduction claims, and sickness absence levels remained a challenge.

Councillor Martin congratulated Officers with regard to performance in respect of the payment of invoices.

Councillor Wilkes referred to page 82 of the papers and the proportion of households in fuel poverty. He stated that there were a number of charities who offered assistance to residents suffering fuel poverty and asked if the Council liaised with those organisations. The Head of Planning and Performance advised that she would refer the Councillor's comments to the Fuel Poverty Working Group.

With regard to the slippage in performance in respect of processing housing benefit claims, Councillor Wilkes referred to savings proposed in RES19 on page 56 of the papers. If the proposed savings included a reduction in staffing levels he was concerned that performance would continue to slip.

The Revenues and Benefits Manager explained the reasons for the underperformance. He advised that the Team had been affected by the implementation of the Welfare Assistance Service and the introduction of the Universal Credit Scheme. A number of officers had left the Authority but 7 new members of staff had now received training. The situation was improving and he was confident that the annual target would be met.

Councillor Wilkes noted that discretionary housing payments had reduced significantly and asked if this was due to changes in welfare assistance.

The Revenues and Benefits Manager advised that these were entirely separate schemes. The Team was trying to establish the reasons why fewer people were coming forward to claim discretionary housing payments and was looking at ways of raising awareness.

Councillor Wilkes asked if Members could be provided with the level of funding the Council received in respect of the Welfare Assistance Scheme against the total paid to customers on an annual basis.        

By way of information the Customer Relations Policy and Performance Manager advised of a new scheme which made funding available in the private rented sector through the County Durham Central Heating Fund to upgrade heating systems. The Team was informing customers of the scheme.

Resolved:

That the content of the report be noted.