Agenda item

Report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships – Performance and Improvement Team Leader, Regeneration and Local Services.

The Chairman thanked the Performance and Improvement Team Leader, G Wilkinson who was in attendance to speak to Members in relation to the Quarter 2, 2016/17 Performance Management Report (for copy see file of minutes).

The Performance and Improvement Team Leader reminded Members of the bringing together of Regeneration and Economic Development and Neighbourhood Services to form the Regeneration and Local Services and that work was ongoing to bring the information together, with the remit and focus of the items reported to Committee to remain the same.  It was added that following feedback from Members a new “dashboard” summary page was being included within the report with a more visual style to help present the performance information in a more concise and user-friendly way.  The usual narrative and appendices with performance data would remain as part of the report.

Members noted the Indicators set out within the report including: a fall in the employment rate, still below the regional and national levels; the number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA), and those claimants aged 18-24 increased slightly, noting that this would change to reporting in terms of Universal Credit (UC) as people moved from JSA to UC.  It was added that Business Durham activities had created or safeguarded 474 jobs and that the number of apprenticeship starts through County Durham schemes was 50.  It was noted however that the number of apprenticeship starts sustained had fallen from last year, however this was linked to a lower number of apprenticeship starts overall this year as funding had reduced.  Members noted that as funding was coming through it was thought this trend would be reversed.  As mentioned in a previous report, there was a growing number of young people being helped through DurhamWorks, with 584 young people being registered.

The Performance and Improvement Team Leader explained that the number of affordable homes being delivered was in line with target, albeit less than the previous year though this was in the context of the Cluster Bids in 2015 which boost numbers that year. 

Members noted the number of private sector homes brought back into use through Council intervention was slightly below target, noting interest-free loans available via the capital programme were accessible only by those landlords registered on the Accredited Landlord Registration Scheme.  It was added that the number of net homes completed and affordable homes delivered were just below target, however there had been changes as regards affordable housing nationally.

The Committee were reminded of the work of Chapter Homes and noted 40 of 125 properties had already been reserved, with the first completions having taken place and some owners moved in.  It was added that agreement had been made for Phase 2 and a planning application for the site at Chester-le-Street was being worked on.

The Performance and Improvement Team Leader added that in terms of tourism there had been a number of successes with an increase in the visitor numbers, an increase in visitor spend and an increase in the number of jobs supported by the visitor economy.  It was added that activities had included: Lumiere; an Yves Saint Laurent exhibition at Bowes Museum; the Magna Carta event at Palace Green; and successful Visit County Durham (VCD) campaigns.

The Chairman thanked the Performance and Improvement Team Leader, noted the new dashboard summary sheet and asked Members for any feedback on this and questions on the performance report.

Members commented that they found the new dashboard summary very helpful.

Councillor P Stradling noted that the feedback from other Scrutiny Committees had been positive in terms of the new dashboard presentation.

Councillor H Nicholson commented that in terms of housing regeneration and the pausing of the County Durham Plan (CDP), there is a need to monitor the number of houses given planning permission versus those actually delivered.  Councillor M Davinson asked as regards KPI 110, with a reduction from 67 to 21 core tourism businesses participating in the VCD Partnership Scheme. The Performance and Improvement Team Leader noted in terms of KPI 110 that previously there was a wide range of free advice being offered, however in the current funding environment this was now a fee-paying model.  When the scheme was first introduced there was an influx to join however this initial momentum would not be maintained but the figure would continue to be monitored. 

Councillor M Davinson added that in relation to KPI 94 in terms of clients accessing the Housing Solutions Service this had increased and was reported as “red”, however there is a need for this indicator to be reviewed by the service as the number of clients accessing the Housing Solutions Service will continue to increase, as the number of homeless increase due to the impact of the Homelesseness Reduction Bill, the Benefit Cap and the reduction in Housing Benefit.

Councillor J Clare asked as regards KPIs in terms of Housing Solutions and added that an increase in numbers was seen as a failure as reported, however he felt that this was not fair in that it showed the service was reaching more people and that this was a good thing. 

He continued by asking whether those 3 indicators gave Members an accurate reflection of the performance.  Mr T Batson agreed with Councillor J Clare that increased awareness of the service was helping to increase the numbers of people being helped.

The Performance and Improvement Team Leader noted that they were the correct indicators, however the “red, amber, green” reporting (RAG format) had limitations in being able to give a fuller picture and that possibly a new format with graphs showing overall trends not just per quarter or year-on-year would give a more accurate impression and that she would discuss this with the relevant Service Grouping.

Councillor A Patterson asked as regards REDPI 62 and what number of apprenticeship starts were as a result of the DurhamWorks programme, and also asked what reasons were behind the reduction in the number of affordable homes being delivered.  The Performance and Improvement Team Leader noted that in terms of affordable housing there had been a change in the funding regime and while they were still being delivered, it was a changing picture.  It was noted that Officers would look at the report in terms of how best to feedback to Members on apprenticeship numbers. 

Councillor A Batey commented that in relation to RED PI 105, number of apprenticeships from Durham County schemes sustained at least 15 months had fallen and asked if Members could be supplied with information identifying the reasons for this.  The Performance and Improvement Team Leader confirmed that she would be able to supply members with a breakdown of the reasons.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.