Agenda item

The Committee considered a joint report of the Corporate Director of Resources and the Corporate Director of Neighbourhoods and Climate Change which presented an overview of progress towards achieving the key outcomes of the Council’s corporate performance framework and highlighted key messages to inform strategic priorities and work programmes.  The report covered performance in and to the end of quarter two 2022/23, July to September 2022 (for copy of report see file of minutes).

Presenting the report, the Corporate Policy and Performance Manager, Tom Gorman, commented that the impact of pandemic continued to be seen and he noted that the previous two financial years were not representative, therefore the report contained a comparison of current performance against pre-pandemic data.  The cost of living crisis continued to be the main challenge during the quarter with high inflation outstripping wage and benefit increases, resulting in falling income in real terms, leading to increased demand for support and social care services. 

Areas going well included sustainable transport initiatives and carbon emissions which had seen a 57% reduction from the 1990 baseline, however, emissions from transport remained a challenge.  The Council had achieved green accreditation status from the Investors in Environment, in recognition of the work done to make County Durham a greener place to live and work.  Areas of concern included the increase in waste tonnage and the high rate of contamination of kerbside recycling.  The Corporate Policy and Performance Manager informed the Committee that the selective licensing scheme which came into effect in April had seen a low percentage of eligible properties fully registering for the scheme and therefore this area required attention. 

Diane Close, Overview and Scrutiny Officer, informed the Committee

that a joint scrutiny meeting will be held on 6 March, hosted by Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to which members of the Environment and Sustainable Communities and Safer and Stronger Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committees will be invited.  This will provide further information relating to empty homes and social housing provision. 

Councillor Adam pointed out the 6% increase in waste tonnage which the report attributed to behavioural change and home working and he asked whether this was based on empirical evidence. 

Councillor Adam raised concern at the impact on the energy to waste scheme and the increase in waste diverted to landfill. The Corporate Policy and Performance Manager referred to the explanation provided by the Strategic Waste Contracts Manager at the previous meeting, that as the waste generated by workplaces contributed to commercial waste and that generated at home was domestic waste, the increase in home working had led to the increase in the amount of domestic waste produced.  The Corporate Policy and Performance Manager stated that he would investigate the matter with colleagues in the Strategic Waste Team, for further information to be brought to a future meeting of the Committee. 

Councillor Adam queried why the latest performance data for highways dated from 2020.  The Corporate Policy and Performance Manager responded that there was a delay with the figures contained in the report, however, he would seek the up to date figures to circulate to the Committee.

Councillor Elmer referred to the difficulty of tackling transport related carbon emissions and he pointed out that a modal shift from private vehicle ownership to public transport would take time.  He was pleased to see that the government direction was now turning towards reallocating road space for public and active transport and he urged Members to empower officers within the relevant teams to continue to move in this direction, in order to reduce transport related carbon and nitrogen dioxide emissions.

The Chair referred to the library of resources being prepared by the Strategic Waste team and informed the Committee that it is hoped that information will be available to circulate to Members in the spring.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.