Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive which presented an overview of progress towards achieving the key outcomes of the council’s corporate performance framework and highlight key messages to inform strategic priorities and work programmes from October to December 2022 (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Corporate Policy and Performance Manager reported that most of the performance issues detailed within the Quarter 3 performance report related to antisocial behaviour.

Reference was made to the selective licencing scheme introduced in April 2022 and that 6712 properties were now fully licenced representing an estimated 24% of all properties covered by the scheme. A further 1600 applications were in the system equating to a further 6% of properties. A number of members expressed concern at the apparent low number of properties registered in the scheme and sought clarification as to what the council was doing to both encourage take up and take enforcement action against those landlords who were eligible to register within the scheme but had failed to do so. Members questioned the success of the scheme against the initial objectives and if more enforcement action needed to be taken or whether the scheme had sufficient staff resources to deliver it.

The Head of Community Protection advised members that a pragmatic approach had been taken to the introduction of the selective licencing scheme with the priority for staff being to identify landlords and encourage them to sign up to the scheme. Whilst acknowledging that the scheme was time limited and that an evaluation would need to be undertaken of the scheme's success towards the end of the initial phase, the teams would look to increase the enforcement activity when appropriate. It was suggested that an informal briefing might be needed for members on this issue.

The Corporate Policy and Performance Manager reported that the annual survey to assess public confidence in Police and Local authority plans to tackle ASB had been undertaken within January 2023 and that the results were analysed and an update report was to be included within the Quarter 4 performance management report on the results.

The Corporate Policy and Performance Manager reported the Government’s recently announced anti-social behaviour action plan launched on 27th March 2023. Under these plans 16 areas in England and Wales will be funded to support either new “hotspot” police and enforcement patrols in areas with the highest rates of antisocial behaviour or trial a new “immediate justice” scheme to deliver swift and visible punishments. A range of further measures were announced as part of the launch and details of these were being examined and could be reported to a future meeting of the committee.

During the discussion which followed members expressed concern around how resources for the trailblazer areas would be allocated and utilised. In response, members were advised that funding around these initiatives would be allocated to Police and Crime Commissioners.

Cllr Boyes expressed his disappointed at the continued reporting under the performance management framework by way of exception and also the fact that most of the performance indicators were tracker with little or no targets or outputs through which success could be measured. By way of example, he referenced drug and alcohol treatment completions which under the previous performance management framework were reported on a quarterly basis within the reports. Under the new arrangements these performance statistics were no longer reported thus placing the committee at risk of not knowing whether the commissioned services were delivering the outcomes originally anticipated.

The Corporate Policy and Performance Manager explained that the recently appointed Head of Corporate Affairs was reviewing the existing performance management framework and reporting processes. A new system of reporting would be introduced from 2023/24 Q1 and member comments on the new system would be welcomed. He assured Councillor Boyes that he would raise the committee's concerns in respect of drug and alcohol treatment performance with the service and request for performance information to be circulated to the committee.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.