Agenda item

Presented by Graham Tebbutt, Customer and Services Intelligent Manager – Report of the Assistant Chief Executive.

The Chair introduced the Customer and Services Intelligence Manager, Graham Tebbutt who was in attendance to speak to Members in relation to the Quarter 3, 2011/12 Performance Management Report (for copy see file of minutes).

The Customer and Services Intelligence Manager noted the table set out on page 23 of the papers that highlighted the performance indicators and performance of actions against target, 25 actions being on track.

The Committee learned that the key achievements in Quarter 3 were:

·        A steady reduction in the number of “non-decent” homes down to 31% from 34% the previous quarter, down from 39% the same period last year.

·        The success of the Lumiere Festival in November 2011, set to exceed the £1.5 Million generated for the local economy in 2009.

·        The number of private rented properties being improved by Local Authority intervention having exceeded target, 858 against a target of 366.

The Customer and Services Intelligence Manager explained that three key performance issues going forward were:

·        A dip in the performance of the processing of major planning applications within a 13 week period, from 78.4% in Quarter 2 to 59.4% in Quarter 3 against a target of 79.9%.  Members noted that during the restructuring of the section there had been a lot of staff moving offices; many applications were long term strategic issues which were unable to be determined within 13 weeks; and a revised approach to development management was to be introduced from April 2012.

·        The number of empty properties being brought back into use as a result of Local Authority intervention being 27 against a target of 60, Members having had a recent meeting highlighting the associated issues.

·        The percentage of bus services running on time, 88.1% with the target being 95%.  It was explained that it was thought that was due to lower than average results at two of the bus stations, Durham and Bishop Auckland on the survey day.

·        The occupancy rates of Council Owned Factories and Business Support Centres was at 75%, below the target of 78%.  Members noted a Business Space Strategy was approved by Cabinet in December 2012 and future years funding would be considered for approval.

·        The Council Plan Action relating to the marketing of the business park at Hawthorn, scheduled to be achieved in October 2011 was on hold due to economic conditions, however, the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) was very interested in the site due to its close proximity to the A19 and the LEP was keen to cooperate with the Council in this regard.

·        The Cycling Strategy was open to consultation on the Council’s website until 2 May 2012.

·        The Review of Markets was delayed, implementation to scheduled for September 2012.

Members noted the Tracker Indicators set out at paragraph 7 of the report in relation to the rise in the number of 18-24 year olds claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA); the latest figures from the National Apprenticeship Service; the number of people claiming JSA for one year or more; a continued reduction in the employment rate an increase in the number of homelessness preventions; and the reduction in the number of homes completed near major settlements as a proportion of all completions.  In respect of those receiving JSA for 1 year or more, it was noted that the figures were 1,645 of a total of 16,000 JSA claimants, the highest amount since the late 1990s even when adjusted for seasonality.  The Customer and Services Intelligence Manager noted that as of February 2012 there were 2,300 vacancies for the County, of 14,000 for the wider region and this represented an increase of 600 for the County over the previous month albeit 200 less that the same period last year.  It was explained to the Committee that the total number of “untaken” vacancies for the County was approximately 2,800 (16,000 for the region) and this was comparable to the figures from the previous year.  Members noted that these did not necessarily represent full time jobs, and many could be part-time vacancies as little as 5 hours per week affecting the take up of the vacancies as they may not be suitable for all jobseekers.  Members noted that the numbers of vacancies by occupation showed that a number were from traditional trades and manufacturing though 1,000 of the 2,300 were in finance, banking, administration and call centres.  The Customer and Services Intelligence Manager explained that jobseekers did not value call centre jobs as highly as those within sales, administration, plant operation and manufacturing as it was often felt they were “better” jobs.

The Committee learned that the Park and Ride sites had demonstrated year on year increases with over 350,000 journeys recorded in the period October to December 2011, the highest volume being during the extended period around the Lumiere Festival and in December.  Members were informed of the ringfenced interview process in relation to the rationalisation of the Care Connect service and that the process for the Regeneration and Economic Development (RED) Directorate in general would be around 98% completed by the end of April 2012.  Members were reminded progress at the Amazon Park site, Newton Aycliffe, relating to the Hitachi development, had been delayed due to slippage of the signing off of the final contract, with further information to be given to Members in the Quarter 4 update.

The Customer and Services Intelligence Manager concluded by explaining that the significant risks to the delivery of the objectives of the Altogether Wealthier theme included the loss of Area Based Grant (ABG) funding as previously reported to Members; and an increased demand for the Housing Solution Service beyond the current staffing capacity as a result of changes in Government Welfare legislation.  The Committee noted that other significant risks were as previously reported in Quarter 2, namely the worsening condition of private housing stock and the adverse economic implications of this; a reduced allocation of deprivation based grants due to the Council’s new deprivations status; and diminishing capital resources, continuing depressed land values and slow growth in the private sector.

The Chair thanked the Customer and Services Intelligence Manager and asked Members for their questions. 

Mr T Batson noted the decrease in the turnaround of major planning applications and asked whether opportunities were being missed in attracting investment in large scale businesses and infrastructure projects as a result.  The Customer and Services Intelligence Manager noted that the types of application did not lend themselves to quick turnaround and that this coupled with the restructure for the planning section, had resulted in a drop in the Performance Indicator (PI).  Members were also advised that the Durham County Council (DCC) target was a particularly high target when compared regionally, given the usual complex nature of those types of application, and that the Quarter 4 figures would show whether the drop was a ”blip”.

Councillor M Wilkes asked whether there was an issue relating to the relative business rates of DCC business unit compared to private business units and whether this was affecting the occupancy rates of the DCC units.  The Customer and Services Intelligence Manager noted that there was the DCC Business Space Strategy that had been approved and this could be circulated to Members for information setting out around £2 million for capital projects.  It was added that the NNDR database inferred an average occupancy rate in the County of around 80%, comparable to the PI presented.  It was stressed that the types of business unit that DCC offered was quite different to those offered by the private sector.

Councillor M Wilkes asked whether the increase in the number Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) Claimants was a genuine increase or linked to Welfare Reform, with a comparable number decreasing for benefits such as Incapacity Benefit, Employment Support Allowance and so on. 

Mrs A Harrison, External Relations Manager, JobCentre Plus explained that there had been some move from other benefits onto JSA and that issues of lone parents and people having moved from full-time employment to only part-time employment was perhaps also an issue worth noting.

Councillor B Arthur asked as regards an Action Plan noted for completion in October 2011 for the proposed development at Hawthorn.  The Customer and Services Intelligence Manager explained that it was not an “Action Plan”, and as per the report plans were on hold pending an improvement in economic conditions.

Resolved:    

That the report be noted.