Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive which gave an overview of progress made towards delivery of the key priorities within the Council Plan 2023-27 in line with the council’s corporate performance framework.  The report covered the performance in and to the end of quarter one April to June 2023 (for copy see file of Minutes).

Tom Gorman, Corporate Policy and Performance Manager gave a verbal update on work that had progressed from April to June 2023. The report was different to the quarter four report as this was the new format for data presented in a more clear and transparent way.  This was the first report of the new municipal year and he highlighted the main key items since the last Committee meeting.

Councillor L Fenwick thought the report was informative but depressing as it was unclear how the Committee would be able to scrutinise the national and global issues.  She thought the main the solution would be that more investment was required.

Councillor D Sutton-Lloyd found that anti social behaviour was the main topic brought up at every Committee meeting and the report did not seem to reflect what was going on.  He had major issues in his division that had gone on for the last 6-12 months.  Upon talking to residents they felt that reporting issues was a waste of time as they could not get through to the Police.

Councillor P Heaviside confirmed that he had called 101 on three separate occasions and had been connected every time even with all the fires that were occurring at this time of year with bonfire night.

Councillor R Crute was concerned with the social care report with the increased demand on the SEND service and health and social care plans. Although there was a positive slant it did not reflect the recommendations to committee. He noted that the report illustrated what things were done well but did not highlight things that were not done well.  The report should be presented to the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny committee as there were serious concerns on the demand on the service.  He stressed that there was a requirement to look at the consistency of the report format.  He endorsed the new dashboard format as information itself gave a strong position but he thought it was up to Members to establish if the position was strong or not.  He considered that the recommendation within the report referenced that members’ note a “strong position” but that strong could not be used to describe the performance reported to all of the thematic Committee’s and suggested that less leading language be used in the recommendation.

The Corporate Policy and Performance Manager made a note of these critiques but was aware that the report had gone to Cabinet and the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board. He noted that when the CYPOSC considered the performance report members had questioned whether the report had actually shown strong performance given concerns around CYP Social Work caseloads and the length of time that assessments for EHCPs were taking. He agreed that less leading language should be used in reports.

Councillor R Charlton-Lainé noted that something similar should be carried out around ASB in schools as what had been achieved with arson where 11-16 years were being educated on the consequences of arson.  She also thought that a similar tactic should be taken around suicide to show children and young people the effects that suicide had on those who were left behind. They needed to be educated to help then make the right decision.

Councillor J Charlton asked if there was a correlation between when fly-tipping occurred and the opening hours of recycling centres.  She thought that potentially there was more fly-tipping when the opening hours were reduced in the winter.

The Corporate Policy and Performance Manager explained that the suicide figures were looked at in five year periods.  He agreed that people should be educated to make them stop thinking that the world would be better off without them and make them aware of the consequences they left behind for their families. He agreed he would investigate the recycling centre opening times in relation to when the majority of fly-tipping was reported.

Stephen Gwillym, Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer stated that this was the new format for the report and it would be in that style going forward.  Other scrutiny committees had already seen the new version and had unilaterally agreed with the new dashboard format as it made the data more accessible.

Councillor V Andrews mentioned that suicide was no longer a crime and that language in the report should be changed to reflect that.

Resolved:

i)               That the overall position and direction of travel in relation to quarter one performance and the actions being taken to address areas of challenge be noted.

ii)             That the changes and improvements to the new format performance report which will be used exclusively from quarter two 2023/24 be noted.