Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive – Graham Tebbutt, Customer and Services Intelligence Manager, Regeneration and Economic Development.

The Chair introduced the Customer and Services Intelligence Manager, Graham Tebbutt who was in attendance to speak to Members in relation to the Quarter 2, 2012/13 Performance Management Report (for copy see file of minutes).

The Customer and Services Intelligence Manager noted this information related to the period June 2012 to September 2012 and that due to the timings as regards collating Quarter 3, that report would follow at a future meeting.  In addition, he referred Members to additional information which had been circulated and requested by Members at a previous meeting of the Committee, providing a breakdown of business site occupancy figures.  Councillors noted that some of the achievements in Quarter 2 included non-decency levels for Council properties being ahead of target and good progress with the County Durham Plan.  It was added that key performance issues going forward were the number of empty properties being brought back into use, Council Plan actions and the programme of Capital Works for Regeneration and Economic Development (RED).  Members noted the Tracker Indicators set out within the report including the decline in the employment rate and the fall in the number of major planning applications received.  The Customer and Services Intelligence Manager continued by informing Members that the indicator in relation to affordable homes was being reviewed for 2013/14 with a view to it being removed.  He continued by making reference to the meeting held on the 19 November 2012 when Members had raised the possibility of targets being set for the number of passenger journeys on the Park and Ride a Tracker Indicator and explained that there were concerns at how this might be achieved, particularly if this was linked to potentially increasing car parking charges in Durham City.

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

In response to a question from Councillor M Wilkes relating to empty homes, the Customer and Services Intelligence Manager noted that performance information at the end of Quarter 3 would include information as regards the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) Cluster Bid and match funding.  The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer, Stephen Gwillym added that a request for additional information regarding staffing had been made and would be collated in the next few weeks. 

The Head of Strategic Programmes and Performance, Andy Palmer noted that he would find out information as regards business rates, adding that changes from Government were being made to prevent speculative building of commercial buildings that then could remain void once completed.

In answering a question from Councillor J Rowlandson in respect of the turnaround of major planning applications, the Customer and Services Intelligence Manager explained that those types of major application were often complex and therefore could fall outside of the target and that now that staffing restructures had been implemented this situation should become less frequent. 

The Head of Strategic Programmes and Performance noted that County Durham was open for business, however, in the cases of major applications ensuring that the right decision is made in order to help bring in the types of businesses to help the economy was important, as was the good relationship the Council had built up with industry and businesses.

The Customer and Services Intelligence Manager responded to Mr A Kitching in respect of the number of people of working age population currently not in work who want a job, explaining that he did not have the number to hand, only the proportion, however he could find out the information for Members.

Resolved:    

That the report be noted.