Issue - meetings

To provide an update on how the Council is performing for the period 1 July 2023 to 30 September 2023 (report of the Assistant Director – Corporate enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Corporate which provided an update on how the Council was performing for the period 1 July 2023 to 30 September 2023.

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate, Governance and Communications presented the report.

The following points were raised:

·       It was clarified that where it was stated ‘Data not previously reported’, this was because they were new Performance Indicators for the new financial year.  Full Council had agreed Performance Indicators to be added or removed.

·       It was encouraging to see the improved performance around fly tipping and corporate complaints.

·       How many Freedom of Information (FOI) requests were received per annum?  It appeared that the number had increased – was this having an impact on the Authority’s ability to respond to them?

DECISION:

That the contents of the report be noted.

(Other options considered:

·       Not to monitor performance – not recommended;

Reasons for decision:

·       To ensure Council performance is properly scrutinised.)

To provide an update on how the Council is performing for the period 1July 2023 to 30 September 2023 (report of the Assistant Director – Corporate enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Corporate which provided an update on how the Council was performing for the period 1 July 2023 to 30 September 2023.

The report was introduced by the Business Intelligence and Change Manager which provided an overview of how the Council was performing against its key performance indicators. Full details were provided at Appendix A of the report.

The following key points of the report were outlined:

• An improvement in performance from Q1 had been seen overall with some previously underperforming indicators moving to ‘on’ or ‘above’ target (green) and others which were slightly below target were within an agreed tolerance level; and
• An update was given for each area where performance was below target (red), as follows:

Percentage of cases opened at homelessness prevention stage (red):

o   Increased cases during the Q2 period represented the seasonal trend; 

o   The team had spent the majority of Q2 catching up with Full Housing Assessments which had improved from 8 weeks to within 3 days. As a result, the team was in a position to focus on prevention which aimed to reduce the number of cases transferring to ‘relief’ cases;

o   Whilst approaches at relief stage were largely out of the council’s control, the percentage of cases closed where homelessness had been prevented was within the council’s control. The Q2 performance in this area had exceeded the previous four quarters and was significantly higher than the East Midland’s average; and

o   An upcoming review of the homelessness website by the team aimed to:

§  Improve the customer journey and utilise improved digital pathways for residents to access services; and

§  Expedite the outcome should residents move from a prevention case to a relief case.

Combined Housing Benefit and Council Tax speed of processing changes (PSPS) (red):

o   High volumes of work had been encountered during the period; and

o   The speed of processing Housing Benefit Only claims was 20.67 days in September 2023 which represented an improvement in performance. The improvements had continued into October 2023 and therefore had not raised concern.

Freedom of Information access (FOIA) and complaint responses (red):

o   The total amount of requests for Q2 was 173, of which 144 were FOIA requests and the remainder related to Subject Access, Police and Law Enforcement;

o   92 FOIA requests were responded to within 20 working days; 19 were late and 33 were overdue;

o   Recent intervention to streamline the delivery of FOIA had taken place. Through the guidance of the shared Group Information Governance Manager, steps had been taken to enable the BBC and ELDC compliance achievement rate of 95-99%, to be attained at SHDC;

o   Restrictive deadlines had been implemented which encouraged improved service engagement and facilitated earlier identification of service personnel responsible for the FOIA;

o   Delays in FOIA cases being referred to Legal personnel had been reduced;.

o   Regarding complaints, 26 issues had been received during Q2, of which 11 had received responses by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38