Issue - meetings

To provide an update on how the Council is performing for the period 1 July 2024 to 30 September 2024 (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 2024 to 30 September 2024.

The Portfolio Holder – Corporate and Communications presented the report.

·       With regard to performance around collection of fly tipping collected within 5 working days, it was important to stress that this was from the point at which it was reported to the Council.  Incidents could be reported via the Fix My Street app however it did take more time for the information to arrive with the waste team.  Reporting directly on the SHDC website was speedier.

·       In response to why the figures around the average answer rate was not as good as previous quarters, members were advised that performance was only just off the target position.  Improvements had been introduced, such as providing a call back option which provided a better service and meant that customers were not held in lengthy queues.  Call duration had increased slightly as a result of customers needing more support and/or having multiple issues to discuss.  The targets were stretching however this ultimately should result in a better service.

DECISION:

That the contents of the report be noted.

(Other options considered:

·       Not to monitor performance – this was not recommended;

Reasons for decision:

·       To ensure Council performance was properly scrutinised).

To provide an update on how the Council is performing for the period 1 July 2024 to 30 September 2024 (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 is performing for the period 1 July 2024 to 30 September 2024.

The Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development introduced the report on behalf of the report author, the Business Intelligence and Change Manager who had sent apologies, and the following points were highlighted:

• 72% of the Council’s performance metrics presented on or above target;
• 11% were slightly below target;
• 11% were significantly under target;

Areas of strong performance included:

• Planning Applications: where a high performance was achieved in the determination of major (91.12%) and minor (87.04%) planning applications within set timeframes;
• Safety Checks: 100% compliance regarding gas safety checks, fire risk assessments, asbestos management surveys and legionella risk assessments;
• Waste Collection: 99.89% of waste collections were successful on the first attempt; and
• Freedom of Information rates: whilst slightly under target, performance had showed a significant improvement and was at its highest levels for two years.

Areas which required improvement:

• Homelessness Prevention: 39.53% of cases were successfully opened while customers remained in settled accommodation, against a 50% target;
• Customer Contact Centre average answer rate was 85.42% against a target of 90%. Efforts were being made to improve performance utilising call routing messages and a social media campaign; and
• Revenues and Benefits answer rate: 77.15% against a target of 87%. Improvement efforts were in hand, which included call routing messages and training.

The Homelessness Reduction and Housing Solution Manager provided the panel with a presentation (appended to the minutes) and a verbal update in respect of homelessness prevention performance which included the following:  

·       The team was not considered to be under-resourced and officers endeavoured to work closely with professional bodies to deal with cases at the earlier ‘prevention’ stage, nonetheless, rough sleepers, sofa surfers, and those fleeing domestic abuse were required to be accepted in ‘relief’ for a period of assessment;

·       Professional bodies, such as the prison service and NHS, had referred 17 (of 52) cases, which were bound to be accepted in the relief duty.

·       A social media campaign had conveyed the process to be followed when a homelessness case was presented to the council in order to encourage customers to make an approach as soon as possible;

·       Where a local connection to South Holland could not be ascertained, cases would be referred either to the local authority associated with the customers last place of residence or social services where a safeguarding referral was required;

·       The conditions for the application of relief duty were relayed; and

·       SHDC’s Q2 prevention duty performance at 46.2% exceeded the national average of 40.9%.

Members considered the update from the Homelessness Reduction and Housing Solution Manager and made the following comments:

·       Members queried how the ‘percentage of homeless cases that were successfully resolved before a customer became homeless’ could be above 100%.

o   The Homelessness Reduction and Housing Solution Manager confirmed that where prevention cases were extended into another quarter, performance statistics could overlap  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51