Agenda item

To provide an update on how the Council is performing for the period 1 October 2024 to 31 December 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 had performed for the period 1 October 2024 to 31 December 2024.

The Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development presented the report to members on behalf of the Business Intelligence and Change Manager who had given his apologies, and the following points were highlighted:

• Performance had improved since the Q2 position with 81% of performance metrics in a positive position for Q3;
• Performance under pressure included:
  • Homelessness prevention;
  • Recycling contamination and composting;
  • Corporate complaints;
  • Business rates collection;
  • Housing benefits speed of processing; and
  • Average answer rates for Revenues and Benefits.

Members considered the report and made the following comments:

• Members were concerned by the negative performance trend relating to the homelessness prevention duty. Were sufficient resources in place to ensure that improvements were possible.
  • The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing, who was in attendance at the meeting for items 11, 12 and 13, responded that:
    • 50% of prevention cases were domestic abuse cases where the council had little or no notice period to act prior to the prevention duty being required;
    • A recent service review had concluded that the council’s ambitious target for prevention had resulted in a distorted impression of achievements and progress made and that the council had performed well when benchmarked against average regional and national performances;
    • The service review report was also extremely supportive of the work undertaken by the homelessness team and the current Homelessness Reduction and Housing Solution Manager had made significant improvements and progress within the service area;
    • The Portfolio Holder had recognised the need for extra resource. A service review, which had resulted in the creation of a Life Skills Officer post to assist individuals to improve their position, had recently been agreed at Full Council; and
    • Prevention work would also involve working with the private sector.
  • Members welcomed the response which had provided a greater context for the ‘underperformance’ (red) status of the Prevention Duty performance indicator. Members suggested that such explanations be provided within future reports to provide a greater understanding of the performance information to satisfy the panel. The Portfolio Holder agreed that more information was required for future reports.

• Members were concerned by the underperformance of the percentage of household waste collected for recycling and composting and agreed that a recommendation go forward from the committee that improved publicity be provided to educate the public of the issue including the financial implications to the council of contaminated recyclable waste.

• Members requested an explanation of the performance regarding the following:
  • ‘Percentage of Corporate Complaints responded to within corporately set timescales’: what are the challenges and what is being done to resolve the challenges;
  • ‘Housing Benefit Changes speed of processing (Year to Date)’: with clarification within future reports of the unit being reported (days?);
  • ‘Revenue and Benefits answer rate’: members requested assurance of how the underperformance was being addressed.; and
  • ‘Number of Business registered via Grants4Growth’ where data had not been provided for the report.

• Members were concerned by the increased number of rough sleepers from 16 in Q1 to 24 in Q3. Members noted that a hostel did not exist in South Holland and queried who held the responsibilities to ensure that people were not sleeping on the streets.
  • The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing responded that :
    • The number of rough sleepers had increased in South Holland and across the country;
    • The new Life Skills Officer would be key to break the cycle of homelessness where the council had a duty to assist;
    • Where the council did not owe a duty to a rough sleeper, outreach support was provided by Change4Lincs. Where an individual did not have a ‘right to remain’, repatriation support was available;
    • For a local authority, a balance prevailed regarding duty, humanity and financial implications;
    • The service review had enabled the provision of increased SHDC outreach resource to further the engagement with rough sleepers;
    • Regarding the provision of overnight accommodation:
      • The council worked closely with Framework Housing Association which offered a supported living element for people in Lincolnshire;
      • The Lighthouse Project Spalding offered housing support on a local basis;
      • Viability assessments were carried out by hostel providers (such as charities) regarding the sustainability of hostel provision in any given area. It may be the case that a greater need existed in other areas; and
      • Networks across the county were continuously looking for opportunities and solutions.

• Members queried the accuracy of the number of Anti-Social Behaviour cases opened and closed, reported as one and zero respectively. The number of community triggers was also queried. Members looked forward to the Crime and Disorder Partnership update due at the July 2025 meeting.

• Members requested that the column titles be brought forward to every page of the report.

• Members requested an explanation for the increase in the ‘Digital services taken up’ whilst a corresponding fall in the number of ‘website visitors’ was also reported.

AGREED:

a) That the performance report be noted; and

b)     That improved publicity be provided to the public regarding the financial implications of contaminated recyclable waste.