Agenda and minutes

AGREED – That the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Panel meeting held on 16 June 2016 be confirmed as a correct record subject to an addition to minute 16.OSP.19 Performance Focus: Community Development Working in Schools that paragraph has been amended as follows –

Working in Schools; and how the Council engaged with them.  The Panel was informed that the Council worked closely with some schools, but not others.  Schools were not required to buy in services from Chorley Council; they can choose which service provider they wanted to work with, even if that was a neighbouring authority.  However, when it came to borough wide activities such as the Chorley Grand Prix, all schools within the borough were invited to take part.

Councillor Perks asked a number of questions relating to early intervention prevention, particularly those schools the council had little contact with.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

Councillor Matthew Lynch declared an interest during discussions relating to item 16.OSP.24 – Community Action Plans in his role as Chair of the Clayton Brook Action Plan.

The Director (Customer and Digital) to attend the meeting.

Members of the Panel received a report which provided contextual information in respect of the Customer and Digital directorate performance.

The Chair welcomed Asim Khan, Director of Customer and Digital to the meeting, who attended to answer questions in relation to the Customer and Digital directorate.

Following the organisational restructure in May 2016, the Customer and Digital Directorate encompassed the following services –

·      Customer and Transactional Services

·      Revenues and Benefits

·      Planning and Development Control

·      Waste and Streetscene 

·      ICT

The primary focus of the Directorate was on providing end to end customer services, dealt with at the first point of contact wherever possible and promoting the use of digital channels as a straightforward and efficient way of managing services. 

As the contact centre was undergoing a period of change, the panel focused their performance questions towards council tax and benefits processing, planning, streetscene and waste services.

Council Tax and Benefits

The Panel noted that the performance indicator for Council Tax collected at the end of quarter two, was down by 0.05% on the previous year’s figures which equated to less than £10,000 of the Chorley precept.  However, it was expected at the end of quarter four the figures would be comparable with those for the same period in 2015/16. 

In response to queries about conflicting information in regards to the performance figure for ‘Average time taken to process new claims and change events’  the Director of Customer and Digital explained that the performance target in 2015/16 was 10 days.  However, for 2016/17 that performance target had been reduced to 6 days. The results therefore showed that although performance had improved when comparing the figures for the same period the previous year, the figure was still over the 6 day performance target.  The Director of Customer and Digital explained that there was mitigating factors behind the delay, and the target was expected to be reached by the end of the quarter 4.  It was acknowledged that the set target was challenging, but achievable.

In response to questions about the collection of council tax arrears the Director of Customer and Digital explained the statutory process for the collection of arrears and the court arrangements.  The timescale between first bill and court appearance was between six to eight weeks.  Payment arrangements could be set up during this time with each case being considered on its own merits.  It was inevitable that some debt would not be recoverable for various reasons (insolvency and death etc).  On these occasions the provision for writing off bad debt was reported as part of the Council’s financial statement.

Streetscene

It was explained that the way performance figures were monitored in the past were not accurate, and that a different way of monitoring the performance indicator should be introduced. 

The changes would include the introduction of new technology and a change in service culture.  It was therefore expected that the new working arrangements would take between 12 to 18 months for accurate data to be recorded and further 12 months  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.OSP.23

Report of the Director (Policy and Governance) attached.

Members of the Panel received a report form the Director of Policy and Governance which set out the performance against the delivery of the Corporate Strategy and key performance indicators during the first quarter of 2016/17 (1 April 2016  to 30 June 2016).

Overall performance of 2015/16 key projects was good, with 88% of the projects on track or complete.  Two projects (12%) were rated as off track –

·      Progress the delivery of Friday Street Health Centre – rated red due to external factors

·      Delivery of Community Action Plan – rated amber following a review of scope.

(Councillor Matthew Lynch declared an interest in the discussion of the delivery of Community Action Plans in his role as Chair of the Clayton Brook Community Action Plan.)

Actions to address the issues had been identified in both cases and were currently being implemented.

Performance of the Corporate Strategy indicators and key service delivery measure was also good.  80% of the Corporate Strategy indicators and 86% of the key service measures were performing above target of within the 5% tolerance.  Those indicators performing below target were –

·      % of 16-18 year olds who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) – it was reported that Preston College had changed the way it reported its figures, and as a result releases their figures early.  It was expected that this % would even out.

·      % of customer dissatisfied with the services they had received from the Council

Action plans had been developed and the report outlined what actions were being taken to improve performance.

During debate, members of the panel discussed various aspects of the report which included

·      Number of homelessness preventions and reliefs

·      Number of young people taking part in ‘Get Up and Go’ activities

·      Chorley Public Service Reform Partnership – particular highlights included the delivery of a number of key test beds to inform future integrated working.

Councillor Perks reported that he had an understanding of what Chorley Public Service Reform Partnership had achieved in Chorley inner east but this was due to his role on the Combined Fire Authority.  Councillor Perks added that it was important that all members were made fully aware of the activities of what the Council, with its partners are achieving as part of this partnership.

AGREED – That the report be noted, and further information be circulated to members on the success of Chorley Public Service Reform Partnership and the details of the measures relating to prevention of homelessness.