Agenda item

To receive and consider the report of the Director of Change and Delivery.

The Executive Member for Resources, Councillor Peter Wilson, presented a          report setting out the performance against the delivery of the Corporate Strategy during the first quarter of 2024/25, covering 1 April 2024 to 30 June 2024. The Executive Member for Planning and Development and the Executive Member or Homes and Housing were also in attendance. 

The following areas were highlighted in the Panel’s discussions:

Household Waste Recycling rates – figures were down compared to last year, placing the indicator below target.  There is no clear reason for this however – e.g. it could be that during the COVID pandemic more people were recycling from home and now they are going to recycling centres instead. The Council is working with partners such as Lancashire County Council to establish any wider reasons for this trend.

Councillor Wilson clarified that the figures reflect the actual waste processed. It was also noted that if household waste recycling is taken to a supermarket it will be classed as “trade waste” rather than domestic so potentially this could also be reason for lower figures. The Panel suggested that there may be a link to other factors / trends such as not utilising the garden waste scheme – are households simply putting all waste in non-recyclable waste bins.   

% customers dissatisfied with the service they received from the Council - It was suggested that in relation to the survey results, the change in method from email to telephone may result in tapping into a different group of respondents; the comparative results for next year may provide a clearer picture.

Members discussed data presented in reports more generally. It was requested that future reports include comparative figures for the previous 5 years which may reveal an overall trend.

Members discussed the inclusion of metrics / standard of measurement within the report to provide wider context. For example, in the case of NEETs, which is a national indicator, a very small number of individuals can significantly affect performance targets, and there are other factors to consider such as the involvement of external partners. The Panel stressed it was also important to keep the report accessible. It may be possible to include such additional information in the appendix e.g. for amber / red performance indicators.

The Deputy Chief Executive also informed the Panel that some performance indicators were local to Chorley, and some were national. Members could view national indicators and compare with other local authorities via the Local Authority Data Explorer website and local area benchmarking via the LG Inform website.

Improve housing standards across the borough – The Executive Member for Homes and Housing, Councillor Terry Howarth, informed the Panel that funding had been provided to create a database of all registered private landlords to facilitate this project.

% 16-17 year olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs) –

The Panel noted that there would some areas with a higher number of individuals. Members requested that a “mapping exercise” be carried out to identify “hotspots” within the borough, to assess if this revealed any common pattern based on demographics.

Resolved:

1.That the report be noted;

2. To investigate and feedback on the reasons / factors behind   under performing household waste figures;

3. That future reports include comparative figures for the previous 5 years;

4. To include metrics / standard of measurement within the appendix to the report where possible, such as for amber/red performance indicators;

5. That links to the Local Authority Data Explorer website and the LG Inform website be circulated to members.

6. With regard to NEETs, that a “mapping exercise” be carried out to identify “hotspots” within the borough, to assess if this revealed any common pattern based on demographics.