Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to the Annual Financial and Performance Report for the year ending 31st March 2008 which had already been approved at the Special Council Meeting held on 30th June 2008.

The Board discussed whether any recommendations should be made to the Cabinet regarding performance indicators which had not reached their target in 2007/08 and which were included in the corporate reporting set for 2008/09.

It was clarified that although the Council was not directly responsible for all of the performance indicators, it did have a duty to report National Indicators.  It was also pointed out that the Council could have an impact on such indicators at a strategic level.

All questions raised were answered by the Head of Financial Services.  Members of the Board commented on how much performance had improved over the past year and it was also stated that the quality of the report format had also improved.

RESOLVED:

(a)    that the significant improvement in performance in 2007/08 which followed a similar level of improvement in 2006/07 be noted; and

(b)    that unemployment figures be submitted to the Performance Management Board’s meeting scheduled to be held on 16th September 2008.

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet be requested to focus on the performance indicators relating to the following areas which should be included in the corporate reporting set for 2008/09:

§      Sickness figures;

§      Actual crime figures compared to the perception of crime (contained within SNAP surveys), taking into account the definition of each criminal activity;

§      Domestic Violence;

§      Equality and Diversity and the need to ensure this Council reaches level 3 of the Local Government Equality Standard as soon as possible;

§      Affordable Housing targets;

§      Progress of the Town Centre Regeneration;

§      Small business start-up be maximised, particularly in light of the Town Centre Regeneration;

§      The percentage of recoverable housing benefit (all years outstanding) overpayments recovered;

§      Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) and specifically the capital underspend.