Agenda item - Activity and Performance Data - Quarters 1 and 2

Agenda item

Activity and Performance Data - Quarters 1 and 2

Minutes:

The Board were asked to consider a report that detailed Worcestershire Regulatory Services Activity and Performance Data for Quarters 1 and 2, 2016/2017.

 

The Environmental Health & Trading Standards Manager, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) introduced the report and in doing so informed Members that, as detailed at Appendix 1 to the report, food inspections were down on the same quarter last year. Officers expected that 2016/2017 would follow a similar pattern to 2014/2015, whereby the majority of food inspection work was carried out in the second half of the year. This was due to the volume of reactive work undertaken during the summer and the fact that the service was involved in some complex enforcement activities.  This created the prospect of a number of prosecution files which added to the significant number already in the pipeline.  WRS would continue to monitor the progress against the full inspection programme for the year in order to ensure that the programme was achieved.

 

Several businesses had achieved the Healthier Choices Food Award in Quarter 2.

 

Nuisance complaints showed the more usual track, creating a summer peak that, whilst not exceeding the levels in 2014/2015, was extended through to September due to the fine weather.  The noise figures, as detailed on page 40 in the report, clearly demonstrated how busy the team had been over the summer months.

 

Planning consultations took off during the summer and far exceeded previous years.  This resulted in a huge demand in terms of numbers and complexity on the Technical Services team and so other work was re-prioritised. 

 

Staff sickness was higher than in previous years, at 2.77 days per full time equivalent (FTE) for the first two quarters.  A large contributory factor was several members of staff with long term health conditions that had required surgery followed by periods of rest and recuperation.  There was currently one staff member on long term sickness, with other staff members who had returned to work on a phased return.

 

Page 57 in the report highlighted that a total income of £135,986 had been achieved and that WRS were on track to achieve the income target as set for the year.

 

In response to questions from Members, the Licensing and SupportManager, WRS, informed the Board that, with regard to one and three year driver licences, it was dependant on what each authority offered and also those drivers who could afford the three year licence fee. 

 

The Immigration Act 2016 would come into force as from the 1st December 2016.  WRS already conducted data exchanges and requested specific documents from applicants as proof of their right to live and work in the United Kingdom (UK). 

 

Applicants were required to produce a UK residence permit and acceptable right to work documents, in order to prove that they had the right to live and work in the UK, before they were issued with a licence.  If a residence permit was only for a limited period, e.g. six months and a licence was granted, Members should feel reassured that the licence would only be granted for that six month period.

 

The Technical Services Manager, WRS, responded to further questions with regard to noise nuisance and tonal elements by briefly explaining that some noise sources that emitted noise that was concentrated in a narrow part of the spectrum or contained a high proportion of energy at a single frequency (a pure tone).  This type of noise could be more disturbing than other noises of the same level.  Examples of sources that could cause disturbance included fans, compressors, motors and transformers where there were sharp metallic bangs and crashes.  This is what is meant by tonal elements. 

 

The Chairman and Members expressed their thanks to officers for a well presented, informative report that was clear and easy to follow.

 

RESOLVED that the Activity and Performance Data report for Quarters 1 and 2, 2016/2017 be noted.

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