Agenda item

The Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) presented the Activity and Performance Data for Quarter 2 – 2023/2024; and in doing so drew Members’ attention to the recommendation, as detailed on page 23 of the main agenda report.  The following key points were highlighted: -

Activity Data

The second quarter of 2023/4 was a relatively damp affair, which had impacted on at least one or two of the measures. Worcestershire continued to be a draw for activities with a range of events and festivals continuing to feature and now that we were beyond the pandemic, crowds appeared to be returning, but this was not to everyone’s liking.

Although there was a rise in the number of complaints and enquiries between Q1 and Q2, the overall number of food safety cases recorded by WRS during the year to date was a reduction of 37% compared to 2021-22, and a reduction of 11% compared to 2022-23. In general terms, a higher proportion of food safety cases were enquiries such as requests for business advice or requests for export health certificates.

Q2 saw the rise in numbers of accidents reported slowing and the number of complaints and enquiries still increasing. Despite this, the number of health and safety at work cases recorded by WRS during the year to date was still 32% lower compared to 2021-22.

Although applications were running more or less on trend, and complaints and enquiries were on the up, the overall number of licensing cases recorded by WRS during the year to date was an increase of 10% compared to 2021-22, but a reduction of 1% compared to 2022-23. This probably reflected the new post-pandemic normal and may be true for a number of our trends. Approximately 68% of cases were applications and registrations; with 29% of these cases relating to private hire or hackney carriage vehicle licences and 27% relating to temporary events.

Numbers of planning enquiries fell during Q2 following an increase in Q1, however, for the year to date the total still represented a reduction of 30% compared to 2021-22, but an increase of 8% compared to 2022-23. Approximately 93% of enquiries had been consultations, whilst 45% related to contaminated land. Around 16% of enquiries were completed, on a contractual basis, on behalf of other local authorities.

Interestingly, the number of information requests, which were often linked to the planning system, grew during Q2, so we may see an increase in planning work to follow this. Having said that, officers continued to report feeling that the number of general FOI requests had been higher than previously experienced.

Although the number of dog control (strays, lost dogs, etc) cases recorded by WRS fell from Q1 to Q2, overall, the figure during the year to date was an increase of 35% compared to 2021-22, but an increase of 9% compared to 2022-23. Approximately 90% of cases were related to stray or lost dogs, with 74% of these cases relating to "contained strays" (meaning dogs were found and held by a member of the public). The increase in the number of stray dogs reported across Worcestershire contrasted with pre-pandemic levels which showed a long-term trend of deceasing numbers of stray dogs being reported to the Councils. The Technical Services Manager worked hard with the kennelling contractors.

The Summer was always a busy time for nuisance work, however the poor weather this year probably led to a reduction in work volumes if not the complexity with the number of pollution cases recorded by WRS during the year to date representing a reduction of 24% compared to 2021-22, and 17% compared to 2022-23. It should be noted, however, that the better than usual Spring had led to an earlier start in the increase in workload.

Approximately 77% of cases had related to noise nuisances, with noise from domestic properties (such as noise from barking dogs or from audio-visual equipment) the most prominent sources.

Although the number of public health cases had increased between Q1 and Q2, the overall number recorded by WRS during the year to date represented a reduction of 31% compared to 2021-22 but was consistent with the figures for 2022-23. Approximately 60% of cases have related to pest control, such as enquiries about domestic treatments, enquires about sewer baiting, or complaints about pest control issues caused by the actions of neighbouring residents or businesses.

Performance

The non-business customer measure had fallen to 64.4% from 69.3% last quarter but remained above last year’s out-turn figure of 59.2%. Heavy demands on resourcing in Community Environmental Health over the Summer meant we struggled to keep on top of nuisance complaints despite most officers being taken off proactive work to focus on nuisance complaints. Whilst almost 70% of people were happy with the speed of initial response, just under 60% were happy with the time it took to reach a conclusion. With this in mind there had now been some changes made to ‘front of house.’

We also saw an unusual fall in business satisfaction this quarter, with the figure ending at 94.5%, two or three percentage points below where it has traditionally sat. Managers had been asked to look into this.

Compliments again significantly outnumbered complaints.

Performance on processing complete driver license renewals was at 93.9% for all authorities, which was lower than in previous years, although several individual authorities remained at 100%. Licensing was quite pressured during the Summer with staffing capacity (due to staff holidays) so this slight downturn in performance was not unexpected.

The data on defective vehicles related to situations where the vehicle was recorded as having been suspended either by the district garage on inspection or by an officer. This may follow a reported accident taking the vehicle outside the acceptable standards, or even when the vehicle was submitted for its routine 6-monthly check. In recent reporting periods we have seen an increase in the number of defective vehicles reported under this indicator, driven mainly by higher numbers in one of the six fleets. This had continued and, by the end of Q2 this year, 34 vehicles were suspended in the period, with the majority belonging to our one of our larger fleet areas. Even with this number, only 2.19% of the fleet county-wide were recorded as potentially problematic. Members were asked to note that there were approximately 1,500 licensed vehicles around Worcestershire. Officer would continue to re-enforce the need to ensure vehicles were always fit for use on the road with drivers and operators.

Staff sickness had increased from 0.76 days per FTE to 1.42 days per FTE cumulative for the year. Current sickness levels were lower than the same period in the last 2 years.

The overall rate of noise complaints against population was 0.79. This was slightly lower that the figure at Q2 in the most recent years. It may be influenced by the slightly lower rate of complaint due to the poor summer weather.

The rate of hospitality businesses not upholding the 4 licensing objectives was 5%. This was roughly in line with 3 of the 5 previously recorded figures at this point.

Income brought in during the first half of 2023/24 was £204,718, which was slightly below last year (£232,520,) but still significantly up on the 2-years before this.

The Technical Services Manager, WRS, responded to questions from Members with regards to pest control and in doing so highlighted that traditionally Redditch Borough Council (RBC) and Wychavon District Council (WDC) had a higher demand for the service.  Historically, RBC had provided free rat treatments for all. In respect of WDC, officers were unsure of the specific issue / demand on the service, but it was more localised in deprived areas and was also a subsidised service.

The Head of WRS noted the comments made by some of the Board Members, as follows:-

·         To ask if it was possible to show figures on the graphs included in the report, where relevant; or amend the scales on the axis; and

·         To ask if it was possible to provide some longer-term trend data on some of the measures, extending periods beyond the 3-years currently shown in the Activity Data Report, emailing these out to all Board Members should this be possible.  

Members expressed their thanks to officers for the detailed information within the report. 

RESOLVED that the Activity and Performance Data Quarter 2 – 2023/2024, be noted and that Members use the contents of the report in their own reporting back to their respective partner authority.