Agenda item

A Report on Integrated Performance and Financial Monitoring for Quarter 3 of 2006-07 was submitted, and the following issues were highlighted

 

Paragraph 2.4           (Projected Outturn Position)

 

Members were uncertain about the interpretation of the phrase “considerable improvement”, and, in order to quantify this in the future, it was agreed that the position would be shown in percentage terms

 

Paragraph 4.3           (Telephone response times at Customer Service Centre)

 

Members personal experiences had caused them to question the accuracy of the figures quoted  for speed of response times and number of calls answered, and were advised that the figures were based on a detailed analysis of the Customer Relationship Management System in place at the CSC, which incorporates a fully automated telephone element. It was agreed  that a report be brought to the next meeting in this regard for perusal by the Board. Furthermore, it was reported that officers were currently considering Service Business Plans for next year which included targets, etc., and it was suggested that, rather than quote the average telephone response time, it would be better recorded as a percentage (i.e, xx% of calls were answered within ….).

 

Paragraph 4.5           (Heads of Service Business Plans – targets for P.I’s.)

 

Members were advised that, at the next meeting, a copy of the Council Plan would be presented. The Plan includes a high level action plan and a set of 45 corporate indicators. The Board will also be supplied with extracts from each service business plan, that detail all performance indicators for each service. All the above information will include targets for the next three years, the 2005/06 English local authority median and a commentary where any target set is worse than the median. The Board will need to scrutinise this information and make recommendations to Cabinet on any proposed changes to the targets.

 

BV 156                       (Percentage of Authority’s buildings public areas suitable and accessible to the disabled)

      

It was agreed that the Portfolio Holder look into the question as to whether the Bromsgrove Museum was exempt from the Disability Discrimination Act

 

Para.5.4.1                  (Shortfall of income from Dolphin Centre Health & Fitness activities)

 

In response to Members concerns over an apparent lack of operational controls within the Dolphin Centre, officers undertook to investigate this matter and respond to  Members directly.

 

Para. 5.4.5                 (Refuse Collection Overspend)

 

Members expressed their concern over extra costs associated with the Faun refuse vehicles, and it was agreed that the Executive Cabinet be requested to carry out a thorough investigation into the total costs associated with Faun vehicles

 

Paragraph 7.3           (HSBC Bank)

 

Following a recent presentation to Members by Postwatch Midlands, which highlighted (inter-alia) that HSBC did not allow its customers banking facilities via Post Offices (when other Banks did), it was felt that a recommendation should be made to Executive Cabinet requesting them to examine the Council’s position in this regard, insofar as our social responsibility was concerned to the local community and various stakeholders. Furthermore, it was also agreed to ask the appropriate officers to review the Council’s Procurement Policy and consider developing a corporate Social Responsibility Policy for the Council.

 

BV 226c                     (Total amount spent on advice and guidance on housing, welfare benefits and consumer matters provided by the Council)

 

That officers be requested to enquire of BDHT the sum they contribute to the Citizens Advice Bureau.

 

BV 109a,b, and c      (Determination of Planning Applications)

 

Officers are requested to try to establish whether there is any correlation between the increase in the calling in of planning applications within certain Wards of the District and Planning appeals.

 

General                      (Street Scene and Waste Management – Car Parks Overspend)

 

It was agreed that the Corporate Director (Services) be requested to attend the next meeting of the Board to respond to a variety of issues within his Directorate.

 

RESOLVED

 

(1)    that terms like “considerable improvement” should be avoided and instead be exact, e.g. the % improvement;

 

(2)    that the Board scrutinise the Council Plan and the Council’s targets for 2007-2010 at its next Board meeting and request all Portfolio Holders and Heads of Service to be present;

 

(3)    that officers investigate the apparent shortfall in income from the Dolphin Centre’s Health and Fitness Suite and e-mail a response to Board Members and the Portfolio Holder;

 

(4)    that officers investigate the contribution BDHT makes to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau;

 

(5)    officers are requested to try to establish whether there was any correlation between the increase in the calling in of planning applications within certain Wards of the District and planning appeals; and

 

(6)    that the Corporate Director (Services) be requested to attend the next meeting of the Board to respond to a variety of issues within his Directorate.

 

 

RECOMMENDED

 

(1)       that Cabinet consider including a target for the Customer Service Centre about the proportion of calls answered within a certain number of seconds;

 

(2)       that the appropriate Portfolio Holder look into the question as to whether the Bromsgrove Museum was exempt from the Disability Discrimination Act;

 

(3)       that the Cabinet consider developing a Corporate Social Responsibility Policy that covers procurement and all other activities of the Council;

 

(4)       that Cabinet be requested to carry out a thorough investigation into the total costs associated with Faun refuse vehicles;

 

(5)       that it be noted that 52% of indicators were improving or were stable as at 31 December 2006 (68% if remove those indicators which cannot be reported on), which was a small increase on last month’s figures, and was the same as at Quarter 2;

 

(6)       that Cabinet note that 47% of indicators were achieving their targets at December 2006 (61% if remove those indicators which cannot be reported on), which was an improvement of 2 percentage points over November and a considerable improvement over the figure of 39% at Quarter 2;

 

(7)       that Cabinet note that 70% of indicators were projected to out-turn on or above target at the year-end (75% if remove those indicators which cannot be reported on), compared to 59% in November – this particular analysis was only introduced in October 2006, so comparison to Quarter 2 was not possible);

 

(8)       that Cabinet note that the projected out-turn position in relation to other Authorities (by comparing projected out-turn to the quartile positions) was a considerable improvement over last year;

 

(9)       that the potential areas for concern set out in 4.7 of the report be noted, together with the corrective action being taken;

 

(10)     that the current revenue financial underspend to budget of £331k be noted;

 

(11)     that the predicted revenue financial overspend of £65k be noted, and that, accordingly, Heads of Service be requested to reduce the overspends where appropriate;

 

(12)     that the use of General Fund Revenue Balances and earmarked reserves be noted; and

 

(13)     that the Capital underspend of £1.098m against the Profiled Capital Budget to December 2006 be noted, together with the progress made on Capital Schemes.