Agenda and minutes

(Head of Research and Democratic Services)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

No substitutes appointed.

(Head of Research and Democratic Services). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

No declarations of interest were made.

(Chairman/Lead Officer) The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has agreed the Terms of Reference of this Panel and associated Work Programme. This is attached. The Panel are asked at each meeting to review their programme.

Noted that the Council Plan had now been considered by the Cabinet and was now subject to a further consultation period before being considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in April 2006.

The Community Conference issue should now be deleted from the programme as this had been dealt with under the report on Consultation considered on 30 January 2006.

A report on Local Land Charges Performance was requested for the next meeting.

(Head of HR and Performance Management) To consider the attached report.

The Panel reviewed the summary BVPP for 2006/07. Noted that the summary followed the format from previous years. The next BVPP would be aligned to the emerging Council Plan.

Minor drafting changes were suggested to the summary including:

(i)         moving the SLM contract to the top of the achievements for the last year under Leisure Portfolio;

(ii)            aligning performance on waste management to those in the indicator information;

(iii)            inclusion of issues of the East of England Plan and maintaining performance on planning applications within the Planning and Economic Development Portfolio.

It was noted that the relevant Portfolio Holder would be consulted on the changes proposed by the Panel.

Agreed:

That the draft Summary Best Value Performance Plan be recommended to the Cabinet for adoption.

(Head of HR and Performance Management) To consider the attached report.

The Panel Reviewed Performance of the Council’s KPI’s up to month nine of the current year and made the following observations:

(i)         That annually collected PI’s be considered with the next quarter’s figures;

(ii)        EH6 (Percentage of Licence Applications Processed within statutory period) – The Panel asked that the good performance on licence application be recorded and that this performance be congratulated;

(iii)       BV 82 (Waste Recycling) – Noted that the BVPI’s relating to Waste Management would be audited at year end. They all currently showed as ‘Amber’. Noted that residual waste had remained static rather than increased this year;

(iv)            BV199(a) and (b) (Highways Litter and Graffiti) – Noted the encouraging downward trend on land and highways with assessed levels of litter being below acceptable levels. It was agreed that indicators needed to be more appropriate for Graffiti removal. Noted that the Environment Scrutiny Panel would be receiving a report on the Environment Protection Act in March 2006.

(v)        BV199 (d) (Flying Tipping)– overall downward trend. It was not known whether moves not to collect side waste would affect fly-tipping. No prosecutions had been made this year.

(vi)       BV64 – (Vacant dwellings) – Noted that the Housing Panel would be looking at this issue. It was noted that a Strategy was required. It was queried whether this should be a key indicator for next year due to the low levels of vacant dwellings in the area.

(vii)      BV183 (a) (Use of Bed and Breakfast Accommodation) – Noted that this only covered families with dependants. The Council continued to house approximately 30 single persons in B and B at any one time.

(viii)      H15 (a) – (Affordable Homes) – Noted that the Target of 74 affordable homes this year was still expected.

(ix)       BV12 – (Working Days Lost to Sickness) – Noted that the Council wouldn’t make top quartile performance although Services were working on ill-health cases.

(x)            BV170(a) (Visits to museums and galleries) – Head of Service to devise appropriate target for 2006/07;

(xi)       BV109 (a) – (c) (Planning Applications) – The Head of Service reported as follows on Planning Application Performance:

Noted that early year performance had been under previous systems. 3^rd quarter performance had been much improved following new ICT systems and the employment of the ‘Hit Squad’.

(xii)      BV156 – (Disabled Accessibility) -  Noted that the definition of this indicator was being reviewed such that it was anticipated that the Council’s performance had been previously under-stated.

(Head of Finance) To consider the attached monitoring report.

Noted that the Panel was required, within its terms of reference, to consider financial monitoring reports on key areas of income and expenditure for each portfolio. The Panel considered the second quarterly report covering the period from 1 April 2005 to 31 December 2005.

The Panel noted that main variances within the budget. It was noted that as a result of member decisions to increase car parking charges there had been a higher than expected income on this budget.

Noted that a report on the lower than anticipated income in Local Land Charges had already been requested.

To consider which reports are ready to be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its next meeting.

(a)       BVPP Summary;

(b)       KPI’s Performance

To consider the forward programme of meeting dates for the Panel.

The next meeting of the Panel would be held on 25 April 2006 at 7.00 p.m.