Agenda item

(Director of Governance) to consider the attached report.

The Director of Neighbourhoods, Mr Macnab introduced a report on the second quarter performance of the Key Performance Indicators for 2016/17. The Committee noted that 13 of the Key Performance Indicators fell within the Neighbourhoods Select Committee’s areas of responsibility. The overall position with regard to the achievement of target performance at Q2 for these 13 indicators was as follows:

(a)   11 (85%) indicators achieved target;

(b)     2 (15%) indicators did not achieve target; and

(c)     0 (0%) of these KPI’s performed within the agreed tolerance for the indicator;

(d)   11 (85%) of indicators are currently anticipated to achieve year-end target, and           no further indicators are uncertain whether they will achieve year-end target.

The ‘amber’ performance status used in the KPI report identifies indicators that have missed the agreed target for the quarter, but where performance was within an agreed tolerance or range. The KPI tolerances were agreed by Management Board when targets for the KPIs were set in February 2016.

The Select Committee then went through each of the 13 indicators.

NEI001 - how much non-recycled waste was collected for every household in the district – the figure was below the target in quarter 1 but had exceeded the target in quarter 2. Members thought it likely that the target would be met at the year end should be changed from red to orange.

Councillor Pond asked for clarification of the strategies used for corrective action. The Assistant Director, Technical Services, Mr Durrani replied they needed to divert the recyclable waste from the black bin to the recycle waste bin. They would use some of their enforcement polices but were mainly looking to educate and inform. They were also working with blocks of flats as they were having issues with them and also with schools.

Councillor Whitehouse asked about residual bins with partially open lids. Did officers call on the residents to tell them? Mr Durrani relied that Biffa staff could not do that as they were on a tight timetable. Sometimes it appeared that the residents would put out the smaller recyclable items on the top of the bin to be taken away. They do however collect the partly opened ‘smiley’ bins.

Councillor Knapman asked if the Civic offices recycled its paper other than the confidential paper it collected. Mr Durrani said he would check it out and get back to him.

Councillor Neville asked if they used the Town and Parish newsletters to educate the public on recycling and waste. Mr Durrani replied that they have contacted various Town and Parish Councils and would get back on the outcomes.

Councillor Bedford asked what happened if the waste was contaminated. Mr Durrani replied that Biffa would put a sticker on the bin and leave it. If it got through to the recycle centre we would then get penalised for it. Councillor Bedford asked which was better to put stuff in the recycling bins or landfill. Mr Durrani said it put in recycling bin. It could cost the County about £80m a year. They have found 40 to 50% in sampling of black bins was recyclable waste.

NEI003 – what % of our district had unacceptable levels of litter – Councillor Brady commented that some roads had really bad levels of litter such as the M11 roundabout at Harlow. Who dealt with this? Mr Durrani said that the district was divided into 300 sections and they are randomly inspected. The A414 is done by Essex, but it may be the roundabout was looked after by us. We could look into enforcement aspects and talk to the Highways Agency about this.

NEI008 – what % of the recorded incidences of fly-tipping (variation order / non-contract) are removed within 10 working days of being recorded – Councillor Brady asked about any unsafe objects (such as gas canisters) that have been fly-tipped and we could not remove them? She was told that there was a special helpline that we could ring.

NEI010 – what was the net increase or decrease in the number of homes in the district – Mr Macnab noted that we only had a certain amount of control over the supply of new homes. We did our jobs to the appropriate timescale, but the developers sometimes leave it up to three years to start their work. Councillor Brady noted that there was no actual target until the Local Plan came in. Mr Macnab added that they may wish to make this more locally relevant and set the long term target assessment to red as opposed to the green it was now.

Councillor Patel noted that other Local Authorities when considering Housing needs re-evaluate every five years. Did we really need quarterly targets and were they relevant. Mr Macnab replied that it was a national indicator for government use. When our Local Plan came in we could have a more relevant local indicator.

NEI013 – what % of all household waste was sent to be recycled or reused – Mr Macnab noted that this was a new indicator. It was currently slightly under target but should be OK at year’s end.

RESOLVED:

That the Select Committee noted and reviewed the Quarter 2 performance of the Key Performance Indicators for 2016/17.