Agenda item

(Head of Transformation) To consider the attached report.

The Director of Neighbourhoods, Mr Macnab, introduced the report on the Key Objectives Key Action Plan for 2017/18 second quarter performance. This was for April to end September 2017.

The Corporate Plan was the Council’s key strategic planning document, setting out its priorities over the five-year period from 2015/16 to 2019/20. The priorities or Corporate Aims were supported by Key Objectives, which provided a clear statement of the Council’s overall intentions for these five years.

Progress against the Key Action Plan was reviewed on a quarterly basis to ensure the timely identification and implementation of appropriate further initiatives or corrective action where necessary.

There were 50 actions in total for which progress updates for Q2 were as follows:

·         42 (84%) of these actions had been ‘Achieved’ or were ‘On Target’

·         2   (4%) of these actions were ‘Under Control’

·         6   (12%) were ‘Behind Schedule’

·         0   (0%) were ‘Pending’

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee was requested to review progress against the Key Objectives Key Action Plan for 2017/18 at Quarter 2. This report was also considered by the Cabinet at its meeting on 7 December 2017.

Councilor Wixley wanted to know the definition of ‘empty’ used in the term a ‘higher value’ empty property under Aim 1, objective 1a. He was told that it was a high value property that had become void.

Councillor Neville asked about the timescale for phases 2&3 and then onto phases 4&5 of the Council’s Housebuilding Programme. Mr Macnab said that he would find out and get back to him.

Councillor Murray asked about item 6 on objective 1b that was behind schedule. Was this because of solutions for staff car parking at Oakwood Hill was still to be formulated and what Cabinet meeting would this go to? Mr Macnab noted that there had been a call in on this but it had been withdrawn after a meeting was arranged between the lead member of the call-in and the relevant Portfolio Holder who agreed to have traffic surveys commissioned with the opening of the shopping park. They would re-run the parking survey next week. He was not sure that it would come back to the Cabinet.

Councillor Brookes asked about item 3 on Objective 1b, if we were in dispute with East Thames as our Development Agent. She was told that this was not their core business and that they were refocusing on their core business.

Councillor Brookes asked about item 11 on Objective 1b, and the ongoing delays for St John’s Road. She was told that EFDC were happy with the terms of the agreement but had reached an impasse on agreement with the Town Council. This should be resolved by the end of this month.

Councillor Bedford asked about item 3 of Objective 3b. He noted that this had passed its target date but it said that it was under control. Mr Macnab replied that it was behind schedule but had a revised date. Councillor Patel noted that this had been reported on at the last Resources Select Committee. The text messages had been sent out to remind customers when their payments were due had now been put into action, the first message had been sent out in November 2017 and there had been a good response to this. The message sent out had included a link to the payment website.

Councillor Sartin asked about item 2 in Objective 3c, had the Careline handover taken place in November 2017. She was told that this had happened and was now in the hands of Tunstall Healthcare (UK) Ltd.; it was still being branded as Careline although the provider had changed.

Councillor Wixley asked what the difference was between empty and void properties. He was told that a council property was void in between one tenant leaving and another tenant taking possession. Empty was a term used for private sector housing.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee reviewed and commented upon the Q2 progress of the Corporate Plan Key Action Plan for 2017/18.