Issue - meetings

(A report by James Gilbert, Assistant Director – Corporate)

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Dale Broughton, presented a report by the Assistant Director – Corporate which provided an overview of the Council’s performance and risk management position as at the end of Quarter 4, covering the period to 31^st March 2025. Details on the Quarter 4 Performance were attached as Appendix 1 and details on the Quarter 4 Risks were attached as Appendix 2 within the report.

Cabinet was advised that overall performance remained strong, with the majority of key performance indicators (KPIs) rated green, indicating that they were on or above target. Only one KPI was rated red at year-end, relating to the average answer rate for Revenues and Benefits. This underperformance was attributed to an increase in the duration and complexity of calls. In response, opening hours and call lines had been extended to mitigate the impact, and further detail was provided within the report commentary regarding the nature of calls and the effectiveness of the callback system.

In terms of risk management, Cabinet was informed that both strategic and partnership risk registers had been fully reviewed during Quarter 4. It was noted that the overall risk rating relating to the depot had been reduced following the agreement of a new lease. Additionally, the risk concerning staff retention had been identified as a cross-cutting issue and was now duplicated in the Partnership Risk Register. As such, it was recommended that this risk be removed from the individual Council register to avoid duplication and ensure consistency.

A technical query was raised regarding the classification of the ICT infrastructure risk (BBC11), which was currently rated as high. It was suggested that, given the Council’s strong ICT performance, the risk score might be more appropriately rated as medium. In response, it was explained that while the Council was indeed in a strong position, the inherent impact of a potential ICT failure remained high. The mitigation measures in place had successfully reduced the likelihood of occurrence, and the target risk score had been achieved. However, due to the nature of the risk, the overall rating remained high. It was confirmed that the risk would continue to be reviewed by the relevant officers and delivery teams.

Cabinet welcomed the report and acknowledged the consistent performance across services. Members expressed their appreciation for the efforts of officers in maintaining high standards and delivering against key objectives. The importance of robust risk management and continuous improvement was also noted.

The recommendations were moved by Councillor Dale Broughton and seconded by Councillor Sandeep Ghosh.

Resolved:

That the quarterly performance and risk monitoring information for Q4 of 2024/25 be noted.

(A report by James Gilbert, Assistant Director-Corporate)

The Group Manager – Insights and Transformation presented  the Quarter 4 2024/2025 Performance Report which covered the period up to the end of March 2025. It was noted that the report had previously been considered by the Environment and Performance Committee to support its work programme, but was now being brought to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee following the merger of scrutiny functions. The purpose of presenting the report was to highlight areas of performance that might warrant further scrutiny or be considered for inclusion in the Committee’s future work programme.

Members were advised to consider whether any specific indicators required more detailed examination. The officer drew attention to the performance summary on page 134, which included a pie chart showing that the majority of performance indicators were on target (green). Only one measure was reported as off target (red), which related to customer contact.

The Committee was invited to review the report and identify any areas of concern or interest for future scrutiny.

Reference was made to page 135 of the agenda, which contained responses to questions raised at a previous meeting. The first related to swimming participation figures. It was noted that numbers had declined in Quarter 2 and continued to do so in Quarter 4. The Leisure Services Officer had attributed this to seasonal variation and changes in reporting methodology, particularly regarding school and ongoing bookings. Additionally, the appendix outlined several service outages at the leisure centre, which had further impacted figures. Members were informed that a further decline was expected in Quarter 1 due to ongoing building works. This area was suggested as a potential item for the work programme or for future feedback from the relevant officer.

The second question concerned the local authority error rate for housing benefit claims. Officers explained that the Department for Work and Pensions reimbursed the Council for housing benefit payments, covering 100% of costs where payments were accurate. It was acknowledged that some level of error was anticipated and accounted for within the system.

Members were informed that a new approach to performance reporting was under consultation, with a shift in terminology from “trend measures” to “contextual metrics.” This term was welcomed by officers, as it more accurately reflected indicators that provided background context rather than direct performance outcomes. It was noted that such metrics were useful for understanding service trends over time, though they did not necessarily indicate positive or negative performance in isolation.

The Committee discussed the implications of underperformance in customer contact, which was the only indicator reported as red. Members considered the challenges faced by the customer contact team, including increased call volumes and complexity of enquiries. The Committee agreed that further scrutiny of call handling performance would be appropriate and resolved to add this issue to the work programme.

Further discussion took place regarding the redevelopment of the Geoff Moulder Leisure Centre and Rosegarth Square. Concerns were raised about the lack of communication with members and residents regarding the closure of the leisure pool and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22

(A report by James Gilbert, Assistant Director – Corporate)