Issue - meetings

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

The Committee received a report by the Group Manager – Insight and Transformation on Quarter 1 performance, covering the period to the end of June 2025.

Members were reminded of the structure of the performance dashboard, including the use of red, amber, and green indicators. Attention was drawn to the following key areas:

·         Amber Indicator – Industrial Unit Occupancy: One of the Council’s 28 units was vacant at the end of Quarter 1, with a new tenant scheduled to sign a lease in July. An update was expected in the next quarterly report.

·         Red Indicator – Homelessness Decisions: A newly introduced measure tracking the timeliness of homelessness decisions was off target. Officers advised that further data would be available in future reports as trends became clearer.

·         Red Indicator – Household Waste Recycling: The Council had not met its 45% recycling target. Officers confirmed this was a stretch target aligned with regional performance expectations and that significant work was ongoing, including anticipated impacts from the Environment Act and future food waste initiatives. This measure would be reported annually going forward.

Members welcomed the clarity of the report and acknowledged its value in shaping the Committee’s future work programme. During debate, Members queried the performance of industrial units, including occupancy history and specific uses. Officers undertook to provide further background information on the units and confirmed that an update would be included in the next quarterly report.

Clarification was sought on the homelessness measure, noting that it was a new indicator and trends were still emerging. Officers explained that the measure had been introduced to monitor responsiveness and ensure decisions were made within statutory timescales. It was agreed that updated commentary should be provided in future reports to reflect progress and any remedial actions.

Significant discussion took place regarding the recycling target. Members questioned whether the 45% target was realistic given current performance levels. Officers advised that the target was based on regional benchmarks and had been deliberately retained as a stretch target. Work was underway to improve recycling rates, including preparations for food waste collections and compliance with the Environment Act. Members requested that future reports include updates on these initiatives and their anticipated impact on performance.

The Committee noted that the performance report was a useful tool for identifying areas requiring deeper scrutiny and agreed that homelessness, recycling and industrial unit occupancy should be considered for inclusion in the work programme. Officers encouraged Members to use quarterly data proactively to inform topic selection.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.

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

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Dale Broughton, presented a report by the Assistant Director – Corporate and the Assistant Director – Governance & Monitoring Officer which provided Cabinet with an overview of the Council’s performance and risk position as at the end of June 2025.

In presenting the report, the Leader highlighted that the quarterly update covered key performance indicators (KPIs), strategic and operational risks, and drew attention to any significant changes requiring Cabinet’s consideration. He confirmed that overall performance remained stable, with no major concerns flagged. While the household waste recycling and composting rate continued to fall below the nationally set target, this was recognised as a persistent challenge for Boston and other authorities. However, improvements were anticipated through the introduction of food waste collections and operational changes being led by the Neighbourhoods team.

Cabinet was advised that all risks were being actively managed, with robust mitigations in place. No risks had been identified as critical. A new risk had been added in relation to the BBC server room, following concerns raised by ICT regarding the need for upgrades or potential relocation. Although funding for the project had previously been agreed, the initiative had been paused, and Cabinet may be required to consider whether to revive the project. The Leader concluded by stating that the Council continued to proactively manage both performance and risk.

Members discussed the report and commented as follows:

·         Cabinet welcomed the positive trajectory in market performance, noting that Council-run stall occupancy had increased from 68.5% in the previous year’s Quarter 1 to 71% in the current quarter. Members acknowledged that this improvement reflected the success of initiatives such as the Boston Makers and Craft Market, held monthly, and the broader diversification of stalls at regular markets.

·         Cabinet was informed that recent engagement activity had generated significant interest from prospective traders, with 18 applications received in a two-week period, including interest from outside the district. Social media engagement was reported to be strong, with the Boston Market Facebook page achieving 169,000 views over a 28-day period. New traders included those offering flowers, barista coffee, crystals, and gifts.

·         It was noted that the Markets Manager had made a demonstrable impact, with the Boston Makers Market selling out each month and plans in place to continue the initiative into the following year.

The recommendation was moved by Councillor Dale Broughton and seconded by Councillor John Baxter.

Resolved:

That the quarterly performance and risk monitoring information for Q1 of 2025/26 be noted.