To receive, and respond to, the findings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s review of the quarter one performance management information.  

That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s comments on the Performance Management Report for Quarter One of 2018/19 be NOTED. 

41.1           The report of the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, circulated at Pages No. 11-55, asked Members to review and, if appropriate, take action on the observations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee following its review of the 2018/19 quarter one performance management information.

41.2           Attention was drawn to the observations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, to the Council Plan Performance Tracker, attached to the report at Appendix 2, and to the financial information circulated at Appendices 3-5.

41.3              The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee explained that a number of actions within the Plan were refreshed as part of the annual review of the Council Plan. As this was a review of the quarter one performance it was still early days for a number of actions within the Plan to come to fruition. The actions which had not progressed in accordance with agreed timescales had been challenged before and two had been programmed into the Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme for further review (Healings Mill and trade waste) so Members had a full understanding of the issues. During discussions on the performance tracker, Overview and Scrutiny Committee Members had been keen to ensure that actions had feasible target dates against them. They were concerned that there were a number where dates had moved four or five times, and it was felt that the target dates did not reflect the complexity of those actions. Officers had agreed to look at this and ensure target dates were realistic moving forward. Overall the Chair felt that scrutiny review was positive and the progress of actions summarised in the main body of the report had been noted; including approval to move forward with the disposal of the MAFF site; fundamental completion of the Public Services Centre refurbishment; appointment of a development advisor for the Spring Gardens project; and appointment of a Business Transformation Manager and Technical Planning Manager to take forward the Development Services improvement plan. The Chair explained that, at its last meeting, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had received the first monitoring report in relation to that improvement plan and, similar to the performance tracker, Members had expressed a strong desire that target dates were realistic. A Member of the Committee had calculated that the target dates of 22 of the actions within the plan had been changed. The Head of Development Services had explained that the initial target dates had been over-ambitious and confirmed the new dates were achievable. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chair also passed on the thanks of his Committee to the Lead Member for Clean and Green Environment who, at the September meeting of the Committee, had given a very informative presentation on Ubico and its work. This was in direct response to Ubico related issues which had been picked up by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and had been very well received. Following that presentation, seven Members had visited the Swindon Road Depot for a tour and, at that time, had flagged up a possible concern going forward about the size of the site and the potential risks due to the constraints and the amount of vehicle movements required; particularly given the expected growth of the Borough. It was inevitable that there would need to be investment in the site to create space for more vehicles, or to look at an alternative depot location, and this would need to be borne in mind going forward.

41.4              A Member questioned whether there was an update available on the discretionary trade waste service and, in response, the Head of Community Services advised that the meeting which had been planned for 20 September had unfortunately not taken place but was due to be held the following day. He intended to provide an update to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the New Year. In response to a concern about the increase in the number of abandoned cars in the Borough, the Head of Community Services advised that he was in the process of putting together the six-monthly environmental review for Overview and Scrutiny Committee so he would provide that information to the Member following the meeting. The price of scrap metal had an effect on the number of abandoned cars so it tended to be an issue at some times and not at others.

41.5              The Chair thanked the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chair for his update and, accordingly, it was