Issue - meetings

Q3 2020/21 Performance Report

Meeting: 25/03/2021 - Executive (Item 80)

80 Quarter 3 2020/21 Performance Report

Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Finance and Governance, and the Executive Member for Corporate Policy and Resources.

Supporting documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

1.    To note the Key Performance Indicator performance for Q3 2020/21 as detailed in the report and annex 1

2.    To approve the Key Performance Indicators to be reported on for 2021/22 as detailed in annex 1.1

3.    To note the Revenue budget performance for Q3 2020/21 as detailed in the report and at annex 2

4.    To note the Capital Programme performance for Q3 2020/21 as detailed in the report and at annex 3.

5.    That the Executive delegates responsibility to agree the approach to KPI 12 in 2021/22 to the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Policy & Resources, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Governance, the Portfolio Holder for Investment and Companies, and the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Minutes:

The Executive Member for Corporate Policy and Resources, Councillor Lewanski, introduced a report which outlined the Council’s performance up to the end of Quarter 3 and proposed key performance indicators for 2021/22.

 

Of the ten indicators in Quarter 3, nine were on target or within the agreed tolerance. One indicator, KPI7, which tracks the number of affordable housing completions, was red rated. Councillor Lewanski explained that the impact of covid-19 on construction weighed on performance. However, looking at longer term trends, overall performance in affordable housing completions was on track, and 265 affordable housing units were under construction at the end of the Quarter.

 

Councillor Lewanski noted that the report proposed the roll forward of the Key Performance Indicators for next year with two proposed for removal. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had considered the proposed Key Performance Indicators and requested that the removal of KPI12 ‘Movement in investment income as a % of the Council’s budget’ be reconsidered.

 

The Vice-Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Walsh, confirmed that the Committee had received and reviewed the Quarter 3 report and the proposed Key Performance Indicators, and that the Committee considered KPI12 an important measure for the Council. The Committee requested that it should continue to be reported.

 

In response, Councillor Lewanski proposed the following recommendation in addition to those contained in the report:

 

That the Executive delegates responsibility to agree the approach to KPI 12 in 2021/22 to the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Policy & Resources, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Governance, the Portfolio Holder for Investment and Companies, and the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

The Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Finance and Governance, Councillor Schofield, presented the Council’s Revenue and Capital Budget position for Quarter 3.

 

Councillor Schofield explained that the details of the significant budget variances and the details of individual scheme variances in the Capital Programme were set out in the report.

 

The main area of concern was the impact of the covid-19 pandemic. The situation was continuing to be monitored closely and the Council had more clarity on the extent to which Government would help fund the extra costs incurred and reimburse the Council for income losses. Confidence had increased that there would not be a significant financial burden to be funded by the Council in 2020/21. However, the picture for 2021/22 remained uncertain. The longer-term impacts on council tax and business rates income streams was likely to be confirmed well into the next financial year.

 

Councillor Schofield confirmed that the Council would do everything possible to minimise the impact.

 

Councillor Walsh confirmed that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had noted the forecast of a satisfactory outturn, and that, in relation to covid-19, the net forecast impact for 2020/21 was cost neutral, taking into account covid-19 grant funding, although accurate forecasting remained challenging. It was also noted that not all the expenditure charged to the Feasibility Studies (Commercial Ventures) Reserve seemed to be related to commercial ventures,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80


Meeting: 18/03/2021 - Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 80)

80 Q3 2020/21 performance report

To consider Council performance in the third quarter of 2020/21 and to note and make any observations to Executive on the following reports:

·       Key Performance Indicator performance for Q3 2020/21

·       Key Performance Indicators to be reported on for 2021/22

·       Revenue budget performance for Q3 2020/21

·       Capital Programme performance for Q3 2020/21

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

Members received the Quarter 3 2020/21 Performance reports: Key Performance Indicator (KPI) performance for the last quarter, KPIs to be reported on for 2021/22, Revenue budget performance for Q3 2020/21 and Capital Programme performance for Q3 2020/21.

Councillor Lewanski, Portfolio Holder for Corporate Policy and Resources, reported that of the ten KPIs reported on in the third quarter, nine were on target. One KPI was off target – KPI 7 (Net affordable housing completions) which was red rated.

Members discussed and asked questions on the following areas:

Affordable housing  – It was noted that the Council was continuing with its long-term plans to provide more affordable housing in the borough. Against a target of 75 there were 48 completions by the end of Q3. However, allowing for fluctuations in development activity and economic circumstances, performance was reported to be on track. The borough’s affordable housing target is for 1,500 affordable units to be built between 2012 and 2027. Since 2012, 875 affordable units have been completed.

A number of key sites were in mature development including Pitwood Park and Cromwell Road which contained affordable housing units. The Council was also working with social housing provider Raven Housing Trust on proposed future projects to deliver more rented social housing. The Committee requested an update on the Housing Strategy adopted in 2019 at a future meeting.

Staff sickness absence – the Committee was pleased to see that KPI4 showed that the last quarter had seen a continuation of the downward trend in staff sickness since quarter 1 in April 2020 and the first UK lockdown. The average duration of short-term sickness per employee reduced from 4 days down to 3.36 days. Members said this was an impressive achievement as a large number of staff were having to cope with remote working combined with home-schooling and caring responsibilities as well as some periods of shielding and self-isolation. Other staff were continuing to work in frontline critical services such as refuse and recycling.

Interim Head of Paid Service, Mari Roberts-Wood, said that the data behind this KPI4 was being analysed carefully as the numbers could be affected by a small number of longer-term sickness absences. The Council and managers had provided support for staff during the pandemic, to help their physical and mental wellbeing during a tough year.

Homelessness prevention – Members were pleased to see that KPI5 – the % of positive homelessness prevention and relief outcomes was improving due to continued successful multi-agency working. With the courts closing again, there had been a decrease in families approaching the Council for support, but this had been matched by an increase in approaches from single people, many with complex needs.

Investment income ­– the Committee was disappointed that KPI 12 2020/21, which was an indicator on investment income, had been dropped from the proposed list of KPIs for the coming year 2021/22, given the importance of this area for the Council and its finances. The report proposed that this annually reported indicator was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80