Issue - meetings

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

RESOLVED – that the Executive:

Approves the Key Performance Indicators to be reported on in 2024/25 as detailed in Annex 1.1.

The Portfolio Holder for Corporate Policy and Resources, Councillor James King, introduced the quarterly performance report up to the end of quarter 3 2023/24. Of the 10 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) reported on in quarter 3, eight were on target or within the agreed tolerance. Two indicators were off-target and outside the agreed tolerance.

The red-rated indicators were:

·        KPI 1 – Council Tax collection, and

·        KPI 7 – affordable housing completions.

Additional detail was set out in Annex 1.

Annex 1.1 set out the proposed KPIs to be reported on in 2024/25. These are consistent with those reported on this year and continue to reflect the Council’s corporate objectives as set out in the current Corporate Plan.

An updated set of KPIs will be developed for reporting from 2025/26 onwards. A Member task and finish group will be set up to inform this review process which will take place later this year.

The report was considered by Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 14 March 2024. They made no formal observations to the Executive but some comments on the content were captured in the draft Minute of the meeting which was published as an Addendum to the Executive agenda earlier in the week.

Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Harrison, noted that the Council tax collection KPI was red-rated which was potentially worrying but the economic climate was picking up, so this should improve. He referred to the new Annex 6 – Housing Focus on Homelessness 2023/24 which set out the rise in the number of homelessness cases. This was a risk that Members should continue to monitor. O&S Members also discussed affordable housing.

Managing Director, Mari Roberts-Wood, commented that the homelessness issue was one of the most significant challenges that the Council and residents face. The new annex accompanied the performance reports set out these challenges and highlighted the increase in the number of cases. This was due to a reduction of private rental sector accommodation, alongside the cost of living and general housing challenges. This was to be considered at both Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Executive meetings. Reigate and Banstead Borough Council was not alone in facing these challenges. It was an important issue and important that Members and officers gave it due attention.

There were no further comments from Executive Members.

Visiting Members made the following observations:

·        KPI 7 Affordable housing completions – Members noted that the Council had delivered affordable housing in the planned period, and it was on track. However, delivery was low this current year with a lower percentage of affordable homes as a proportion of all homes than in previous years.

The Leader, Councillor Biggs, highlighted the slowdown in building generally which was happening nationally. There were fewer larger sites as Westvale Park and other sites in Redhill were nearly completed. It was important to note that the Council was still on target, overdelivering on the 15-year target while retaining the borough’s open spaces that were important to residents, businesses and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74

To consider the Council’s performance in Quarter 3 2023/24 including Key Performance Indicators for Q3 2023/24, Revenue Budget and Capital Programme forecasts for Q3 2023/24, and the Treasury Management Performance Update for Q3 2023/24.

RECOMMENDED that Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

 That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

(i)               Notes the Key Performance Indicators for Q3 2023/24 as detailed in the report and Annex 1 and make any observations to the Executive;

(ii)              Notes the proposed Key Performance Indicators to be reported on in 2024/25 as detailed in Annex 1.1.

(iii)            Notes the Revenue Budget and Capital Programme forecasts for Q3 2023/24 as detailed in the report and Annexes 2, 3 and 4 and makes any observations to the Executive;

(iv)            Notes the Q3 Treasury Management Performance and Prudential indicator Updates for 2023/24 at Annex 5 and makes any observations to the Executive; and

(v)             Notes the update on risks relating to Homelessness at Annex 6.

The Committee received the Performance Reports for Quarter 3 2023/24 including the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), the proposed Key Performance Indictors (KPIs) to be reported on in 2024/25, Revenue Budget and Capital Programme forecasts for Quarter 3 2023/24, the Treasury Management Performance and Prudential indicator Updates for Quarter 3 2023/24, and the update on risks relating to Homelessness. The reports were due to be presented to the Executive on 21 March 2024.

The Quarter 3 2023/24 Performance Report was published on the Council’s website as part of the Committee’s agenda pack which can be viewed here:

Agenda for Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, 14th March, 2024, 7.30 pm | Reigate and Banstead Borough Council (moderngov.co.uk)

Key Performance Indicators

Councillor James King, Portfolio Holder for Corporate Policy and Resources, gave an overview of the Council’s performance up to the end of Quarter 3 (October to December 2023) as set out in the report.

Additional detail was provided in the accompanying report available for members at annex 1.

Annex 1.1 of the report set out the KPIs to be reported on in 2024/25. The KPIs were considered to continue to reflect the Council’s corporate objectives as set out in the current Corporate Plan. In parallel with the preparation of the new Corporate Plan for 2025-2030, an updated set of KPIs would be developed alongside a member task and finish group. This process would take place in 2024/25, with the new indicators reported from 2025/26 onwards.

Following this meeting, the report would be considered by the Executive on 21 March. Any observations made by the Committee on the report’s contents would be tabled at this meeting.

Of the ten KPIs reported on, eight were on target or within agreed tolerances. Two KPIs were off target and outside of the agreed tolerance: KPI 1 – Council Tax collection, and KPI 7 – affordable housing completions. Although Affordable housing completions had not met their target within this quarter, it should be noted that 1,164 affordable units had been delivered in the borough since 2012, which means that progress towards achieving the Local Plan 15 year target was on track. Of the 852 dwellings under construction at the end of Q3, 82 were affordable units. In Q3 no further affordable dwellings commenced construction.

The Executive Member for Corporate Policy and Resources, Councillor James King, invited Members to ask questions and comment on the Quarter 3 2023/24 Performance Report provided in the agenda pack.

In response to the questions raised, the following clarifications were provided:

Review of KPIs

It was confirmed that KPIs were used to report performance against the Corporate Plan and proposed KPIs for the new year ahead were reviewed by Overview and Scrutiny Committee before being confirmed by the Executive every year. There was an officer recommendation that KPIs were not changed at this moment in time, to allow for continuity across the Corporate Plan period. A full review of KPIs was proposed to align with the new Corporate Plan.

Temporary emergency accommodation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 78