Agenda item

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Scrutiny Committee:

Raises with the Deputy Leader or relevant Cabinet member any issues arising from the information in this report, ref CAB3469, which is being presented to Cabinet on the 11 September 2024 and considers whether there are any items of significance to resolve or to be drawn to the attention of Cabinet.

Councillor Neil Cutler - Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance introduced the report, ref CAB3469 which set out proposals for the Q1 2024/25 Performance Monitoring, (available here).  The introduction included the following points.

1.             He advised that following the recent corporate peer challenge, it was concluded that the City Council remained a high-performing authority. Financial management was noted as strong, mitigating immediate risks to the council.

2.             The new direction for quarterly performance reporting was acknowledged as an opportunity to refocus performance management. This process would drive delivery and track progress on the council’s corporate priorities.

3.             Councillor Cutler highlighted that the new report presented information in a more streamlined format. Last year's quarterly reports averaged 115 pages, while this report was significantly reduced to around 40.

4.             Key council priorities were set out in the report, along with a summary of progress achieved in the quarter and actions planned for the next quarter. These were broken down by Tier 1 projects and major programmes, with progress tracked using a red, amber, and green (RAG) status system.

Simon Howson, Senior Policy and Programme Manager advised the committee that the new report format aimed to provide essential data while significantly reducing its length, focusing on the Council Plan's five key priorities. He confirmed that financial performance data for both the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) was included.

The committee was asked to raise with the Deputy Leader or relevant Cabinet member any issues arising from the information in this report (CAB3469), which was being presented to Cabinet on the 11th of September 2024, and to consider whether there are any items of significance to resolve or to be drawn to the attention of Cabinet.

The committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the report. In summary, the following matters were raised.

1.             Further information was requested about the council's policy for managing invasive species.

2.             A question was raised about the carbon neutrality action plan, specifically asking for details on the “cargo bike last-mile delivery scheme”.

3.             Further information was requested about the rerouting of the waste and recycling rounds, and if ward members would be informed of the changes.

4.             A question was asked about the amber RAG status for TCE1 and TCE2, particularly whether the status was due to outdated data or performance issues.

5.             Regarding page 27, a question was raised about projects due for completion in July and August 2024, asking if they were finished as scheduled and if any delays would be reported.

6.             A question was asked regarding the targets for TCE1, TCE2, TCE7, and TCE8 as it was felt that these targets had changed without explanation in the report.

7.             A question was asked about whether the 80% target for clearing fly-tips was ambitious enough, given the perceived scale of the problem. Further information was requested regarding whether specific areas with frequent fly-tipping were receiving targeted attention from the council. A request was made for future reports to include footnotes specifying contract terms for fly-tipping clearance response times.

8.             A question was raised about environmental concerns with solar panels, for example lead leaching and whether solar panels were the best option for renewable energy, given these environmental concerns, and whether alternatives were being explored.

9.             It was noted that on page 35 regarding the New Homes programme the RAG status was amber but the committee felt the supporting text didn't align with this status.

10.          A question was raised about the rising number of households on the housing waiting list, and whether this was due to increased demand or other factors. A follow-up question asked about comparing WCC’s housing waiting list numbers to other local authorities.

11.          Further information was asked about the rise in void properties and whether this was contributing to longer waiting times for housing.

12.          A question was raised about the results of the tenant questionnaire on repairs and maintenance, and when the findings would be available for Councillors.

13.          A question was asked regarding HFA4 and specifically in understanding the 365-day target.

14.          Clarification was sought regarding the 2024/25 target for achieving an energy efficiency rating of C or above in council housing which appeared to be the same for 2023/24. A follow-up question was asked if the cabinet would review its housing energy efficiency targets to ensure they aligned with carbon neutrality goals.

15.          Further information was requested about future investments in waste management infrastructure to support the upcoming route changes.

16.          A question was raised about potential upgrades to the heating system in council offices to align with carbon reduction goals.

17.          Further information was sought about the retrofit programme’s progress and when the work would begin. A follow-up asked if the council had a formal system for inspecting completed retrofit work to ensure it met standards.

18.          A question was raised about whether revenue from the Guildhall and Abbey House would be reinvested into their maintenance.

19.          Clarification was sought regarding how the council would manage GDPR and data security risks in its potential use of AI for data summarisation.

20.          A question was raised about whether waste and recycling guidance would be included in the council’s event management toolkit.

21.          Further clarification was sought about fluctuations in the percentage of revenue spend with local suppliers and if the council was encouraging local sourcing.

22.          A question was asked if there were areas in the council’s housing stock where energy efficiency work had stalled and how this was being addressed.

23.          A question was raised about the council’s collaboration with neighbouring authorities on carbon neutrality, specifically on energy efficiency improvements in housing.

These points were responded to by Councillor Neil Cutler, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance, Councillor Martin Tod, Leader and Cabinet Member for Asset Management Simon Hendey, Strategic Director, Liz Keys, Director (Finance) Gilly Knight, Corporate Head of Housing and Simon Howson, Senior Policy and Programme Manager accordingly.

RESOLVED:

The committee agreed to ask the Cabinet Member to consider the following:

1.             To provide an update to the committee regarding the council's approach and policy in preventing the spread of invasive plant species,

2.             To clarify if/why the targets relating to TCE1, and TCE2, had changed between 2023/24 and 2024/25. If they had, to consider explaining at future Cabinet meeting and in future performance reports to explain any change.

3.             To provide a response to the question regarding the heating system efficiency at the City Offices.

4.             To consider providing further explanatory text to explain amber/red status within the report.

5.             To consider the target relating to HFA1 (% of all WCC homes achieving energy efficiency rating of C or above) as it was believed that the target had not increased for 2024/25 despite progress in the previous year.

6.             To review the target relating to HFA4 (Average time for homeless household to receive offer of a permanent home (days -365 days) and to provide further information to the committee regarding its calculation and use.

7.             To consider whether issues around waste and recycling would be included in the event planning toolkit.

8.             The committee expressed interest in a deeper analysis of fly-tipping data, specifically focusing on the 20% of cases that were not cleared within the set timeframes. The committee discussed potentially forming a task and finish group to investigate this issue further if, after more clarity  in the Q2 report, it was still felt necessary.