Issue - meetings

The Programme Management Officer presented an exception performance report which set out the performance and risk headlines from the performance and risk reports which had already been reported to the four main policy committees earlier in the committee cycle.

The subsequent discussion made reference to the following issues:

·         a response to a question raised at the Community Services Committee on 21 September about the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme target and its potential impact on new businesses opening would be supplied to the Committee after the meeting by the Executive Head of Communities;

·         in respect of the Housing Committee target of the average time taken to re-let local authority sheltered housing, the high number of days had been caused by three properties only and the delays were attributable to Covid.  The Executive Head of Communities offered to email members of the Committee to provide further information;

·         it was noted that the missed target relating to people in ‘Urgent Need’ would keep being raised on the report as it is undeliverable but this should be owned by the Council as a serious failure.  It was noted by the Executive Head of Communities that the Council was doing all it could to meet this target via various schemes and it was important to highlight this as an important issue for the Council;

·         in respect of the monitoring of the quality of private rented accommodation, it was noted that the Environmental Health team work on the investigation and enforcement of housing standards. The Executive Head of Communities offered to provide a briefing note to Councillors on this issue.

·         it was requested that financial exposure associated to the risks in the report be included in the report to the next Committee;

·         The Chairman emphasised again that the aim of this agenda item is to have presented only those Performance exceptions deemed High Impact and those Risks categorised Red. The Committee then reviews the effectiveness of the respective Action agreed by the relevant Committee and proposes if additional/alternative actions be sought.

·         it was noted that staff sickness was very high and had been for a long period of time.  The Chief Executive agreed that this was an issue that had to be taken very seriously and the underlying reasons for this would be investigated and addressed;

The Chair proposed a recommendation that a proposal be brought to the next committee by the Programme Management Officer in respect of the format of future reports.  This recommendation was seconded by Councillor O’Driscoll.

R E S O L V E D – that:

·         the Committee notes the performance and risk exceptions for Quarter 1 2021/22; and

·         the Programme Management Officer will liaise with Committee Members and put together a proposal for the rationalisation and prioritisation of exceptions that the Committee needs to review and a verbal update be provided at the next Committee meeting.