Agenda item

To consider a report of the Head of Planning, Policy and Improvement on Performance Quarter 3 information for 2008/9.

The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement submitted a report regarding the Quarter 3 performance indicators (PIs) in respect of Environment and Neighbourhoods. The report and appendices charted progress against targets across the raft of individual performance indicators in this area, and highlighted areas of under-performance and/or concern in relation to improvement priorities and actions being taken to remedy matters.

The following representatives were in attendance and responded to Members’ queries and comments:-

Councillor L Carter, Executive Member for Neighbourhoods and Housing

Neil Evans, Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods

Andrew Mason, Chief Environmental Services Officer

Debra Scott, Head of Service Improvement

For ease of reference, the Chair went through the appendices page by page, inviting Board Members to comment on those areas of under performance and/or concern.

In summary, specific reference was made to the following issues as clarification to questions raised:-

Corporate Balanced Scorecard 2008/09 Issues

·  Value for Money / Resources (PI Ref BSC-8) – clarification as to what actions were being taking to improve on this indicator in relation to paying  undisputed invoices on time

·  (At the request of the Chair, Councillor B Cleasby in his capacity as Lead Member, Central and Corporate portfolio, outlined the Council’s current position on ensuring the payment of invoices.

Environmental and Neighbourhoods Quarter 3 2008-09 Update

·  PI Ref NI 16 ‘Serious acquisitive crime rate per 1,000 population’ – the concerns expressed that North West Leeds had seen the largest increase in offences and the requirement for this data to be supplied to the relevant Area Committees

(The Executive Member for Neighbourhoods and Housing responded and agreed that this data should be forwarded to Area Committees. The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods agreed to feed this issue back to the Area Managers  for appropriate action)

·  PI Ref NI 18 ‘adult re-offending rates for those under probation supervision’ – clarification of whether the department was any further in gathering relevant data for this indicator

(The Executive Member for Neighbourhoods and Housing responded by explaining that whilst the data was not available at the time of reporting, the Council had now received draft data and requested the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods to supply the Board with this information and to copy in the Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement Team on the response)

·  PI Ref NI 39 ‘ rate of hospital admissions per 100,000 for Alcohol Related Harm’ – the need for the Primary Care Trusts to supply the missing data to a future Board meeting

(The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods responded and agreed to consult with the Director of Public Health to supply this information)

·  PI Ref NI 158 ‘% of non-decent council homes’ – the concerns expressed about the apparent downward trend  and the reasons behind this

(The Executive Member for Neighbourhoods and Housing and the Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods responded and it was noted that such figures would continue to vary as they were based around assumptions in view of the fact that the decency programme does not involve whole house improvements.  It was highlighted that the Council was still on track in meeting its target.)

·  the need for the Board to be supplied with data in relation to burglaries and the impact this has had on the costs to insurers.  Links were also made between burglaries and drug use and further information around treatment services for drug users was requested.

(The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods responded and agreed to supply the relevant information to the Board)

·  PI Ref NI 196 ‘improved street and environmental cleanliness through reducing levels of fly tipping whilst increasing levels of enforcement activity’ – the need for the Board to be supplied with data from the previous year

(The Chief Environmental Service Officer responded and agreed to supply the relevant data to the Board. The Board also noted that changes to  recording practices had increased the level of reporting for fly tipping)

·  PI Ref NI 184 ‘ food establishments in the area which are broadly compliant with food hygiene law’ – clarification of how the Board could obtain more data in this area and how this linked into the licensing of premises

(The Chief Environmental Services Officer responded and informed the Board that this was a new indicator and therefore further work was being undertaken around base lines. In terms of the licensing issue, he agreed to provide Board Members with a more detailed explanation of how inspection data influenced the Council’s licensing function)

·  PI Ref NI 193 ‘ kilograms of residual household waste collected per household / percentage of municipal waste land filled’ – clarification as to why the department does not provide residents with a second brown bin and feedback  to-date in relation to the fortnightly collection pilot

(The Chief Environmental Services Officer responded and outlined the reasons why the department did not provide a second brown bin. The Board noted that the fortnightly collection pilot was working resulting in more recycling and less residual waste. However, in relation to the level of green bin contamination, he agreed to provide further details to the Board)

·  PI Ref NI 33A ‘ number of deliberate primary fires per 10,000 population’ – concern was expressed about the high number of missing data around the national fire indicators

(The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods responded and informed the Board that work was continuing with the fire service on those specific issues raised. He agreed to come back to the Board with an update in due course)

·  the need for education awareness to be promoted on fire safety by the new Board in the new municipal year and for leaflets to be distributed to residents warning them of dangerous electrical appliances e.g. deep fat fryers etc

·  PI Ref LKI -CS8A ‘addressing domestic violence by (a) increase the number of reported incidents of domestic violence’ – the need for the department to continue working with the Police to understand how reported incidents were being captured, recorded and reported.

·  PI Ref LKI -CS8B ‘addressing domestic violence by (b) reduce repeat victimisation as a proportion of reported domestic violence incidents’ – clarification of how the targets were set and whether they were seen as a challenge

·  PI Ref LKI -HAS 11 ‘number of sanctuary installations completed’ –the Board acknowledged the links between this indicator and its impact on the numbers of acceptances for violence and harassment levels

·  PI Ref LKI -RC1 ‘number of household collections missed per 100,000 collections’ – clarification of how the department intended to resolve this ongoing problem

(The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods responded and commented on the problems associated with missed bin collections to-date around such issues as strike action (i.e. work to rule), snow and icy conditions etc

·  the need to address the issue of mechanical breakdowns in respect of refuse vehicles

(The Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods responded and agreed to investigate this issue further)

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

(b)  That this Board also notes and welcomes those areas where continued improvements had been made and conveys its thanks to the  staff who had contributed to such achievements.

(Councillor M Rafique left the meeting at 10.25am during discussions of the above item)

(Councillor A Castle left the meeting at 11.25am at the conclusion of the above item)