The Committee is asked to consider the Performance Monitoring Report - First Quarter.

The Chairman welcomed the Policy and Performance Manager to the meeting.  The Policy and Performance Manager introduced the report which presented the quarterly portfolio-based balanced scorecard performance reports for the first quarter (April-June) of 2014/15.  He also brought Members’ attention to the tabled paper which set out the list of exceptions during this period.

The Policy and Performance Manager brought Members’ attention to the six large projects; three were at green, one at amber which he considered would be at green by the next quarter; and the two in red would be re-profiled.  He explained that customer complaints had increased; this rise was attributed to the new waste contract and its ‘teething’ problems.  He confirmed that 90% of complaints were dealt with within 10 working days.  The 2014 perception survey was being carried out at the moment and the results would be known in quarter 2.  The Policy and Performance Manager further advised that eight planning-related indicators had not been included due to issues encountered in the move to planning administration shared service.

Members made the following general comments:  concern with the two large projects at red being reprofiled and what that meant; adaptions to waste collection vehicles needed to be carried out to address the number of complaints received, when would this be done?; thanked officers for the report; real waste contract issues were not picked up in the report, there were issues with street cleaning which was self-monitoring, i.e. the contractor decided whether a street needed to be cleaned or not; and it was important that the issue was resolved.

Members went through the scorecards page by page and made the following comments.

Page 19 – Corporate Health

Issue with customer complaints about Kent County Council (KCC) services being directed at SBC, with perception that nothing had been done to resolve problems; needed to identify complaints that had been successfully resolved; there was a lack of response to KCC highway issues; and it could be beneficial to look into the way that complaints were followed-up.

The Policy and Performance Manager agreed to forward responses to the Committee with regard to the large projects at red, the issues causing the waste-related complaints and the street cleansing contract.  He was unsure as to how complaints about KCC Services received by SBC were recorded and handled by SBC and agreed to forward this information to the Committee.

A Member suggested that a KCC Cabinet Member be invited to a future Scrutiny Committee meeting.

Page 20 – Community Safety and Health

The Policy and Performance Manager explained that the statement ‘get on well together’ in the local area perception survey had been inherited from the previous Place Survey and he acknowledged that it was an ambiguous statement.

Some Members considered the move to ‘lights off’ in the Borough had resulted in an increase in crime figures, and that the lights should be turned back on.

Page 21 – Environment and Rural Affairs

Members raised concern with the amount of flyposting across the Borough and discussion ensued on who was permitted to remove the posters.

Page 22 – Finance and Performance

In response to comments, the Policy and Performance Manager confirmed that ‘the Borough Council gives residents good value for money’ figure of 36% was exceptional in comparison to the figures generally achieved by local authorities.  He agreed to find out if there was a list of vacant establishment posts within the Council.

Page 24 - Localism

Members spoke in length on the disappointing public attendance levels at the three Local Engagement Fora (LEF).  Comments included:  the LEFs were not providing a direct connection with the public; appropriate officer for the topic being discussed needed to attend the meeting; and there was a lack of KCC representatives at the LEFs.

A Member suggested the Cabinet Member for Localism be invited to attend a future Scrutiny Committee meeting for an update.

Page 25 - Planning

A Member considered the performance outturn did not reflect the reality.

Page 26 – Regeneration

A Member welcomed the increase in skills in the Borough and considered there should be the opportunity to study politics and government at school.  The Policy and Performance Manager agreed to look into whether this was currently taught at schools in the Borough.

Resolved:  That the information in the Quarter 1 balanced scorecards be noted.