29 06 2006

Councillors  Mrs Cully, Mrs Champion (P), Dickson (P), Farr (P), Foster (P), Hicks (P), Jacobs (P),  Philpott , Redrup (P) and Mrs Salter (P)

 

In accordance with Standing Orders, notification had been received that Councillors Train and Kimber would replace Councillors Mrs Cully and Philpott respectively for the duration of this meeting.

 

 

 

Apologies for inability to attend the meeting were received on behalf of Councillor Mrs Cully and Councillor Philpott.

 

 

 

 

There were no declarations of interest.

 

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 9 February 2006 and 18 May 2006  be approved and signed by the Chairman as a true and correct record.

 

 

The Committee received a report of the Development Services Manager to enable Members to consider performance information relating to BVPIs and actions agreed by Chief Officers Management Team.  Members were reminded that the Council was required to produce an annual Best Value Performance Plan (BVPP) which was a policy framework document.  The document contained a section on the Council’s performance and the BVPIs in particular.  The BVPP for 2005-2006 approved by the Council had now been published and the Committee were afforded the opportunity to review the Council’s performance.

 

An appendix to the report showed the BVPI performance for the year ending March 2006, indicating whether targets had been met or not and compared performance with the previous year, 2004/05.  The appendix also showed remedial actions, where appropriate, that had been agreed by Council Management Team on 18 May 2006.

 

The Development Services Manager informed the Committee that figures omitted from the appendix relating to BV9 and BV10 should be inserted as 96.8% and 98.6% respectively.

 

The Committee then concentrated their review on specific indicators where performance had not met the targets set (by the ODPM).  Members sought clarification for the reasons and in some cases requested further information on the proposed remedial action.

 

The BVPIs selected for further investigation were as follows:

 

The percentage of invoices for commercial goods and services which were paid by the authority within 30 days of such invoices being received by the authority.

 

 

Members were informed that, in general, invoices were paid on time and officers sought to improve cash flow.  Council Management Team were reviewing the creditors systems and staff awareness training was being provided.

 

Percentage of Council Tax collected (within the year).  (Future targets are based on the 2003/04 top quartile).  Cumulative indicator

 

 

Quartile measurement was explained and clarified.  It was not cost effective to employ more staff resources for improvement of the collection of Council Tax.

 

The number of working days/shifts lost due to sickness absence.  (Future targets are based on the 2003/04 top quartile).

 

In answer to questions, Members were advised that the Personnel Section notified Managers where staff had been absent for four occasions within a 12 month period and relevant staff received a ‘return to work’ interview in order to monitor sickness corporately.  Sickness absence was being monitored by Council Management Team and ‘Management of Stress’ courses were being arranged.

 

The percentage of authority buildings open to the public in which all public areas are suitable for and accessible to disabled people.

 

This target referred to four Council owned buildings. The performance figure of 25% represented compliance for one building only, Explosion! Museum.  Regarding other premises, the Town Hall complied with DDA requirements as far as was practicable and the Gosport Access Group were satisfied with remedial work that had been taken.  Work at Ann’s Hill Chapel and Holbrook Recreation Centre had been explored but was not considered to be cost effective.

 

The number of types of interactions that are enabled for electronic delivery as a percentage of the types of interactions that are legally permissible for electronic delivery.

 

It was noted that this BVPI had been withdrawn for 2006/2007.

 

The average length of stay in (i) bed and breakfast accommodation of households which include dependent children or a pregnant woman and which are unintentionally homeless and in priority need

 

The performance of these BVPIs should be considered together, as work was proceeding on the provision of hostel accommodation in the Borough, which in turn would reduce the time spent in bed and breakfast accommodation.

 

 

 

 

The number of fraud investigators employed, per 1,000 caseload.

 

Effectively no problem – it represented an increased workload with the same number of investigations.  The Team were working well.

 

Accuracy of processing: a) Percentage of cases for which the calculation of the amount of benefit due was correct on the basis of the information available for the determination, for a sample of cases checked post-determination.

 

The percentage of recoverable overpayments recovered (Housing Benefit)

 

Clarification of reasons for the percentage of recoverable payments recovered was supplied.  Officers were seeking to improve performance.

 

Members questioned how much of housing benefit was overpaid and how much was accountable to fraud.  Officers agreed to supply detailed information.

 

A Member questioned the role of bailiffs, whether they were employed by the Council and their style of collection.  There were clear guidelines of expectation and the Borough Treasurer agreed to provide information to Members to clarify the situation.

 

Percentage of total tonnage of household waste arising which have been recycled.  (The Government target is to achieve 27% combined recycled and composted waste by 2006).

 

 

Gosport were working to improve the percentage of recyclable waste collected by raising awareness of recycling opportunities and by education and advice provided to the public.

 

Officers were thanked for the report and information provided.

 

RESOLVED: That the report of the Development Services Manager in respect of the performance regarding BVPIs be received and noted.

 

 

It was reported that the Borough Solicitor had not received any requests for matters to be scrutinized.

 

 

 

Tourism and Marketing

 

Members were informed that there was nothing to report at present and that an update on progress being made would be reported to the Committee in the Autumn.

 

RESOLVED: That the oral report be noted.

 

 

 

 

 

There was nothing to report on this item.

 

 

 

There was no other business to discuss.