Issue - meetings

To consider the latest trends, priorities and pressures in terms of departmental performance as reported in the QSR for the second quarter of 2014/15 (July to September 2014) relating to Environment, Culture and Communities.  An overview of the third quarter of 2014/15 will also be provided.

Please bring the previously circulated Quarterly Service Report to the meeting.  The QSR is attached to this agenda if viewed online.

The Panel considered the latest trends, priorities and pressures in terms of departmental performance as reported in the QSR for the second quarter of 2014/15 (July to September 2014) relating to Environment, Culture and Communities.

The QSR showed a projected underspend of £265,000 against budget but this was expected to reduce to around £100,000 at the year end.  The main variances were on:

• Concessionary fares – additional £119k
• Planning policy – additional £105k
• Waste disposal – additional £61k
• Downshire Golf Course – additional £35k
• Waste recycling – reduction of £55k
• Public realm contracts – reduction of £265k

On the Capital Programme, it was anticipated that about 60% of the programme would be spent at the year end, the remainder being carried forward.  In particular some £150k on disabled facilities grants and £200k on both maintenance of car parks and car park improvements would be carried forward.

Other points highlighted in the report or arising from questions were as follows:

• Staff turnover was running at a satisfactory 11 to 12% per annum, with an average vacancy rate of 7.4%.  Some difficulties in recruiting Planning staff had been experienced and the measures being put in place to overcome these were explained.
• Staff sickness continued to be very low, averaging less than 5 days per employee per year.
• Recruiting volunteers for the Great Holland’s Library had been a great success allowing the opening hours to be increased.
• Applications for planning permission had increased by 20 – 25% and while additional resources had been required to deal with the workload, there had been a corresponding increase in fee income.
• Additional pressures were also being created by the high number of planning appeals and challenges to the Council’s Sites Allocation Plan.  A significant test of this policy was expected from the decision (expected in February 2015) from the Public Inquiry held into the Council’s decision to refuse permission for 74 dwellings at Tilehurst Lane, Binfield.
• The Council had in place its five year land supply for housing, which required review at least annually.   Efforts were made to ensure there were as few obstacles as possible for developers to progress schemes, using Local Plan policies to secure affordable housing wherever appropriate.
• The Panel was pleased to note that Magistrates had dismissed the appeal by McDonalds against the Council’s decision to refuse to allow additional opening (all day) hours at its restaurant in Wildridings.  Further detail would be included in the next QSR.
• With regard to complaints, it was requested that some detail be given about complaints that had been upheld.
• For performance indicators, it was suggested these be kept under review to ensure they remained relevant and informative.  A request that information be included on the number of agency staff hours bought in would be looked at.
• The Land Registry’s proposal to take over provision of the Local Land Charges Register removing this service provision from all local authorities was unlikely to take effect until 2017.