Issue - meetings

To update the Panel in respect of the latest available departmental performance as reported in the QSR for the fourth quarter of 2016/17 (January to March 2017) relating to Environment, Culture and Communities.  An overview of the first quarter of 2017/18 will also be provided.

The Chairman has asked that any detailed or procedural questions arising from the QSR should be referred to the Director of Environment, Culture and Communities in advance.  Only issues of strategic importance or of wider implications need then be raised at the meeting.

The Panel considered the latest trends, priorities and pressures in terms of departmental performance as reported in the QSR for the fourth quarter of 2016/17 (January to March 2017) relating to Environment, Culture and Communities.  The report highlighted exceptional performance, remedial action being taken against under performance, significant changes in risk, significant customer feedback and inspections and significant changes in service use and the associated financial impact.

The Director of Environment, Culture and Communities highlighted a number of items from the report and presented an overview of the final quarter performance.  He reported that the major variances on the revenue budget had resulted in an underspend of £549k for the year and detailed the budget headings where the change had exceeded £25k.  The Capital Programme spend for the year had been £22,207,580, which at 85% of the budget represented a creditable performance.  The remaining budget had been carried forward to the current year, the most significant items being £2,033k for the LED street lighting programme and £3,487k for the Coral Reef refurbishment.

The Director commented on the satisfactory staffing position, with the average vacancy factor at a manageable level and continuing low rates of staff sickness.  The Public Protection Partnership, the new joint arrangement for Regulatory Services between Bracknell Forest, West Berkshire and Wokingham, had come into force and was working well.  This brought resilience to the service and would in future save money for the Council.

Arising from questions and discussion, the following points were made:

• Accumulating a sum of £181k income in excess of the budget at the Cemetery and Crematorium was considered to be an excellent achievement.
• The £188k saving by the restriction of non-residents using the Household Waste Recycling Centre was also notable.
• The increase in inspection fee income for Building Control was attributable to a good approach to promoting the service to win new business.
• Officers agreed to look into a query concerning the vehicular access serving a development scheme in York Town Road, Sandhurst.
• The carry forward of £110k for the introduction of self-service at Bracknell Library was as a result of phasing in this innovation.  There had been a very good response to the invitation to volunteer to assist in Library services.