Agenda item

To consider the latest trends, priorities and pressures in terms of departmental performance as reported in the Performance Monitoring Report for the second quarter of 2008/09 relating to the Environment, Culture and Communities Department.

Please bring the previously circulated Performance Monitoring Report to the meeting.  Copies are available on request and attached to this agenda if viewed online.

The Chief Officer: Housing gave a presentation in respect of departmental performance with reference to the Performance Monitoring Report (PMR) for the 2^nd quarter of 2008/09.  The presentation outlined the Department’s finances as at October 2008, highlighted variances on revenue and identified capital projects that would be carried forward.  Staffing issues, key highlights and a forward look were also included.

The Panel noted that the capital projects identified for carrying forward included: the Choice Based Lettings IT system which was expected to go live in July 2009, a programme of Section 106 leisure schemes, the South Hill Park grounds restoration project, the Special Protection Area Mitigation Strategy and improvements to the junction at Three Legged Cross, Warfield.

The Panel was advised that the Department had a staff turnover rate of 19.11% as at 30 September 2008 and an average vacancy factor of 10.08%, an increase from the 8.91% vacancy rate in the last quarter.  The two areas giving most significant cause for concern were Environment and Public Protection and Planning and Transportation which had vacancy rates of 14.29% and 8.79% respectively.  There were shortages nationally in the areas of environmental health, licensing, planning and engineers. Staff were often recruited by other local authorities and the Department were working to address this issue.

Key highlights for the Department included: the introduction of the ‘Scores on the Doors’ scheme to help maintain standards in food businesses, an improvement in recycling rates which meant the Council was currently exceeding its targets, winning an award for Britain in Bloom, the Northern Parishes Arts Week, the launch of a new Cultural Strategy, the award of a £659,000 grant in recognition of the Council’s completion of the Local Development Framework Core Strategy and the achievement of the Leisure Chartermark for major resources for the fifteenth year in a row. 

Arising from members’ questions and comments the following points were noted:

·         The limitations of the Council’s buildings and the amount of investment that would be required meant that it was unlikely that there would be significant step changes in their energy ratings

·         The Scores on the Doors database would be regularly updated as part of a food business’ regular inspection regime and would therefore incur no significant additional cost to the Department

·         Details of the capital schemes carried forward to 2009/10, and in particular those involving Section 106 contributions would be circulated to the Panel

·         The Government’s Primary Authority scheme would create a regime where local authorities that were home to the headquarters of large organisations would become a clearing house for questions that other local authorities might have about that organisation.  It was stressed that any decision that the Council took on progressing with the scheme would be subject to very careful consideration and an Executive decision would need to be sought.  If Bracknell Forest did progress with the scheme and became a clearing house for enquiries, relating to Waitrose, whose headquarters were located in the Borough, that firm would be obliged to provide appropriate funding to the Council however the national shortage of Trading Standards officers would make recruitment difficult

·         Concern was expressed over the use of Section 106 funding to support a bus service to The Parks development that was not being used by the public