Agenda and minutes

To receive the apologies of any Member who is unable to attend this meeting.

An apology for absence was received on behalf of Councillor Juliet Brunner.

To invite Councillors to declare any interests they may have in items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

1.         To give notice of any items for future meetings or for the Forward Plan, including any scheduled for this meeting, but now carried forward or deleted; and

2          any other relevant announcements.

(Oral report)

The Chair advised that she had accepted the following matter as Urgent Business:

·        Hewell Road Pool – Play Area

(Not meeting the publication deadline.)

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 15th November 2011.

(Minutes attached)

RESOLVED that

the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Committee held on 15th November 2011 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider an update on the budget position for 2012/13 and 2014/15.

(Oral report)

The Committee received an oral report outlining the high and medium priority bids that had been identified for inclusion in the Council’s capital and revenue budgets for 2012/13.  Members were advised to contact Directors and Heads of Service should they require more in depth information on any of the bids.

Officers reported that a further update would be made at the next meeting of the Executive Committee.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

To consider acceptance of Worcestershire County Council Homes Insulation funding.

(Report attached)

The Committee received a report which sought approval to accept an offer of £40,000 funding from Worcestershire County Council (WCC) to install free cavity wall, draught-proofing and loft insulation measures for home owners in the Borough aged 60 years or over.  The offer was subject to acceptance of a number of conditions specified by WCC; that funding had to be spent by 31st December 2012, preferred use of Worcestershire based contractors and promotional branding recognition for Warmer Worcestershire.

Members discussed publication of the scheme and the criteria for allocation of the funding.  They were informed that all applications would be dealt with through ‘Act on Energy’ who would signpost applicants to the most suitable source of funding for each application.

Officers were asked to approach WCC to investigate whether the extension of the offer to any resident irrespective of age could be amended to include them from the start of the scheme rather than from April 2012.

RECOMMENDED that

1)                 the funding of £40,000 from Worcestershire County Council be incorporated into the Council’s existing Energy Efficiency Installations budget and the Capital Programme be amended accordingly; subject to which

RESOLVE that

2)                 authority be delegated to the Head of Community Services to formally accept, and account for expenditure of, the Worcestershire County Council ‘Home Energy Efficiency Improvements’ funding offer of £40,000 and associated funding conditions;

3)                 applications be invited from homeowners within the Borough aged 60 or over to have loft and/or cavity wall insulation and draught-proofing measures installed in their homes free of charge; and

4)                 the Head of Community Services, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Local Environment and Health be authorised

a)    to expend up to the sum approved by the Council, for the purposes indicated in the report; and

b)    subject to further discussions with Worcestershire County Council, to utilise such funding remaining at 1st April 2012 to extend the insulation offer to any Borough resident irrespective of age or ownership status or for other Home Energy Efficiency initiatives. 

To consider the quarterly performance report, showing indicators which have improved, declined or remained static when compared to the same period in the previous financial year.

(Report attached)

The Committee received a report on the Council’s performance for Quarter 2 of the 2011/12 financial year.

Members were asked to consider a range of options for future reporting of performance in response to changing demands resulting from the transformation programme.

Officers reported that information had been provided on 27 indicators for Quarter 2.  Of those, 10 had improved in performance and 16 had declined compared to the same period last year.  In addition, 1 indicator had remained static with performance at optimum level.

Members were informed that of the indicators that showed a decline in performance only 2 were of particular concern and action had been taken to remedy the problem in each case.

RESOLVED that

1)         the Corporate Management Team, in conjunction with Members, select key performance indicators of concern and remedial action to be taken, for reporting on a quarterly basis;

2)         the Committee consider future proposals for performance reporting as the Council progresses the Transformation agenda; and

3)         the update on key performance indicators for the period ending 30th September 2011 be noted.

To provide an overview of the budget, including the achievement of approved savings as at the end of Quarter 2, 2011/12.

(Report attached)

The Committee considered an overview of the General Fund budget situation, including the achievement of approved savings for the second quarter of 2011/12.  Explanations were provided for variances in the budget for the second quarter.

The over-ambitious income projection targets for the Pitcheroak Golf Course were noted.  Officers reported that good work continued to be carried out by the Hereford and Worcestershire Golf Partnership to increase use of the course.

Officers reported that projected loss on car parking income was the subject of ongoing work.

RESOLVED that

1)         the current financial position on Revenue and Capital be noted; and

RECOMMENDED that

2)         re-allocation of £40,000 of Regional Housing Pot grant currently allocated to Interim Management Order to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Grants be approved.

To consider the action taken by Officers with respect to the write off of debts during the second quarter of 2011/12 and to note the profile of outstanding debt.

(Report attached)

The Committee received a report which outlined the action taken by Officers in respect to the write off of debts during the first half of the financial year 2011/12.

RESOLVED

that the report be noted.

To consider a report on the actual performance of the Improvement Plan during Quarter 2, 2011/12.

(Report attached)

A report was received which advised Members of the performance of the Benefits service during the second quarter of 2011/12.

Members were informed that as a result of the transformation programme that Benefits Officers had been based at the One Stop Shop since October to deal directly with customers.  This had resulted in quicker decisions being made about entitlement to benefit.

Officers agreed to provide a breakdown on the reporting of counter fraud to Councillor Derek Taylor.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

To consider a report, which provides and update on Customer Services.

(Report attached)

A report was received which gave an update on progress against the ‘Every Customer Every Time’ customer experience strategy and customer feedback data for the second quarter of 2011/12.

Members highlighted problems experienced by visitors accessing the car park at the Town Hall and / or queuing in the Reception area to announce their arrival.  It was suggested that Reception should be advised when Officers are expecting visitors to allow them to be advised of their visitor’s arrival.

RESOLVED that

the update for the period 1st July to 30th September 2011 be noted.

To report on sickness absence performance and health for the period ending 30th September 2011.

(Report attached)

The Committee received a report on the Council’s performance in relation to sickness absence for the period 1st April to 30th September 2011, which showed an improvement against the same period in the previous financial year.

Officers reported that all services, with the exception of Housing and Environmental Services were expected to fall below the target of 8.75 days per full time employee.

Members were informed that it was assumed that the higher rates of sickness in Housing and Environmental services was because of the nature of the work in both areas.  Officers were asked to set up separate targets for these areas of business to compare with performance with similar businesses in the private sector.

RESOLVED

that the report be noted.

To update Members regarding the availability of the play area during the demolition of Hewell Road Pool.

(Report to follow)

The Committee received a report regarding the current play area adjacent to Hewell Road Pool following the pool’s closure as an operational building.

RESOLVED that

1)                 until such time as the site is disposed of, the play area adjacent to Hewell Road Pool be secured from the rest of the site to allow for its continued use following the demolition of the pool and clearing of the site; and

2)                 during future development should the play area be repositioned on the site or replaced and improved elsewhere using Section 106 monies, Ward Councillors be consulted.

To receive the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 8th November 2011

There are no recommendations to consider as they were considered at the meeting of the Executive Committee on 15th November 2011.

(Minutes attached)

The Committee received the minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 8th November 2011.

Officers reported that all recommendations had been considered at the meeting of this Committee held on 15th November 2011.

RESOLVED that

the minutes be noted.

To receive and consider any outstanding minutes or referrals from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Executive Panels etc. since the last meeting of the Executive Committee, other than as detailed in the items above.

There were no minutes or referrals.

To consider, for monitoring / management purposes, an update on the work of the Executive Committee’s Advisory Panels and similar bodies, which report via the Executive Committee.

The Committee considered the latest Advisory Panels update report.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.

To consider an update on the actions arising from previous meetings of the Committee.

The Committee’s Action Monitoring report was considered.  It was noted that a number of actions were now complete and could be deleted from future reports.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.