Agenda item

Kate Wilson, Business Unit Leader Community Services introduced the report which was presented to the Scrutiny Committee for Customer Services and Service Delivery on 3 October.  She provided Cabinet with an update on the Council’s performance for the first quarter from April to June 2018 with 85% of targets achieved, and noted the good performance of the collection of Council Tax / Business Rates, Household Waste and the processing of Planning Applications.  This was an improvement on performance in the same quarter last year.  The report highlighted four targets that had been missed by more than 10% and commented that the processing of Benefit Claims had been affected by the disaggregation of the Census Partnership and establishment of the Council’s own service.  However the Business Unit Leader for Community Services noted the emphasis on the level of accuracy and not the speed of processing claims.  There had been good progress with the Council’s flagship activities, as identified in the 2018/19 Corporate Plan; cashless parking had been introduced in the towns and St John’s Park had been awarded the Green Flag. 

The Leader commented that he had attended the Scrutiny Committee meeting for Customer Services and Service Delivery where there was a robust debate.

The Cabinet Member for Community commented on paragraph 36 of the report and stated that anti-social behaviour could only be dealt with if it was reported.  In response to a Member’s query on the CCTV camera at St John’s Park, the Business Unit Leader for Community Services, Policy and Performance advised that the current temporary camera was standalone with footage access available to the local Police team. A new permanent camera would be installed in April 2019 which would be linked to Sussex Police HQ in Lewes.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Performance noted that this was a good report and the Council had avoided a loss of subsidy for the second consecutive year.  However she advised that some figures could be distorted by a spike in performance and that the Scrutiny Committee had suggested that a median figure should be substituted to provide a more accurate figure.  An advisory comment in the report would be helpful. 

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning stated that the number of households approaching the Council as homelessness was thankfully below target but the number of families in temporary accommodation was higher and work was in progress to purchase Council owned temporary housing stock.  He informed Cabinet that he would provide a detailed report at the next Council meeting on the planning appeals and decisions made by the Planning Inspectorate.

The Cabinet Member for Customer Services noted the Make a Difference award nominations for which came from the public and this reflected well on the quality of service Council staff were providing.

The Leader noted that no more Members wished to speak so took them to the recommendation contained in the report, which was agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED

Cabinet noted the Council’s performance and progress with flagship activities in the first quarter of the year.

The Cabinet Member for Customer Services left the Chamber at 4:13 pm.