To provide Cabinet with an overview of performance against the Joint Corporate Plan 2011-14 for the first 11 months of 2011-12.

The Cabinet Member Corporate Services and Education presented the report. The following points were made in discussion:

·         This is the fourth report for the year 2011/12 dealing with performance to end of February 2012, which is based on the Joint Corporate Plan which was agreed by Council in March 2011.

·         The report provides information on current performance issues for each directorate.

·         For the indicators where data is held approximately 50% are on target and in comparison to last year 50% are showing an improvement.

·         Within Corporate Services major changes are being made to customer contract to improve customer response times and access to services via the website.  A four star rating has been received for the Council’s website.  Reduction in avoidable contact is at 17% compared to 30% last year.  Finally internal audit of treasury management has received a substantial assurance.

·         In referring to page 97 of the agenda, what ha not gone so well, the Cabinet Member Environment, Housing and Planning advised Cabinet that regarding affordable housing the revised target of 90 would be met.  In addition households in temporary accommodation the target of 82 was now down to 75 and within target.

·         The Cabinet Support Team Member for Enterprise and Culture reminded Cabinet of the decision last year to close mobile libraries and advised that since then eight community libraries had now opened and attendance at libraries was up as other community activities were being held at the same time.

·         Cabinet was informed that the refit of the Hereford leisure pool was due for  completion by June of this year.

·         In referring to 16 – 18 years olds not in education or training it was noted there had been a rise in the figures.  It was hoped that this figure would decrease with the increase in apprenticeship schemes particularly with the opportunities that would be available with the retail quarter.

·         In response to a question on the robustness of adult safeguarding, Cabinet was advised that the adult placement scheme was addressing this and particular weaknesses had been identified.  Regular and more frequent reviews would be held.  It was noted that the Adult Safeguarding Board would oversee the process to ensure that safeguarding was seen as everyone’s responsibility.  Cabinet was reassured that processes were moving in the right direction and that Overview and Scrutiny was doing good work in this area.

RESOLVED:   That Cabinet considered performance to the end of February 2012 and the measures being taken to address the areas of under performance.