To review performance for Quarter 4 (Q4) 2025/26 and to report the performance position across all Directorates for this period.

Councillor Stoddart, cabinet member for finance and corporate services introduced the report.

Cabinet received a report on progress against the Council Plan 2024-2028 and Delivery Plan 2025/26. Members noted that 184 of 255 milestones had been completed during the year, representing a 72% delivery rate, with 60 milestones to be carried forward into 2026/27 and 11 discontinued.

Progress was reported across the Council’s capital programme, including the Hereford Transport Hub, Holme Lacy Road Active Travel Improvements, phosphate mitigation projects, school expansion and maintenance schemes, and improvements to council estate assets.

Under the People theme, Members noted 67 of of the 87 milestones were completed, 8 were rolled over 26/27, 8 were parked as waiting on other interdependent activity  and rolled over 26/27 and 4 were discontinued.

Members noted progress in improving early years support and school readiness, successful foster carer recruitment resulting in performance above the national average, strengthened domestic abuse partnership working, co-production of the carers annual report, and the awarding of grants to improve community facilities across the county.

Under the Place theme, Members noted 57 of the 89 milestones were completed 57, 10 were rolled over to 26/27, 19 were parked as waiting on other interdependent activity and 3 milestones had been discontinued.

Progress was noted in community infrastructure programmes, parish-led highways and drainage improvements, River Wye restoration and catchment partnership working, and development of the county’s Nature Recovery Strategy, with publication deferred to allow full consideration of consultation responses.

Under the Growth theme, Members noted of the 39 milestones, 27 were completed, 4 were rolled over to 26/27, 4 were parked as waiting on other interdependent activity and 4 milestones had been discontinued.

Members noted progress in delivering affordable housing, including plans for the Merton Meadow and Essex Arms sites, refurbishment of a city-centre property to provide affordable homes, and ongoing work on the Buttercross development in Leominster. While the refurbishment tender had been delayed until April 2027, the additional time would support the development of a well-designed scheme and help ensure high-quality outcomes.

Under the Transformation theme, it was noted 33 of the 41 Milestones were completed, 2 were parked as waiting on other interdependent activity and 5 were rolled over into 26/27.

Members noted strengthened governance arrangements with Hoople Ltd and preparations for review of the Service Level Agreement. The development of a local Outcomes Framework, aligned to the Government’s Local Government Outcomes Framework, was also reported, with implementation planned from Quarter 1 2026/27.

Performance against key indicators was reviewed. Positive performance was reported in children's social care assessments, children in care reviews, planning application processing, affordable housing delivery, business grant support and staff sickness levels. Challenges remained in relation to supporting a small cohort of long-term rough sleepers and in maintaining people at home following discharge from hospital.

In conclusion, Cabinet noted the overall delivery rate and the commitment to progress outstanding milestones during 2026/27.

Comments from cabinet members:

Members received an update on the winter night shelter, which operated for 177 nights  ...  view the full minutes text for item 102