Agenda item

This report summarises the performance of the Council’s Key Measures of Success for Quarter 2 2015/16 as set out in the Council Plan 2015/16.

Discussion:

The Committee received a report setting out the performance summary for Quarter 2 2015/16 against the Council’s priorities for the Committee:

·         Safe, clean and green Medway

·         Everyone benefitting from the area’s regeneration

The Committee raised the following issues:

·         Annual Jobs fair  - A Member sought information as to how the numbers attending the jobs fair were calculated and whether any of the individuals who succeeded in securing jobs at the fair were full time posts or part time Christmas appointments. The Director of Regeneration, Community and Culture advised that he had no reason to question the attendance figures but he was unable to report at this meeting on the breakdown of the types of jobs secured. He therefore undertook to inform the Member direct of this information outside of the meeting.

·         Strood Town Centre Action Plan – A Member referred to the proposal to put the Strood Town Centre Action Plan out for consultation in the New Year and sought an assurance that in doing so account would be taken of the Air Quality Action Plan. The Director of Regeneration, Community and Culture agreed that this would be undertaken. 

·         Parks and open spaces – decrease in satisfaction levels – A Member referred to the slight  decrease in satisfaction levels with parks and open spaces and yet noted that the Council had achieved Green Flags for seven of its open spaces. He therefore questioned whether the decline in satisfaction levels could relate to other open spaces that were not those awarded Green Flags. In response, the Director of Regeneration, Community and Culture advised that 80% satisfaction was a good level of performance and only just short of the target of 85%. He confirmed that this would continued to be monitored.

·         Highway Performance Data – A Member drew attention to the fact that information was not available for the satisfaction levels with road maintenance and pavement maintenance in the current quarter and if such information was available in time for the meeting of the Committee in January, it was suggested that this information be included in the report on the Road Maintenance Budget when that comes to Committee.

·         The methodology for assessing user satisfaction at leisure centres In response to a question as to how information was obtained on user satisfaction levels at leisure centres, the Director of Regeneration, Community and Culture advised that user surveys were undertaken on a rolling programme at the Council’s leisure centres.

·         Rochester Railway Station – In response to a request for information as to when the new car park and railway station would be open to the public, the Director for Regeneration, Community and Culture advised that the surface car park had been opened on schedule on 4 December 2015 and the multi storey car park would be opening at a later stage as planned. The station would be opened on 13 December 2015.

Decision:

The Committee:

a)            noted the Quarter 2 2015/16 performance against key measures of success used to monitor progress against the Council Plan 2015/16;

b)            requested that Officers ensure that when consulting on the Strood Town Centre Action Plan, account also be taken of the Air Quality Action Plan;

c)            noted that the Director for Regeneration, Community and Culture had agreed to provide further information to a Member direct on information requested concerning the Employment Fair; and

d)                 requested that Officers provide information on the satisfaction levels for road maintenance and pavements as part of the report on the Road Maintenance Budget when that comes to Committee.