Agenda item

Medway’s Council Plan 2022/23 sets out the Council’s three priorities. This report and appendices summarise how we performed in Q4 2022/23 on the delivery of the programmes and measures which fall under the remit of this committee which are:

·       Priority: Growth (Appendix 1)

Given the overarching responsibilities of this Committee to provide guidance and leadership on the development and coordination of the scrutiny function for all overview and scrutiny committees, this report also contains: 

·       a performance summary of all services (Appendix 2)

·       a summary of discussions at the Children and Young People, Regeneration, Culture and Environment, and Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committees (Appendix 4).

This report also presents the Q4 2022/23 review of strategic risks (Appendix 3)

The Chief Organisational Culture Officer introduced the report and highlighted performance had exceeded targets in five of the seven measures of success which fell within the remit of the Committee. Two areas where performance had not been met were Medway Adult Education retention rate, which stood at 85% against a target of 95% and number of Private Sector Properties improved as a result of Council intervention, which was at 235 with a target of 238.

The Chief Organisational Culture Officer reported there had been no change in risk scores. However, at Cabinet in June 2023, two new risks had been added, Medpay review and recruitment and retention and one risk removed, income reduction due to Covid19.

The Committee then raised a number of questions and comments, which included:

Medway Adult Education (MAE) - (page 30 of agenda pack refers)A Member asked if the Council measured success in getting learners on the fifty plus programme for maths and english back into work. The Chief Organisational Culture Officer explained that the measure of success was safeguarding jobs. Another Committee had recently requested a briefing note and when it was completed, she would also circulate it to this Committee. 

In response to a Member question what consideration had been given to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the development of those courses and how could the MAE impact on growth in Medway be measured and the Council be reassured that it provided value for money, the Chief Organisational and Culture Officer explained the attainment measure was through safeguarding jobs and courses were adapted to improve attainment and retention. However, the Regeneration Culture and Environment Overview and Scrutiny may wish to consider in more detail including value for money and the impact of AI.

Priority Play Programme - (page 71 of the agenda pack refers) A Member commented that a very positive refurbishment of a play area had taken place in his ward. The £250,000 budgeted for the programme was the minimum required to ensure the playgrounds remained usable and he emphasised the importance of this work in tackling social deprivation.

In response to a Member question how much was budgeted for the Priority Play Programme in 2023/24, the Chief Finance Officer explained that in July 2020, Cabinet recommended that £250,000 should be added to each year’s capital programme, subject to the availability of Section 106 contributions and/or capital receipts, for play areas. However in setting the budget for 2023/24, the Council did not project any availability of capital receipts beyond those already committed. As such, as and when suitable Section 106 contributions became available, they would be added to the capital programme to deliver play area investment in 2023/24, via a future report to Cabinet and Council.

Friends Groups (page 70 of the agenda pack refers) A Member commented the friends of groups were equivalent to a number of full-time staff and requested the management plan could be provided to Members. The Chief Organisational and Culture Officer undertook to discuss this with relevant colleagues and reply to the Member outside of the meeting.

Dogs on Leads - (page 84 of the agenda pack refers) In response to a question regarding the reason for the low number of enforcement fines for dogs not on leads the Chief Organisational and Culture Officer undertook to discuss this with relevant colleagues and reply to the Member outside of the meeting.

Vulnerable Adults - (page 56 of the agenda pack refers) In response to a question about support for vulnerable adults and digital exclusion, the Chief Organisational and Culture Officer noted the Members’ concerns and undertook to discuss this with colleagues and provide further information outside of the meeting.

Children Services - (pages 60 of the agenda pack refers) A Member asked given the number of measures where performance in children services was red, how Ofsted ready was the Council? The Chief Organisational and Culture Officer noted that the Council was on an improvement journey which could be evidenced and was in a stronger position than previously.

Target Setting - A member commented that many of the performance measures had been red for a long time, such as smoking cessation and direct payments and asked if more realistic achievable target setting had been considered as part of the Council Plan refresh. In response, the Chief Organisational and Culture Officer explained that some targets were aspirational, but acknowledged the Council could provide more information where milestones had been achieved in moving towards the target.

She added that a new framework for performance measurement would be considered and that a Council Performance Plan refresh would include changes to make it more informative and realistic.

Permanent Social Care Staff - (page 43 of the agenda pack refers) There was concern expressed that 30% of posts were not filled by permanent staff and caseloads were 30% above target. This would cause stress for the workforce and was a risk in relation to Ofsted. The Chief Organisational Culture Officer explained recruitment of social workers had been a challenge nationally with social workers leaving the profession. Medway had recruited social workers, but retention had been an issue. She added that the Council had used project teams which was more lucrative for staff and had exhausted every option. The Council offered a competitive and salary retention payments and wellbeing services for officers.

A Member commented that there was previously an international recruitment drive undertaken with around 10 permanent staff appointed and asked how may remained with the Council. The Chief Organisational Culture officer stated that some staff from that recruitment drive were still in post, however some staff had left, with difficulties around a lack of family or other support in the community, especially during the pandemic.

HRA Temporary Accommodation - (page 33 of the agenda pack refers) In response to questions regarding how many families were using HRA for temporary accommodation and whether this had affected allocation of housing for those on waiting lists, the Chief Organisational Culture Officer undertook to discuss this with relevant colleagues and respond outside of the meeting.

A Member questioned if there was a measure of success for properties maintained where the maintenance was outsourced. The Chief Organisational Culture Officer stated this would be an issue for the Regeneration, Culture and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider as part of contract management.

Direct Payments -(page 57 of the agenda pack refers) In response to a Member question why the Council had not foreseen the move from direct payments to commissioned services due to the cost of VAT and resultant delay, the Chief Finance Officer explained the change arose as the VAT status of day care providers had changed, so in order for residents to continue with the same care it had been necessary for the Council to directly procure the same care on their behalf in order to reclaim the VAT. The Chief Finance Officer undertook to discuss with relevant officers the question of delay and provide an answer outside of the meeting.

In response to a Member query whether any issues had been found with payments not being used for the purpose they were intended, the Chief Organisational and Culture Officer undertook to discuss this with relevant officers and provide an answer outside of the meeting.

In response to a Member question regarding the social isolation programme and digital exclusion, whether the voluntary sector had the necessary experience and whether there was effective contract management of those services were queried. The Chief Organisational Culture Officer stated that she was not in a position to provide the level of detail on what was in place, and a briefing note would be required from the service to report how they met their statutory responsibilities.

Preventing Homelessness - (page 32 of the agenda pack refers) In response to a question why the Council may intervene to improve private properties, the Chief Finance Officer explained that one reason she was aware of was where the Council had completed a compulsory purchase on a dangerous property in order to bring it back into safe use.

In response to a question from a Member how often the homelessness target was refreshed and what constituted a long term deterioration, the Chief Organisational and Culture Officer explained that the long term trend was a year whilst a short term trend was measured quarterly.  The performance had been affected by seasonal demand so a static target across 4 quarters would need to be reviewed. The target would be a matter for the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee, however she undertook to find out the previous target for preventing homelessness.

Performance Measure - In response to a request that every programme should have clear performance measures, the Chief Organisational Culture Officer undertook to review measures of success and delivery for each programme.

Littering - (page 68 of the agenda pack refers) A Member commented that targets were not realistic or understandable and that the target for littering was consistently considered to be met, however in his opinion the streets were littered and therefore the target had not been met. The Chief Organisational Officer stated that the Council Plan target refresh would be developed under a new framework.

Decision

a)    The Committee noted the Q4 2022/23 performance against the measures used to monitor progress against the Council’s priorities and also noted the Strategic Risk Summary as set out in Appendix 3 to the report.

b)    The Committee noted Member comments on MAE metrics, Ofsted preparations, realistic target setting, social worker recruitment and playground budgets.

c)     The Committee requested a briefing paper on digital exclusion and social isolation.

d)    The Committee recommended measurable performance targets should be set for all Council programmes.

e)    The Committee requested a briefing note related to how the MAE service provided value for money, to also be circulated to the Regeneration, Culture and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee.