Agenda item

This report summarised the performance of the Council’s Key Measures of Success for 2012/13 as set out in:

• The Council Plan 2012/13
• The Council’s annual report, Delivering fair and responsive services

It also summarises the feedback from service users.

Discussion:

The Performance and Intelligence manager for Regeneration, Community and Culture introduced the report to Members, which provided performance information against the Council’s relevant Key Measures of Success for the year 2012-13.

For the year 2012/13 28 out of 36 Regeneration, Community and Culture Council Plan Key measures of success were on target or exceeded their target. Overall 81% of customers were satisfied overall with the way Medway runs its services. The Performance and Intelligence manager outlined a number of successes under each priority. 

The Chair informed members that at the previous Business Support Overview and Scrutiny meeting it was recommended that, subject to agreement from this committee, Council be recommended to agree that housing be moved from the remit of this committee to the remit of the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Assistant Director, Frontline Services advised members to consider the strategic and cross cutting links between housing and other matters within the remit of this committee which would be lost if scrutiny of housing transferred back to the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Members agreed that there was cross party support for housing to be moved back to Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Members welcomed the report and raised a number of points and questions including:

·        Overall levels of customer satisfaction – a member requested a copy of the questions asked in the customer satisfaction survey. Officers were asked if an analysis was undertaken of the responses from those people who expressed dissatisfaction in surveys. It was confirmed that this was done via scrutiny of responses provided in free text in survey returns. A quarterly telephone tracker survey generates the information presented to members about satisfaction levels. Where satisfaction levels remain at an unacceptable level for two quarters a view is usually invited from the Citizens Panel and where the response remained inconclusive further recourse could be made to Focus Groups, the Equalities and Access Group and the Youth Parliament. 

With specific reference to member’s questions about Trading Standards and Environmental Health it was explained that the user sample in the tracker survey was insufficient and a direct service user survey may be better in future. Steps were being taken to seek agreement from users of these services to be approached in future surveys. It was also pointed out that 5-6000 contacts with Trading Surveys were via a national helpline which impacts on available survey sample numbers.

·        Chatham Waterfront Bus station – whilst noting high levels of satisfaction concern members reported that people were complaining about conditions when it is windy and cold. Officers were asked to circulate the questions used in the survey undertaken in March

·        Affordable homes – officers were asked to advise on how Medway compares with other local authorities in relation to affordable homes.

Officers advised that the most recent affordable homes statistics were published by HCA earlier in the week. Medway is providing more affordable homes than the rest of Kent. To illustrate this members were advised 7 new units were provided in Thanet compared to 278 in Medway where targets were consistently being met and exceeded. The Committee was advised that an overview of national comparators could be provided in due course.

·        Homelessness - a member expressed concern about rising levels of homelessness. Reference was made to a former Task Group on homelessness, which had recommended consideration of establishing an assessment centre in Medway, similar to the successful centre in Southampton but that this had not been implemented locally. Concern was also expressed about welfare reforms and the impact this was having on people in houses on the Twydall Estate, which had been built as two-bedroom properties but converted to three beds. A comment was made about the disposal of supported accommodation, such as Sholders House, which could have been upgraded instead.

Officers updated the Committee on the current position relating to homelessness, including a 20% increase in the number of households being accepted as homeless. It was reported that a Medway Homelessness Strategy would be coming forward later in the year.

It was reported that the Assessment Centre in Southampton had now closed probably due to the impact of Welfare Reform and more restricted access to levels of funding. The emphasis in Medway had been on early intervention and use of private sector accommodation. It was confirmed that private sector temporary accommodation was inspected either by the relevant Registered Social Landlord or the Council where an RSL was not involved. The Council would always work with families if temporary accommodation did not meet their needs.

With regard to disposal of supported accommodation members were referred to the Asset Management Strategy later in the agenda.

·        Temporary Accommodation and Bed and Breakfast – it was noted that these were currently rated as “reds” and members asked if the new Homelessness Strategy could address both in detail with a link back to Council Plan targets

·        Employ Medway – the Committee expressed an interest in a breakdown of the number of part-time, as opposed to full-time jobs, secured by Employ Medway and officers were asked to supply this information in a briefing note.

·        Number of jobs created and safeguarded through intensive assists – the Committee asked what this meant and asked for some contextualisation including whether or not any difference was being made. Officers advised that other organisations had more influence over performance in this area than the Council For example Locate in Kent. Members were assured that much was being done to assist failing businesses in partnership with other organisations. One measure of impact was the number of businesses choosing to locate in Medway with the Innovation Centre currently full. Members asked for a further briefing note on this indicator explaining how the various interventions were working in terms of safeguarding jobs and for how long.

Decision:

The Committee agreed to :

1.      note the report

2.      recommend the Council to transfer scrutiny of housing from this Committee to the Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee

3.      request briefing notes on:

i)              questions asked in the general customer satisfaction survey and the Chatham Waterfront Bus Station satisfaction survey

ii)            how Medway compares with other local authorities on provision of affordable homes

iii)          a breakdown of full time and part time jobs secured by Employ Medway

iv)          number of jobs created and safeguarded through intensive assists analysing how the various interventions were working and for how long

4.  request that the forthcoming Homelessness Strategy should address member concerns about the red rating of targets for temporary accommodation and bed and breakfast with links back to the Council Plan