Agenda item

To receive the Quarter Two - Performance and Risk Report 2023-24, considered by Cabinet on 14 November 2023.

The Chairman noted that in the agenda was a report which presented quarter two update on performance against the stated missions in the Council’s Business Plan 2022-32. The Strategic Risk Summary was also included. It was noted that the report was considered by Cabinet on 14th November.

The report was introduced by Perry Holmes, Director of Legal and Governance, who summarised that this report demonstrated the difference and outcomes for communities that had been made by spending. Additionally, the risk register provided oversight of areas which could potentially stop the Council from spending money and have an impact on communities through the business plan. Feedback was provided that following the previous Committee and Cabinet meetings changes had been made to the report, with volume-based data now presented as rolling figures and SWAP, internal audit advice, applied to the risk summary, with the current risk scores demonstrating residual risk following mitigations that had been put in place.

The following comments were received by Members of the Committee, with clarity provided regarding the percentage of P1 potholes that had been repaired, to which it was noted that in August and July 80 P1 potholes were identified a month, however these were the months in which most employees took annual leave. It was noted that the current contract with Milestone was new and that since these months there had been a noticeable improvement of circa 90% of potholes identified repaired within the next working day.

Regarding newsletter open rates, detail was provided that 27,209 people were subscribed to the newsletter which was sent out weekly and that often this number saw an increase when such issues as storms took place. Further work was set to take place in the addition of a pop-up on the Wiltshire Council website to draw further attention to the newsletter. It was suggested that updates could be provided to Members through their Members newsletter, which could then be shared to draw the attention of residents to such things as consultations.

Clarity was provided about the delivery of affordable housing following market downturn, with it stated that though the Council was reliant on developers, it was acquiring homes through other methods such as through Stone Circle. Though there were currently limitations on the delivery of affordable homes, it was hoped that following a blip on the metric, this would then return.

A question was raised as to how staffing capacity had impacted on delivery and whether this could be brought back into control, to which it was noted that certain areas such as social workers had a high vacancy rate above the budgeted level, however recruitment campaigns were taking place as well as looking at the market to supplement hard to fill roles. Individual services directors would also be consulted for innovative ideas as well as sharing learning if they are experiencing success. It was also stated that complaints are considered at Performance Outcome Boards, with such data triangulated when considering factors for vacancies.

Furthermore, it was outlined that Performance Outcome Boards were focused on the data and ensuring that departments were able to deliver the business plan, with transparency and accountability across all areas with services very aware of the data operationally before it was presented.

The Director of Legal and Governance suggested that for future reports he would like to produce an infographic to accompany the report which would provide context for the data, for example how many miles of road there was in Wiltshire and how many children in care.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was,

Resolved:

The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee agreed to note:

1.    The updates and outturns against the measures and activities mapped against the Council’s priorities.

2.    The Strategic Risk Summary.

The Chairman called the meeting to a break at 12.34pm and then resumed at 12.41pm.