To receive a report from the Assistant Director, Corporate.

The Vice-Chairman welcomed James Gilbert, Assistant Director (Corporate) and Corey Gooch, Business Intelligence and Change Manager to present the Q2 2024-25 Performance and Risk Report, pages 171 to 228 of the Agenda refer.

Members attention was drawn to the Q2 performance (Appendix 1), and Q2 risks (Appendix 2).

Members were invited to put their comments and questions forward.

·         In reference to Land Charges, a Member queried the ways in which capacity was being addressed to reduce the number of days taken to undertake searches, page 180 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) highlighted to Members that the commentary indicated that measures had already been implemented to get the process back on track and that the service review would build greater resilience to turn the risk green from the next reporting period.

·         A Member further commented on the challenges of cross-referencing figures across different pages of the report and noted the large discrepancy between the target number of days and the Q2 2024/25 outturn.  In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) assured the Committee that Members concerns would be highlighted to the Assistant Director (Regulatory).

·         A Member commented that corporate complaints responded to within corporately set timescales needed improvement, page 186 of the Agenda refers.  The Assistant Director (Corporate) advised Members that the Information Manager and Data Protection Officer had provided assurance that measures were already being undertaken through a service review.

·         Referring to litter grading, a Member commented on issues that had been observed with litter on roads and queried who was responsible.  In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) advised Members that District Councils still held responsibilities for litter on roads.

The Vice-Chairman further commented that increased speeds of the roads prevented litter picking from being undertaken safely.

·         In reference to ‘Percentage of car parking income received against agreed annual budget – cumulative figure to end of successive quarters’, a Member queried whether the budget had been underestimated, page 187 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) advised Members that the target was 100% and that the current outturn for Q2 2024/25 was 97.42% which was expected to increase.

·         In reference to Business Centre Occupation at Mablethorpe, a Member requested assurance that occupants would not be moving from the Mablethorpe Business Centre to the Campus for Future Living, page 192 of the Agenda refers.  In response, Councillor William Gray as Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing advised Members that he was not aware of any current occupiers of the Mablethorpe Business Centre intending to move to the Campus for Future Living. 

·         A Member further commented that Mablethorpe Business Centre was primarily office accommodation and suited to the needs of the area.

·         A Member sought clarification on the lack of data included in the report on Kingfisher Caravan Park for Q4 2023/24, page 192 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) advised Members that an update would be requested.

·         A Member further queried whether the targets were changed to achieve 100%.   In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) explained to Members that the target would change each year as part of the budget setting process.

·         A Member further queried the lack of data provided for Q1 2024/25 for ‘Number of Caravan Sales completed’.  In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) assured Members that clarification would be requested on the absent data.

·         In reference to ‘Percentage of available pitches occupied on Kingfisher Caravan Park – cumulative figure to end of successive quarters’ a Member commented on the disappointing figure of sales of 53.31% for Q2 2024/25.

·         In reference to ‘Average monthly high street footfall count per key town’, a Member queried whether figures could be provided for footfall in individual areas, page 195 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) confirmed that information would be requested and brought back to the Committee.

·         In reference to ‘Council run stall occupancy level (Markets)’, a Member expressed disappointment with the low occupancy level of 37.20% for Q2 2024/25, page 197 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) assured Members that communication on progress was forthcoming and that Dave Smith had been appointed as the new manager for markets to work across the three Councils and had local knowledge of East Lindsey district.

·         In reference to the ‘number of verified rough sleepers’, a Member commented on concerns for the large number of rough sleepers and those who were having their property stolen, page 200 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing confirmed to Members that verified rough sleepers had been increasing and that wraparound support and working with Partner agencies was critical to ensuring that rough sleepers received a service out on the streets.  

·         The Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing further advised Members of the benefits of having secured funding for the temporary accommodation for Afghan families and that the Fair-Weather Emergency Protocol promoted in Members Point Brief had been initiated for when temperatures at night fell below a certain level and people needed greater assistance in keeping warm.  Members were further advised that the rough sleeping email address was monitored out of hours and that modular accommodation units were being delivered to assist with bringing people off the streets.

·         A Member commented on the benefits of modular temporary accommodation and queried whether tents should be provided to homeless sleepers.  In response, the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing advised Members that there were other options and solutions available as providing tents could create issues which would be detrimental to assisting those most at need.

·         A Member spoke in support of the work undertaken by the Council to support rough sleepers and recognised that some rough sleepers refused any assistance.  In response, the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing advised Members that the rough sleeping was a lifestyle choice, however the Council was still here to support those making that choice.

·         A Member commented on past scrutiny on homelessness and queried whether a new scrutiny topic could be put forward.  In response, the Vice-Chairman confirmed that Members were able to submit scrutiny topic suggestion forms.

·         A Member further commented that sending rough sleepers back where they came from was not always the best solution.  In response, the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Better Ageing assured Members that enquiries were always made to ensure whether sending people back to where they came from was the best option for those individuals involved.

·         In reference to Safe and Resilient Communities, a Member praised the work being undertaken for anti-social behaviour in Louth, page 202 of the Agenda refers.

·         In reference to the ‘number of late reports not made available to the Democratic Services teams at agenda publication’, a Member commented that the figures for late reports needed to continue decreasing.

·         In reference to the SELCP £42m Savings Tracker, a Member queried the definition of non-cashable savings, page 217 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) advised Members that the saving tracker incorporated efficiency and that an example of non-cashable savings was the retendered mobile phone contract which had made savings of a quarter of a million pounds over three years.

·         A Member queried planned risk actions which were dated in the past, page 219 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) advised Members that the dates were reviewed quarterly and that past dates had still been included.

·         In reference to Strategic Risk ELDC20: Capacity, a Member queried when the annual report on how much the Council had spent on consultants was being made available, page 174 of the Agenda refers.  In response, the Assistant Director (Corporate) advised Members that clarification would be requested.

·         In relation to existing control measures in place, a Member commented that better engagement was needed to ensure the objectives of the business case were clearly understood, page 225 of the Agenda refers.

·         A Member queried the business case for recirculating air at the Leisure Centre.  In response, Councillor Graham Marsh, Portfolio  Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture, and Carbon Reduction advised Members that a range of initiatives were being undertaken supported from both government and self-funded to ensure the building was as carbon neutral as possible.

·         A Member further commented on the announced closure of Louth Leisure Centre between the 9th and 20th December 2024.   In response, the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Leisure and Culture, and Carbon Reduction advised Members that Magna Vitae would be contacted and asked to circulate an update.   The Vice-Chairman further highlighted a communication issue between ELDC and Magna Vitae which was previously identified during scrutiny work and emphasised the need for improvements.

No further comments or questions were received.

Following which, it was

RESOLVED:

That the Q2 2024-25 Performance and Risk Report be noted.