Agenda item

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources which considers the Council’s performance against key measures in Quarters 1 & 2 of 2019/20.

8.1       The Leader of the Council who was representing Councillor Norman, the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources, presented the report and outlined key elements. He expressed his thanks to the recently appointed Performance & Improvement Officer for the work involved in producing the report. Lastly, he opened the floor to questions from the Committee.

8.2      The Chair questioned the wording in the second paragraph of Performance Indicator CST8, where it is written that “we will guide staff to inform customers about the complaints escalation process without prompting level 2 or 3 complaints where issues have been resolved”. They suggested that this could be interpreted to mean that the Council would discourage Customers from prompting level 2 or 3 complaints where issues have been resolved. The Corporate Director responded to say that this was a strict reading of what was written.  Rather, a difference of emphasis in the words was required in order to understand what was stated here.

8.3       Furthermore, the Chair asked whether statistics were available to highlight whether the 74.8 % drop in footfall in Key Performance Indicator (KPI) CST1 in Quarter 1 was due to customers contacting the Council through other channels, for example more digital methods, or whether this was due to customers not presenting themselves at all. The Head of Policy and Resources informed him that a written response would be circulated to Members.

8.4      Councillor Stephens queried why there were only 15 KPIs. Moreover, he expressed his concern with the Council’s telephone waiting times and asked whether information could be provided highlighting average waiting times.  The Head of Policy and Resources explained that there were currently only 15 KPIs as these were the key areas for assessing performance. However, there was no reason why these could not be changed in the future. In relation to telephone waiting times, he explained that the Council ‘s Contact Centre solution would be going live this month which would enable better reporting on waiting times.  Councillor Stephens then asked whether there would be KPIs attached to this. The Corporate Director advised that there would be KPIs attached to this.

8.5      Pointing to KPI H23, Councillor Haigh asked whether statistics could be provided in relation to how many, if any, families were placed in temporary accommodation both out of city and out of county. The Head of Policy and Resources informed her that a written response would be circulated to Members.

8.6     Councillor Pullen suggested that the complaints procedure was difficult to find on the website and asked whether this could be made more prominent. He was informed that Cabinet and Officers would look at this and send a written response.

8.7    RESOLVED: - that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee asks Cabinet to respond to the following questions:

1.)  In Performance Indicator CST1, it is shown that there was a drop 74.8% drop in footfall in Quarter 1. Could you please provide statistics on whether this fall was due to customers contacting the Council through other channels, for example more digital methods, or whether this is due to customers not presenting themselves at all?

2.)   In CST8, it is noted that the Council has “introduced a more focused way of handling complaints”.  However, some Members’ experience has been that it is difficult to find the Council’s complaint procedure on the City Council website. Thus, could the complaints procedure be made more prominent on the website?

3.)  In relation to H23, could statistics be provided about how many, if any families were placed in temporary accommodation both out of city and out of county?