Agenda item

To note the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance that required the Committee to undertake a quarterly review of the Thematic Strategies performance, as assurance that performance was being managed effectively to achieve the corporate outcomes as set out in the Council’s Corporate Plan 2021 - 2023.  Appendix 1 to the report provided an overview of performance as at the end of Quarter 2 (Q2) (July 2022 – October 2022). 

The Chairman introduced the report and deferred to the Programmes, Performance

and Governance Manager to present the detail. She took the Committee through the

report starting with section 3.1. which outlined the high level outcome view for each

strategic theme area together with section 3.2 that covered performance at risk for the individual Key Performance Indicator (KPI) level. 

It was noted that within Prosperity there were a number of red at risk areas, however, planned work such as the Covid Economic response, grant programmes, Covid Economic Recovery Transformation (CERT) Programme and forthcoming UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme (UKSPF) would address business need. The Sense of Place Business Network had been disbanded and a new approach to Supporting Existing Local Businesses had been developed. This will include a Business e-newsletter along with social media and open invite business engagement events. These initiatives will be rolled out for Quarter 1 (Q1) 2023/24, with new performance measures and an update provided to Members.

It was envisioned that the Council’s UKSPF programme will yield significant results and that engagement with partners like Essex County Council (ECC) and the North Essex Economic Board (NEEB) had been very constructive. The primary workstream for the outcome of enabling investment and jobs centred on the creation of the Maldon District Investment Prospectus as outlined in the Corporate Plan. The prospectus for this Project was scheduled to launch in Quarter 4 (Q4).

The Chairman moved the recommendations in the report and then took the committee through Appendix 1.

In response to issues raised Officers provided the following information:-

• That the revised pastel colour coding in the performance report was as a result of recent discussions to improve the reading experience for all customers.

• That data on fly tipping costs, including investigation and enforcement costs, together with locations, would be circulated to Members outside of the meeting.

• That the issue of how best to collate fixed penalty notices data would be investigated and reported to the Committee when available.

• That the statistics around business satisfaction were from Quarter 1.The results from the recent business satisfaction survey were currently being analysed and once complete a full report will be circulated to all Members. It was hoped that given the direct business engagement this time round there would be a marked improvement in feedback which will inform revised satisfaction rates. That future reports will contain response rates.

• That the UK Shared Prosperity Plan funding was now in place. This would mean a million pounds of funding over the next two and a half years. A list of the projects to be funded will be circulated to the Committee outside of the meeting.

• That the soft plastics recycling trial locations be circulated to Members outside of the meeting.

• That the Air Quality Management Area Action Plan (AQMA) funding will be known late February beginning of March 2023. That the original funding bid had been unsuccessful and Essex County Council (ECC) paused the destination survey because normal circumstances did not apply during Covid. The survey had now been completed and a meeting had been held with ECC to manage traffic flow on Market Hill. A report will be brought back to Committee and the results of the Destination Survey will be shared with both the Maldon High Street Focus Group and the Committee outside of the meeting.

• That the housing need for the district was currently on target, there will be a slowdown filtering through next year as developers slow down on start dates and completion. Developers will build affordable as opposed to market housing.

• That the figures in the 5YHLS for Quarter 2 will not have changed since Quarter 1 reporting as the data is only published annually, in April of each year. That to date there was no apparent impact on this area as a result of the pandemic.

• That tree planting had been ongoing; however, the detail had not yet been co-ordinated. Now that the appointment of the Coast and Countryside Officer was imminent the data will be collated and circulated to Members outside of the meeting.

• That the Infrastructure Funding Statement was received by this committee for sign-off annually in March to align with the Council’s financial year.

• That a number of factors had adversely impacted the Sense of Place work with the resignation of the Chairman and representation on the board waning. However the Council will retain the branding and marketing and continue to engage with business, through business forums, e- newsletters and the website.

• That the Council was awaiting the data for Tourism as of Quarter 2. The Tourism Sector Consultative Group for the Council’s Tourism Framework supported by the Maldon District Tourism Group had held two events with industry representatives and Council Members. These were ‘Open Forum’ events whereby people could input and steer tourism activities and inform the Council’s Tourism Framework strategy. There was data through Visit Essex and when available this would be circulated outside of the meeting or reported in the next quarter. It was further noted that the Council hosted the Visit Maldon Website linked to the visitor economy which recorded 4 million visitors a year and that the Council’s Tourism Framework, which will set out the wider support available, would shortly be submitted to Strategy and Resources Committee for approval.
• That officers will look at the events that have been discontinued and determine if that impacted on Tourism levels and report back outside of the meeting. However, it was noted that some of these events will be re-instated.

• That grants were available through a number of avenues including Mid-Essex Alliance and Active Essex for Health and Wellbeing as tackling obesity was a priority for the Council. The Strategic Theme Lead- Community will circulate information on grants outside of the meeting.

• That the intergenerational projects were adversely impacted by the need to shield during Covid. Initiatives to tackle social isolation, mental health and loneliness issues were being developed further and One Maldon District was working closely with partners across the district to ensure these issues were addressed as a high priority.

• That front facing staff training had been impacted by staff churn. It was a priority and Officers were working with ECC to ensure delivery of the course. The training referred to in the report was of a specialist nature to identify customers that have additional needs for referral to other specialist organisations, it was not general front facing contact training that all staff receive from the outset.

• That arrangements were in place for the removal of the Lys Helig weekend of 20 January 2023. This will then allow the Council to move forward with plans for the new houseboats and moorings.

• That the pontoon funding was now in place and an Officer Group meeting scheduled  week commencing 23 January to plan the schedule of work which will be circulated to Members when available. The pontoon will be of a similar design with improved stability.

• That going forward the Commercial Projects part of the performance report be considered under Private and Confidential to afford a full discussion. Officers advised that a Members’ Seminar was also scheduled to discuss these projects further.

• That the Council had not been successful with the levelling-up bid. The feedback was awaited which will be discussed at a review meeting that will also look at other avenues for funding given the bid information was now ready for submission.

Members commented that it would be a good idea, in respect of the levelling-up funding, that officers also have the planning applications ready in advance.

There being no further discussion the Chairman put the seconded recommendations to the Committee and they were agreed by assent.

RESOLVED

(i)            That Members reviewed the information as set out in the report and appendix 1 with priority focus given to the Strategic Outcome level performance.

(ii)           That Members confirmed they were assured through this review that corporate performance was being managed effectively.