Agenda item

(Report of the Leader of the Council)

This Report of the Leader of the Council provided the Committee with a performance update and financial healthcheck for the Quarter 2 2020/21.

The Chair welcomed the Executive Director Finance and the Knowledge Performance and Insight Co-ordinator to the meeting.

The Executive Director, Finance introduced the report and invited any questions from the Committee.

The Committee sought clarification in the following areas:

1.    the Customer Portal project:

The Committee requested further information on the reasons for the delays to delivery of the project and sought a greater understanding of any issues encountered with interactions between different software suppliers. The Executive Director, Finance reported that since the end of quarter 2 he understood that the issues had been resolved and completion was now expected by 31 December 2020.

The Committee discussed the RAG status reporting for the project.  The Executive Director reported the report reflected the RAG status as at the end of September 2020.

The Committee considered that it could be appropriate to undertake a post implementation review of the Customer Portal project, and that this item be added to the Committee’s work plan, with a date for consideration to be agreed.

2.    Cleaning Service:

The Committee requested clarification on the scope of the cleaning service and specifically whether or not the service would include the Castle. 

3.    Leisure Strategy & Leisure Services Review:

The Committee considered the milestones and queried when scrutiny could be engaged on these activities.  The Committee considered that it would be appropriate for Officers to engage with scrutiny chairs in respect of the timelines for key projects to enable scrutiny to be engaged in the process in a timely manner. 

4.    Universal Credit:

The Committee queried why Council Tax data for Quarters 1 and 2, regarding arrears, showed as N/A.  The Executive Director, Finance reported that the data for these parameters was not available in its normal format as this performance indicator relied on court summonses data (and courts had not been sitting).  The Executive Director, Finance provided alternative data to the Committee.  The Committee requested further details be circulated to enable members to understand the position further.

The Committer sought clarification on the reasons for arrears in housing rents occurring in respect of recipients of universal credit, and whether this resulted from initial delays in the first payments for universal credit being made.  It was reported that there had been some changes by the Government in respect of this initial period and further details would be provided on this.

Revenues and Housing Income collection team staff were thanked by the Committee for their hard work in both achieving the reported income levels while supporting people at this difficult time.

5.    Financial healthcheck queries:

The Executive Director, Finance reported that some funding for the CCTV project from the Housing Revenue Account had always been planned.

6.    Town Centre Programme:

The Committee queried the green RAG status for the Gungate Masterplan.  The Committee further commented and queried the accuracy of the RAG status scoring in some areas, given the lack of detail provided in places and potential COVID-19 impacts.

RESOLVED that the Quarter Two 2020/21 Performance Report be endorsed.

(Moved by Councillor Dr S Peaple and seconded by Councillor M Summers)

RESOLVED that the Committee recommend to Cabinet that Officers are requested to ensure that the Scrutiny Chairs are advised of the timelines of their Corporate plan projects so there is an opportunity for scrutiny to participate in the process, as necessary.

(Moved by Councillor Dr S Peaple and seconded by Councillor S Goodall)

RESOLVED that Committee recommend that council staff in the collections team be thanked for their work at this difficult time.

(Moved by Councillor Dr S Peaple and seconded by Councillor S Goodall)