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Agenda item
Performance Monitoring Quarterly Report for 2020/21- Quarter 1
(Mark Horan, Continuous Improvement and Democratic Services Manager)
Minutes:
The Chair invited Mark Horan into the conversation.
Covid has impact on the availability of performance information. A snapshot of Performance Indicators only has been provided where available. It hasn’t been through the usual robust measures in place. Work on corporate plan activities and performance continues to be pulled together. Subject to capacity and resurgence of Covid more full performance information will be brought to O and S for Quarter 2 in December. No financial information has been provided for the last two quarters. This will be made available for the next meeting. Council Tax showing as ‘not met’, but this is incorrect. The data is unavailable.
The Chair said they felt positive that the in-house street cleansing operation has been so robust and resilient compared to the one that had been outsourced. We can celebrate the excellent project planning and delivery of this inhouse service.
Councillor Barnett commented on Improved street cleanliness – stating that an independent inspection is held every year and the figures are good. These will be released in detail. One specific thing was that the cleanliness of the streets is the best it has ever been. We have been able to sustain recycling in the first three months of the pandemic. It shows that the people of Hastings have responded remarkably and still trying to do the right thing. There is a hope that the rate can be improved much further. Failed bin collections have more than doubled. Biffa responded very impressively during the pandemic. How do we challenge a contractor to do the best for the people of Hastings? It was agreed that we would challenge Biffa the same way we would challenge ourselves. Since April a whole street would be recorded if bins were missed, rather than just one bin. Hopefully things will improve, and the figures will decrease.
Councillor Cox sought explanation for the 3 red indicators (12, 18 and 19) relating to housing. Councillor Batsford responded that the figures reflecting activity during lockdown. Logistically getting into a derelict building and getting builders to do the work was difficult. As normality is returning (and the good weather), officers have found new ways to engage with those that they need to. Lack of evictions has been a positive for some tenants, but not so for landlords. Most of the homelessness applications in that quarter were family evictions, where family members just couldn’t live with that extra person sleeping on the sofa, etc. 76 people were prevented from becoming homeless and 51 rough sleepers have been given accommodation thanks to the fantastic work of officers. Members of the Outreach Team and Seaview staff continued to work with rough sleepers and help them keep their place.
Councillor Rankin commented on the number of visitors to the White Rock Theatre. Going forward, the hospitality sector is going to be changed fundamentally. The contractual funding has been a hot item of debate. What will the relationship between the council and the theatre to look like?
Councillor Fitzgerald said it remains to be seen. We have a current contract in place. It is very difficult to predict what will happen. The theatre isn’t reopening until January 2021. The Museum is doing really great work during this difficult time. Going forward the arts sector as a whole will be under immense pressure.
RESOLVED- (Unanimously)
1. That staff be thanked for their hard work and achievements to date.
The Chair thanked everyone for their contributions to the meeting.
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