Agenda item

Report by the Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Support Services.

Each of the Scrutiny Committee Chairman will be invited to speak for up to three minutes to provide the views of their Committee on respective parts of the Quarter 3 Performance and Resources Report.

Each of the main Minority Group Leaders will be invited to speak for up to three minutes on the Quarter 3 Performance and Resources Report.

The Cabinet will then discuss the report prior to taking any decision.

Following consideration of the report, the Cabinet resolved to note the Q3 Performance and Resources report.

The call-in deadline is 24 March 2022.

45.1            Cabinet considered a report by the Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Support Services. The report was introduced by Cllr Jeremy Hunt, Cabinet Member for Finance and Property who outlined progress against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and year end projections.

45.2            Cllr Stephen Hillier, Chairman of the Children and Young People’s Services Scrutiny Committee said the Committee was pleased with the continued improvement in the service particularly in areas of re-referrals, phase 2 of foster carer recruitment and early help plans. Some concerns were expressed about the increasing staff vacancy level and outcomes were awaited from the national review of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

45.3            Cllr Kevin Boram, Chairman of the Fire and Rescue Service Scrutiny Committee said the Committee continues to review the KPIs. Whilst Safe and Well visits continued to be low, the service aims to look at high risk areas and numbers were improving. A Task and Finish Group will consider the issues facing retained firefighter capacity. Delivery of the Horsham Fire Training facility continues to be reviewed by the Committee.

45.4            Cllr David Britton, Chairman of the Communities, Highways and Environment Scrutiny Committee said the Committee was supportive of the initiatives to prevent fuel poverty. KPIs of concern were highway defects and repairs and the number of road fatalities. The Committee recognised the recently announced budget increase.

45.5            Cllr Pieter Montyn, Chairman of the Performance and Finance Scrutiny Committee said the Committee wants to see the best use of council assets for communities. The appointment of the new Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development was welcomed and the Committee expects to receive information on his plans in due course. Assurances were sought and received on children in care in unregulated placements. The Committee supports the rollout of gigabit butr emphasised the need to focus on rural areas. The Committee noted the red KPI around employee disclosure rates and the lower completion rate of staff induction.

45.6            Cllr Kirsty Lord, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group was concerned at the number of high risk rated KPIs, particularly in the areas of keeping people safe from vulnerable situations. Cllr Lord noted KPI 39 and the percentage of adults with a learning disability in paid employment and highlighted that voluntary roles should also be recorded. Cllr Lord noted that no further action is planned for KS2 pupils achieving the expected standard and the attainment gap of disadvantaged children although the pandemic was still having an impact. Cllr Lord noted the rise in performance in the Fire and Rescue Service.

45.7            Cllr Caroline Baxter, Leader of the Labour Group welcomed the positives in the report and highlighted concerns about the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) overspend and associated risks. Cllr Baxter has concerns about outsourcing jobs and the importance of supporting residents as a local employer. Cllr Baxter said more should be done for road safety, including expansion of the team. 

45.8            The following points were made by Cabinet Members in discussion:

Ø  Cllr Steve Waight, Cabinet Member for Support Services and Economic Development was pleased to report that measures in the support services area of his portfolio were all on track and that work to deliver savings was ongoing. Cllr Waight highlighted the serious nature of cyber attacks and the introduction of stronger passwords.

Ø  Cllr Bob Lanzer, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing said that activity to promote flu vaccines had reduced incidence. The service is working with partners to reinstate group exercise classes halted by the pandemic.

Ø  Cllr Joy Dennis, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport reported planned savings had been achieved with a balanced budget. Inflation could be a challenge going forward. Workstreams are in place to deal with KPI 41 (killed and seriously injured casualties). Cllr Dennis advised a road safety manager had been appointed and two more members to the team would be recruited. 

Ø  Cllr Duncan Crow, Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue said the projected overspend in the service continued to decrease and savings were on course, or had been delivered. All 7 KPI areas had seen improvement and the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) would contribute to improving these further.

Ø  Cllr Nigel Jupp, Cabinet Member for Learning and Skills said that, at the end of December, the percentage of schools in West Sussex rated Good or Outstanding was at the highest level in recent years. Cllr Jupp noted the attainment gap indicator relates to numbers of children off school due to Covid, and that it is hoped the DSG situation would improve in the later part of the year.

Ø  Cllr Amanda Jupp, Cabinet Member for Adults Services advised there continue to be close working relationships with care providers and that the service remains on track to reduce admissions and enable more people to live at home for longer. The Adult Social Care Strategy was developed during this quarter which will set priorities and guidefuture plans.

Ø  Cllr Deborah Urquhart, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change highlighted the income from solar farms, the high fuel costs in schools without solar energy and that the service had been asked to fast-track these projects.

Ø  Cllr Paul Marshall, Leader of the Council advised of the progress made in building a network of digital and gigabit capability and he updated on growth deals and their good outcomes. Work continues with improvement plans and support had been given to residents and to businesses to protect the local economy, whilst sustaining the underpinning theme of the Council Plan of Climate Change.

45.9            Resolved – that Cabinet note the Q3 Performance and Resources report.