Agenda item

A report by the Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Support Services setting out the corporate performance, finance, workforce, risk and capital programme positions as at the end of March 2022.

The Committee is asked to examine the data and supporting commentary for the Performance and Resources report and make any recommendations for action to the relevant Cabinet Member or Scrutiny Committee.

15.1        The Committee considered the End of March 2022 (Qtr 2) Quarterly Performance and Resources report by the Chief Executive and Director of Finance and Support Services (copy appended to the signed minutes).

15.2        Summary of responses to committee members’ questions and comments: -

·         The relationship between the underspend and the relationship to savings through working from home was because the savings number was embedded in the underspend

·         The reduced expenditure on Members’ travel, expenses, training and refreshments due to remote working has been included in the budget for 2022/23. If any further savings are realised due to  remote working, online meetings, utilities costs and how employees work under the smarter working programme, these will be factored into future budgets ACTION – Katharine Eberhart to provide details on reduction in Member spend

·         A certain percentage of aged debtors is set aside for doubtful debt provision, which has been adjusted to be more prudent during covid. This will be considered again for 2022/23

·         Officers confirmed that the Council was not expecting to receive more covid grants from the government

·         Officers explained that the Oracle Fusion sprint phase was the part of the delivery programme when the design was tested to see if it met expectations

·         The report reflects the position up to 31 March 2022 so does not include information on changes to the Smartcore contract which arose later

·         There was a request that variance information is included in future Performance and Resources Reports to show the inflationary impact on Capital Programme projects

·         The figure for square metres of operational property has increased as it includes both the existing Durrington site (Centenary House) and the new one (Bridge House)

·         The percentages quoted in Key Performance Indicator (KPI) 52 are cumulative

·         Technical accounting adjustments in ‘Portfolio In Year Pressures and Mitigations’ are additional expenses on the budget, not an adjustment between accounts

·         There was a query as to why some Capital Programme items that have slipped are listed in the Finance and Property Capital Programme rather than service portfolios. This is because the person who administers that part of the Capital Programme sits within Finance & Property

·         The aggregated cost of the Council’s services compared to its statistical neighbours is based on returns made to the government, then specialist bodies compare councils in various categories

·         Statistical neighbours are those closest to each other in profile and demographics

·         The benchmarking provides useful information to understand where the Council could improve its value for money, but comparisons are difficult as all Councils operate differently. The information generates questions to ask about service provision but does not provide the answers

·         The risk (CR68) to deliver existing work plans has stayed the same due to consequences of the ongoing covid pandemic

·         A new fire station for Littlehampton is no longer in the One Public Estate programme – this could be because, after a feasibility exercise, not all partners have the money to progress the project – ACTION: The Leader to arrange a briefing on this for all Members local to Littlehampton

·         The percentage of digital services available to support self-service had gone down because more services had been added to the KPI

·         The way Smartcore is funded has changed as some aspects of service transformation can now be funded by capital receipts rather than revenue funding if they meet certain criteria

·         The committee has previously questioned the low employee disclosure rates for protected characteristics. This has been examined to ensure all sections are now recorded and included within the figures. The data from two systems has also been cleansed and combined leading to the improved rates

·         Officers confirmed that there were no health and safety risks as a result of the low completion rates for staff induction training. All mandatory safeguarding training is carefully monitored and managed

·         There was a question about prioritising care leavers for apprenticeships – ACTION: The Cabinet Member for Support Services and Economic Development offered to look into whether care leavers could be prioritised for appropriate apprenticeship opportunities, but was wary of prioritising one group of people above another

·         The Council was using additional resources, social media campaigns and ‘meet the team’ events to recruit children’s care home staff

·         Scrutiny chairmen updates included: -

Ø  The Fire & Rescue Service Scrutiny Committee would be scrutinising the delivery of the Community Risk Management Programme

Ø  The Community, Highways and Environment Scrutiny Committee would be inviting contractors to a meeting to explain the poor performance in repairing highways defects

Ø  The Children & Young People’s Services Scrutiny Committee had asked county councillors that also sat on other councils to help support care leavers in finding employment or further education and asked for more information on the pilot scheme supporting the inclusion of those with education, health and care plans in their local mainstream school

Ø  The Health & Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee will monitor the financial challenges ahead in the care market, access to NHS dentists and GPs and the roll-out of the integrated care system and the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Adult Care Strategy

15.3        Resolved – that the Committee: -

                             i.        Requests that variance information is included in future Performance and Resources Reports to show the inflationary impact on Capital Programme projects

                            ii.        Questions the take-up of the staff induction programme and was satisfied that all mandatory staff training was undertaken and no risk issues arisen

                           iii.        Requests that the Cabinet Member for Support Services and Economic Development looks into whether care leavers could be prioritised for appropriate apprenticeship opportunities

                          iv.        Supports the work being done in relation to recruitment