Agenda item
Six Month Strategic Performance Monitoring Report
- Meeting of Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Monday, 4th January, 2016 7.15 p.m. (Item 7.3)
- View the background to item 7.3
Minutes:
The Committee received and noted a monitoring report that outlined the Council’s progress in delivering activities within the Strategic Plan and performance for Strategic Measures at the six month stage.
The summary of the Committees discussions is outlined below:
1. Heard that the percentage of council tax collected performance is 49.3 percent; the target has been exceeded by 0.8 percentage points;
2. Heard that 4.9 per cent of 16-19 year olds were not in education, employment or training (NEET) in August (most up to date data); better than target;
3. Noted that recent changes to regulations have placed a requirement on Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to adopt a specific sampling methodology and to make public (via Environment Agency reporting) their throughput volumes of the various types of recyclates. This requires each MRF to establish the quality of materials that they receive and process. In addition the recyclates market has been impacted by economic conditions which mean that the value of materials in the recyclable stream has dropped significantly, affecting prices and demand, especially for low grade materials. This has made the MRF contractors more vigilant in terms of what they accept from councils, so more of the waste sent for recycling has been rejected as being contaminated; this rejected waste is sent for processing to generate energy and does not contribute towards recycling targets. Accordingly, Clean, Green & Highways, alongside the Veolia Outreach and Education Team, are currently working closely with registered providers to tackle and prevent contamination and increase the quality and quantity of recycling collected from estates. A new communications campaign to compliment this work and increase participation is being rolled out during November/December. In addition, work is being carried out to encourage households to take part in the food waste collection scheme in houses. Early indications show the recycling rate is improving and it is expected that targets will be met by the end of the year and that further improvement will be achievable next year. It was noted that there would be a scrutiny challenge session to look at recycling on the 19th January, 2016;
4. Asked if there be consistency between recycling provision in the town hall and for residents in the future. (Subsequent to the meeting it was noted that Facilities Management has implemented and manage the system at Mulberry Place. The waste is generally office waste somewhat different to household waste. The scheme implemented is essential to prevent contamination, and it has helped providing the segregated bins. The waste at the Town Hall is classified as Commercial Waste; the recycling is collected by Veolia, the residual waste by East India Dock management. Moving to the future LBTH needs to think more collaboratively to implement an effective waste management system for the New Civic Centre, and Clean, Green and Highways are more than willing to provide advice on the options and best practice);
5. Heard that in overall terms Tower Hamlets is considered to perform well for cleanliness and is a top performing. However, everybody has a role to play in making Tower Hamlets clean, green and litter-free. It will be through the combined efforts of residents and community groups working alongside Council to keep the borough clean, whilst those persistent offenders will be pursued;
6. Asked that as the milestone “commence Year 5 Decent Homes (DH) Programme using DHs contractors” is shown in the report as 100% completed due to the contractors having started on site. How is the year 5 programme itself progressing? (Subsequent to the meeting it was noted that the 2015/16 DHs programme is projected to cost circa £51million of which £13.2m is GLA funded as part of the additional funding secured for Y5.The Council is contracted with GLA to make 917 DHs but the total for the programme will be 1,650 which will reduce backlog non-decency to 5.8%.and 11.82% globally by the end of the financial year. A total of 7,226 homes have been made decent since the programme started in 2011/12. Whilst at the end of Q3, a total of 295 homes have been made decent this year. The forecast against the borough-wide target has been reprofiled to 1,150 properties against the original target of 1,650. The framework contractors have carried out a series of onsite surveys, which have been validated by the THH in-house delivery team and consultants. This work has determined that some blocks require little or no works at the current time. This has led to a position where some blocks that have been programmed to return yield are already Decent against the re-profiled target, THH are confident in meeting the year end figure at March 2016. 70% of the local community benefits targets have also been achieved ending).
7. What does the Community Speed Enforcement arrangement entail? (Subsequent to the meeting it was noted that the Community Speed Enforcement concept is where members of the public operate a speed gun to monitor traffic speed and anyone travelling over the speed limit is written to by the Police, to advise them to observe the speed limit – although no tickets can be issued this way. The Police have advised the Council of a lack of equipment and LBTH has purchased a speed gun for their use which it has been agreed will be used in 20 targeted enforcement initiatives to spread awareness of the 20 mph limit and address anti-social driving behaviour).
Supporting documents:
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6 month cover note, item 7.3
PDF 56 KB
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Q2 2015-16 Strategic Monitoring, item 7.3
PDF 190 KB
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APPENDIX 1 2015-16 SP Monitoring MC V1.2, item 7.3
PDF 344 KB
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APPENDIX 2 - Q2 2015-16 STRATEGIC MEASURES v1.5, item 7.3
PDF 342 KB