Decision details

(Time: 3.44pm to 3.53pm)

The Executive received and considered half year Service Area reports from each Deputy Director.  The reports covered the period from April to September 2007.  The Executive Members had been asked to provide a commentary on the reports for each service area where they held responsibility.  These were collated before the meeting and tabled for the Executive's consideration.  Executive Members highlighted the following points:

• Performance was improving on the waste management contract, despite some missed bin collections
• Risk management had been satisfactorily reviewed in Building Control with adequate solutions introduced
• A plan to redevelop some derelict garages at Pebble Hill, Radley was intended to substantially offset the loss of property income from the Old Gaol, Abingdon
• Environmental Health Officers were coping well with demands
• The Planning Delivery Grant awarded to the Council was very good and welcome reward for good service
• Development Control targets were being achieved despite heavy workloads on large developments at Grove, Didcot, Faringdon and Botley
• In Human Resources, voluntary leavers had increased from 11.22% to 11.8%, compared to a target of 11%
• Staff sickness in the Abingdon Local Services Point was reducing
• Additional meetings through extra licensing hearings and potentially extra Standards hearings was putting pressure on Democratic Services staff.  These extra demands had come without extra funding in the recent Local Government Settlement
• A new Head of Legal had been appointed
• There had been no half year report from the Finance Service Area.  This was managed in a different way through the Ridgeway Shared Service Partnership.  However, the Portfolio Holder had provided a commentary which was tabled along with the other commentaries
• There was a need to improve corporate finance risk management for the Council which would need extra resources over the next six months.  The Audit and Governance Committee would then be able to review this area
• No Portfolio Holder commentary had been submitted for the Housing Service Area.  However, it was noted that it had been prepared and would be sent to the Scrutiny Committee in time for its consideration on 13 December 2007. 
• Flooding had affected the Housing service in July with some families being made homeless unexpectedly
• Good work continued in the crime reduction area with the Vale continuing to be one of the safest places to live
• An extra 106 properties had been available to let in the Vale during the six month period

RESOLVED

that the half year service area reports and the Executive Portfolio Holder commentaries be noted.