(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.