(Time: 2.51pm to 3.08pm)
The Executive received and considered report 50/08 of the Senior Management Team. The Corporate Governance report looked at the key areas of:
· Corporate Priorities
· National Indicators
· Progress against Service Prioritisation Plans
· Key staffing data (sickness levels and turnover)
· Progress with Business Process Improvement Reviews
· A financial commentary
The Senior Management Team had considered the first quarter 2008/09 Corporate Governance Report: an exception report covering all aspects of corporate governance. The Senior Management Team had agreed the exceptions (where performance or actions were not on target) to be reported to the Executive.
Members noted that the income from planning application fees was difficult to predict in the current economic climate as developers were not building homes until they had received firm customer orders. This affected the Council’s income for completion of developments. However, the Deputy Director would offset the loss of income by not recruiting to a vacant post and by using Planning Delivery Grant to meet any shortfall (i.e. not spending it for other purposes). Members noted that the economy was also having an effect on Land Charges income due to a slow housing market.
Conversely, Members welcomed the news that the Planning Delivery Grant had been awarded by the Government in the sum of £344,000. The planning officers were thanked for their hard work, resulting in this grant award.
Turning to performance indicators on the Council’s priorities, Members questioned whether the Council actively encouraged Parish Councils to recommend ‘Grot Spots’ to be cleaned up. The Strategic Director agreed to check this and update Members outside the meeting.
With regard to the payments for the brown bins service, Members asked that a smoother process was established.
Members noted that the reason for the £60,000 budget variation in the Housing Service Area was due to the slow down in transferring clients from temporary accommodation to lower cost permanent accommodation because of the economic climate.
RESOLVED
that the Senior Management Team’s Corporate Governance exception report and proposals be noted.