The Chief Executive presented a report, the purpose of which, was to present the Council’s Annual Report 2015-16, which consisted of Appendices A and Appendix B of the report, for Council to consider and approve.

He advised that the report concentrated upon performance for the previous financial year against the Council’s former priorities, with a view to focusing on making improvements. He added that the Annual Report concentrated in the main on the Council’s financial performance as well as performance outcomes and indicators.

The Chief Executive wished Members to note, that the Performance Indicators were just that, ie indicators as opposed to being information that was finite.

He pointed out that there were 58 Commitments contained within the Annual Report and that 76% of these had been fully completed. A further 20% had marginally missed being completed, with only 2 of the 58 not being fulfilled.

He added that the Annual Report also evaluated the Council’s performance against 41 national indicators, this area showed an improving picture when compared to the previous year ie 2014-15. This made for positive reading, in that it reflected that the Council last year were the second most improved local authority in Wales.

The Chief Executive added that the documents attached to the report were important, as they provided citizens and stakeholders with detailed information about the Council’s performance against its planned improvement priorities and outcomes for citizens.

He concluded his submission, by confirming that once approved, the Annual Report would be published on the Council’s website and shared with stakeholders. It would also be translated into welsh. Hard copies of the Report would also be made available to the public in Council’s libraries, with a separate summary of this being prepared to highlight key points in the Council’s performance.

A Member referred to page 23 of the Report and the bottom paragraph of the final column on this page, and asked if the new routes and upgrading of existing routes referred to as part of the Footpath network, were footpaths that could be accessed by the public and Ramblers etc.

The Corporate Director Communities advised that this was the case.

The Member also noted that the document referred to would be made available bilingually and asked how much this would cost to do so. She also asked how much it would cost, as an estimate, to produce reports for all Committees bilingually, should this eventually transpire

The Corporate Director Operational and Partnership Services responded by stating that the Annual Report had not as yet been translated. However, as the Chief Executive had earlier confirmed, this would be undertaken at an approximate cost of £986, though this cost did not include advertisement and web site translation costs. He did not know the answer to the Members second part of the question, though he added that he would endeavor to get an estimate of this, albeit based upon previous Committee send out costs.

A Member referred to page 56 of the report, and the performance indicator relating to the percentage of citizens surveyed who said that their individual access requirements are met when contacting the Council.  She stated that she was unclear how the targets identified were set and attained, due to the fact that actual targets for this P.I. were 63% in both 2013-14 and 2014-15, though the target for 2015-16 was 60% with an actual that was achieved being 61%. She did not understand the rationale behind higher targets being set for years that preceded the current year, as she thought that if targets had been met in previous years, if anything, they would be set higher for the following year.

The Chief Executive replied by stating that he was unsure about targets set in previous years, but that a lot of P.I.’s were about seeing what was achievable and what was stretchable. Targets were set in different areas of the Directorate by the appropriate Director based on what was achievable, and these were then challenged by the Corporate Performance team. He felt that it was feasible for P.I. targets to change in the same area from year to year, given restraints that a reduced workforce faced etc year on year, under the Council’s MTFS.  

A Member referred to page 46 of the report, and noted that the percentage of total lengths of rights of way which are easy to use by members of the public  were decreasing and were off target with a steady decline.

The Corporate Director Communities advised that this was an example of a recognition whereby there were other more public facing services (and P.I.’s) needed to be met and that these were more of a priority than rights of way, for example highway maintenance and grass cutting. Targets were set in terms of P.I’s, based on what was achievable in light of the Directorates year on year reduced resources, and set in order of importance and priority.

A Member noted from the report, that the Authority were very low on an all Wales basis when it came to processing in a timely and proficient manner, Disabled Facilities Grants.

The Chief Executive advised that this P.I. covered more than just one Directorate and that it also covered the period from the first initial point of contact with the customer, until the actual date the grant was signed off. He felt that this P.I. needed to be examined further for future years with a view to modifying it or breaking it down, so that performance in respect of this was more under the control and ownership of the Council per se, rather than certain other external factors.

RESOLVED:                 That Council approved the Annual Report 2015-16 (attached at Appendix A and Appendix B to the report).