Agenda item

RESOLVED:

That the 2015/16 Annual Performance Report be adopted as recommended by Cabinet.

The Chief Officer (Organisational Change) introduced the Annual Performance Report for 2015/16 which reviewed progress against the Improvement Priorities as detailed in the Improvement Plan 2015/16.

            The report reflected the overall good progress that had been made against the priorities and the high level of confidence in achieving the desired outcomes.  It also demonstrated that risks were managed well, with only 1 remaining at a high level at year end.

            The Corporate Business and Communications Executive Officer delivered a presentation which covered the following areas:

·         Format and content

·         Performance Overview 2015/16

·         Progress Overview

·         Highlights

·         Areas for Improvement

·         Performance Overview

·         Wales Audit Office (WAO) – 2015/16 View

·         Overview

·         Next Steps

A sheet had been handed to Members which listed a number of addendums to the report, some of which had arisen following the Cabinet meeting the previous day.

Councillor Mullin thanked the officers for their work on the Annual Performance Report.

Councillor Carver commented on the number of addendums given to Members at the meeting and moved that the report be deferred to be amended and brought back before all Members at a future meeting.  This was duly seconded by Councillor Richard Jones.  The Corporate Business and Communications Executive Officer explained that the addendums were technical amendments in the main and had been taken into account in the presentation delivered.

Councillor Aaron Shotton said the report had been considered at each of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees as part of the process of consultation.  The addendums addressed any comments made at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings.  There were no substantial changes in the paper given to Members.

Councillor Dolphin acknowledged the amount of work done on the APR.  However, he commented on town and rural regeneration and stressed the importance of rural areas.  He also commented on transport infrastructure and asked how the information had been assessed.  On C roads, he queried the improvement of roads in rural locations.

            The Chief Officer (Governance) reminded Members that they needed to be speaking on the amendment at this point.

            Councillor Richard Jones said he would have also sought a deferment.  12 of the addendums were numerical which he said had an impact on the data throughout the document.  He also queried whether Wales Audit Office (WAO) had seen the 31 addendums.  He commented on missing items from the original document and supported Councillor Carver’s motion of deferral.  The Corporate Business and Communications Executive Officer explained that WAO had seen a first draft of the document and made comments.  A Certificate of Compliance would not be issued by WAO until the document was published on the website.

            Councillor Peers said the report was not considered at the Community and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee; it was last considered by that Committee in March 2016.  He felt it was unacceptable to be presented to Members today with the addendums circulated.

            Councillor Guest said it was not ideal that the list of addendums had not been seen by Members prior to the meeting.  Some of the changes were marginal which would not necessarily require a deferment but he asked for further information on the point raised by Councillor Richard Jones on missing information.  The Corporate Business and Communications Executive Officer said she did not have the original document before her but it had been the intention to include all areas of commitment that had been made including the measures.

            Councillor Bithell commented on one of the addendums which had been included following the Cabinet meeting the previous day and related to Disabled Facilities Grants for children.  He thanked the officer for the amendment which provided a more accurate picture of the priority.

            Councillor Mullin reiterated that the addendums were technical amendments and should not distract from a positive news report.

            Councillor Carver requested a recorded vote and was supported by the requisite number of Members.  On being put to the vote the amendment was lost.

For the amendment:-

Councillors: Carver; Dolphin; Gay; Guest; Hutchinson; Isherwood; Richard Jones; Mackie; Matthews; McGuill; Peers; Gareth Roberts; Steele-Mortimer and Woolley.

Against the amendment:-

Councillors: Attridge; Banks; Bateman; Bithell; Brown; Butler; Cox; Cunningham; Curtis; Alan Diskin; Glenys Diskin; Dunbar; Dunbobbin; Ellis; Evans; Hampson; Hardcastle; Healey; Hinds; Hughes; Johnson; Christine Jones; Kevin Jones; Brian Lloyd; Richard Lloyd; Mullin; Newhouse; Parker; Perfect; Ian Roberts; Roney; Sharps; Aaron Shotton; Paul Shotton; Smith; David Williams and David Wisinger.

Abstentions:-

Councillor Colin Legg.

            The Chief Officer (Governance) advised that any debate was now on the substantive motion.

            Councillor Ellis commented on Risk Reference IP2.1.2R1 – ‘Funding between Health and Council does not transfer smoothly; e.g. CHC, ICF, Primary Care Funds’ which was risk rated as amber and was the only risk with an increasing trend.  She said continuing health care had a big impact on the social services budget which had been raised in Social and Health Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  Attempts had been made to hold Betsi Cadwalader Health Board to account as it was a worrying position for the residents of Flintshire.

            Councillor Aaron Shotton said the APR was a culmination of 12 months of work and commented on some of the positive areas within the report such as increasing the numbers of new Council and affordable homes through the Strategic Housing Regeneration Programme (SHARP).

            Councillor Paul Shotton also commented on the positive outcomes within the report which were being achieved despite Flintshire being a low funded Council per capita.

            Councillor Peers supported those positive comments but raised concerns on inconsistency. Section 1 showed Appropriate and Affordable Homes as having an outcome RAG status of green which he felt was fair in relation to new homes.  However, on affordable housing supplied through Section 106 Agreements he felt this was not the case.  In February 2016 the Community and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee received a report which showed that the supply of affordable housing would continue to be insufficient to meet community needs.  This was shown as Risk Reference IP1.1.1R3 which showed that risk as having an initial rating of red however that had now moved to amber despite no supporting commentary.  He sought clarification on Risk Reference IP7.2.1R4 ‘Recycling programmes are not supported by the public and employees’.

            Councillor Richard Jones reiterated his comments on items from the original document not being included in this document such as: filling of accommodation; one page profile in care homes; evaluation of impact of pilot schemes on the older people’s commissioner’s report; launch of a construction academy; entrepreneurs programme; and environmental improvement programme in Garden City.  Councillor Christine Jones thanked the officers for the amendment in relation to the number of Memory Cafes which was 6 and not 16 as detailed.  She also confirmed that the work on one page profiles in care homes had been completed.

            Councillor Guest asked sought clarification on the figures on the slide ‘Performance Overview’ which totalled 108%.

            Councillor David Williams asked if the amendments circulated would be included in the final document which was confirmed.

            On being put to the vote, the substantive motion was carried.

RESOLVED:

That the 2015/16 Annual Performance Report be adopted as recommended by Cabinet.