Agenda item

That the report be noted. 

The Head of ICT and Customer Services introduced a report for Members to receive the Council’s Annual Improvement Report 2012 as published by the Auditor General for Wales and to note the Council’s response. 

The Head of ICT and Customer Services detailed the background to the report explaining that this was the third Annual Improvement Report for Flintshire and that it had been submitted to Cabinet and the Audit Committee for consideration.  The Wales Audit Office had indicated that this was a most encouraging report for Flintshire County Council.  It built on work undertaken and was made up of three sections which covered the Council’s delivery and evaluation of services in relation to 2011/12 and its planning of improvement for 2012/13.  The Auditor General had made no formal recommendations or proposals for improvement and the Cabinet response to the report was included as appendix 2.  The Head of ICT and Customer Services highlighted areas of the report on Education and Housing and the recognition of progress made on previous recommendations on Corporate work such as Flintshire Futures.  Overall it was a positive Improvement report but there was still more work to be undertaken in some areas. 

The Leader of the Council said that the report had been received positively at the Audit Committee meeting.  He welcomed the report and the fact that it did not contain any formal recommendations or areas of concern.  He referred to paragraph 33 on the issue of Flintshire County Council forecasting that only 26 of its homes would fully comply with the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) by 2020.  He explained that this had been the position at the point of transfer and now a business plan was in place to meet the WHQS for all of Flintshire’s Council housing by 2022 without borrowing which was a significant improvement.  The Leader said that work was ongoing to amend the Council’s priorities as they were not been changed in 2012 due to the new administration being in place so soon after the priorities had been set.  He intended to address the issues raised in paragraph 72 about the presentation and content of the Plan to ensure that it was easy for residents to understand.            

Councillor Paul Shotton welcomed the report highlighting in particular the WHQS being met by 2022.  Councillor Patrick Heesom said that the report highlighted a number of issues such as single status and waste.  He commented on the Estyn Inspection report which had been undertaken in February 2013 and which had identified that six of the seven recommendations had been partly or largely met with only one being fully met.  Councillor Heesom referred to the issue of economic development and town centre plans which he said were not joined up with the masterplans which were in place.  He suggested that a more corporate approach to the issue was needed and spoke of the need to move on from the Medium Term Financial Plan to something based on unit costs and unit budgeting. 

Councillor Clive Carver queried the five non affiliated Members shown on appendix 2 and the Leader of the Council provided an explanation of the Members it referred to.  Councillor Ron Hampson welcomed the report highlighting in particular the performance of Housing and the provision of the WHQS by 2022.  He said that over the next three to four years, several of the Council’s housing would be up to a good standard following the provision of new bathrooms, kitchens, windows etc.  

Councillor Alex Aldridge compared the report to that received by other authorities and said that this was a pleasing report as it did not contain any recommendations.  He spoke of the challenges ahead which included a public service review and commented on economic development in Flintshire and regeneration in Flint which he thanked officers for.  On the issue of key performance indicators he said that it was an internal document but what mattered most to residents was how Flintshire County Council conducted its business.  He welcomed the fair, reasonable and balanced report. 

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.