Agenda item

The Environment and Transport Performance Dashboard shows progress made against targets set for Key Performance Indicators.

(1)       The Cabinet Committee received a report of the Cabinet Members for Environment and Transport and Commercial and Traded Services and the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport which contained information on the Environment & Transport Performance Dashboard.  Richard Fitzgerald, Performance Manager Business Intelligence, David Hall, Deputy Director, Highways and Transportation, and Roger Wilkin, Head of Waste Management, were in attendance to introduce the report and in response to questions raised and comments made the Committee received the following further information from officers:

(2)       The figures before the Committee were up until the end of September and overall the report was positive with many Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) showing green and only one red KPI.

(3)       As an overview Mr Fitzgerald stated that Highways and Transportation indicators were all green as at year to date but for the month of September there were two amber KPIs, one of these being the call back survey where one issue seemed to be to do with soft landscaping such as grass cutting and private property owners fulfilling their obligations.  The service was however well prepared for winter and indicators were expected to continue to stay on track through the winter.

(4)       Waste management KPIs were all green.  Recycling and composting figures had increased considerably with the rollout of different collection methods being implemented in borough and districts.   Waste tonnage had increased slightly, but as this had decreased over the past couple of years it was now back to a similar level to that of two years previously.

(5)       Mr Fitzgerald apologised that he had not reflected the portfolio change in relation to Trading Standards but stated that there was, as Mr Hill had referred to earlier, a great deal of good publicity around the seizure of counterfeit goods and hazardous products. 

(6)       In relation to Environment, Planning and Enforcement there was a positive result on most of the indicators with the exception of Kent Scientific Services (KSS), where income remained behind target due to lower spend from other local authorities.

(7)       In response to questions raised and comments made the Committee received the following further information:

(8)       Target setting was done by the Heads of Service with approval from the Corporate Director and directors.  These figures were then reviewed by Mr Fitzgerald and his team prior to them being seen by the Committee in the draft Strategic Priority Statement (SPS).  In relation to KSS the target had been set lower than the previous year’s income but actual income had been lower than anticipated.  Volunteer hours at country parks remained fairly constant throughout the year but increased during the summer months due to a Lottery funded scheme.  The response to this scheme had been high in 2013 and it had not been expected that the uptake would be as high again this year, as indicated in the target which had been set.

(9)       In relation to HT03, streetlights repaired within 28 calendar days, Mr Hall stated that the figure currently not repaired within the timeframe was approximately 100 lights per month but this indicator was still green.  Day burners, which were an issue and needed to be repaired, did not actually cost the County Council any additional money because of the way it bought its electricity.  Potholes repaired within 28 calendar days, within HT01, was also something that was closely monitored.

(10)    Mr Wilkin stated that, in relation to WM03, waste recycled and composted at Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), there had been a shift in householders recycling at HWRCs to recycling at the kerbside through their borough and district collections and this was reflected in the targets.  Borough and district recycling collection schemes had exceeded expectations.

(11)    With regard to the Sittingbourne HWRC KCC was investing a great deal at the site, largely in the waste transfer site to enable more kerbside collection.

(12)    The Corporate Director asked Members to note that there were still 16,000 volunteers, worth approx £100,000, working in the KCC’s country parks but increasing this was something that was always being looked at.  She also denied that KSS was being run down to sell off. 

(13)    RESOLVED that the report be noted.