Agenda item

To receive the Environment and Transport Performance Dashboard which shows progress made against targets set for Key Performance Indicators up to March 2017

Richard Fitzgerald (Business Intelligence Manager – Performance), Roger Wilkin (Director of Highways, Transportation and Waste), Stephen Gasche (Principal Transport Planner) Katie Stewart (Director of Environment, Planning and Enforcement) were in attendance for this item

(1)       Mr Fitzgerald introduced the report which showed progress made against targets set for Key Performance indicators for 2016/17.  He outlined his role in producing the report and referred, in particular, to the guidance notes and the Key Performance Indicator Summary at page 30 and 31 of the agenda pack.

(2)       In response to questions officers provided further information.

(3)       Mr Wilkin said there was not a reliable test to assess whether concrete columns were structurally sound and the conversion of street lights on such columns to LCD had been held back until the entire column could be replaced.  He said a capital bid was being submitted to government for funding to replace concrete columns with steel across the whole of Kent including Thanet.

(4)       Mr Gasche said that the Ashford Spurs project that had been referred to in the Cabinet Member update was on time and on budget with an anticipated completion date of 28 February 2018 and a public launch at Easter 2018.  There would be no gap in service.  Mr Gasche said the London to Paris service was currently using the new trains with the exception of two class 373 trains which provided two services daily from London to Ashford and Paris and back.  The new class E320 trains would be introduced over the coming months on the London – Brussels route without an adverse impact on the London - Ashford - Brussels service.  A new service to Amsterdam was scheduled to start at Easter 2018 and had been conceived as a non-stop service from London with two trains per day.  There were complex border issues for the return journey to the UK to be resolved.  Eurostar had an ambition to expand the service further, after the Ashford Spurs project had been completed, and if there were a third train per day, efforts would be made to ensure it stopped at Ashford and possibly also at Antwerp.

(5)       Mr Wilkin said that the authority had a contract for the conversion of 310,000 tonnes of waste to energy at Allington and additional costs were incurred if that was not achieved. He said the amount of waste being recycled had increased significantly with Kent now being one of the top performing authorities and there was scope to increase recycling further which would reduce the amount being sent to Allington.

(6)       Ms Stewart said the LED street lighting conversion project was beginning to have a positive impact on the target relating to C02 emissions (EPE13). She anticipated that this, together with further actions such as increasing awareness of staff, a recently launched e-learning programme, and the growing profile and effectiveness of the Internal Environmental Board would result in the target being met. 

(7)       In relation to EPE02 (Trading Standards – Serious or persistent offenders prosecuted) Ms Stewart said the policies, procedure and capacity had been reviewed and the KPI changed for 2017/18 to better reflect work in reducing criminality and demonstrate the complexity of the investigations.

(8)       Resolved that the report be noted.