Agenda item

Ms R Kennard (Chief Analyst) and Mr D Beaver (Head of Commercial Management and Waste Services, Highways Transportation and Waste) were in attendance for this item

(1)      Ms Kennard introduced the Performance Dashboard which set out the progress against targets set for Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), with the latest Dashboard including data up to September 2020. 14 of the 18 KPIs achieved target and were RAG rated green, one KPI was below target but did achieve the floor standard and were therefore RAG rated amber, and three KPIs did not achieve floor standard and were therefore RAG rated red.

(2)      Mr Payne (Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport) referred to KPI ‘HT12: Streetlights, illuminated signs and bollards repaired in 28 calendar days’ within the Performance Dashboard and said that the figure for the month of September 2020 was 81% and did not yet appear within the Performance Dashboard. He added that none of the lights had stopped working, it was merely a communication issue.

Officers then responded to a number of comments and questions from Committee Members, which included the following: -

a)    In response to questions on the wide variation in performance across Kent for recycling and other Miss Carey (Cabinet Member for Environment) said those districts with the lowest rates of recycling and highest weight  of waste per household were also those that still collected waste weekly. She said that new legislation was expected that would require councils to collect food waste separately which would provide an opportunity to look again at how recycling might be improved. KCC was continuing to work with all the district/borough councils to reduce waste and increase recycling. She referred to the effect the Covid-19 pandemic had had on the amount of waste that households in Kent had produced in recent months and emphasised the importance of partnership working between Kent County Council and district/borough councils to educate and encourage the appropriate disposal of waste.

b)    Mr Beaver agreed with Miss Carey’s remarks. He also explained that the reduction in composted waste in WM01 and WM03 was thought to be the result of the prolonged hot and dry weather in July and August which had less to less garden waste. This also had the effect of reducing disposal costs. He added that overall, there would be a significant increase in the levels of kerbside-collected waste as more people were spending time at home as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

c)    Mr Payne referred to KPI ‘HT08: Emergency incidents attended to within 2 hours’ and said that highways incidents were ranked according to the date/time in which they were received, and the severity of the incident. He reassured Members of the Committee that they could contact him with regards to specific incidents within their own divisions.

d)    Mrs Cooper confirmed the formal definition of ‘Emergency incidents’ as current and real danger incidents such as diesel on the road, tree branches across the road, missing gully covers, large potholes etc.

e)    Miss Carey assured the Committee that carbon reduction target was on track even without the help from a reduction in some emissions during lockdown.

f)     Mr Beaver said the recent closure of the Allington Waste Management Facility was not reflected in the figures in this report as it was for the second quarter (July – September inclusive). This would closure would impact the landfill figures for Q3. Miss Carey undertook that the commentary in the next Performance Dashboard report would cover the situation with Allington. 

g)    Mr Payne said that Kent’s Pothole Blitz strategy had significantly improved the condition of Kent’s roads.

(3)      RESOLVED that the performance dashboard be noted.