Agenda item

To consider a report by Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Lead Member for Finance, Performance and Strategic Assets (copy enclosed) presenting the draft Annual Performance Review 2020 – 2021 for confirmation prior to submission to Council for approval.

RESOLVED that, subject to any agreed changes, Cabinet confirms the content of the draft Annual Performance Review 2020 to 2021.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill presented the report together with the draft Annual Performance Review (APR) for 2020 to 2021 prior to its submission to Council.

Cabinet was guided through the APR which had expanded to combine a number of previously separate reports into one document, meeting the Council’s requirements under a number of pieces of legislation including the new Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021.  The report provided a retrospective evaluation of the Council’s success in delivering against its plans during 2020 to 2021 and looked ahead to what could be delivered in 2021 to 2022.  It included narrative on progress in delivering corporate priorities, including the current status and programme success. The Project Register and Corporate Risk Register had also been included.  The APR had been considered by Performance Scrutiny Committee who had requested details of individual scheme costing in the funding section of the report relating to Highways and Education spend which was currently being collated.

The Strategic Planning Team Manager provided a summary of progress against priorities and the Strategic Planning and Performance Team Leader provided an overview of the new corporate health section of the report in order to satisfy the need to self-assess under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021.

Cabinet considered the APR and main areas of debate focused on the following –

·        the Leader highlighted that the Council had deliberately set an ambitious Corporate Plan and was pleased to note the progress made, whilst acknowledging that some priorities, such as digital connectivity, were outside of the Council’s control.  With regard to the new corporate health section in the report he stressed the need to appropriately balance that element against delivery of those priorities which had been based on engagement with residents and their expectations.  Officers agreed confirming that the performance objectives had been deliberately placed at the forefront of the document

·        Councillor Mark Young referred to the Syrian Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme and Cabinet’s endorsement to continue supporting refugees through the Global Resettlement Programme – given the concerns raised regarding access to healthcare and quality housing he asked that those issues be included in the APR in order to capture the response to those concerns.  Officers agreed to review the wording as requested but highlighted that some of the issues were beyond the Council’s control although the Council would look to encourage and pursue other organisations to fulfil those responsibilities

·        whilst Ruthin extra care housing had experienced some obstacles with challenges in securing a contractor, overall there was confidence that the project would progress within the timescale of the current Corporate Plan

·        in responding to questions from Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts attention was drawn to domestic violence figures showing an increase in the cumulative number of repeat victims of domestic violence in Denbighshire, from 517 to 515 in Quarter 4 (an increase of 7.6% on the previous year).  The amount of work undertaken in this area was highlighted in terms of increasing awareness etc. and therefore a change in the figures was expected and the Covid-19 restrictions would likely have had an effect on domestic crime.  Although he did not have the details of the domestic abuse figures to hand, Councillor Mark Young reiterated that his quarterly report to members provided a breakdown and analysis of those figures which he would re-circulate to members

·        the Council worked regionally with regard to social care funding and fees were market based and had increased over time and above inflation.  It was an area which was being actively considered but was very much dependent on the work being done with Welsh Government around funding for social care

·        child obesity was very much an issue of concern and whilst the regional event planned to examine the issues affecting children had been paused due to Covid-19, the intention was to resume that work at a future point

·        the Use of Plastics Task and Finish Group had completed its work and whilst the reduction of plastic was still an issue, it no longer had its own work stream and had been subsumed into the Climate Change and Ecological Change Strategy

·        obstacles experienced in progressing biodiversity projects had largely been due to the planned aspects of the project which required the use of volunteers which had not been possible due to social distancing restrictions, however as those restrictions eased progress would resume and there was no risk to the project

·        a new volunteering policy for the Council had been approved followed by a relaunch of the volunteering web pages to support the process.  Assurances were provided that the Council worked closely with DVSC and the distinction between Council volunteering and DVSC supporting county wide volunteering had been highlighted with the policy and recognised.

RESOLVED that, subject to any agreed changes, Cabinet confirms the content of the draft Annual Performance Review 2020 to 2021.