Meeting documents

Corporate Objective on track with minimal, if any, concern about delivery

Corporate Objective mostly on track but some concerns that if not addressed could affect delivery

Corporate Objective currently off track with significant concerns about delivery

Progressing and on track

Check progress on milestone dates

Milestone dates have been missed

Performance

Finance

OK – Performance on target – denotes current value is between the amber/green threshold and the best value

If the data value is equal to the amber threshold, and the amber threshold is equal to the target, the PI status will be green

Under-spent or on budget

Warning – Performance below target – denotes current value is between the amber/red threshold and the amber/green threshold

If the data value is equal to the amber threshold, and the amber threshold is not equal to the target, the PI status will be amber

Overspend is less than £250k

Alert – Performance significantly below target – denotes current value is between the amber/red threshold and the worst value

If the data value is equal to the red threshold, the PI status will be red.

Overspend exceeds £250k

Low level risks with a profile score between 1 and 4

Medium level risks with a profile score between 5 and 19

High level risks with a profile score between 20 and 25

Objective Status

PI Profile

Risk Profile

*

Creating the conditions for Economic Engagement

2

1

*

Promoting Economic Engagement

5

1

*

Supporting strong partnerships

2

3

*

Increasing inward investment

1

1

1

3

*

Promotion of our key cultural assets

1

1

*

Engage with the private sector to ensure business influences improvements to the economy

1

1

*

Seek to rebalance the priority given to public transport over other modes by making greater use of road space currently being used solely for buses

2

*

Achieve Better Quality Homes by improving housing standards in Doncaster

…

1

1

2

*

Achieve Better Places to live by increasing supply & affordability of housing & promoting housing investment in Doncaster

4

1

2

*

Achieve Better Housing Choices for People by taking into account the housing implications in the Localism Act and by contributing to corporate work to improve universal services/life chances

1

2

*

Deliver a stakeholder-engaged VFM service by supporting the SCR Housing & Regeneration Board & responding to any legacy recommendations arising from the ceasing of the Housing Improving Board

…

2

2

*

Effectively enforce against environmental offences (including noise nuisance, littering & fly tipping)

1

1

1

1

*

Effectively progress the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham (BDR) waste PFI project

3

*

Implementation of the Local Development Framework

3

1

*

Implement Doncaster's Environment Strategy

2

*

…

Housing Improvement Plan

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

Days lost due to sickness

Implementation of Critical and Major Audit Actions

Performance Develop Reviews

2 out of 7 achieved

Gross Budget

000’s

Net Budget

000’s

Variance

000’s

Regeneration & Environment Total

78,092

45,267

316

The revenue budgets in Regeneration & Environment are projected to overspend by £316k; this is after £689k of recurrent underspends in specific areas being transferred to CYPS.  The main overspends are Environment £133k and Strategic Housing £131k with underspends on Development £121k and Trading & Support Services £133k.  The trading accounts are projected to underachieve their budgeted surpluses by £262k due to overspends on Metroclean £437k, with an underspend on Markets £164k

Trading

0

-1,372

262

The main underspend is on Markets £164k with the main overspend arising in Metroclean £437k due to issues meeting on-going budget savings

Regeneration & Environment Total

129,994

127,008

11,786

No significant issues for this area at quarter 1, with individual comments detailed below.

Development

67,806

63,052

7,254

CCQ works and Civic Office fit out works are progressing largely in line with the estimated programme.  FARRRS - The contractor has been selected and works and financing package is being finalised.  Negotiations continued to complete the Developer's contributions to allow RGF due diligence to be completed.  WRW - Scheme ahead of schedule, making good progress on both Phase 1 and Phase 2.  Main areas of spend include CCQ Works £22.0m, FARRRS £24.2m and White Rose Way £12.8m.  The reduction in estimate largely relates to the re-profiling of later phases of the CCQ programme from 2012/13 and Bentley Park works being re-profiled to 2013/14.  Waterfront - LSTF Grant Funding has been approved for 2012/13 and 2013/14.

Transport

7,204

6,768

681

No significant issues for this area of the programme at Quarter 1.  Main spend includes Integrated Transport Block £2.4m, Highways £2.9m and Bridges £1.5m.  Reduction in forecast spend from base budget is mainly due to the re-profiling of bridge improvement works to later years and fluctuations between actual and indicative grant allocations.

Other Environment Schemes

3,891

3,857

32

No significant issues for this area of the programme at Quarter 1.  Main spend includes Interim and Long Term Waste Processing £1.2m and Play Areas/Open Space £1.1m.

Total Environment

11,095

10,625

713

No significant issues for the area at Quarter 1.

Housing General Fund

6,202

8,419

148

No significant issues for this area of the programme at Quarter 1 other than the delivery of the £1.4m Gypsy and Traveller new pitches scheme is dependent upon agreeing the contract with the HCA and the related grant.  Main areas of expected spend are Empty Property Strategy £3.2m, Achieving Access and Inclusion £2.1m, Windhill Efficiency works £1.2m and Six Streets £1.1m.  The increase in spend is mainly due to the new additions detailed in Appendix H.

Housing Revenue Account

42,509

41,966

3,523

No significant issues for this area of the programme at Quarter 1.  Potential issue with the Decent Homes Programme if decline rate increases and new agreements with contractors are not secured before year end the works could be delayed, with funding rolled forward into 2013/14.  Position being monitored, will be updated in Q2.  Main areas of spend include Decency Works £27.9m, Planned Improvements £8.8m and Affordable Housing £2.1m.

Total Strategic Housing

48,711

50,385

3,671

No significant issues at in this area at quarter 1, with comments detailed above.

Trading & Support Services

2,156

2,386

146

No significant issues for this area of the programme at Quarter 1.  Main area of spend is Mercury Abatement works £1.0m.

Revenue Costs of Capital

226

560

0

No significant issues for this area of the programme at Quarter 1.  Main areas of spend are CCQ decant and aerial relocation £0.3m and Transport related costs £0.3m.

Director’s Comment

Progress against our Corporate Plan objectives has continued the positive trend of the previous year.  The Regeneration and Environment Directorate has 15 priorities spread across 4 themes and all of these priorities are on track.  This represents very positive performance for the Directorate.

I am particularly pleased with the amount of ‘External Investment’ secured for housing priorities, with £26.4m already secured against the 2011-2014 target of £30m.

However, I recognise that we have to improve on the performance of 4 indicators that are red in Q1:

1.      The new jobs figure for Q1 for Success Doncaster  is below target but new contracts commencing in Q2 and major job creation projects are in the pipeline so it is hope this jobs figure will be recovered by the end of Q2;

2.      The Overall Investment Target for Q1 is below target but with investments in the pipeline there is confidence that the situation will improve significantly in Q2;

3.      Category 1 Hazards resolved in 6 months is below target but a Systems Thinking review and work with the Directorate Business Development Manager is planned to help improve working practices.  This, along with an increase in resources across the team, will speed up the resolution of Cat1s.

4.      We are below target on enforcement actions for fly-tipping, which is set high, compared to the national picture.  Work is on-going within the new Enforcement Team to improve performance and the target will be reviewed with the aim of setting a more realistic target, whilst improving on last year’s performance.

We have one Risk that is rated red, which relates to the legal challenge to the Joint Waste Plan.  The challenge period is over and no legal challenge has been made in Doncaster but, although it may be unlikely, challenges can be made to courts outside of Doncaster, so there is a period of waiting before we can say if this risk has passed.

Reducing sickness absence remains a high priority for the directorate and, in line with corporate guidance, we continue to focus on areas of concern including data quality; compliance with the Council's policy; and are working with HR to improve effective monitoring and management of staff in those areas with the highest absence rates.

Although not targeted measures in the corporate Plan, I am mindful of two other areas that we need to  continue monitoring:

·        Doncaster’s claimant numbers more or less stood still in June 2012, whilst nationally & regionally there was around a 2% reduction; and

·        Empty homes, at 4,989, is at its highest Quarterly figure since Q2 2009/10.

Regeneration & Environment have 3 strategic risks linked to the Corporate Plan for 2012/13.  They have all been profiled for Q1, no strategic risks have been identified for demotion and no new risks have been nominated during the challenge process.   The Q1 risk profiles that have a risk score of 10 or above are shown below.

Impact of a delayed adoption of the Local Development Framework (LDF) timeframe

Scott Cardwell

Core Strategy due to go to Full Council on 18th May for adoption, which is obviously a huge step forward, however the risk remains as the work on the detailed policies and site allocations will form part of a subsequent document.

Failure to respond adequately to borough emergencies or mitigate effectively against the effects of extreme weather conditions e.g. flooding

Karen Hanson

Emergency Planning are working with Directorates and Managers to review practices and procedures which reflect the changing corporate structures, in order to ensure the best use of emergency response skills and resources.  An on-going training and exercise plan is used to increase staff awareness of emergency planning risks and their response roles and responsibilities.