Cabinet received and considered Minute OSC23/44 arising from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) held on 22 January 2024 that had considered the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for 2024/25. 

The KPIs focused on key outcomes within the Corporate Plan and the impact of both the local economy and efficient delivery of key services to Rother’s residents, within the Council’s resources. The KPIs would enable the Council to make comparisons with other councils and monitor performance over time. 22 KPIs were proposed for 2024/25, with a new KPI for Progress of the Climate Strategy having been added to the set, and would be reported within eight themed areas, namely:

•     Environmental Health (two indicators)

•     Housing (three indicators)

•     Customer Services (two indicators)

•     Neighbourhood Services (five indicators)

•     Estates (one indicator)

•     Corporate Core (one indicator)

•     Planning Development Management (three indicators)

•     Climate Strategy (one indicator)

•     Revenues and Benefits (four indicators)

Other KPIs that were exceeding or significantly missing their target would be reported to the OSC by exception.  A State of the District Report would be reported annually to the OSC, which would be wide ranging and seek to ensure that Members were kept informed of changes to the profile, demographic and housing and economic landscape of the district.

The OSC had recommended and agreed that Planning Development KPIs P3 and P4 be combined as ‘Major and minor development planning appeals allowed by the Planning Inspector’, with the target of 10%, as the Government took this measurement as one rather than two.

Cabinet approved the KPIs and targets as recommended by the OSC and agreed that in future, they be reported in alphabetical order. Cabinet welcomed the addition of a Climate Strategy KPI and hoped that more would follow in time and noted the reduction in Customer Services KPIs, in order to focus on key performance areas and to reflect the channel switch towards digital. Cabinet agreed that the Estates KPI be kept under review by the Deputy Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer.

Cabinet was satisfied that these provided an adequate review of the Council’s key performance areas. 

RESOLVED: That the following Key Performance Indicators for 2024/25 and their performance targets be approved and reviewed quarterly by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

1)   Climate Strategy

•     Scope 1 and 2 emissions reduction: Target 50% reduction

2)   Corporate Core

•     FOI - % answered in 20 days: Target 100%

3)   Customer Services

•     Percentage of enquiries that are resolved on the first contact with customer services: Target 85%

•     Channel Shift – online vs traditional: Target 65% online

4)   Environmental Health

•     % of planning food inspections carried out: Target 90%

•     % of service requests resolved on time: Target 90%

5)   Estates

•     Income from all assets: Target £2,375,310 (to be kept under review by the Deputy Chief Executive and S151 Officer)

6)   Housing

•     Number of households either prevented (P) from homelessness or relieved (R) from homelessness: Target 30 per quarter, 120 per annum

•     Average cost per TA Placement: Target £1,200 per month

•     Average Number of weeks spent in TA: Target 15

7)   Neighbourhood Services

•     Waste collections missed bins/100,000: Target 62/ 100,000

•     % of public land found with unacceptable levels of litter: Target 2.50%

•     % of public land found with unacceptable levels of detritus: Target 7%

•     Fly tips recorded on public land/month: Target 69

•     Fly tip fines issued: Monitor

8)   Planning Development Manager

•     Percentage of major development applications determined in 13 weeks or agreed extension: Target 80%

•     Percentage of minor development applications determined in 8 weeks or agreed extension: Target 80%

•     Major and Minor development planning appeals allowed by the Planning Inspector: Target 10%

9)   Revenues and Benefits

•     Percentage of Council Tax owed for the year that has been collected: Target 98.3% yr

•     Percentage of business rates owed for the year that have been collected: Target 98.3% yr

•     Average calendar days to process a new housing benefit claim and/or Council Tax Reduction Claim: Target 20 days

•     Average calendar days to process a change to an existing housing benefit claim and/or Council Tax Reduction Claim: Target 14 days